SQ Points for A380 Suites

[TiredOldFlyer]

In checking flights for early next year I find that SQ have A380 suites avaliable
on points. We are lucky enough to collect AMEX points and use them for a couple of
trips each year - normaly on SQ as they seem to always have award seats. We might have to wait for a while though to book a suite as the points needed for SYD to SFO
were in excess of 1,000,000 for a RTN per pax. Pity, but at least its a step in the
right direction. As EK take delivery of their A380s (90 in all I understand) SQ may have
to be come more realistic.

 

[albatross710]

I can't (yet) imagine squandering that many points on a flight when I could take the family twice in J!

I think it is more about 'answering' the call for a Suites redemption and also the PR value of people talking about how high the redemption is.

Still sounds wonderful.

Alby

 

[moa999]

Seems to be a very recent change. Only available in "Full" class - but much better than a full QF Anyseat.

Priced SYD-SIN one-way as 249050 online / 293000 phone
plus A$237.37

Can get biz on the same date for 45000 on the 777 (Saver) or 90000 on the A380 (Standard)

Interestingly Biz Full is 213000 - so the premium to First is not that much

 

[cove]

Thank you for your first post on SQ suites that are now available on points.
I will start doing a couple of dummy bookings to get familiar with the points cost and try to stop imagining how good it would be.

 

[deluxeflyer]

Seems to be a very recent change. Only available in "Full" class - but much better than a full QF Anyseat.

Priced SYD-SIN one-way as 249050 online / 293000 phone
plus A$237.37

Can get biz on the same date for 45000 on the 777 (Saver) or 90000 on the A380 (Standard)

Interestingly Biz Full is 213000 - so the premium to First is not that much

A small step in the right direction.
SIN-SYD return was 1,100,000 miles last year.

 

[pauly7]

Seems to be a very recent change. Only available in "Full" class - but much better than a full QF Anyseat.

Priced SYD-SIN one-way as 249050 online / 293000 phone
plus A$237.37

Can get biz on the same date for 45000 on the 777 (Saver) or 90000 on the A380 (Standard)

Interestingly Biz Full is 213000 - so the premium to First is not that much

Are SQ allowing saver redemptions in J on their new metal yet??

So frustrating!!

 

[TiredOldFlyer]

A mixed class ticket BNE to SFO for next Jan is 374,000 miles (New A330 to SIN in J and 777-300 SIN to SFO in F ) A J class in same Metal is $272,00 both plus $1000
charges. To me the extra 100,000 miles seems worthwhile. Having had a chance to
go in the A380 earlier this year in J - I prefer F in the 777. I think I am the only one who was dissapointed with the A380 and would not use the extra points for a suite.

We are fortunate to be able to collect miles by using AMEX in our business but we do
pay an average of 2%, so 1,000,000 points has a cost of $20,000. The good news is that the charge becomes a Tax Deduction so the cost comes back to about $11,000 per1,000,000. For this we can get 3 International F Tickets so with charges these flights work out to be about $4,800 per head. A suite at 1,100,000 plus charges to me is not value.($12,000 + ).

It would be interesting to know how many dollars the airlines convert points to - does anybody know or is it a deep dark secret?.

 

[cove]

It seems to be between 0.65 and 1.0 cent for the big guys.
If you have a big BAS you can go CitiSelect or Westpac Platinum KrisFlyer Amex or an Amex direct card to get the points between 0.65 and 0.83 cents.
Obviously you get on board faster with the 1.5 point per dollar Amex cards but they are 0.83 cents a point (before any tax deduction).
See you out there.

 

[TiredOldFlyer]

Probably getting of track now so will continue in Amex rewards thread - I am particularly interested to know how much money the airlines actually recieve for a redemption flight.

Thanks for you interest.

 

[albatross710]

Thank you for your first post on SQ suites that are now available on points.
I will start doing a couple of dummy bookings to get familiar with the points cost and try to stop imagining how good it would be.

I think Suites have to be booked through the Call Centre and are not available via the online booking engine.

