Singapore Airlines' KrisFlyer offers status fast-track

Singapore Airlines is making it easier for its elite KrisFlyer cardholders and PPS Club members to retain their tier for another year: halving the usual retention requirements, while also allowing these elite members to earn Elite miles or PPS Value on the ground until mid-October.

While the carrier had previously rolled out a complimentary one-year membership extension to all KrisFlyer Silver and Gold frequent flyers – plus PPS Club and Solitaire PPS Club members – its latest promotion rewards even credit card points transfers with Elite miles or PPS Value.

Being the Singapore Airlines equivalent of status credits, these earning opportunities, combined with the fast-track to a further year of status, could allow frequent flyers to lock-in their extra year without setting foot on another flight: here’s how.

Shortcut to another year of Singapore Airlines status

Under Singapore Airlines’ previous year-long membership extension for all elite cardholders, members whose KrisFlyer Elite or PPS Club status was due to expire between March 2020 and February 2021 had their tier extended by 12 months.

As such, these members’ statuses are now set to expire between March 2021 and February 2022.

To help each member retain their current tier for yet another year, members within these expiry dates will be credited with 50% of the Elite Miles or PPS Value needed to retain their level for a further 12 months as below, based on their current status.

For example, a KrisFlyer Gold member whose status is currently set to expire in March 2021 will be credited with 25,000 complimentary Elite miles, being half way towards the 50,000 Elite miles required to retain their tier.

For PPS Club members who have already retained their status (beyond the complimentary extension), the bonus PPS Value will be provided as ‘reserve value’, which can be used in a future year to help offset any reduction in the member’s travel.

Earn Elite miles, PPS Value on the ground

As a temporary offer, existing KrisFlyer Elite Silver and Gold members can now earn Elite miles on the ground, while PPS Club and Solitaire PPS Club members can similarly earn extra PPS Value, without boarding a flight.

This runs until October 15 2020, with activities such as credit card points conversions and online shopping coming with a serve of status.

For Australian members, the easiest path will be those credit card points transfers. For every 50,000 miles converted into your KrisFlyer account until October 15, KrisFlyer Elite members will pocket 4,000 Elite miles, while PPS Club members will get $2,000 in PPS Value.

Those points can come from any of Singapore Airlines’ “global bank partners” – and in Australia, that roster is quite comprehensive.

Points conversions are possible from the bank loyalty programs below, and we've also indicated how many of those bank points you’d need to convert to fetch 50,000 KrisFlyer miles, based on current conversion rates.

• American Express Membership Rewards: 100,000 AMEX points
• ANZ Rewards: 150,000 ANZ Rewards points
• Bank of Melbourne Amplify Rewards: 100,000 Amplify Points
• BankSA Amplify Rewards: 100,000 Amplify Points
• Citibank Rewards (Premier & Prestige): 125,000 Citibank points
• Citibank Rewards (others): 150,000 Citibank points
• Diners Club Rewards: 100,000 Diners Club Rewards points
• HSBC Rewards Plus (Premier cards only): 100,000 HSBC points
• NAB Rewards: 150,000 NAB Rewards points
• St.George Amplify Rewards: 100,000 Amplify Points
• Suncorp Rewards: 125,000 Suncorp Rewards points
• Westpac Altitude Rewards: 150,000 Altitude Points

Members can take advantage of this offer multiple times – such as by converting 100,000 KrisFlyer miles to earn 8,000 Elite miles or $4,000 in PPS Value, and so on – and can convert points from more than one credit card rewards program, including from more than one country, if eligible.

However, keep in mind that the promise of bonus Elite miles or PPS Value is only on the table for existing KrisFlyer Elite or PPS Club members: you won’t earn these if you’re an entry-level KrisFlyer member hoping to climb the status ladder.

Also read: This month’s top KrisFlyer credit card offers

Chris C.

A Brisbane-based contributor to Executive Traveller, Chris Chamberlin lives by the motto that a journey of a thousand miles begins not just with a single step, but also a strong latte, a theatre ticket, and later in the day, a good gin and tonic.