Overview

Initial Impression: KTC Royal Orchid Plus (ROP) Infinite/World is an amazing card for travellers who want to accumulate miles quickly across both travel and non-travel related spending with Thai Airways’ ROP program. 

Benchmarking

KTC ROP Infinite (and World) is an invitation only card, and the rewards scheme reflects this. Assuming you’re gunning for Thai Airways redemptions, its earn rates are amongst the best available across highly desirable and usable credit card categories.

Earn Mechanism

As the name suggests, the KTC ROP Infinite lets you earn points that are only usable for the ROP frequent flyer program. Note, that you are still technically earning “KTC points” but points earned on this card will only be applicable for the ROP program and will be entitled to special rates where applicable. In other words, they are different from KTC Forever points earned with house cards. While only being able to transfer to one frequent flyer program is typically a drawback, if you are based out of Bangkok, chances are Thai Airways is the most relevant airline for you anyway.

As with an airline co-branded card, the upside is that the miles earn rates are very good:

• Base Earning Rate: 1 KTC point for every 25 baht spend
• Travel Spending Bonus: 3 KTC point for every 25 baht spend
• Shopping Spending Bonus: 3 KTC point for every 25 baht spend
• DiningSpending Bonus: 3 KTC point for every 25 baht spend
• Foreign Spending Bonus: 3 KTC point for every 25 baht spend

It is important to note that you will only each 3 KTC points for every 25 baht  (3x points) spend when you have spent a total of 600,000 baht ech year. In the even that you do not meet this requirement, or for remainder values (e.g., any amount between 600,000 and 1,200,000) you will only earn 2 KTC points for every 25 baht (2x points) 

You can see how this earn mechanism works in the examples below:

There is no general cap on bonus points you can earn with KTC ROP Infinite.

Collecting Miles

As the name might suggest, with KTC ROP Infinite, you will be restricted to only transferring to Thai Airway’s ROP frequent flyer program. While earn rate is much higher than the average KTC card, the points to miles conversion ratio is identical.

Note: For ease of comparison, all examples would refer to Thai Airways ROP miles unless otherwise stated.

Based on the points earn rate, we can infer the following miles earn rate for TTB Absolute:

Getting Cashback

With the KTC ROP Infinite, you cannot convert your earned points into cashback.

Spending Overseas

When you use a credit card overseas, your purchases are charged in a foreign currency and then converted to Thai Baht. This conversion comes with a foreign exchange (FX) spread or fee—a hidden cost many cardholders overlook.

• Foreign Currency Conversion Risk Rate: KTC applies a foreign currency conversion risk rate not exceeding 2% on transactions made in foreign currencies. This is a reduction from the standard 2.5% rate, offering some savings on overseas spending.
• Exchange Spread: Depending on which version of the KTC card you get, this will refer to either Visa or Mastercard’s spread that is built into their respective rates. This typically stands at ~1%.

For example, you spend 30,000 baht on an overseas trip.

Lounge Access

With KTC ROP Infinite, you’ll get complimentary visits to Priority Pass airport lounges globally every calendar year. One of the perks of KTC’s Priority Pass in particular is that the quotas could also be used by accompanying guests. 

Now, the next question may be “what lounges can I use in Bangkok”? For that, we’ve compiled a list of lounges available for PriorityPass holders at Suvarnabhumi Airport:

Eligibility Criteria

To apply for the KTC ROP Infinite, you must meet specific eligibility criteria based on nationality, income, and employment status. Here's a breakdown of the requirements:

A. Ordinary Requirements:

Thai Nationals

Foreigner

B. Alternative Requirements:

Annual Fee

KTC ROP Infinite has a very steep annual fee. While a waiver is available, conditions for the waiver requires significant annual spending of at least 600,000 baht. 

Primary Card

Supplementary Card