KrisFlyer points conundrum

[Chesty]

Hi Folks,

First post on this site so bear with me...

i have a bit of a problem and was hoping for some advice.
I have plans later in the year to book two return flights from SIN-FRA in F Saver with points.
I currently have 147k which is enough for one ticket after the 15% discount online using my points. The problem is that my wife also has 45k points in her account.
All our credit cards are in my name so hence the points go to me and not hers.
I know I cant transfer between accounts which is a real pain unlike QFF.

I have just applied for the Amex Platinum Edge Card. Can you transfer to another KF account other than mine so i can build her points up?

We only need another 100k points or so, Am I best just topping up her points at the time to get to 82k for one leg? I really need to use her points to get there quicker thats all...

Suggestions?

 

[cove]

Well Chesty if you are running up about 100k points in a short period of time with Kris you will need a credit card for Mrschesty so they add to her account rather than your account.
If this is not possible you will need to watch out for using those points within 3 years.
What will be the source of a quick run up of points and what CC are you going to use?
I have found the easiest Kris card has been the Westpac Platinum Kris Flyer card but with their Visa point a dollar finishing on March 15th only their Amex 1.5 points a dollar will be of any great value.
Does the Amex Edge card get you that rate for Kris?

 

[albatross710]

There are a couple of things that come to mind from your post.

I like to book redemption tickets as one-way tickets. SIN-FRA F Saver is 70,000 KF miles. In your case, put 3 sectors on your account and then one sector using your partner's. Then you only have to pay to top up 25k miles.

For transferring points from cards, you could be creative and try registering her card as being the receiver of points from your card. Maybe put the card in her name and with you as a supp card holder. Not sure how this would work for you.

For F savers I have booked a few in the past. I notice that there only ever seems to be 1 F saver available on the sectors that I have booked, including SIN-FRA. To get 2 F savers you are going to have to get a waitlist to come through. Personally I've always had good success with SQ waitlist on redemptions but you do need to be aware of this expectation.

Finally, I did the SIN-FRA in F just three weeks ago. I can highly recommend it.

And elcome to the forum Chesty.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

You can't do family transfers within SQ.

With Amex (and I think al CCs) you can only transfer points to the same name in a FF program.

so you will either need to earn enough points, or geta card so your wife can.
As others have mentioned you can book 3 one ways and your wife one though.

Also as already mentioned 2 F Savers on a popular route will be a tough ask...made tougher as others will be booking it further out that you would seem to be...ad tt ofte only 1 at a time bobs up.

Maybe settle for 2 J's ?

 

[Chesty]

Thanks all for your suggestions and input.

Cove, I currently have the Westpac KrisFlyer Platinum which I have been using to run up my points but with the Visa downgrade next month i have decided to axe it and have gone the Amex Platinum edge for the Amex side. I have not yet found a card for Visa that offers 1:1 points so if anyone knows one please share?
I have some big bills and some promotional points expected over the next few months so by around September I should have the further 95k I need.
The Platinum edge offers 20k bonus points, free domestic flight and up to 3:1 earn rate all for $150 from memory.

Albatross your suggestion is exactly what i had thought of doing but you raise another interesting point, getting 2 F Savers on that route. I cant expect to waitlist as I will have flights etc booked around it so that may scuttle my plan all together in that case.

lovetravellingoz, you are right its a tough ask. I think 3 one ways and my wife to get the other leg is probably the best bet. I could keep earning points myself until I get what i need for 3 legs and then sign up a card for my wife with bonus points to get her to the level straightaway. Possible option.

I have flown on the SQ 747 in J and was not that impressed having flown on the 77W and A380 in J also which is superb. Just never done SQ F so thought this might be my best bet.

I might have to look at a S* Award booking ex SIN and see whats available. If I go ex MEL I only have SQ (not really) or TG and again having flown TG J on a 747, not impressed.

 

[cove]

Can you access the BAS payment at the office or some other work bills as your first need is to run up a chunk of points and then go looking in the KRIS system?
Looking without the numbers to pounce would not be helpful as you would see great opportunities vanishing.
I am a fan of A345 in all J and 747 in First to give great value of the Kris point and Alby who posts as albatross710 has European experience on Kris with "SAVER".
Having access to humongous points creating has allowed those folks to be able to use "STANDARD" redemptions with great success.
Buying points by paying any taxes costs 0.83 cents a point which is more than on a Visa point a dollar card gets your shortfall points up more quickly.

 

[albatross710]

Thanks all for your suggestions and input.
Albatross your suggestion is exactly what i had thought of doing but you raise another interesting point, getting 2 F Savers on that route. I cant expect to waitlist as I will have flights etc booked around it so that may scuttle my plan all together in that case.

when I have time on my side I get the critical outward part of the journey booked. If you have the points now, consider putting a booking on the website for the two F savers. Doesn't cost you any cash until they come through. If they haven't come through by your self-imposed cutoff time then consider switching to 2 J seats on the 777.

 

[Chesty]

when I have time on my side I get the critical outward part of the journey booked. If you have the points now, consider putting a booking on the website for the two F savers. Doesn't cost you any cash until they come through. If they haven't come through by your self-imposed cutoff time then consider switching to 2 J seats on the 777.

