The Citibank PremierMiles card is mainly for people who usually travel abroad for business or leisure. Cardholders can earn one Premier Mile for every VND20,000 of spend and cash withdrawal, 1,000 bonus Premier Miles for card renewal, and 5,000 bonus marks for spending over VND500 million in one year.

The card can be redeemed for free flight awards on about 50 airlines including Vietnam Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific Airlines, and Delta Airlines. The Premier Miles earned by Citibank customers never expire.

The card owners can benefit from many local and international incentives such as 80% off the second business class ticket on Malaysian Airlines from Saigon to Kuala Lumpur; stay one night, get one night free offers from Sofitel Plaza Hanoi, Sofitel Plaza Saigon, Novotel Halong Bay, Novotel Nha Trang, Mercure Hanoi, Mercure Hue; discounts at Vinpearl Nha Trang, Eva Son Nha Trang and Six Senses Ninh Van Bay; and discounts and privileges at over 6,000 merchants across Asia.

Antonio Corro, MasterCard country head and chief representative for Indochina, said at a news briefing last Friday, “MasterCard’s latest travel survey revealed that one in four consumers across Asia Pacific is looking to travel.”

Vietnam is the eighth market in Asia where Citibank has launched this kind of card.

Explaining the decision to issue such a card in Vietnam, Bret Krause, managing director and Citibank country officer for Vietnam, said Vietnam had achieved fast growth in the past few years and the number of affluent Vietnamese people was increasing.

Bret Krause also said that the U.S.-based bank was still chasing the plan of seeking local incorporated license in Vietnam which is under the long-term investment plan of Citibank in the country.