Here's how Singapore Airlines' KrisFlyer changes will affect you
By Brandon Loo, January 3 2019
Singapore Airlines is increasing the number of KrisFlyer miles required to book a points-based trip in business class, first class and even premium economy as of Thursday 24 January 2019.
However, the rates for economy-class bookings remain unaffected, and the airline is also introducing a number of frequent flyer-friendly measures such as:
- direct upgrades from economy to business class, even if your flight features a premium economy cabin, compared to the current one-class-only upgrade policy (upgrade rates are also getting revamped as part of this change)
- a more generous 'seven-day view' for checking award availability online, covering three days before and three days after your intended travel date rather than the current single-day view (this will be active from 31 January 2019)
- waitlisted redemptions will now be confirmed no later than 14 days prior to departure, in order to provide more certainty for waitlisted passengers
Here are how many KrisFlyer miles you'll need under the new system to book a 'premium' reward seat on flights from Australia (except Perth and Darwin, which are detailed in the next table) and New Zealand to Singapore and beyond.
Most notably, flights to South China, Hong Kong and Taiwan now attract a slightly higher rate than other nearby destinations in southeast Asia, whereas they previously required no extra miles to fly onwards from Singapore.
|
Saver Awards from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra and NZ to: |
Current miles required |
New miles required from 24 Jan 2019 |
|---|---|---|
|
Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand |
|
|
|
South China, Hong Kong and Taiwan
|
|
|
|
India, Sri Lanka, Maldives |
|
|
|
Europe |
|
|
|
USA (east coast + Houston) |
|
|
Here are how the new numbers pan out for travellers from Perth and Darwin (on Singapore Airlines' regional partner SilkAir).
|
Business Saver Awards from Perth or Darwin to:
|
Current miles required |
New miles required from 24 Jan 2019 |
|
Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand, South China, Hong Kong, Taiwan |
32,500 | 36,500 |
|
Shanghai, Beijing |
50,000 |
57,000 |
|
India, Sri Lanka, Maldives |
55,000 |
63,000 |
|
Europe |
95,000 |
106,000 |
|
USA (west coast)
|
102,000 |
113,000 |
|
USA (east coast + Houston)
|
110,000 |
121,000 |
These changes come days after the exchange rate between Virgin Australia's Velocity points and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles was cut from 1/1.35 to 1/1.55, and effectively applies a double-whammy to the number of Velocity Points needed to transfer to KrisFlyer for booking an award flight.
Brandon Loo
Brandon divides his time between Perth and Launceston, with ample hours spent in airport lounges in between. He recently picked up photography and tries to capture the beauty of Tasmanian landscapes, aeroplane cabins and in-flight food, to varying degrees of success.
daft009
daft009
09 Jul 2016
Total posts 28
AsiaBizTraveller
AsiaBizTraveller
20 Nov 2015
Total posts 52
elchriss0
elchriss0
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
13 Jan 2015
Total posts 578
rob01
rob01
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
10 Nov 2011
Total posts 121
jch
jch
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
15 Nov 2017
Total posts 52
Ecco
Ecco
11 May 2018
Total posts 12
Doo
Doo
04 Nov 2018
Total posts 2
Also ‘positive’ changes are mostly a much neeeded upgrade in their search and booking platform.
The confirmed waitlist is nonsense as it’s the same ‘certainty’ as if you would’ve given up hope and cancelled your waitlist 2 weeks before the flight.
Still the best ff option in my opinion but got devalued twice within a month. Hopefullt the last change for a while...
James Barker
James Barker
13 Sep 2016
Total posts 36
James Barker
James Barker
13 Sep 2016
Total posts 36
sra35
sra35
QF
02 Oct 2012
Total posts 38
BOF
BOF
15 Mar 2016
Total posts 15
What disappointed me was the way, at the very end of the email, the "Adjustments" (i.e. Redemption rate increases) were mentioned.
Nothing like trying to hide bad news in what was an otherwise good news message.julius-grafton
julius-grafton
23 May 2012
Total posts 36
Petrie traveller
Petrie traveller
04 Jan 2019
Total posts 1
albyd
albyd
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
18 Jun 2018
Total posts 2
Amex recently is a good example - reading the deval letter. If you weren’t engaged in the rewards program, you wouldn’t have realized it was a deval.
Similarly, when businesses send out negative consent letters (‘if we don’t hear from you, we’ll assume you agree’).
Delivering bad news is part of life. Don’t need to feel uncomfortable delivering just changes.
My 2 cents worth.
sharrkey
sharrkey
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
06 Feb 2014
Total posts 70
Stevo58
Stevo58
04 Jan 2019
Total posts 3
So in recent months we have Sq lifting the points cost of their program, amex halving their conversion rate and now Sq again lifting their points costs. Triple whammy.
Good times are just about over...back to cattle class and a rude shock that will be.
Stevo58
Stevo58
04 Jan 2019
Total posts 3
I really love SQ.
sharrkey
sharrkey
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
06 Feb 2014
Total posts 70
Will travel less often and use a cheaper airline -Royal Brunei/ Vietnam airlines are good options For Europe and with new dreamliners and A 350s reasonably comfy
An SQ redemption every 2 yrs or so while it lasts. I think more people will do the same
banker
banker
30 Apr 2013
Total posts 20
This article is only showing redemption to US east coast.
morco
morco
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
20 Dec 2011
Total posts 18
The relentless devaluations ("enhancements") by CC companies and airlines (and hotels) is very wearying and worrying. Couple this with harder to get credit cards and my looming retirement is all a bit much !
Im still travelling as much as i can (in J of course) whilst I can but will rue the day ....
booyeahsydney
booyeahsydney
26 Mar 2016
Total posts 18
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