HeyMax is a fintech startup that has already made waves in reshaping Singapore’s miles ecosystem, especially with the laucnh of Chocolate Finance Visa Card, allowing users to earn 2mpd on virtually anything. I'm going to share my thoughts on how I’m using Max Miles, their non-expiring rewards currency, for the best value in 2025.
What Can You Do with Max Miles?
Max Miles are earned whenever you shop online, buy vouchers, or purchase insurance policies via the Max Shopping Portal. These miles are quite flexible and offer several redemption options, making them highly versatile. You can:
Convert to 27 Airline and Hotel Partners – Max Miles can be transferred to a variety of airline and hotel loyalty programmes at a 1:1 ratio.
Redeem for Gift Cards – Max Miles can be used to buy gift cards from numerous retailers.
Pay for Flights and Hotels – You can directly redeem Max Miles for booking flights and hotel stays.
Airline and Hotel Points Conversions
Max Miles can be transferred to 27 airline and hotel loyalty programs without any fees.
Direct Points Transfer Partners: You simply log into your HeyMax account, head to the points transfer portal, select the loyalty program you want to transfer to, and enter the number of Max Miles you wish to redeem (in increments of 100, with a minimum redemption of 1,000 Max Miles). Once the transfer is initiated, the points will appear in your loyalty account, typically within 1-21 business days.
Cash-for-Miles: These partners offer the option to convert your Max Miles into a form of cash that can be used for travel or hotel bookings. While this can be convenient, I personally prefer using Max Miles for direct loyalty transfers, as they often offer better value.
"I don't see Krisflyer as one of the transfer partners!?!?"
I hear you – I totally understand why a Singapore-based traveler might expect KrisFlyer to be one of the transfer partners. It's a fair expectation, especially since many of us are aiming to collect enough miles for at least a medium-haul Business Class flight. The issue with alternative frequent flyer programs is that you might not accumulate enough points for something truly valuable, and you could end up with a short-haul Business Class flight to somewhere like Bangkok. In that case, the hassle of collecting Max Miles might outweight the added value, as some might be perfectly fine flying with budget airlines or in economy instead.
My Personal Strategy with Max Miles in 2025
I have narrowed down 2 FFP to focus on: Air Canada's Aeroplan and Air France-KLM Flying Blue.
No additional fuel surcharges on any award redemption.
Include a stopover of up to 45 days on a one-way award for just 5,000 points.
Better access to Singapore Airlines award availability compared to KrisFlyer members.
Aeroplan’s award pricing can sometimes be lower than KrisFlyer’s.
HSBC's points can be transfered to Aeroplan, which is key to building a critical mass of points for redemptions.
Wait - what do you mean by "better access" and "lower award pricing"?
When I say better access and lower award pricing, I mean that Aeroplan sometimes shows award availability on Singapore Airlines flights when KrisFlyer itself does not—and at a lower mileage cost too.
For example, take SIN-SYD on June 18th at 00:45. KrisFlyer shows no availability at the Saver level (68.5K miles) or even at the Advantage level (90K miles). Yet, I can find the same flight available for booking through Aeroplan at just 45K miles!
Of course, the trade-off is that Aeroplan points are significantly harder to earn as a Singapore-based traveler compared to KrisFlyer miles. But if you have access to them—like through Max Miles—this could be a great way to unlock extra award space and save a substantial number of miles.
Citi, OCBC & HSBC's points can be transfered to Flying Blue, which is key to building a critical mass of points for redemptions.
Conclusion
Since accumulating a critical mass of miles is crucial for these alternative frequent flyer programs, I’ve generally chosen HeyMax over ShopBack—unless the ShopBack cashback value is too good to pass up. While Citi Rewards (CRMC), HSBC Revolution (Revo) and OCBC Rewards aren’t my top go-to cards, I’ve kept them in rotation to ensure I can still make meaningful redemptions for these programs when the opportunity arises!
What do you think? How are you planning to use your Max Miles this year? Feel free to share your strategies and tips in the comments below!
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