KrisFlyer Star Alliance Round-the-World Award Planning

[MR61]

I missed seeing Singapore Airlines’ announcement about its Round-the-World award increases effective 5 July, but thanks to AFF for today’s email heads-up!
Prices are now as follows:

• Economy: 200,000 Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles + taxes (previously 180,000 miles)
• Business: 280,000 Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles + taxes (previously 240,000 miles)
• First: 405,000 Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles + taxes (previously 360,000 miles)

 

[Mattg]

I missed seeing Singapore Airlines’ announcement about its Round-the-World award increases effective 5 July, but thanks to AFF for today’s email heads-up!
Prices are now as follows:

• Economy: 200,000 Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles + taxes (previously 180,000 miles)
• Business: 280,000 Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles + taxes (previously 240,000 miles)
• First: 405,000 Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles + taxes (previously 360,000 miles)

There wasn't really an announcement about this from Singapore Airlines. I just happened to notice that they had updated their page with the new rates on Tuesday - the same day that the price increase came into effect!

 

[MR61]

There wasn't really an announcement about this from Singapore Airlines. I just happened to notice that they had updated their page with the new rates on Tuesday - the same day that the price increase came into effect!

Thanks Matt. I knew that Singapore Airlines didn’t increase their RTW award chart at the last increase before this one, and so this 90,000 points increase for two people in first class seems reasonable.

 

[Skyhawk]

I called Singapore Airlines last night, at about 10pm AEST, to book *Alliance RTW flights.

- She couldn't see the flights that I could see, and said there was no availability. What can you say when this happens?

- She also said that it would cost US$150 to book over the phone, because I could have booked it on line. I've looked for the Terms & Conditions but can't see where it states I should call.

- Maybe I need to call at a different time?

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Coops1]

I called Singapore Airlines last night, at about 10pm AEST, to book *Alliance RTW flights.

- She couldn't see the flights that I could see, and said there was no availability. What can you say when this happens?

- She also said that it would cost US$150 to book over the phone, because I could have booked it on line. I've looked for the Terms & Conditions but can't see where it states I should call.

- Maybe I need to call at a different time?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Definitely can’t book online, so there is no fee. Make sure they understand.

I had the same issues with availability, particularly on Air Canada.
While I had SQ flights lined up as Savers, by the time they respond, the saver is gone. As others have suggested, stay on the phone until it’s booked, don’t let them ring you back.

 

[Drakecula]

I called Singapore Airlines last night, at about 10pm AEST, to book *Alliance RTW flights.

- She couldn't see the flights that I could see, and said there was no availability. What can you say when this happens?

- She also said that it would cost US$150 to book over the phone, because I could have booked it on line. I've looked for the Terms & Conditions but can't see where it states I should call.

- Maybe I need to call at a different time?

Any advice would be appreciated.

When I did my RTW a few years back I had my proposed itinerary in the Star Alliance tool. You can save it and give them the code, so they can look at it from their end. That way there's no confusion as to which flights you were looking at.

I'd try calling again, and if you need to ask to speak to someone else or their supervisor. They may not have done that kind of thing before, but surely someone will have. Keep at it, it's time consuming, but such a relief when everything's booked

 

[Mattg]

- She also said that it would cost US$150 to book over the phone, because I could have booked it on line. I've looked for the Terms & Conditions but can't see where it states I should call.

This is incorrect.

If the person on the phone is telling you this, it's probably a good indication that they have no idea what they are talking about, and therefore, the best course of action is to HUACA.

 

[Ktan89]

This is incorrect.

If the person on the phone is telling you this, it's probably a good indication that they have no idea what they are talking about, and therefore, the best course of action is to HUACA.

This person must be lost.
QF call center is that way -->

 

[WGM]

Not sure what is going on with SQ atm, but their service is slipping severely.

I have made two calls in a week to try to make a Star Alliance RTW award booking. On both calls the SQ rep had no idea what the Star Alliance RTW tool was and could not make any use of the itinerary route reference which I had. So on both calls I had to spend 20 minutes reading out the route to staff who had little familiarity with airport codes. After being put on hold for 15-20 minutes on both occassions I was told there was no availability, even though I had separately checked the availability of award tickets on those dates/sectors using the United award booking page. Their only solution was to call again on another day and repeat the whole process.

A separate issue is that the Kris Flyer redemption web page is malfunctioning. You can check one route availability, but as soon as you want to check for a second route, it simply takes you back to the same input page but with your input wiped. Round and around you go. Same problem on three web browers. If you log out completely and then go back in, you can make one availability check, but then you will encounter the same problem. Made two calls to SQ to attempt to report the issue to them, but there was zero interest.

 

[ThePointyEnd]

This seems to be the state of affairs at SQ now. Armed with the AFF info on the SQ awards points required for an RTW itinerary I tried to get them to at least tell me how many points were required, so that I could transfer the correct number of points (and no more) from Amex. No way could they, or would they, tell me. I thought that I would fix it a couple of weeks ago by asking the bouncer at the Private Room in Singapore (that's the separate room in the First Class lounge by invitation only) to tell me the points required for a specific itinerary, with all airport codes provided. She came back 40 minutes later with sorry, the itinerary couldn't be confirmed due to lack of info from Air Canada. If they can't get the info, sitting at the top of the tree, then I guess the info just isn't there. Or, as WGM says, the service has slipped severely.

 

[MiLK_MaN]

When searching for flights on the SA website, is it only Saver fares that can be booked for RTW or can Advantage fairs be used? Starting to do some planning for July next year...

