Start here: UOB Rewards Programme — earn, redeem, convert to miles and keep your points

Step 1: What UNI$ are and who they suit

You will learn: what the UOB Rewards Programme is and which cardmembers it suits.

The UOB Rewards Programme is a programme of United Overseas Bank Limited (UOB) in Singapore, and UNI$ is its reward currency [1]. Participation is governed by these terms, the Programme catalogue, voucher or booking terms, participating merchants' terms and the UOB Cardmember Agreement [1]. UOB and participating merchants or suppliers may vary those terms at any time, and UOB may amend the programme terms without prior notice [1].

UNI$ are not exchangeable for cash or credit and are not transferable to another Account [1]. The terms are governed by Singapore law, with the Courts of Singapore having exclusive jurisdiction [1].

UNI$ suit Principal Cardmembers of UOB Credit Cards that earn UNI$ rather than a cash rebate; listed cards and cardmembers who opt for Cash Rebate do not earn UNI$ unless their card terms state otherwise [1].

Go deeper: Singapore card points programmes compared, Start here: cards and transfers.

Step 2: How you join: Principal and Supplementary Cardmembers

You will learn: who is eligible and how Principal and Supplementary Cardmembers relate to one UNI$ balance.

An Eligible Person is a Principal Cardmember whose Credit Card account is valid, subsisting and in good standing as UOB determines in its sole discretion; individual Cardmembers under a Corporate Card account also qualify where the Corporate Customer has not declined participation [1].

UNI$ earned by a Supplementary Cardmember are credited to the Principal Cardmember's account and may be used only by the Principal Cardmember to redeem Rewards [1]. If a Supplementary Card is terminated, only that Supplementary Cardmember leaves and the Principal may continue [1]. If the Principal Cardmember's account is terminated for any reason, all Principal and Supplementary Cardmembers are disqualified and unused UNI$ are cancelled, with no reinstatement or transfer [1]. If any Eligible Person's Account is closed or terminated, that person is disqualified and unused UNI$ are cancelled [1].

UOB has absolute discretion to decide eligibility and may disqualify any Account or Cardmember without reasons or compensation [1]. Only a Principal Cardmember may redeem Rewards [1].

Go deeper: supplementary card earning, card selection framework.

Step 3: How earning works

You will learn: the standard earn rate, the main exclusions and how UNI$ are calculated and shown.

Cardmembers earn UNI$1 for every S$5 charged to their Credit Card account, except where individual card terms provide otherwise, including cards offering accelerated UNI$ [1]. UNI$ are calculated on each transaction daily and rounded down to the nearest whole UNI$; decimal UNI$ are also rounded down [1]. New instalments under the UOB 0% Instalment Plan do not earn UNI$ [1]. Certain listed cards, and cardmembers who opt for Cash Rebate, do not earn UNI$ unless their card terms state otherwise [1].

SimplyGo (ABT) bus and train fares earn UNI$ per merchant submission, except on UOB Visa Cards, where monthly accumulated spend earns UNI$ awarded on the 7th calendar day of the following month [1].

Annual fees, interest, late payment and finance charges, cash advances and other fees do not count for UNI$ [1]. UNI$ are not awarded for named transaction descriptions and merchant category codes, including wire transfers and remittances, insurance, education, government services and tax payments, nor for AXS payments, Shell or SPC service stations, payments under the 0% Instalment Payment Plan, SmartPay or UOB Lady's LuxePay Plan, or transactions later cancelled, voided or reversed [1].

UOB may refuse or cancel UNI$ for commercial, non-personal, prohibited or excluded spending, deduct or recompute UNI$ if due payment is not made, adjust for credits and returns, and rectify errors [1]. The UNI$ balance appears on the monthly Credit Card statement [1].

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Step 4: How to use UNI$: Rewards, instant redemption and miles

You will learn: the routes for spending UNI$ and the rules that apply to each.

