SQ Tips, Trips and Tales

[cove]

My eldest son just had me book him to go to a wedding in Perth. He gets me to book Madrid to Perth and return and wanted to be here for less than 3 days. Now that is something his parents just wouldn't do even if it is business class.

 

[TomVexille]

My eldest son just had me book him to go to a wedding in Perth. He gets me to book Madrid to Perth and return and wanted to be here for less than 3 days. Now that is something his parents just wouldn't do even if it is business class.

No big deal, I flew further than that for a wedding and I was on the ground for less than 48 hours.

 

[cove]

So TV you must tell me how did you feel after that? My son will be here for about 60 hours.

 

[TomVexille]

Considering that I went straight from working overnight (9pm-6am) to the airport, and then directly to the Rehearsal Dinner, then the wedding the following day, which I left at about 5am, and then back home that afternoon, I pretty much stayed on Melbourne time and pulled up pretty well. I think I spent more time in transit than at my destination.

 

[cove]

Now that is pretty much what our sons do with work then red eye to a sports event then back home on domestic runs. Now trying that on long hauls.
This is something that we try hard not to do as we value good health.

 

[robtemt]

Having recently completed a 280k OWA, I am now setting my sights on a suites reward flight return to LHR. A quick couple of questions just so I can get my head around this one.
1. Can I book the outward flight when it becomes available, and then a few weeks later add the return, including a stopover in SIN?
2. Since the points needed are the same from most Australian cities, does that also then include a flight getting to a capital city i.e. TSV-SYD on VA?
3. I have a mixture of points, (and will book direct with SQ) would it be better to use up more VA points or more Amex MR points?
And any other tips you may have would be greatly appreciated.
Travel period is flexible but around Feb is preferred so I am just doing my homework for now, also connections and layovers are not a concern just want the A380 (New or old) suites.

From my experience:
1. Yes, you can book one way, then add the return, but they typically do it as two x one way flights. So the rules for stopovers are per the one way flights. However, we did have them re-book ours as a return after doing the same. We had to pay the cancellation fee, but then had the return flights for the stopover.
2. Can't comment on this, we fly ex SYD
3. We always use MR points for SQ award flights, unless we had a big bonus of VA points to make the conversion worthwhile.

Other tips. To get the new suites, you will be looking at the standard award and not the saver, from what everyone is saying now. Seems availability is VERY limited (non-existent) for the new suites. We lucked out, as we typically book to meet the 355 day advance release of award seats, and booked the old suites pre-release of the new suites. That being said, our cabin went from 2/12 booked pre-release, to 6/6 booked post-release, 1 day after the announcement, and we went from the double suite in row 2, to row 2 and 3 without the convertible divider.

 

[N860CR]

I'm trying to book SYD-SIN-LHR in F.

There are seats on SYD-SIN arriving at 2100ish and then seats SIN-LHR departing at about midday, but the system doesn't bring it up as an option. I can't book a "stopover" as it's a one-way saver.

I'd have though the 15 hour connection wouldn't be a "stopover" as it's less than 24 hours. I can't seem to book it online, but will they book it over the phone as a single booking (at the SYD-LHR points cost?)

 

[JessicaTam]

I'm trying to book SYD-SIN-LHR in F.

There are seats on SYD-SIN arriving at 2100ish and then seats SIN-LHR departing at about midday, but the system doesn't bring it up as an option. I can't book a "stopover" as it's a one-way saver.

I'd have though the 15 hour connection wouldn't be a "stopover" as it's less than 24 hours. I can't seem to book it online, but will they book it over the phone as a single booking (at the SYD-LHR points cost?)

Worth ringing and asking. I have had 18+ hour connections in SIN on the one ticket without any trouble.

 

[cove]

Yes it is easier to phone now the 15% discount has been removed so often the call center can book you exactly what you want that seems too hard on line.

 

[Kangol]

I'm trying to book SYD-SIN-LHR in F.

I'm also looking at this route.
Did the taxes reduce by that much?
Can see a Saver for 148k miles + AUD $96?
Previously were the taxes not in the $500+ range?

 

[cove]

I was thinking of sending Mrscove on the new Suite out of Sydney even though it is a long cut seeing we are in Perth.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I'm also looking at this route.
Did the taxes reduce by that much?
Can see a Saver for 148k miles + AUD $96?
Previously were the taxes not in the $500+ range?

taxes have remained the same... but fuel surcharges have been removed. This happened last year, SQ got rid of the 15% in line discount, increased the cost of some awards, but removed fuel surcharges.

 

[cove]

For those who were rich in Kris Miles and hated paying cash this was a windfall.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Did the taxes reduce by that much?

Yes.

It is why the new revised Krisflyer scheme is not that bad. Yes you lost the 15% online discount and the points cost also went up. But the removal of the excessive fuel fine (that QFF still charges) makes the dollar cost very low.

So if you can earn reasonable numbers of points you can now fly at very low cost (unless you are buying your points through ATO etc).

It also means that Y redemptions are now reasonable (not that I do them) whereas in the past the fuel fines meant that you were better off just looking for cheap Y fares.

 

[Kangol]

Thanks, I knew about the changes (removal of 15% online discount and surcharges/YQ) but was not aware of the magnitude of the cash surcharge/tax difference.
Found a post from a few years ago with some data:
SQ Tips, Trips and Tales

 

[N860CR]

Yep the surcharge drop is very significant. I fly SYD-SIN-JNB-CPT a few times a year and would previously pay about $2000 in taxes for 2 pax. That's now down to a very insignificant amount.

 

[diningdecadence]

can i book say LHR-SIN now, and then add SIN-SYD later for the 1 way price of LHR-SYD?

don't quite have the points for 2 pax at the moment but want to lock in availability.

 

[annielee]

anyone can share whether it will be possible to get (or successfully redeem) 2 seats on 1st Suites from SIN - SYD ?

 

[Steady]

anyone can share whether it will be possible to get (or successfully redeem) 2 seats on 1st Suites from SIN - SYD ?

Yes, 2 is ok - even relatively easy on release for the A380 Suites - not the new cabin though

 

[annielee]

Yes, 2 is ok - even relatively easy on release for the A380 Suites - not the new cabin though

im hoping for the new cabin..