 

[ThePointyEnd]

I can only wish MiLK_MaN the best of luck with his RTW task. I gave up on trying to book an RTW for August next year and instead decided to book a simple point to point, SYD-YVR and ANC-YVR-SYD. No way Hose, all flights fully booked I was told by SQ. As I do need to travel then I decided to book with AC directly, at $22k per person now. Interestingly, when it came to seat selection I had a choice of every seat - there was not one prior booking. I don't know if SQ are liars or merely incompetent. But the same thing has happened this week with a SYD-BNE return on Virgin in November, all fully booked say SQ. And SYD-BKK return, all fully booked not only on TG but also on SQ!!! Utter twaddle, I've booked with dollars, no problem. Anyone know what's going on with SQ??

 

[BriarFlyer]

When searching for flights on the SA website, is it only Saver fares that can be booked for RTW or can Advantage fairs be used? Starting to do some planning for July next year...

Only Saver fares can be used in the RTW.

 

[mandja]

Has anyone here tried a SA RTW recently?
I understand that the cost is now 280,000 in J but I'm wondering if the call centre is now any better.

 

[Skyhawk]

I'm pleased to report that I have successfully booked *A RTW x 2 in J. Phew!
It took patience, perseverance & flexibility. I made numerous calls to SQ, who were always in Manila. Some calls resulted in HUACA. At one point I was told that I needed to speak with a 'representative', the implication being that maybe they are not all representatives.

Mostly the representatives could not see the availability that I was seeing on United & Aeroplan. Even some flights showing as available on SQ's website with *A partners were unavailable. Eventually it was easier just to select all flights from the SQ site.

The representatives who were familiar with *A RTW were excellent.

I was asked to print up their on line partner request form and email it through. From there we were able to refine availability, airlines & times.

The biggest problem in flight selection, going both east & west, was getting across the Pacific. There was nothing via HND, NRT, INC, TPE, etc, out of JFK, EWR, SEA, LAX, SFO, etc.
Eventually the following trip was booked. ADL-SIN-BOM(SQ); KWI (AI); CAI(MS); IST(MS); VIE(TK); FRA(LH); JFK(SQ); EWR-SIN-SYD (SQ). Final cost was $1,200 pp. The BOM-CAI flight had taxes of $54 pp, but I didn't get a breakdown for the other flights.

Flights out of SYD & MEL were difficult to find, but there was reasonable availability out of ADL.
There was plenty of availability on short haul flights such as MS & TK.
We are able to fly into JFK & out of EWR without incurring an overland segment.
As others have queried previously, we are able to transit SIN twice.
$150 for booking over the phone was not required.
We were able to book all this only 3 months out.

Thank you to all those above for your support.

 

[Coops1]

There was nothing via HND, NRT, INC, TPE, etc, out of JFK, EWR, SEA, LAX, SFO, etc.
Eventually the following trip was booked. ADL-SIN-BOM(SQ); KWI (AI); CAI(MS); IST(MS); VIE(TK); FRA(LH); JFK(SQ); EWR-SIN-SYD (SQ).

Thanks for that, very interesting and informative. I had absolutely no luck either via Japan heading east…..

 

[timmy1234]

I had great success calling Kris support line around 2am-4am Syd time. This is their quiet time and you can speak to a RTW award specialist who knows the ins and out else you have to make multiple calls

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I'm pleased to report that I have successfully booked *A RTW x 2 in J. Phew!
It took patience, perseverance & flexibility. I made numerous calls to SQ, who were always in Manila. Some calls resulted in HUACA. At one point I was told that I needed to speak with a 'representative', the implication being that maybe they are not all representatives.

Mostly the representatives could not see the availability that I was seeing on United & Aeroplan. Even some flights showing as available on SQ's website with *A partners were unavailable. Eventually it was easier just to select all flights from the SQ site.

The representatives who were familiar with *A RTW were excellent.

I was asked to print up their on line partner request form and email it through. From there we were able to refine availability, airlines & times.

The biggest problem in flight selection, going both east & west, was getting across the Pacific. There was nothing via HND, NRT, INC, TPE, etc, out of JFK, EWR, SEA, LAX, SFO, etc.
Eventually the following trip was booked. ADL-SIN-BOM(SQ); KWI (AI); CAI(MS); IST(MS); VIE(TK); FRA(LH); JFK(SQ); EWR-SIN-SYD (SQ). Final cost was $1,200 pp. The BOM-CAI flight had taxes of $54 pp, but I didn't get a breakdown for the other flights.

Flights out of SYD & MEL were difficult to find, but there was reasonable availability out of ADL.
There was plenty of availability on short haul flights such as MS & TK.
We are able to fly into JFK & out of EWR without incurring an overland segment.
As others have queried previously, we are able to transit SIN twice.
$150 for booking over the phone was not required.
We were able to book all this only 3 months out.

Thank you to all those above for your support.

Well done! And thank you for posting as that was most informative.

Out of interest, what duration is your trip from first flight to last flight?

 

[Johnxx]

If you can see a flight available on the Air Canada website Sydney to Vancouver using Aeroplan miles but it doesn't show on the Krisflyer website using redeem and the Krisflyer rep says nothing is available is that it or can a more experienced Krisflyer rep find it for you?

 

[BriarFlyer]

Aeroplan isn't a good reference as they use a dynamic pricing for AC flights, i.e. they're available using Aeroplan miles but not necessarily to partner airlines' reward programs. Have you checked UA or VA? They would be a more reliable reference.