5 Award Sweet Spots Using Singapore KrisFlyer Miles

Dustin WallerFeb 20, 2021
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Among the many airline programs available, Singapore Airlines Krisflyer miles are extremely easy to earn. This program partners with Chase Ultimate Rewards®, American Express Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou points and Capital One, meaning you should have no issue earning a lot of Krisflyer miles.

When it comes to redemptions, there are a few sweet spots to consider, for both domestic and international travel.

» Learn more: How to earn Singapore KrisFlyer miles

Fly from the U.S. to Europe

Singapore Airlines is an option for flying to Europe from the U.S.

Flying these routes in economy will cost 22,500 Singapore Krisflyer miles, which is a great price since other programs charge 30,000 miles or more.

Premium economy will cost 47,000 Krisflyer miles each way, and business class will cost 72,000 miles each way.

And if you dream of flying in one of the best first-class cabins in the sky, then you’re in luck.

You can fly on Singapore Airlines A380-800 from New York to Frankfurt for as low as 86,000 Singapore Krisflyer miles one way. Because this flight is flown on Singapore Airlines and not a partner airline, Singapore Airlines will not pass on fuel surcharges.

Continental U.S. to Hawaii

Hawaii is a fantastic destination, and it is easy to use points to visit this beautiful state.

While programs like United, Delta and American Airlines have moved to dynamic pricing with some flights as low as 22,500 miles (and others much higher), Singapore Airlines still offers customers an award chart with favorable pricing. The chart below shows round-trip redemption rates.

Using Singapore Krisflyer miles, it will only cost 17,500 miles each way in economy to visit Hawaii from the mainland U.S. This is 5,000 miles fewer than you’d pay on United for the same flight.

For business class, it would only be 34,500 Krisflyer miles each way.

» Learn more: 4 things to know about Singapore Airlines lounges

Premium cabins within the domestic U.S.

If you are a domestic traveler who prefers to fly premium cabins, especially for trans-continental flights, Singapore Krisflyer miles are a great option.

While United can charge as few as 25,000 United miles one way to fly business class, you can use Singapore Krisflyer miles to pay just 23,000 miles for the same flight. Round-trip would cost only 46,000 miles, as the chart below shows.

Utilizing stopovers

Using stopovers is a great way to extend the value of your miles, but not all airlines allow them.

In this case, though, Singapore Airlines allows stopovers on its award flights.

When you book an Advantage Award (this is not a saver award), you are allowed one stopover on a one-way ticket. If you book a round-trip ticket, you will be able to book one stopover when you book a Saver Award and two stopovers on an Advantage Award.

Another interesting note: Singapore Airlines will allow you to add extra stopovers at $100 each, regardless of the class of service.

» Learn more: What’s a layover, stopover and open-jaw?

Redeem for flights on Alaska Airlines

The award chart for redeeming Singapore Krisflyer miles on Alaska Airlines flights is divided into zones. While you are able to redeem for economy class and first class, the first-class options aren’t a great value for your miles.

With this partnership you can fly from Zone 1 to Zone 4 (West Coast to East Coast) for 12,000 miles one-way. This can save you some miles over other domestic programs, where you might find rates of 12,500 miles for a one-way flight.

Other great options include:

  • Flying from the West Coast to Hawaii for 12,000 miles one-way (Zone 1 to Zone 4).

  • Flying from the Midwest to the West Coast for only 9,500 miles one-way (Zone 1 to Zone 3).

There are many great options in the Alaska Airlines/Singapore Airlines partnership.

» Learn more: Guide to Alaska Airlines partners

The bottom line

The Singapore Krisflyer program offers plenty of value, and there are some hidden gems within this program. Earning Krisflyer miles is easy since the airline partners with many of the top flexible currencies available.

So while this program might not be the first program you think of, it’s worth investigating.

How to Maximize Your Rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2021, including those best for:

Planning a trip? Check out these articles for more inspiration and advice: Citi ThankYou points: How to earn and use them The 4 best Citi ThankYou partners — and 7 to avoid Find the best travel credit card for you

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