HAVE miles, will travel - this seems to be the current motto for credit card holders in Singapore. With the recession hitting people hard in their pockets, more are cashing in their reward points from their credit cards for air tickets.

QUICK TO CASH IN 'I MOSTLY travel around Asia because I'm very impatient. The moment I get enough points on my credit card to travel, I travel!' American Express Gold Card holder Lawrence Wee, 36, who handles customer loyalty at Robinsons ... more Have card will travel AMERICAN Express In conjunction with Korean Air's 40th anniversary year, credit card holders have been offered exclusive two-to-travel fares. Ticketing period is on till July 31 for travel till ... more

Citibank's cards marketing director Alice Fok said redemption of points for travel purposes has more than doubled in the first three months of this year, compared to the same period last year. Comparing the first three months of this year to the earlier three months, 10 per cent more American Express card members cashed in their points to travel.

HSBC also told The Straits Times that it had seen increases, although it did not give figures.

Credit card companies usually give members reward points when they use their cards for purchases. These points can then be exchanged for not just air miles but also a vast amount of other purchases and products, ranging from designer clothing and fine dining to music video games such as Guitar Hero.

Credit card companies are also introducing more perks to encourage their customers to continue to travel.

HSBC's head of personal finance services, Mr Sebastian Arcuri, said its card holders can gain up to five times the amount of reward points when they use their credit cards overseas from now until the end of the year.

American Express and Singapore Airlines also launched the Solitaire Priority Passenger Service Credit Card earlier this month, which allows a holder to credit the points earned directly into his KrisFlyer account without the need to pay a transfer fee.

Credit card companies are also increasing their tie-ups with travel agencies in an attempt to invigorate the travel landscape.

Chan Brothers Travel's partnership with credit card companies here dates back to more than a decade ago. But over the years, the number of event and promotion tie-ups with credit cards has increased from once every four months to at least once a month. Chan Brothers will be having its first private sale event for card members of a certain credit card here from Wednesday to July 22. Details will be released later but the agency said it is hoping for $500,000 in credit card receipts.

National Association of Travel Agents Singapore chief executive Robert Khoo said there may be an increase in travel towards the end of the year because of the 'pent-up demand' - a situation also seen in 2003 after the scare over the Sars outbreak tapered off.

Read the full story in Monday's edition of The Straits Times.