A couple days ago Citibank launched an absolutely insane promotion with Apple Pay that let you earn up to 20X (8 mpd) points when you used your Citibank Rewards, Citibank Prestige or Citibank Ultima card.

In my post I mentioned that it was quite clear to me that this 20X promotion was distinct from the 10X promotion that Citibank Rewards runs year round for purchases at department stores, bags, shoes and clothes. That promotion is capped at S$12,000 of spend every membership year. The T&Cs of this Apple Pay promotion did not mention any cap at all.

But miles chasers, being who they are, started worrying and getting paranoid. A couple even called up Citibank to ask whether the 20X promotion was also subject to the same cap as the 10X, and unhelpfully, some CSOs told them “yes” (rule #1: CSOs don’t always have the right answers).

Fortunately, we have empirical evidence that this is untrue, as there are numerous reports on the Telegram Group of users who had already maxed out their Citibank Rewards cards on the 10X promotion getting 20X with the Apple Pay promotion. I do not have an Apple phone, but I’ve been able to independently verify this with a friend who uses Apple Pay as well.

Unlimited 8 mpd everywhere is bonkers

Every once in a while we get a promotion that seems too good to be true. The HSBC Advance’s unlimited 4 mpd on dining and online spending and the OCBC Titanium Reward’s 12 mpd on IKEA purchases are a couple in recent memory. There’s little doubt in my mind that this Citibank Apple Pay promotion will go down in the same league as those.

I predict a riot among Citibank cardholders with Apple phones over the next couple of months. I know more than a few who plan to frontload all their grocery shopping for the rest of the year by buying NTUC vouchers. Do remember however that if a merchant already earns 10X under the year round Citibank Rewards promotion, you will not earn 20X if you use Apple Pay (eg buying Taka vouchers won’t work). There is no such restriction if you hold the Citibank Prestige or Citibank Ultima cards.

What a time to be alive!