SQ Tips, Trips and Tales

[LadyC]

Whatever works for you I say. Sounds like you have a great start to your trip planned lovetravellingoz!

 

[annielee]

need some advise here..i've booked SIN-HKG on the A380 F class, but it will be the morning 830am flight.. will that be a good choice, in terms of the the time to enjoy TPR and 1st class on the plane ?
will be my mom first time on SQ 1st class, and she loves HKG and it's planned for next year... or should i go for the afternoon flight, so can spend more time in the TPR ?

 

[vitagen]

Afternoon flight for sure!!!

 

[Bazzi]

I was thinking of it, but in monitoring the flight combination I wanted to London the second and main leg was often booking out at max booking time out, and so I went with certainty over a point saving.


So I just booked online as a SQ Booking the minute redemptions opened.

Going F in all daylights hours on both flights with an overnight in SIN and so will be able to make the most of the Krug and meals and with a chance of the new Suite on the SIN-LHR leg.

Arriving in SIN early too and so dinner will be in TPR before heading off to our room at the Crowne Plaza.

It will take a day longer to get to Europe than my last Suite redemption, but with no breakfast or night periods on the flights we can make the most of all the food, wine, benefits, service and also the TPR.
As we will be travelling for 11 weeks the extra day will matter little and it will be a very indulgent way to start our trip.

Also last time we enjoyed (as in the alcohol!!!) the first flight so much, that catching the next flight not long after and after midnight it was a bit of a waste as we sept through much of it.

We always do day flights with a stopover in SIN, largely because my partner doesn't travel well and neither of us particularly like overnight flights. I, too, like to enjoy the whole experience that flying J or F offers rather than sleep through it. We also believe that we arrive in better condition at the end destination if we have slowly adjusted to the changing time zones. We have friends who do the long haul trips in one go in J or F, do manage to sleep on the plane, but still are cactus for days after at either end.

We usually arrive mid/late afternoon into SIN, go to TPR or J Lounge for for late lunch/early dinner, collect luggage and then check in to the Crowne Plaza.

One tip re CP - lots of construction going on with the new terminal very close to CP and while the soundproofing in the rooms is pretty good, if you are a light sleeper, suggest you buy some 30 Db earplugs as the construction goes on through the night.

 

[petercr]

Correct. SCs are earned when flying SQ. Bonus velocity points for gold/plat status only accrue when flying on VA codeshare flight numbers, that's the main difference. Also it's generally cheaper to find a higher SC earning economy fare on SQ than having to purchase a flexi/freedom on VA.

Sorry - meant to say 'eligible sectors'... Have clocked up nearly 25k VFF points and 450 SC doing BNE-SYD-SIN-LHR but only BNE-SYD counted as an 'eligible sector' as it had a VA flight number.

 

[TomVexille]

Sorry - meant to say 'eligible sectors'... Have clocked up nearly 25k VFF points and 450 SC doing BNE-SYD-SIN-LHR but only BNE-SYD counted as an 'eligible sector' as it had a VA flight number.

Well that makes much more sense. And is correct.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Crowne Plaza.

One tip re CP - lots of construction going on with the new terminal very close to CP and while the soundproofing in the rooms is pretty good, if you are a light sleeper, suggest you buy some 30 Db earplugs as the construction goes on through the night.

Thanks. Noise plugs are part of our standard travelling kit.

Though we overnighted there for the first time (previously I had used the transit hotel, or had gone into Singapore) on 14th April and did not notice any noise. This trip will be not till 21 April anyway and so any current construction may well be over.


We were also quite impressed with the standard of the CP room including the nice bath.

We fly in at 4.20PM and fly out at 9.00AM and so it will be a leisurely dinner in the TPR, a soak in the tub, a good night's sleep and then back for breakfast in the TPR prior to boarding.

The meals to London are in theory Breakfast and Lunch. But we will instead go on UK time zone on boarding and will convert it to Lunch (by selecting a suitable item/s) and Dinner.

 

[desafinado74]

Hi guys, i am planning to book my first award J flight with SQ (Mel - AMS) for mid June 2018.
I would like to know, if you can book a bulkhead seat via the SQ call centre ?
(I will need to call them as i intend to have 2 stopovers in Singapore)
Actually, as a general question, how is seat selection done for award bookings ?
Do you have to call SQ up or you can do it online ?

 

[bbqwer]

Sorry for off-topic here.

Am I still eligible for $40 changi vouchers ? Two separate e-tickets Syd-Sin-KIX Pvg-Sin-Syd
Cheers

 

[desafinado74]

Sorry, one more quick question,,,this is about Krisflyer account expiry.
I know that, if your account does not have any activities for 36 months, it will expire.
(My last activity was to transfer Krisflyer miles into my Velocity account in November 2015 )
So, is my account safe until November 2018 ? Or is it better if i transfer some Velocity/Starpoints into my Krisflyer account, just to prevent it from expiring ?

 

[deka2]

Hi guys, i am planning to book my first award J flight with SQ (Mel - AMS) for mid June 2018.
I would like to know, if you can book a bulkhead seat via the SQ call centre ?
(I will need to call them as i intend to have 2 stopovers in Singapore)
Actually, as a general question, how is seat selection done for award bookings ?
Do you have to call SQ up or you can do it online ?

