JT00SWIM

Hi All!

Two questions as I am planning a trip to Penang, Malaysia from Chicago:

1) Does anyone know what the conversion rate is if you decide to pay with krisflyer miles instead of using them just for an award? Routing on an award requires me to book from SFO or LAX (hubs) and find a separate flight to get from Chicago to SFO or LAX. If the conversion rate in paying with krisflyer miles is equivalent, that would make it easier for me to just book straight from chicago and pay with the miles.

2) Is there a big difference between first and business class on the 777-300er? From everything I've read and seen, its really not that big of a jump. Although the point difference (7,000) is marginal and probably worth it, is the experience in business overall that different? I've read a lot of reviews that say Singapore's business is that good that it's like first class, and unless you're flying suites class it's not a big difference

3) Is there any way (other than calling in to book and losing the 15% online discount) to book different classes of travel on an award? Again, going from SFO to Penang I don't even have the option of first class award because they fly their regional carrier Silkair from Singapore to Penang, which doesn't have anything higher than business class.

Thanks in advance!

dickson_g

Hi, giving my two cents worth here :

1) Don't quite understand your question.

Basically, you have 2 choices.

To get from Chicago to Penang, you can redeem under Star Alliance award, in which case, you can book the entire itinery from Chicago -> LAX or SFO or NYC or Houston -> SIN -> Penang itself for 97.5k Krisfyler miles in Business or 112.5k Krisflyer miles in First.

Alternatively, you make your way from Chicago to LAX or SFO, and then from there book a redemption ticket under SIA Saver award from LAX or SFO to Penang. This will cost you 68k Krisfyler miles in Business or 91.4k Krisfyler miles in First, with the 15% discount comprehended.

In other words, the difference between the two redemption schemes is around 30k Krisfyler miles. Star Alliance award does not qualify for 15% discount while Krisfyler award does.

If I were you, I'd opt for Krisfyler award since the 30k Krisfyler miles is probably not worth a one-way ticket from Chicago to SFO or LAX.

However, if you really do prefer to redeem under Star Alliance award, then one way to really enjoy the trip is to fly via NYC (East Coast) instead of SFO or LAX. For Star Alliance award, the amount of miles is the same whichever city you fly out of in USA. For Krisfyler award, it costs marginally more, around ~5k miles or so.

2) The point difference between Business and First is not 7,000 Krisfyler miles but 15k Krisflyer miles on the Star Alliance award. Yes, its still relatively small.

But the main decision you'll need to make is whether or not its worth redeeming under Krisflyer Saver award or Star Alliance award.

If I were you, and am intent on going for a Star Alliance award instead of Krisfyler award, then I'll choose First and fly out of NYC instead. You get to enjoy a Suites service in a night time flight. You do get Suites on the LAX-SIN route as well but the flight timing (to me) is less desirable since its a daytime departure. Alternatively, for probably an even better experience, redeem Star Alliance First award with Chicago to Frankfurt on First on Lufthansa and then connect to SQ on First from Frankfurt to SIN. You're entitled to mix and match different airlines under Star Alliance redemption.

3) You can still get the 15% discount on Krisflyer Saver award. Just call SIA and tell them that the online booking system does not allow mixed class travel and they'll do the booking for you, ie. SFO or LAX to Penang with First Class for SFO/LAX to SIN portion and then Business from SIN to Penang. You still get to enjoy the Private Room when you transit in SIN since you arrive on First although you're continuing your travel in Business.

Hope this is helpful.

shuigao

It's ridiculously low. I can't check now cos I just used all my miles for award redemption, but IIRC it's something like 1 cent per mile. (e.g. you'd need 10,000 miles to pay for every $100 in airfare).

JT00SWIM

This was very helpful, thank you for your input.

I don't think a star alliance award would work as my wife and I don't have enough miles. We are also transferring from Chase Ultimate Rewards (290,000 combined) and CitiThankYou points (56,000 points combined), so I'm not quite sure how to do a star alliance award. Since we are transferring, I also am trying to clarify the exact amounts I would need so I don't transfer too much (saving 160,000 miles to transfer to Korean air for first class from Hong Kong back to Chicago for 2)

To clarify my first question, Singapore has a "pay with krisflyer" option, or redeem award. The pay with krisflyer option allows you to use miles to convert the dollar amount of the total trip so you can pay in combination of miles and cash if you need to. What I was trying to figure out was how many krisflyer miles would I need to pay for a flight from chicago to penang, versus just doing an award from sfo/lax to penang, and then having to buy a separate flight from Chicago.

If I call to book a combination of first and business class, I assume they will just price the whole thing at a first class redemption?