Rewards are goods, services, benefits or privileges UOB may determine, excluding tobacco, and Principal Cardmembers may redeem Rewards featured on UOB's website or publications [1]. Redemption requires sufficient UNI$, is subject to availability and first come, first served, and is estimated to take 7 working days; changes and cancellations are not entertained [1]. A redeemed Reward cannot be refunded or exchanged for cash or kind, UNI$, another Reward or other merchandise [1]. A voucher is not a reservation or booking, must be used within its validity period, and cannot be extended, refunded, replaced or exchanged unless the terms state otherwise [1].

Principal Cardmembers may make instant redemptions at participating merchant outlets by presenting their UOB card at point of purchase to offset purchases on the spot; this is not available for UOB American Express, Singtel-UOB, UOB JCB and UOB Union Pay Credit Cards [1]. Getaways travel vouchers are not reservations; the Eligible Person makes the booking, availability applies, and cancellation refunds are not entertained [1].

Under the UOB Frequent Flyer Programme, the Eligible Person must first enrol or already be enrolled with the airline's programme, and airline terms also apply [1]. The rate is UNI$1 = 2 miles, each transfer must be in 10,000-mile blocks to an account in the person's own name, and each transfer carries a S$27 fee (or such other amount as UOB may determine) except for UOB Reserve, UOB Visa Infinite Metal, UOB Visa Infinite and UOB Privilege Banking Cardmembers [1]. A Principal Cardmember must re-enrol for the KrisFlyer one-time conversion through UOB Rewards - Frequent Flyer Programme Enrolment when the enrolled card number changes [1]. Allow up to 5 working days for KrisFlyer and 14 working days for Asia Miles; urgent requests and cancellations are not entertained, and airlines can change without prior notice [1].

Go deeper: Start here: KrisFlyer, Asia Miles vs KrisFlyer card earning, transfer ratio, minimum transfer.

Step 5: Keeping UNI$: no tiers, expiry and changes

You will learn: how long UNI$ last, how fee waivers use them and what cancels them.

The terms describe no status tiers for UNI$ [1]. UNI$ expire 2 years from the last day of each periodic quarter, or UNI$ period, in which they were earned; each UNI$ period runs within the January-to-December calendar year, and expired UNI$ cannot be replaced or reinstated [1].

UNI$ are deducted first for a full or half waiver of the UOB Credit Card annual fee where applicable, automatically on the first day of the following month when the fee is due on annual renewal, provided sufficient UNI$ are set aside under the Fees and Charges Guide in the UOB Cardmember Agreement [1]. Annual fees for the UOB Reserve Card and UOB Visa Infinite Metal Card cannot be waived, and UNI$ cannot pay them [1].

Account closure or termination cancels unused UNI$ without reinstatement or transfer [1]. UOB may cancel accrued UNI$ and issued Rewards for abuse or fraud, including in mile transfers to KrisFlyer or Asia Miles, and may suspend or terminate the Programme or withdraw, cancel or invalidate Rewards or UNI$ at any time without reason or notice [1]. UOB's decision on all programme matters is final, conclusive and binding [1].

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Step 6: Your first concrete action

You will learn: a short checklist for putting your UNI$ on a sound footing.

1. Confirm that your card earns UNI$ rather than a cash rebate, then read the UOB Rewards Programme Terms and Conditions [1].
2. Check the UNI$ balance on your monthly statement and note the quarter in which it was earned, because expiry runs 2 years from that quarter's last day [1].
3. Before a miles transfer, enrol with the airline in your own name, plan 10,000-mile blocks, and check the S$27 fee and any card exception [1].
4. If a Supplementary Cardmember spends, remember that the UNI$ belong to the Principal Cardmember's account and only the Principal redeems them [1].
5. Use UNI$ before closing the card, because closure or termination cancels unused UNI$ [1].

Next: read the UOB Rewards Programme (UNI$) hub for every page about the programme, or continue to Start here: KrisFlyer for the airline side; the UOB Rewards programme page is the official entry point for Rewards.