For comparison purposes only. Final terms are determined by the issuing bank.
Review
A premium travel card for overseas spend and no-spend lounge access
The CIMB Travel World Elite Credit Card is mainly for people who spend a lot on travel, especially overseas, airline and duty-free transactions. It is not the kind of card I would judge by local daily spending. The value is clearly on the travel side.
The card earns up to 10x Bonus Points on eligible overseas, airline and duty-free spending. In those categories, the miles value is quite strong. Malaysia Airlines can work out to around RM1.25 per mile, while KrisFlyer and Asia Miles are around RM1.50 per mile. Some other airline partners are also around the RM1.50 range, while JAL is closer to RM2 per mile.
That partner list is one of the better parts of the card. Not many Malaysian cards give useful conversion options across several frequent flyer programmes. But the low CPM depends heavily on the 10x categories. If most of your spending is local, you will not see the same value.
The lounge access is the biggest upgrade over the regular CIMB Travel World card. World Elite gives up to 12 complimentary airport lounge accesses per calendar year without a quarterly spend requirement. Access now covers Plaza Premium Lounge, Plaza Premium First and Mastercard Travel Pass, under the same annual lounge entitlement.
The card also has no foreign exchange mark-up on overseas transactions. That matters because the card is already strongest for overseas spending. If you travel often, the no FX mark-up and 10x overseas earn rate work nicely together.
The cost is the main drawback. The annual fee is high, and a full waiver requires at least RM120,000 annual spend together with the required repayment conditions. The income requirement is also not low, so this card only makes sense if you can genuinely use the travel benefits.
Verdict: The CIMB Travel World Elite Credit Card is worth considering if you spend heavily overseas, want good airline transfer value and prefer lounge access without quarterly spend tracking. Compared with the regular Travel World card, it is much easier to use for lounges and gives better miles value. But if you cannot use the 10x categories or meet the high annual fee waiver threshold, it may be too expensive to keep.
Pros
- Strong miles value on overseas, airline and duty-free spending
- MAS conversion can work out to around RM1.25 per mile
- KrisFlyer and Asia Miles can work out to around RM1.50 per mile
- 12 lounge accesses per year without quarterly spend requirement
- No foreign exchange mark-up on overseas transactions
Cons
- High income requirement
- High annual fee
- Full annual fee waiver requires RM120,000 annual spend
- Best miles value depends mainly on overseas, airline and duty-free spending
- Local spending is less attractive than the 10x categories
Rewards Points
| Category | Multiplier | Cap |
|---|---|---|
Overseas | 10xPoint | Uncapped |
Airlines | 10xPoint | Uncapped |
Duty Free stores | 10xPoint | Uncapped |
Other Local Spend | 2xPoint | Uncapped |
Local Education | 1xPoint | 50,000 points |
Local Insurance | 1xPoint | 50,000 points |
Local Utilities | 1xPoint | 50,000 points |
Rewards rates, caps and eligibility are subject to bank-defined terms and conditions.
Information is compiled independently and may not always reflect the latest updates. Please refer to the relevant official website for final and up-to-date details.
Points Conversion
Best CPM is calculated based on the highest earn rate available for each points program. A lower CPM indicates better value. Click on a row to see CPM at different earn rates.
Information is compiled independently and may not always reflect the latest updates. Please refer to the relevant official website for final and up-to-date details.
Points Redemption
Standard CIMB credit card points program. Can redeem for cash, vouchers, or airline miles.
Air Miles Calculator
Estimates use monthly category totals. Actual rewards may differ due to transaction-level rounding, merchant coding, exclusions, caps, and bank terms.
Monthly Spend
Enter eligible spend by category to estimate your miles.
Only programs supported by every points currency earned on this card are shown.
Air Miles Summary
Airport Lounge Access
Program Name
Plaza Premium Group
Annual Visits
Eligible users
Access type
ComplimentaryRequirement
-
Applicable locations:
Program Name
Sky Lounge
Annual Visits
Eligible users
Access type
Spending RequiredRequirement
Min. spend RM 2,000
Applicable locations:
Lounge access is subject to bank-defined terms and may change over time.
For the full lounge list, please refer to the relevant official website.
Card benefits
12x Global Lounge Access
Complimentary 12x access per year to 150+ Plaza Premium First and Plaza Premium Lounges worldwide. Access is shared between Principal and Supplementary cardholders.
12x Sky Lounge Access (Subang)
Exclusive 12x Sky Lounge access at SkyPark Terminal, Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport.
No Overseas FX Mark-up
0% bank admin fee on foreign currency exchange (saving you the usual 1%).
4D3N Anantara Vacation Club Stay
Complimentary 4 Days 3 Nights stay at Anantara Vacation Club Thailand.
In-flight WiFi Cash Back
Up to RM80 Cash Back on In-flight WiFi per statement on 19 participating airlines.
Premium Travel Insurance
Comprehensive End-to-End Travel Insurance coverage, including Collision Damage Waiver for car rentals.
Purchase Protection
Coverage up to USD 20,000 for Purchase Protection and USD 1,000 for E-Commerce Purchase Protection.
Mastercard ID Theft Protection
Proactive monitoring and alert service to protect your identity.