SQ "Points and Pay" Program

[thebogeyman]

Hi everyone, this is my first post - so excuse the noobness

My question relates to whether SQ has a frequent flyer awards program similar to QF. I've got a modest number of Krisflyer points (33,000) and I want to fly MEL-LHR return in June.

I've been told (never experienced it myself) that you can offset your accrued miles against the fare when you fly QF. I want to do this with SQ, but it doesn't seem to be an option.

I called SQ customer service, and the representative quoted me ~$5000SGD taking into account a redeemed flight from MEL-SIN. This hardly seems right.
Am I asking the wrong question?

Cheers!

 

[Alanslegal]

There is no points and pay as such but there is the opportunity to purchase extra points when you have at least 50% of the points required for an award redemption.

When you log in your KF account to search for an award ticket, it will tell you how to book when you have >50% of points required. After 15% online discount booking awards I think you only need 81k points for a Mel-lhr return (which is far better value than QFs 74k each way!)

 

[anat0l]

Hello thebogeyman, welcome to AFF.

I'm guessing what you're asking is does SQ have a system like in the QF program where you can use points+pay, i.e. using some of your miles to offset the cash cost of a ticket.

Strictly speaking, SQ has no such option.

You can buy miles which you can use towards an award, if you're short of the required number of points. However, you must have at least 50% of the points required in order to buy miles to "top up" your amount for the required redemption. This stops you from simply buying the points you need for an award. The cost of buying SQ miles is US$40 per 1,000 miles.

I'm not sure what the lady from Singapore Airlines quoted you, as at that price you could easily buy a cash fare Melbourne - London return, especially one that would earn SQ miles (and even then - that is quite expensive!)

 

[thebogeyman]

There is no points and pay as such but there is the opportunity to purchase extra points when you have at least 50% of the points required for an award redemption.

When you log in your KF account to search for an award ticket, it will tell you how to book when you have >50% of points required. After 15% online discount booking awards I think you only need 81k points for a Mel-lhr return (which is far better value than QFs 74k each way!)

Awesome!
Thanks very much!
On a very preliminary calculation, it looks like this might only cost me $1400 (as opposed to the $5000 I was quoted)

 

[thebogeyman]

Hello thebogeyman, welcome to AFF.

I'm guessing what you're asking is does SQ have a system like in the QF program where you can use points+pay, i.e. using some of your miles to offset the cash cost of a ticket.

Strictly speaking, SQ has no such option.

You can buy miles which you can use towards an award, if you're short of the required number of points. However, you must have at least 50% of the points required in order to buy miles to "top up" your amount for the required redemption. This stops you from simply buying the points you need for an award. The cost of buying SQ miles is US$40 per 1,000 miles.

I'm not sure what the lady from Singapore Airlines quoted you, as at that price you could easily buy a cash fare Melbourne - London return, especially one that would earn SQ miles (and even then - that is quite expensive!)

Thanks, - yeah she must have been off-track.
I'll have to set about doing some calculations.

Cheers

 

[anat0l]

Thanks, - yeah she must have been off-track.
I'll have to set about doing some calculations.

Cheers

Well actually it's not too difficult, here:

• According to the SQ Saver Award Chart, an Economy one-way from Australia (not WA) to UK is 47,500 miles. Doubling that for the return is 95,000 miles.
• If you choose to redeem online rather than other methods (use the paper form or call SQ), then you can save 15% off this, giving a total of 80,750 miles.
• If you want to buy miles to "top-up" your balance to get this award, you'll need to have at least 50% of the miles initially before you even try. This means you need 40,375 miles in your account balance. At the moment, since you don't have that amount (you only have 33,000), you won't be able to redeem this award at all, period.
• Assuming that you find the extra 7,375 miles you need, you can then buy the remaining miles, which would be 41,000 miles (you can only buy in blocks of 1,000) which will cost you US$1,640.

The above assumes that there are Economy Saver Awards available on the date you want to travel. If you have to pay for a Standard or Full Award, the points cost will of course increase greatly.

Personally at that price, I'd be considering just buying a cash fare as long as it isn't overly expensive. Blowing 41k miles but then having to co-pay ~$1,400 doesn't seem worth it.

With your current miles balance, you could redeem an Economy Saver Award between Singapore and London. You would need to find a way to get to and from Singapore ex-Melbourne. It costs 35,000 miles one-way for an Economy Saver Award between Singapore and London; with the 15% online discount, it's 29,750 miles one-way, or 59,500 miles return. Subtract the balance you have and you're left with a top-up amount of 26,500 miles, and buying the 27k miles you need gives a cash amount of just around $1,000.

 

[thebogeyman]

Looks like the 50% calculation applies at the full rate and does not include the 15% discount. Obviously 33,000 points is less than the 35,000 required, so the top-up option doesn't present itself. Disappointing.

MEL-SIN return wouldn't be a problem. I'd be happy to fly Jetstar.

Might have to fork out the big $$$ for this trip.

 

[JohnK]

Welcome to AFF thebogeyman!

Looks like the 50% calculation applies at the full rate and does not include the 15% discount. Obviously 33,000 points is less than the 35,000 required, so the top-up option doesn't present itself. Disappointing.

Not quite right.

A one-way SQ award SYD-LHR requires 40,375 KrisFlyer miles (including 15% online discount) and AUD349.87 in taxes and surcharges.

If you already have 33,000 KrisFlyer files and there is no way to transfer some miles into the KrisFlyer account then you will need to purchase 8,000 KrisFlyer miles which will cost USD320 or ~AUD310 to purchase.

For the return you can simply purchase another 40,000 Krisflyer miles for USD1,600 or AUD1,550 and redeem another SQ award + taxes and surcharges from UK.

Or you can sign up to BMI Diamond Club and automatically receive 1,000 Diamond Club miles then purchase 24,000 Diamond Club miles for GBP303 or ~AUD480 and redeem a one-way Diamond Club award with points + pay which will require 25,000 Diamond Club miles + GBP170 or AUD270 + taxes and surcharges.

So using SQ award + purchase miles and BMI Diamond Club would cost ~AUD1,410 + taxes and surcharges for the one-way Diamond Club award.

Now that is not cheap and it really does not put a lot of value on your existing KrisFlyer miles.

What would I do?

I would purchase an SQ or TG return economy flight to LHR which would cost ~AUD2,000 give or take depending on when you want to travel. For MEL-LHR you will earn ~21,000 KrisFlyer miles which will take your balance up to ~54,000 KrisFlyer miles.