HeyMax, the Singapore-born AI-powered loyalty and travel rewards platform, has officially launched HeyMax First — billed as the world’s first miles-upfront membership programme. The launch flips the traditional loyalty model on its head: instead of spending years accumulating miles before booking a dream trip, members now receive up to one million miles upfront and earn them back over time through everyday spending.
First-year membership fees are waived for all members who sign up during the launch period.
How HeyMax First Works
The premise is straightforward. Once you join, you get immediate access to up to 1,000,000 Max Miles, drawing down however many you need for the trip you want. You pay a fully reclaimable access fee to unlock the miles, then redeem them for flights or hotel stays — transferring 1:1 to over 20 of the world’s leading airline and hotel loyalty programmes, unlocking access to 70+ airlines across every major global alliance.
After you’ve booked, you earn the miles back at your own pace through everyday spending on the HeyMax app. The access fee is reclaimed as you earn. There is no deadline, no penalty, and no minimum activity requirement.
The four steps:
- Join free — first-year fees waived during the launch period
- Get miles upfront — access up to 1,000,000 Max Miles and draw down what you need
- Redeem to fly — transfer miles 1:1 to 20+ airline and hotel loyalty programmes covering 70+ airlines
- Earn later, on your own time — earn the miles back through daily spending, reclaiming the access fee as you go
Why It Matters
Premium award flights — think business class to Europe or a first-class cabin across the Pacific — typically require hundreds of thousands of miles. For the average traveller, accumulating that balance takes years of disciplined spending, and there is always the risk of miles expiring or devaluing before they can be used.
HeyMax First removes that wait entirely. Once the miles are earned back and the access fee fully returned, the flight has effectively cost the member nothing beyond the spending they were already doing anyway.
“For so many years, loyalty programmes have asked travellers to do the same thing: spend first, wait years, and hope your miles are still worth something when you finally have enough,” said Joe Lu, CEO and Co-founder of HeyMax. “HeyMax First reverses that. We front you the miles, you take the trip you’ve been putting off, and you earn them back on your own schedule — with no deadline and no penalties. The dream trip shouldn’t be the reward at the end of the journey. It should be the start.”
Built on Strong Momentum
Founded in 2023 by four former Meta engineers, HeyMax closed a US$11 million Series A in January 2026 led by Peak XV Partners. The platform lets users earn Max Miles from over 800 top merchants globally and redeem them for flights, hotels, and reward programmes, or convert them to gift cards. Max Miles never expire and come with no fees.
HeyMax has already expanded from Singapore into Hong Kong, with Japan, Taiwan, and Australia on the roadmap by end of 2026. Investors include Peak XV Partners, January Capital, Betatron, and Tenity.
For more information or to sign up, visit www.heymax.ai.