Any other thoughts/advice you have is very much appreciated!

shuigao

I covered that in my post: s$0.01 (1 cent) per mile. So if your flight ticket costs s$5k then you need 500,000 miles. It's not worth it at all.

dickson_g

Haha .. let me continue to be your "travel agent" here ...

If I understand correctly, this means you have a total of 290k + 56k = 346k miles available. Of this, you have set aside 160k miles for KAL for the return portion, so you have only max 186k miles available for Chicago to Penang, or about 93k miles per person to spare.

If this is correct, then you're in luck. SIA Krisflyer redemption for SFO or LAX to Penang costs 68k miles in Business and 91.4k miles in First. So you've to buy a cheap ticket from Chicago to LAX or SFO (eg : take Southwest) and then redeem 2 Business Saver or First Saver awards from LAX or SFO to Penang via Singapore. Forget about doing a Star Alliance award since its too costly and you can easily get a cheap commercial ticket from Chicago to LAX or SFO. The First Saver award will be a mixed class, ie. First class on SFO/LAX to SIN and then Business class from SIN to Penang.

If its your first time on SQ Biz or First and you want to "go for it", you can try SQ11 LAX-SIN which is a Suites on the A380 (be sure to book the double bed!!), whereas SFO-SIN will be either on SQ15 (via SEL) or SQ1 (via HKG) both on the B777.

Yes, that is correct. Its booked under a First Saver award but SFO/LAX-SIN is in First but SIN-Penang is in Business since that is the highest available class of travel on that route.

Be sure to ask for the 15% discount on the phone booking citing "the website does not allow me to book First from SIN to Penang".

demue

As others have said. Pay with miles is horrible value and not advisable for the type of redemption you are trying to do. As your travel advisor extraordinaire dickson_g has already highlighted, you are much, much better off looking for a Biz or First SQ (not Star Alliance) redemption from the US to PEN.

Decide if you want to go First from US to SIN or Biz all the way, check online for award availability and then transfer in the required miles from UR or Citi and make the redemption. SQ flies from SFO, LAX, IAH, JFK to SIN. As has been said, if you decide to go for First, you will have to call Krisflyer hotline for this as the SQ website cannot handle the mixed class bookings such as First (US - SIN) & Biz (SIN-PEN). You should still get the 15% online booking discount. If you decide to go all in Biz then you can book it online yourself.

Good luck to you on finding availability for 2 pax. Be flexible with your dates and plan ahead. Be aware that these days we get questions like yours on SQ premium cabin redemptions from US to SE Asia almost every other day as everyone around with a bunch of Amex, Citi, Chase points has read about the great value the likes of SQ, KE, EY, EK etc. offer for premium cabin redemptions and lots of people are chasing those few First / Suites and also Business seats.

JT00SWIM

@Demue & dickson_g - THANK YOU SO MUCH GUYS! You have been both so helpful, like my own personal travel agent! I love these boards because of how willing everyone is to provide information. I've done so much reading and research myself, but sometimes not everything can be figured out. Thanks again!

view-with-a-room

Let us not forget the endless availability of Singapore Airlines award travel via IAH (Houston). ORD<->IAH / $200. Similar prices for a round trip via NYC but less availability. As noted, fly from Chicago to NYC, SFO, LAX or IAH to increase the value associated with the miles redemption.

demue

Well, while your point is valid right now (though I wouldn't call it endless availability from IAH), don't forget that with the ongoing 77W refurbishment at some point this flight will get a/c with 4 seat in F only and then it could get tougher even on that route for First redemptions.

friendlyplanet

Pay with points one way from LAX to SIN Suites would be around 1,050,000 points, at current exchange rates.

Pay with points is just buying a regular SQ ticket, and getting about SDG 0.01 per point. So you would be unable to do a Star Alliance redemption with pay with points.

JT00SWIM

I looked at the reward availability from IAH and see that it just routes to SFO. Are people implying they fly overseas directly from IAH? I don't see it.

JT00SWIM

Nevermind, I see the flight, to moscow. It's way more expensive miles wise to go there though.

demue

It should be the same mileage than flying from JFK IIRC. Only SFO and LAX are 10K less expensive when you compare "SQ KF Saver" award levels.

If you can't get Saver award category (in C or F) then it is not worth the mileage for most. A "Standard" category award for the same routing will cost 2x the Saver mileage.

The "Full" award category is just astronomical so I never even bother to look at it.

shuigao

Are you comparing the same redemption level? Departing from IAH should be the same cost as from JFK.

Biz redemption, return (saver):

JFK-FRA-SIN-PEN 144,500 miles
IAH-DME-SIN-PEN 144,500 miles