 

[deluxeflyer]

I think Suites have to be booked through the Call Centre and are not available via the online booking engine.

Suites redemptions are now bookable online.

Incidentally, Suites are now being sold at F prices, and not R.
So it's cheaper, but you don't get the 300% earning.

 

[TiredOldFlyer]

Hi Albatross,

I thought that as well and I started this thread because is checking for flights for
next Jan to USA flights were listed in the A 380 on points - just over 1,000,000
per pax.

Although we live on the Gold Coast we have been in the habit of often departing
from Sydney due to the bigger choice of aircraft but now with the A380's it looks
as though our best choice is Brisbane.

Hopefully as the no of A380s increase the fare may come down. It seems logical that when A380's are the only Metal flying out of Sydney that F fares will be so expensive. It,s interesting that most airlines ( except EK as far as I can see) don't
offer F out of Brisbane, and generally J is in older A/C.

Cheers.

 

[albatross710]

Suites redemptions are now bookable online.

Incidentally, Suites are now being sold at F prices, and not R.
So it's cheaper, but you don't get the 300% earning.

Thanks for picking me up on that. I was looking at that at work when I was posting and got distracted (with work!) with the seat map on my screen and never got back to it. The funny thing about the Suites is that it is the same price as F on 777W. Looks as though the Suites are Full redemption only.

So, a trap for the unwary would be to book 777W F out of SYD when the same points could get Suites on the A380.

Alby

 

[cove]

We discussed Suites at home and the problem we see is having to go back to straight First or J and then thinking we need better.
Having had more than a year of running up chunky numbers of Kris points has been a real eye opener and we seem to be able to consume points as fast as we have been making them.
Suites would really put a hole in the trip frequency.
So far we haven't used the far right hand column for redemptions but we are very relaxed about using the middle Standard column and excited when there are Savers.
We will leave Suites to another day.

 

[deluxeflyer]

Thanks for picking me up on that. I was looking at that at work when I was posting and got distracted (with work!) with the seat map on my screen and never got back to it. The funny thing about the Suites is that it is the same price as F on 777W. Looks as though the Suites are Full redemption only.

So, a trap for the unwary would be to book 777W F out of SYD when the same points could get Suites on the A380.

Alby

Yes Suites are available at Full redemption rates only.
There is still a huge difference in miles required between a First Class Standard redemption and a Suites Full redemption. F Standard is still almost always available.

More of a trap is a regular commercial (non redemption) booking in First Class.
As Suites can now be booked in the F booking class, it costs the same whether you are in Suites or First Class! eg SYD-SIN in F one way in First Class or Suites is now around $3,800. Suites in R booking class is $4,600.

The redemption rates for any Full award is insanely high.

Having said that, we are seeing small steps in the right direction, due in part I'm sure to the new SQ CEO.

I think we may see the not so new Business Class and not so new First Class available for Savers at some point in the future, while Suites remain for Full awards.

 

[albatross710]

I think we may see the not so new Business Class and not so new First Class available for Savers at some point in the future, while Suites remain for Full awards.

I guess they must also get pressure from their *A partners.

 

[hummel]

I guess they must also get pressure from their *A partners.

About time really isn't it. How long has the *new* F/J been out? 2 years at least from what I can remember.

 

[Alanslegal]

SQ's "treat 'em mean, keep us all keen" approach seems to be working.

Making it currently super hard to get into an A380 suite and everyone still envies, wishes and wants to get on. I know it s*cks but if SQ started releasing too many (relatively) cheap points awards for first class suites, then before we know it every John and Jane starts flying in a suite and the perceived elite-ness or "beyond first class" approach starts diminishing.

Most of us want the things we can't have, and in this case, I want to be flying SQ suites!

 

[TiredOldFlyer]

Just a quick update.
Suites on the A380 now comes up as "Weight List"

 

[albatross710]

Just a quick update.
Suites on the A380 now comes up as "Weight List"

Absolutely, once you've enjoyed the SQ Suites food, you weigh more and list to one side perhaps.