SQ Availability when using Velocity Points

[Scr77]

I've booked my fair share of Singapore flights directly with KrisMiles. But, I always thought if a Y or J reward seats was shown as a "saver" on the Singapore site, it was also available on Virgin's site and bookable with Velocity points. Obviously, the benefit of booking with VA is that you don't loose points by transferring them to Singapore.

Am I wrong here? The "saver" seat that I want is available on the Singapore site, but not available on the VA website and the call centre staff say no too.

I have plenty of other options, just wanted to clarify others understanding. It's a Singapore to Melbourne flight and the call centre staff say that only 2 direct flights are in the system, which seems odd.

 

[henrus]

I have plenty of other options, just wanted to clarify others understanding. It's a Singapore to Melbourne flight and the call centre staff say that only 2 direct flights are in the system, which seems odd.

Generally the Saver space that is shown on Singapore Airlines is available to partners (and this is what I've normally experienced) however there was one time when SQ had Saver availability (BNE-SIN-BKK) and the star alliance carriers had X class economy space but Virgin just couldn't see it. I have also occasionally come across Saver space on the Singapore Airlines website but no other partners have had access to it.

I think it comes down to the way Singapore Airlines often offer award space but only on married segments (not 100% sure on this but just from my experience this seem to be the case).

Before you rule it out I'd check to see if the seat has been released to other star alliance partners, my two quick and easy suggestions are:
Star alliance award search - Travel hacks (nice and simple check uses the SAS system API to search)
or
https://www.united.com/en/ (search on the main page, tick the "book with miles" options and when it asks for a login close the box in the top right).

As for the only two direct flight thing... I'm not sure, I've received strange comments before from Velocity staff and often ringing a bit later where you'll find someone else might find different options.

 

[Bell21]

I tried it recently and VA staff could not see the SQ saver award availability I could see on SQ for either syd-sin or syd-ams but I note reports from others vary

 

[Jack_OC]

I have booked SQ flights with KF miles many times (in all cases in J, either MEL-SIN or MEL-SIN-somewhere in Europe). Every time I search for the same flights with Velocity but I've never been able to find availability, so I've had to suck up the exchange rate and transfer to KF.

Redeeming Velocity points for any international premium flights seems to be incredibly difficult these days, so I've started to view Velocity points as nothing other than ~0.65 KF miles. Having said that, this still makes them very useful, as it's easier to earn Velocity points (from Australia) than it is to directly earn KF miles.

 

[Bell21]

I pretty much view things the same way

 

[Scr77]

Before you rule it out I'd check to see if the seat has been released to other star alliance partners, my two quick and easy suggestions are:
Star alliance award search - Travel hacks (nice and simple check uses the SAS system API to search)
or
https://www.united.com/en/ (search on the main page, tick the "book with miles" options and when it asks for a login close the box in the top right).

Thanks for everyone’s input. These websites confirm that Singapore are only allowing partners to access 2 flights around the time I’m looking at. They seem to be the less convenient, early and late flights.

 

[ramboflyer]

Redeeming Velocity points for any international premium flights seems to be incredibly difficult these days, so I've started to view Velocity points as nothing other than ~0.65 KF miles. Having said that, this still makes them very useful, as it's easier to earn Velocity points (from Australia) than it is to directly earn KF miles.

I've recently been looking at J reward seats to the US on both Krisflyer and Velocity as I am building my points balance up for 2021. There is no doubt that award seat availability is much better on SQ than VA unless you can use a million points with Velocity.
I'm about to close my Westpac Mastercard and the logical transfer of points is to Krisflyer given both (Velocity) have a Altitude points 3:1 transfer.
Can points be transferred from Krisflyer to Velocity on the off chance there is a better option there?

 

[Bell21]

Yes 0.65 ratio for transfer

 

[ramboflyer]

Yes 0.65 ratio for transfer

Happy to be corrected here but wouldn't the conversion rate be 1.35 KF to Velocity and 0.65 from Velocity to KF?

 

[Bell21]

it's 0.65 in both directions from memory but definitely .65 from going from kf to va

 

[jase05]

it's 0.65 in both directions from memory but definitely .65 from going from kf to va

0.65 in both directions

 

[Scr77]

it's 0.65 in both directions from memory but definitely .65 from going from kf to va

this is correct. even though KrisMiles are more valuable, you loose in both directions!

 

[Bell21]

It's funny, I've never event paid attention to the va-kf transfer ratio, only kf-va (other than if facing expiry of kf miles)

 

[ramboflyer]

Agreed, found this on Velocity site:

"*The conversion will be calculated at a rate of 1.35 Velocity Points to 1.00 KrisFlyer Mile when transferring Velocity Points to KrisFlyer.
When transferring KrisFlyer Miles to Velocity, the conversion will be calculated at a rate of 1.35 KrisFlyer Miles to 1.00 Velocity Point."

 

[Denali]

its use to be ratio 0.35 but it increased recently.


refer below

How (And Why!) to Transfer Velocity Points to Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer

Transfers between Velocity Frequent Flyer and KrisFlyer are back. After suspending this popular Velocity program feature in April 2020, Velocity Frequent

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

As of 1 January 2019, the transfer rate in both directions is 1.55:1. For every 1.55 Velocity points transferred, you’ll receive 1 KrisFlyer mile. Likewise, you’ll need to spend 1.55 KrisFlyer miles to receive 1 Velocity point.

Velocity site SINGAPORE AIRLINES Travel with Singapore Airlines and set your Velocity Points flying.

For every 1.55 KrisFlyer miles you transfer, you will earn 1 Velocity Point. A minimum transfer amount of 5,000 KrisFlyer miles is required. Transfers cannot be reversed once made.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

so I've started to view Velocity points as nothing other than ~0.65 KF miles

And remember too IMO that 0.65 KF mile is worth a lot more than 1 QFF point.

So QFF points earning to me is only something I do when I cannot earn direct KF or Velocity points, unless there is some generous QFF earning multiple at play.

 

[travelislife]

For some reason I have always been able to get the flights on SQ (showing available as Saver) I want through calling VA. Not always first time, have to call back and try again, and never on the website have they been available.

 

[ramboflyer]

For some reason I have always been able to get the flights on SQ (showing available as Saver) I want through calling VA. Not always first time, have to call back and try again, and never on the website have they been available.

Now that information is worth banking for future use!

 

[Scr77]

For some reason I have always been able to get the flights on SQ (showing available as Saver) I want through calling VA. Not always first time, have to call back and try again, and never on the website have they been available.

This is exactly what I was trying to achieve, but unable to do.

 

[blacksultan]

I've recently been looking at J reward seats to the US on both Krisflyer and Velocity as I am building my points balance up for 2021. There is no doubt that award seat availability is much better on SQ than VA unless you can use a million points with Velocity.
I'm about to close my Westpac Mastercard and the logical transfer of points is to Krisflyer given both (Velocity) have a Altitude points 3:1 transfer.
Can points be transferred from Krisflyer to Velocity on the off chance there is a better option there?

Yes they can but there is conversion loss