Using points on Singapore v Qantas

[singintheblues1976]

Hi all,

Well it's decision time, I'll soon be getting a new credit card and will earn a couple of hundred thousand points a year via spend on it and I have a choice now of where to put those points. How have people found spending points with Singapore versus Qantas? My natural choice would now be Singapore because I think it is a better product, especially long haul business which is essentially where the points get spent. One question though before the choice of card is made, is it easier to actually obtain flights using Singapore points than Qantas on points? I've been in the fortunate position recently of needing to book business class to Europe for my wife, I and baby however getting decent flights on Qantas (using the classic award) has taken some doing. All in, very frustrating even with a stockpile of 1m points plus. I wasn't either in the position or (desire to be in the position) of burning that whole pile of points using "Any seat" when it could all be done for around 560k points, business return in the past. We've almost managed to do it bar one leg in premium and I'm checking daily to see if we can change that.

Has anyone found using their hard earned points an easier process with Singapore? I did a quick check when I was struggling to get the flights with Qantas and there looked to be far more availability under my Kris login, unfortunately no points there. Yet!

I know using the "Classic award" with Qantas, especially for business, means get in early and keep your fingers crossed, surely there must be a better way Any advice much appreciated.

Cheers

SIB

 

[ermen]

Hi welcome to aff. In my experience its easier to get J seats on Kris - however problem is that SQ flights to Europe are mostly on a380 which means you cant use their business saver award which mean the points are slightly more expensive vs the QF equivalent.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

For me,

SQ far easier to get J than with QF.

If you are happy with the Saver destinations then point cost is dramatically cheaper. If happy to book at the Standrd rate costs double, but with really good availibilty.

However you can also redeem a *A Award to Europe on say Thai which has superb availability for 150K return = much better value than QF . his also get you destinations like Paris or London. So for me is agood option.

 

[dajop]

Hi welcome to aff. In my experience its easier to get J seats on Kris - however problem is that SQ flights to Europe are mostly on a380 which means you cant use their business saver award which mean the points are slightly more expensive vs the QF equivalent.

Actually a return to Europe (from Australia) booked online (to get 15% discount) in business "standard" awards it is 255,000 pts on SQ. Availability will not be a problem, there's a high chance of getting availability on desired flights (of course if you can get a "saver" award it will be half that amount, but this can more difficult and restricted to AMS, FRA, CPH, FCO & ATH). QF classic award will be 256,000 pts with less availability. So if it is 1:1 transfer of credit card points for both airlines, then SQ makes more sense, due to much better availability for same no of pts.

 

[im.daniel]

Actually a return to Europe (from Australia) booked online (to get 15% discount) in business "standard" awards it is 255,000 pts on SQ.

You could always fly to CPH, ATH, AMS, FRA where you can book a Saver Business Award for half the amount of points - depending on availability (Which are still operated by Boeing 772/744).
There are also quite a few flights from MEL/SYD/PER/BNE/ADL - SIN which are currently being operated by 772/773/333 which also offer Saver Business Awards .. so technically you CAN get Saver Business awards from Australia-Europe on SQ

 

[Keith009]

Availability on SQ wouldn't be a problem if willing to pay for Standard awards. These book into revenue fare buckets - D for business and A for first. So long as D or A are available the seat is yours at Standard award level.

Then there are Full Awards if you're really desperate/crazy/stupid (delete as applicable) and are loaded with miles.

It's Saver where SQ availability can be difficult to obtain, though as a Krisflyer member you do have first dibs over award inventory over other alliance FFP members. You simply have to be flexible with your dates and/or timings as with QF Classic awards. As stated these can only be redeemed on the older or regional aircraft. You don't say where you're based, but you should have no problems out of ADL/PER/BNE where services are operated by regional A330s (sloped bed seats ala Skybed mk 1). Out of MEL, 2 out of 3 services are operated by regional 773s (same sloped bed seats), whereas of the 4 services out of SYD you can redeem Savers on either the regional 773, or the 772 which still has the old cradle style seats in J/F. I think there's also a rogue unrefurbished 773 with the old cradle seating doing the rounds on the Aussie routes. And as alluded to above, itineraries to Europe aren't ideal on Saver awards unless stopping in or going via one of the ports that are serviced by older aircraft.

