redemption vs upgrade

[n7of9]

I'm new to KF, it's my first time looking at their points redemptions

i viewed the Award Charts from this page
https://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/ppsclub-krisflyer/RedeemMiles_SQMI/

i am a bit confused about what i am reading:

SYD-SIN J reward = 55,000 (saver) points (+$270 taxes)
SYD-SIN Y (full fare ~$900) to J upgrade = 45,000 (saver) points

I assume Redemption and Upgrade are both from the same bucket so availability will be equal - so my question is, WHY would anyone ever upgrade? what am i missing?

 

[TomVexille]

Some people get booked into Y by work. Or you absolutely have to travel on a certain day and there's no confirmed award availability but an upgrade might come through.

Just a couple reasons.

 

[Austman]

... and another reason is that people are often ignorant.

I know it's not a nice thing to say, but, as AFF shows on a continuous basis, airlines are happy to take advantage of that fact.

There are often better ways to do things than what an airline proposes.

 

[n7of9]

Thanks both. I was really hoping the answer was that i was reading it incorrectly. I'm a self-funded traveler, I'm going to have get my head around how to make the best use of KF points and status

 

[TomVexille]

And don't forget that a full fare Y ticket earns points and more importantly SCs while a reward doesn't

 

[n7of9]

And don't forget that a full fare Y ticket earns points and more importantly SCs while a reward doesn't

TomV, do you know how many points to upgrade SYD-AMS? I thought I read (here at AFF) that SQ charge per sector, but their upgrade chart has a cost of 62,500 for Zone 9 to Zone 11

Or will it be SYD-SIN Zone 9 to Zone 1 50,000, plus SIN-AMS Zone 1 to Zone 11 52,500

 

[TomVexille]

I'm not up to date with KF anymore. I do feel like they might have changed the rules last year and that 60k might be the correct answer. But I'll defer to those with more current knowledge/experience.