I have always found SQ quite good for seat selection.

You are able to select your seats online once the booking is complete

The only time the seat will not be showing if not available is for Bassinet seats.

Even then if you ring they will allocate them to you if available, with the proviso that a if needed for a baby you will be moved.

Can't hurt to ring though if your preferred seat is not showing.

 

[JessicaTam]

Hi guys, i am planning to book my first award J flight with SQ (Mel - AMS) for mid June 2018.
I would like to know, if you can book a bulkhead seat via the SQ call centre ?
(I will need to call them as i intend to have 2 stopovers in Singapore)
Actually, as a general question, how is seat selection done for award bookings ?
Do you have to call SQ up or you can do it online ?

You should be able to select seats with the call centre when you book. Otherwise you can do them online.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

As per other responses desafinado seat selection for rdpt bookings easily done online at time of booking but you can't select bulkhead seats if they are the designated bassinet seats - but as you say you will need to call KF to book the extra stopover so that is the time to secure your desired seats.

 

[albyd]

Sorry, one more quick question,,,this is about Krisflyer account expiry.
I know that, if your account does not have any activities for 36 months, it will expire.
(My last activity was to transfer Krisflyer miles into my Velocity account in November 2015 )
So, is my account safe until November 2018 ? Or is it better if i transfer some Velocity/Starpoints into my Krisflyer account, just to prevent it from expiring ?

My understanding is that points have 3 year expiry from when they're posted. Extra activity doesn't prolong their life.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

My understanding is that points have 3 year expiry from when they're posted. Extra activity doesn't prolong their life.

Correct - it's a rolling three years. Old points will expire regardless after three years.

 

[desafinado74]

Thank you everyone for the helpful replies

 

[Lemon_Party]

OK - so an evening spent on the phone with the KF team which could probably have been avoided if I could read.

Trying to get the 72,500 Star Alliance KF award flying LVI-JNB-SIN-BNE with a nights stopover in Singapore. The more astute on here will know that one way Star Alliance awards do not allow stopovers, something I've definitely read and ignored even only a week before attempting to book one... Anyway, after searching for a while for availability and finding something suitable, abort when its priced at two awards... Shame as this is cheaper in miles than the SQ award and tacks on a potentially pricey LVI-JNB flight for free. But, don't fancy hopping back to BNE in one long slog, so end of that.

Another call and the availability for JNB-SIN-BNE on the dates I want with the stopover I want aren't available. The guy helpfully finds me something a few days earlier and places it on hold for me to think about. At this time I notice I can actually book stopovers online and dont need to call - do some more searching and see the exact dates I want are actually available to waitlist leg 1 and to book leg 2. Try to waitlist this online but website keeps giving error message. This is turning into a painful night. Call back and the agent is able to waitlist and then immediately ticket - huzzah.

The A350 has all 8 bulkhead seats blocked out, and on the phone she tells me row 11 isn't available. I'll call back tomorrow and try again, but perhaps these seats are saved for people who aren't KF nobodies...

Anyway, thats my SQ tale. 2 x J awards JNB-SIN-BNE with a stopover in SIN booked - 156k miles and $302 SG. Pretty happy, now to start planning a South African adventure.
Getting there will be another adventure - we have 2 x F awards SYD-SIN-HKG confirmed (pre-deval) about 5 days later than I really want, and a waitlist on desired dates. Then need to tie that together - either another SQ award, or something fun on Star Alliance - mix of Thai and Ethiopian perhaps...

 

[albyd]

I'm currently planning a trip next year to JFK from SYD. I'm still a KF newbie so please excuse me if I'm about to ask a silly question.
I have a stack of VA points but availability is likely to be competitive via LAX vs taking the AUH route with EY and adding 10 hours to my trip.
For J class one way:
VA on EY is pricing approx 241k points one way
KF is pricing at 118k in saver
At 1.35 haircut from VA to KF, assuming this pricing is right and ignoring the taxes, it seems like a no brainer to convert VA points to KF for redemption. SQ availability also is much earlier so I can lock it in sooner and start planning where to stay.
Am I missing something?

 

[andy2015]

I'm currently planning a trip next year to JFK from SYD. I'm still a KF newbie so please excuse me if I'm about to ask a silly question.
I have a stack of VA points but availability is likely to be competitive via LAX vs taking the AUH route with EY and adding 10 hours to my trip.
For J class one way:
VA on EY is pricing approx 241k points one way
KF is pricing at 118k in saver
At 1.35 haircut from VA to KF, assuming this pricing is right and ignoring the taxes, it seems like a no brainer to convert VA points to KF for redemption. SQ availability also is much earlier so I can lock it in sooner and start planning where to stay.
Am I missing something?

For first class:

SQ SYD-SIN-FRA-JFK is 152,000 KF miles + ~$200 AUD.
EY SYD-AUH-JFK is 203,000 Velocity points + $600 USD + maybe some more taxes.

Availability on EY was great for the dates I wanted. One date I wanted with SQ was available. Last week booking in November so didn't expect to find any seats on SQ. You mention LAX - I guess you could fly SQ to LAX/SFO and then United to New York.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

The A350 has all 8 bulkhead seats blocked out, .

In J I would not be that concerned at not getting bulkhead. Plus if a bassinet seat they might move you later anyway if someone with a baby books.