 

[cove]

I have had a very good experience having both SQ and QF points so I would recommend that idea.
SQ points expire in 3 years and their redemption fees are higher. I have been more relaxed than others on using both Saver and Standard redemptions as when I am going don't try stopping me.
Some issues:
Citibank offers a really good deal and it is upset by their back office staff who typically mess things up. I am on Select to avoid capping but you could do 2 cheaper cards and pick up 2 bonus offers.These cards are a point a dollar on Visa. Citi can warehouse your points so the 3 year time limit starts later when you transfer the points over to SQ Kris.
Westpac messed their Platinum Kris Flyer Visa up by changing it to half a point a dollar so I now only use the Amex part of the two cards to earn 1.5 points per dollar.
Basically I try to keep the QF and SQ points around the same level and in my latest trip I came to LAX this morning on QF and I am going home on SQ.
With SQ be flexible...If you cannot get to your real destination be prepared to land at a nearby city.
Finally SQ are having trouble with their booking engine so be prepared to call the call centre get their tips on what to do then do it online to get the 15% discount.

 

[browski]

One thing I really like about the Krisflyer program is the certainty of their Upgrade Awards.

With Qantas, you will never know until shortly before your flight if you have been granted an upgrade.

With Krisflyer, not only are you upgraded immediately, but you can see the upgrade availability even before you purchase the economy ticket.

With regards to Krisflyer "Saver Awards". The fact that Qantas do not even have anything resembling these discounted award flights, should be a good indicator of the poor value of the QFF program.

 

[cove]

I haven't ever done an upgrade of an economy ticket Browski so can you give us some figures on the costs and points use to end up in J with SQ.Have upgraded 4 I class QF fares from J to First on the A380 on separate flights.What I did was increase my points making each month so I could travel exclusively on points so there hasn't been any need to buy tickets in the last 24 months.QF booking engine can trick you by giving you a J flight say MEL-SYD and a Y flight to LAX for J points.

 

[dajop]

SQ points expire in 3 years and their redemption fees are higher.

Depends on route, and more recently the redemption fees on some routes seem to have become very similar. Eg MEL-FRA in business class return SQ $802, QF $792 ....

 

[cove]

That is very close on the redemption fees.
I am happy with both QF and SQ and I am waivering on whether I need to bother with pushing points into Virgin Australia as a third string.
QF seem very tight on getting to Europe in J and SQ is pretty easy so each has a value.

 

[singintheblues1976]

Thanks all, Singapore it is

 

[Onepoppa]

For those us plebs who have to fly down the back of the plane SQ is a no brainer.

Firstly by using SQ flights and doing the booking on line one gets a 15% discount which means that MEL- Europe return can be done for 80,750 miles - compare that with 128,000 for QF last time I looked. Also when we did MEL- CDG return last year we were able to do the overights on the A380 which has an upstairs Y cabin with seating 2-4-2, so we had a window seat and an aisle without anyone else with us. The upstairs area is smaller than the main deck economy cabin and therefore much nicer to fly in.

Unlike QF you can't shuffle points between family members, but you can nominate up to 6 others and buy points tickets for them.

And down in cattle class SQ has it all over QF, and you won't have to take Jetstar flights just because the almighty Flying Kangaroo doesn't go to many places anymore.

 

[cove]

Enjoy the decision with SQ and we'll see you out there!

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Thanks all, Singapore it is

For my circumstances , one of the best decisions I have ever made was to switch from mainly trying to build points at QFF to Krisflyer (though note that I deliberately wharehouse them as much as possible at Amex and Citibank).

For the same , and n may cases LESS point cost I now fly in J rather than Y...

Availability wise it has been excellent.

At the same time I switched to SQ rather than QF my other nivanna moment was to think ALLIANCE and not just AIRLINE.

So in swapping to SQ I also thought Star Alliance. Redeeming for SQ ans *A flights via SQ has been excellent for point cost and availability. Slight negative is the fuel fines...but QFF seems to often have them high now too.