Velocity reinstates Singapore Airlines redemptions

[odysseus]

Why do I get the feeling that the people who cashed out 2 years ago will end up getting the better deal?

Well, they only have a year to use those points and the coming year is still a bit sketchy, so there's that as well.

 

[drron]

 

[Mr H]

Well, they only have a year to use those points and the coming year is still a bit sketchy, so there's that as well.

Yes - I am one of those. Only around 80k KF miles, but I have until April 2023 to redeem them, pay cash money to extend them once and once only for 12 months, or pray that the current points extensions will continue beyond the current end date.

Since then, my 80k KF miles have been joined by 340k more, with another 115k waiting in the wings. And that's without converting my 240k Velocity points or 315k Flybuys...

Looks like a fair amount of Star Alliance flights coming my way in the next couple or three years.

 

[henrus]

Just booked a VA award on SQ from Australia to Singapore!

Sure it's only economy and not the greatest redemption but at ~2c per point (value from my flight) it's not the worst either.

 

[AIRwin]

 

[jakeseven7]

Any J F class seats surfaced yet…?

 

[henrus]

Any J F class seats surfaced yet…?

No and this is not a Virgin problem. SQ is not releasing any premium seats to partners at this time.

 

[Mr H]

Any J F class seats surfaced yet…?

I think it is a long time since SQ released F seats to other airlines.

 

[jakeseven7]

No and this is not a Virgin problem. SQ is not releasing any premium seats to partners at this time.

They could pick another partner who would I guess, but sure.

 

[Mr H]

They could pick another partner who would I guess, but sure.

I'm not unhappy with the proposed arrangement - to be able to transfer points to SQ who (pre-Covid) had great availability for their premium seats seems like a good deal.

 

[cityloop]

I still live and hope for J seats to be released. I'm ready to book.

 

[Mr H]

I still live and hope for J seats to be released. I'm ready to book.

J seats probably will be eventually - they were available to partners before Covid but not in any large quantity. I believe the SQ J seats are not great - they have misaligned footwells.

 

[HS-TQE]

They could pick another partner who would I guess, but sure.

Maybe AC or UA?

J seats probably will be eventually - they were available to partners before Covid but not in any large quantity. I believe the SQ J seats are not great - they have misaligned footwells.

Some of the SQ flights also regularly gets the regional J config, which has a regionally configured J lie flat when compared to the long-haul configs.

BNE for example got a mix of the long-haul and regional config A350s. SYD and MEL sometimes gets the 78Js which are regionally configured.

 

[jase05]

They could pick another partner who would I guess, but sure.

Been really good availability on EY, AC, VS and even HA. UA will hopefully kick in soon aswell as NH plus fingers crossed for SQ soon.
They are never going to have a huge number of partners though

 

[Matty F]

They are never going to have a huge number of partners though

This does seem like a bit of a worry, e.g. if a new variant appears in a couple of years and we have to cull international travel again for a bit while they cook up a new vaccine.

I haven't looked into it, but I suspect given the bespoke nature of VA's partnerships, it will be a slower recovery than other alliances. Does anyone know how J availability is looking for e.g. oneworld?

I know the most likely reason for lower/nil availability is going to be financial recovery, which makes sense. just a shame not to reward the people who held tight while everyone else was cashing in points for JB Hi Fi gift cards

 

[jase05]

This does seem like a bit of a worry, e.g. if a new variant appears in a couple of years and we have to cull international travel again for a bit while they cook up a new vaccine.

I haven't looked into it, but I suspect given the bespoke nature of VA's partnerships, it will be a slower recovery than other alliances. Does anyone know how J availability is looking for e.g. oneworld?

I know the most likely reason for lower/nil availability is going to be financial recovery, which makes sense. just a shame not to reward the people who held tight while everyone else was cashing in points for JB Hi Fi gift cards

There has been good availability with partners though IMO.
Add SQ, UA and NH to the mix this year and it’s not a bad start.
As others have mentioned SQ aren’t even releasing premium award flights to Star Alliance members or any partners at this point in time

 

[Mr H]

I know the most likely reason for lower/nil availability is going to be financial recovery, which makes sense. just a shame not to reward the people who held tight while everyone else was cashing in points for JB Hi Fi gift cards

I am guessing that a lot of the issue is that flight schedules are so uncertain that making award seats available just adds to the complication when rules change. Plus, revenue seats are very expensive right now, so why make an expensive seat available for points now when the same points will buy a cheaper seat next year.

I haven't looked into it, but I suspect given the bespoke nature of VA's partnerships, it will be a slower recovery than other alliances. Does anyone know how J availability is looking for e.g. oneworld?

It was excellent a few months ago when airlines started to rebuild their schedules, but availability on the more popular airlines and routes is now very difficult to find.

 

[TMP]

They could pick another partner who would I guess, but sure.

No thanks, happy to wait and see what happens as we continue to deal with a global pandemic

 

[SheikYerbouti]

Enhanced or not, I'd love to know when it is going to happen.

 

[jakeseven7]

No thanks, happy to wait and see what happens as we continue to deal with a global pandemic

Life has moved on for many, so less happy to wait. But that's an individual choice I guess.