Let’s take a look at the options of petrol loyalty reward cards available in Malaysia
| PETRONAS Mesra | Shell Bonuslink | Petron Miles | Caltex Journey | BHPetrol eCard | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| What’s the earning ratio? | 1 litre of fuel = 1 point RM1 spent at Kedai Mesra = 1 point Purchase fuel via the Setel App = up to 3x points |
1 litre of fuel = 1 point (25% extra points when pumping Shell V-Power Racing) RM1 spent on Shell SELECT and deli2go = 1 point BONUS: - Earn 25 points when you pump 125-250 litres/month - Earn 75 points when you pump 251-500 litres/month - Earn 150 Points when you pump >500 litres/month |
61 litre of Blaze 100 fuel = 3 points 1 litre of Blaze 97, Blaze 95, Turbo Diesel or Diesel Max fuel = 2 points4 |
1 litre of fuel = 1 point | 1 litre of fuel = 1 Point RM 1 spent on BHPetromart items = 1 point |
| What’s the redemption ratio? | For every 100 points = RM1 | For every 100 points = RM1 | Petron Blaze:
Treats: For every 100 points = RM1 |
For every 100 points = RM1 | For 550 points = RM5 worth of fuel For 950 points = RM10 worth of fuel |
| Can you use the card to collect/redeem points elsewhere? | Mesra Rewards lets you redeem great deals at greatly discounted prices at restaurants, beauty salons, spas, gyms, entertainment venues, stores and more. | You have the flexibility to earn points from other Bonuslink partners and use your points to redeem electronic gadgets, travel accessories, luxury products and more on BonusLink’s catalogue. |
You can convert your Miles points to Enrich Points and redeem an array of rewards from flights, seat upgrades, Golden Lounge access, dining and more. You can also earn 3 points by booking your accommodation on Agoda with every RM 1 spent. |
You can earn and redeem points at any B Infinite participating merchants like Starbucks, Kenny Rogers & more. | You can also earn ePoints from BHP partner outlets. Additionally, 10X ePoints are also awarded when you renew your SmartDrive motor insurance by AXA Affin General Insurance Berhad via BHPetrol website. |
| Will the points accumulated expire? | YES, the validity of the points is 3 years from the transaction date. | YES, BonusLink Points are valid for 3 years. After the 36th month, Points will expire on a monthly, 'first in first out' basis. | There’s NO expiry date for your Petron Miles Points, as long as you make 1 purchase within the 12 months. | YES, BPoints expire 36 months from sales or purchase date, on a first in first out basis. | YES, points accumulated on your BHPetrol eCard will only be valid for 3 years from when they are first earned. |
Now, which one gives you the best bang for your buck?
Each petrol loyalty card somewhat employs the same tactics, which means you might not really see the differences at first glance. To figure out which can give more value and savings, we’ve compared the five leading petrol loyalty card brands based on the earning and redemption ratio while making note of any extra perks as shown earlier.
For a clearer picture, here’s a scenario.
Let’s say you’re driving a Proton Iriz. Every week you’d fuel up for 40 litres of RON95 petrol for a full tank (RON95 fuel price is at RM2.05/litre as of 17 February 2022). On top of that, you’d also get a Wonda Coffee (RM2.50) - out of habit.
| PETRONAS Mesra | Shell Bonuslink | Petron Miles | Caltex Journey | BHPetrol eCard | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total points earned for a single visit | 40 litres of RON95 = 40 points Wonda Coffee = 2 points Total = 42 points |
40 litres of RON95 = 40 points Wonda Coffee = 2 points Total = 42 points |
40 litres of RON95 = 80 points | 40 litres of RON95 = 40 points | 40 litres of RON95 = 40 points Wonda Coffee = 2 points Total = 42 points |
| Total points earned for the month (4x visits) | 42 points x 4 visits = 168 points | 42 points x 4 visits = 168 points Bonus points for 125-250 litres/month = 25 points Total = 193 points |
80 points x 4 visits = 320 points | 40 points x 4 visits = 160 points | 42 points x 4 visits = 168 points |
Looking at the analysis above, it seems that Petron Miles is at the top of the list for the most accrued points from fuel purchased followed by Bonuslink, Petronas Mesra, BHPetrol e-Card and the Caltex Journey.
This is mainly because of its high earning ratio, which is 2 points for every litre purchased - which means by the end of next month, just by fueling up your car, you’d be able to redeem an RM5 fuel for 450points. You can also get more points without trying so hard if you’re using Blaze 97 more often. We believe that this is a great option if you’re always driving around and also a frequent traveller - can get more points for Agoda bookings and also convert to Enrich Miles.
Even better, the points that you’ve accumulated don’t have an expiry date, as long as you make 1 purchase within the 12 months - this gives you the option to store the points as long as you want.
Image source: Petron Miles
Having said that, when it comes to the minimum redemption that you can make, Petron Miles doesn’t seem like a breeze. Yes, the point-earning mechanism rate is higher as compared to others, but the average driver will have to accumulate a substantial amount of points to qualify for fuel redemptions i.e. 450 points just to redeem an RM5 of fuel. We feel the same way about BHPetrol eCard.
But, for PETRONAS Mesra, Shell BonusLink and Caltex Journey, you can make a redemption rate of 100 points for an RM1 worth of fuel or on their respective store items. This means you can make your first redemption in a few weeks.
Image source: shell.com.my
Meanwhile, if you prefer to collect/redeem points that aren’t just limited to refuelling, as well as transactions performed at the petrol station, we’d say Shell Bonuslink and Caltex Journey definitely fit the bill. With the flexibility to earn and redeem points from the wide and interesting range of the Bonuslink’s or B-Infinite’s partner lists, this sure makes loyalty lovers happy.
That said, between the two mentioned, we feel making redemption using the Caltex Journey card would be much more tempting and easier. For example, you can use your BPoints (from as low as 100 points = RM1) as cash and pay for your next bill at Kenny Rogers ROASTERS.
So, what’s the verdict?
Image source: GIPHY
At this point, we believe that there's no one size fits all. Each card has its own strength, so it’s not easy to pin down which card gives the best value. For instance, if you’re only talking about collecting points from fueling, we’d vouch for Petron Miles. But there’s a downside - the Petron outlet network is comparatively small compared to other petrol stations like Petronas and Shell outlets, which means accessibility could be an issue. You might also want to consider your personal preference i.e. how are you going to make use it.
But, what do you think? Which petrol loyalty reward card would you go for? Share with us your thoughts in the FB post comment section. And also, don’t forget to check out our weekly petrol prices update every Wednesday.
Drive safe and please use the signal, everyone!
Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to the author's employer, organisation, committee or other group or individual. The above article is intended for informational purposes only. Loanstreet accepts no responsibility for loss that may arise from reliance on information contained in the articles.
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