Thanks Alby. By that do you mean waitlist for the 2 f Savers when I know what dates I want. As I have the points I need now I might just do that in that case. Can the 2 F Savers clear at any time say in the next 12 months or is it usually closer to the date and will both seats usually clear at the same time?
J seats on the 777 would require Standard points which from SIN to FRA is 110k each, lots more than the F Savers if I read correctly.

Sorry for so many questions...

 

[JohnK]

I currently have 147k which is enough for one ticket after the 15% discount online using my points. The problem is that my wife also has 45k points in her account.
All our credit cards are in my name so hence the points go to me and not hers.
I know I cant transfer between accounts which is a real pain unlike QFF.

In my experience the Amex MR points will transfer to a Kris Flyer account with the same surname. Amex will not check the first name on the Kris Flyer account and Kris Flyer will not check that the points have arrived from Amex with the same first name on the account.

Transfer of points usually takes a day or so. You have nothing to lose trying and if something goes wrong (transfer fails for some reason) and you are asked for an explanation then you simply say that you entered the wrong Kris Flyer account number.

 

[albatross710]

Thanks Alby. By that do you mean waitlist for the 2 f Savers when I know what dates I want. As I have the points I need now I might just do that in that case. Can the 2 F Savers clear at any time say in the next 12 months or is it usually closer to the date and will both seats usually clear at the same time?
J seats on the 777 would require Standard points which from SIN to FRA is 110k each, lots more than the F Savers if I read correctly.

Sorry for so many questions...

I did some dummy bookings and J Savers on the 747 might be an option. I agree with you the J Standard on 777 are going to be more miles than the F Saver.

Looks like you have to do some 'satisfying' - satisfy and sacrifice.

What is the priority of the trip? If you really want to enjoy 2 people on F Saver then you will have to wait list and risk it. You could have two separate bookings, both of you due to depart different days and each of you wait listed to join the other person on their confirmed booking. Maybe you might have to call the telephone agents of SQ and lose the 15% on one sector to score it.

I contemplated the idea of taking the F Savers on consecutive days, but that wouldn't be very romantic!

If you priority is to have confirmed arrangements, then you have to be flexible with dates. Even being flexible with the European destination can make a difference. SQ have different quality aircraft to difference European cities. J Savers available into AMS and ATH as well.

I have found the ANA Tool easier to search for SQ Saver inventory, it is easier to search through dates.

If you have Krisflyer miles now and you know your dates you might as well get a booking and wait list into the system and see what happens. They don't deduct points until you have a confirmed itinerary. Get your redemption TO Europe then worry about getting home - who knows you might even stay longer!

 

[Chesty]

I did some dummy bookings and J Savers on the 747 might be an option. I agree with you the J Standard on 777 are going to be more miles than the F Saver.

Looks like you have to do some 'satisfying' - satisfy and sacrifice.

What is the priority of the trip? If you really want to enjoy 2 people on F Saver then you will have to wait list and risk it. You could have two separate bookings, both of you due to depart different days and each of you wait listed to join the other person on their confirmed booking. Maybe you might have to call the telephone agents of SQ and lose the 15% on one sector to score it.

I contemplated the idea of taking the F Savers on consecutive days, but that wouldn't be very romantic!

If you priority is to have confirmed arrangements, then you have to be flexible with dates. Even being flexible with the European destination can make a difference. SQ have different quality aircraft to difference European cities. J Savers available into AMS and ATH as well.

I have found the ANA Tool easier to search for SQ Saver inventory, it is easier to search through dates.

If you have Krisflyer miles now and you know your dates you might as well get a booking and wait list into the system and see what happens. They don't deduct points until you have a confirmed itinerary. Get your redemption TO Europe then worry about getting home - who knows you might even stay longer!

Thanks for that. Having done a heap of J travel with S* over the last few years, we have never done F so the priority was to experience F and if possible with SQ. Even if we can just get the outbound leg then that would be something so waitlisting might be the best option. Once I have the points for the return trip I can then work out wether I try for return F Savers or as you say J Savers from other destinations on the older aircraft. I could also stump up the 150k points to come all the way back to Australia in J with S* Award or the 120k points to Singapore.

Do you know if I come back to Singapore with a S* award booking can I use any routing, that is maybe come back with Swiss from Zurich or even ANA via Japan for instance?
At least returning to Singapore opens up more options as back to melbourne really only offers Thai or again J Saver with SQ I guess on a 777-300.

The thought of taking F Savers on consecutive days like you had crossed my mind but the wife would not stand for it! I am Elite Silver with SQ so maybe that might help??

I have used the ANA tool which is good but found it only offers the most direct and logical route, which I might not want to take, hence my questions about Europe to Singapore prior.

 

[albatross710]

Do you know if I come back to Singapore with a S* award booking can I use any routing, that is maybe come back with Swiss from Zurich or even ANA via Japan for instance?

That is going to depend upon SQ. I have been able to book ZRH - BNE via TG. When I tried to use Swiss which had award availability showing on ANA the SQ people were not able to book it "No inventory showing". I sometimes feel that SQ will favour their aircraft on the sectors where the other is in direct competition. Also, that to do the *A redemption you will not get the 15% online discount.

When I was trying to do a *A booking back from Texas to BNE SQ were picky about the routing. Didn't end up getting anything reasonable.

The thought of taking F Savers on consecutive days like you had crossed my mind but the wife would not stand for it! I am Elite Silver with SQ so maybe that might help??

Status has to count for something. Always worth a phone call.