Article: The Trick for Better Value Credit Card Point Transfers to KrisFlyer

[AFF Editor]

Canonical URL

https://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/better-value-point-transfers-krisflyer/

The Trick for Better Value Credit Card Point Transfers to KrisFlyer is an article written by the AFF editorial team:

The Trick for Better Value Credit Card Point Transfers to KrisFlyer

You can get around KrisFlyer's 3-year expiration policy by transferring your credit card points to Velocity instead. If you transfer during a bonus, you'll even end up with more KrisFlyer miles overall!

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

You can leave a comment or discuss this topic below.

 

[daft009]

20% VFF bonus is worth waiting for... then to KF. twice a year it seems

 

[Snouter]

Sorry, newbie here, how do I transfer from VA to SQ?

 

[MELso]

Sorry, newbie here, how do I transfer from VA to SQ?

Frequent Flyer - Velocity | The loyalty program of Virgin Australia

Earn Points with Singapore Airlines when you travel in an eligible fare class on flights with a SQ flight number that are operated by Singapore Airlines. You can also earn Status Credits and redeem Reward Seat. Learn more now.

www.velocityfrequentflyer.com

 

[andye]

Sorry, newbie here, how do I transfer from VA to SQ?

Go to Redeem Points>Redeem with Partners>all partners>airlines>Singapore and there is a tab. Transfers instantly

 

[Snouter]

Go to Redeem Points>Redeem with Partners>all partners>airlines>Singapore and there is a tab. Transfers instantly

Ok, that works for SQ, but there doesn’t seem to be an equivalent transfer tab for say UA or QR. Availability booking on the VA website is much more limited and more point expensive than using say AMEX xfr to QR directly.

 

[andye]

Ok, that works for SQ, but there doesn’t seem to be an equivalent transfer tab for say UA or QR. Availability booking on the VA website is much more limited and more point expensive than using say AMEX xfr to QR directly.

Yes the VA to SQ points transfee is an unusual feature
You can still redeem VA points in SQ UA QR etc

 

[bussyboy]

Doesn't mitigate the 3 year sq expiry, the risks that VA-SQ transfers could cease or 1.55:1 rate could change.
While the 11% extra SQ points is great, the VA bonus - as regular as it seems - isn't guaranteed either

 

[Oolie]

Newbie here, my partner and I each have 35,000 Krisflyer points but 15,600 expire end of July2026. I think I can transfer them to Velocity until we're ready to use all points? But do I need to transfer the Total Krisflyer points or can I ask them to only move the expiring ones?

 

[Beer_budget]

Newbie here, my partner and I each have 35,000 Krisflyer points but 15,600 expire end of July2026. I think I can transfer them to Velocity until we're ready to use all points? But do I need to transfer the Total Krisflyer points or can I ask them to only move the expiring ones?

You can just transfer the expiring ones, but if you eventually want to use them in the KF ecosystem you would probably be better off paying the extension fee (2400 miles or USD 24). Just note: you can only do this once, for 6 months/12 months with status or PPS Club.

If you transfer them to Velocity, you'll only get ~10,064 VFF miles (exchange rate is 1.55:1 both ways), and if you then transfer them back you'll only get ~6,493 KF miles. So you'd have less than half the miles left compared to using miles to extend.

Also remember you have to use them by the expiry date, but you don't have to travel by the expiry date. If you have a plan to acquire enough miles to use by then, you could book travel through to June 2027 with those miles.

 

[bussyboy]

Just note once you book expiring points your rebooking options for the ticket are limited to same origin changes

 

[Oolie]

We're hoping to purchase an economy ticket and use points to upgrade to Business class, even if it's only for the 14 hour leg Sing to Europe, but finding it difficult to get enough together in the 3 yr limit on Kris flyer. We're retired and I want to apply for a credit card in my name (in case my partner falls off the perch before me!) . I've been studying Velocity bonus point cards to use with Virgin and Krisflyer but wondering if I'm better with a card that links to Star Alliance to encompass some QFF options down the track?

 

[sudoer]

Just note once you book expiring points your rebooking options for the ticket are limited to same origin changes

If you push hard enough with the call centre, any involuntary schedule change can also be grounds for free cancellation with a 12 month extension on points expiry (can take several escalations but I managed to get this outcome in Sep 2025)

 

[Beer_budget]

We're hoping to purchase an economy ticket and use points to upgrade to Business class, even if it's only for the 14 hour leg Sing to Europe, but finding it difficult to get enough together in the 3 yr limit on Kris flyer. We're retired and I want to apply for a credit card in my name (in case my partner falls off the perch before me!) . I've been studying Velocity bonus point cards to use with Virgin and Krisflyer but wondering if I'm better with a card that links to Star Alliance to encompass some QFF options down the track?

My current arrangement nets around 150k Krisflyer miles a year, mostly via Velocity.

I have an Amex Explorer, and transfer via Velocity whenever there's a bonus (10-15% bonuses are common for MR>VFF, and nets more miles than transferring direct to Krisflyer at 3:1). ETA: unless I am very mistaken, the Amex Platinum might be the only option if you want Qantas and KF miles in one card.

I also have the HSBC Star Alliance card, which converts to Krisflyer. It only performs marginally better on earn than the Amex but it's accepted more places and the lounge benefits are great when we fly premium economy.

Finally, fully a third of those miles are Flybuys > VFF > KF. I am mostly buying snacks and household staples from Coles, and collecting 8pts/L at Reddy Express. All points live in MR, VFF or FB until I want to redeem, since there's no hard expiry there. We do redeem often enough (every 1-2 years) that points earned flying should not expire between redemptions.

Most of our domestic travel is on Qantas and my partner has a Qantas Amex that covers that travel. We aim to rotate between a big domestic trip, a Singapore/SE Asia trip, and a Europe/UK trip yearly, with shorter domestic hops each year. What we have found is that value-wise (noting that SQ as a legacy airline generally prices return and one-way the same), we get the best value buying one return fare and booking the other on miles, then calling up to get the PNRs linked. I don't know how hard it is to get upgrades on SQ, as by my reckoning it wasn't a good redemption value per point, but YMMV.