Do you have an American Express Platinum or Centurion card? If so, you can earn instant Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Silver status and benefit from a fast-track to KrisFlyer Gold status!
KrisFlyer Gold status not only comes with benefits when you fly with Singapore Airlines. You’ll also enjoy Star Alliance Gold benefits when flying on any of the other 26 Star Alliance airlines, including Air New Zealand and Thai Airways, as well as benefits such as lounge access with Virgin Australia.
Unfortunately, this benefit for Amex Platinum & Centurion cardholders will end on 31 March 2021. But you still have some time to take advantage of it.
Here’s how the instant KrisFlyer status match for Amex cardholders works…
Shangri-La Jade Status for Amex Platinum, Centurion Cardholders
One of the benefits of holding an American Express Platinum or Centurion charge card is instant elite status with several different hotel loyalty programs. This includes Hilton Honors Gold status, Marriott Bonvoy Gold status, Radisson Rewards Gold status and complimentary Accor Plus membership.
Currently, one of these participating hotel programs is also Shangri-La’s Golden Circle program. Amex Platinum and Centurion cardholders are eligible for instant Shangri-La Golden Circle Jade membership as a standard benefit.
American Express will end this partnership with Shangri-La Golden Circle on 31 March 2021. However, a separate partnership between Shangri-La Golden Circle and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer will continue beyond this date.
Singapore Airlines & Shangri-La Infinite Journeys Tie-Up
Shangri-La Golden Circle status is a pathway to KrisFlyer status because Shangri-La and Singapore Airlines also have their own joint loyalty partnership through their Infinite Journeys program. This is similar to the relationship between United Airlines & Marriott, or American Airlines & Hyatt.
As part of the Infinite Journeys arrangement, it’s possible to convert Golden Circle Award Points to Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles (and vice versa). Singapore Airlines also offers instant KrisFlyer Silver status to Shangri-La Jade and Diamond members.
In addition, KrisFlyer members that receive Silver status through this promotion can upgrade to Gold status by taking a minimum number of Singapore Airlines or SilkAir flights. Members with Shangri-La Jade status, which is what Amex provides, would need to take at least 3 Singapore Airlines or SilkAir-operated flights within 4 months of registration.
This is normally fairly easily achievable with a return trip from Australia to anywhere in Asia via Singapore, although it’s admittedly a very tough ask at present while Australia’s international borders remain closed amid the pandemic.
To take advantage of this offer and upgrade to KrisFlyer Gold status, you would need to be a member of both the KrisFlyer and Golden Circle programs, and register for the promotion before taking the qualifying flights. The tier match takes around 6-8 weeks to come through after registering or meeting the upgrade criteria.
Note that “G” class group fares on Singapore Airlines or SilkAir, as well as reward tickets, do not count towards the instant KrisFlyer status upgrade. All flights must be both marketed and operated by either Singapore Airlines or SilkAir. Codeshare flights (such as Singapore Airlines-operated flights with a “VA” flight number) do not qualify.
Once upgraded, you would enjoy KrisFlyer Gold status for 12 months. After this, you would need to meet the usual KrisFlyer qualification criteria to keep your Star Alliance Gold status. The status match can only be used once.
Register for Shangri-La status now to keep your benefits until 2022
Although the partnership between American Express and the Shangri-La Golden Circle program will expire on 31 March 2021, Shangri-La will honour the status of existing Amex cardholders who are enrolled in Golden Circle as of 31 March 2021 until the end of this year. So, if you haven’t already taken advantage of this status match, and are eligible, there’s no harm in applying now. You could then take advantage of the KrisFlyer status match & challenge via Infinite Journeys later this year, and possibly complete the travel early next year.
Join the discussion on the Australian Frequent Flyer forum: Amex Platinum to end Shangri-La Golden Circle Jade Membership from April 2021
