Should I join KrisFlyer?
The quick answer is ‘yes’, because joining KrisFlyer generates a membership number that allows SQ to keep track of flights that qualify you for PPS status (the
discussion of PPS status follows this section of the FAQ). Less important but still nice to have, a KrisFlyer number also makes it more convenient to book flights online, use the website to keep track of your booking, and do online checkin.
But should you
accumulate miles with KrisFlyer? Ah, that’s a more complicated question. As with any question about whether a particular FFP is the best one for you, the answer depends on your travel pattern (how you earn the miles) and what you’d like to do with your miles (how you redeem the miles). The disadvantages of KrisFlyer are well-known:
Earning disadvantages- No minimum mileage
- Unremarkable class of cabin bonuses
- Miles expire in 3 years (at the end of the month in which you earned them)
Redemption disadvantages- High redemption rates, particularly for free long-haul travel in premium classes
In addition, achieving Elite Gold status entitles you to just a few extra benefits beyond what other *G’s get. For example, you get a 25% mileage bonus when flying with VS. In VS economy*, you will
enjoy priority boarding, priority luggage handling, as well as access to Clubhouses in select airports (e.g.,
at LHR). And because Silkair (MI) is currently not a Star Alliance member, an Elite Gold is, along with PPS members, the sole *G to receive perks, such as priority checkin, priority boarding and extra luggage allowance, when flying MI.
*
Full disclosure: I think VS economy is just about the most torturous way to travel long-haul (I haven't tried LH long-haul economy class yet, and I don't think I'd ever subject myself to such an experiment). So the 25% bonus and other perks are just about what VS should give to compensate for the flight experience.
As a KrisFlyer *G, it’s not as though you'll receive SQ-specific upgrade opportunities. And remember that Elite Golds, like other *Gs, are not entitled to use the SKL in Singapore if they travel in SQ economy class.
However, under certain conditions, accumulating award miles on KrisFlyer may be a good option. The conditions that come to my mind are:
- You travel mainly with SQ: in this case, the 25% bonus miles that you get after attaining Elite Silver makes a nice addition to the miles available for redemption (BD currently has the only other *A FFP that grants a 25% bonus for SQ flights)
- You live in one of the countries where there is a KrisFlyer-affiliated credit card (e.g., the KrisFlyer Amex card in Singapore): this allows you to augment your flying miles with credit card miles. (By the way, if you’re fortunate in this way, MAN Flyer, SQFAN, and I think you should buy us drinks to console us for our lack of access
to such a credit card.)
- You intend to redeem mainly with SQ: KrisFlyer members have better access to award inventory than members of other *A FFPs, and can take advantage of the online redemption discounts offered by KrisFlyer (currently 15%, with an additional 10% for selected destinations). Let me repeat the warning that if you modify the award booking, you forfeit this discount and will be charged a change fee
- You intend to use your miles to upgrade with SQ: using KrisFlyer miles to upgrade to a business saver award significantly lowers the required miles to experience Raffles Class (only BD’s FFP beats this savings, and only because BD offers a cash+miles option). The other nice thing about upgrade redemptions is that you continue to earn status miles based on the fare that you bought -- a good thing if you won't be doing a lot of flying during your current membership year. Note that KrisFlyer allows you to book an upgrade award even before you buy the tickets you're going to upgrade ^ : good for snagging award seats when you'd rather not pay for your tickets just yet. Details about this nice little perk are in this discussion.
- You want to redeem for short-haul trips within Southeast Asia: KrisFlyer redemption levels are quite good for these
Ultimately, the decision to accumulate on KrisFlyer rests in your hands. Figure out your travel and redemption patterns, and then compare what the different *A FFPs can offer you.
How many miles would I earn as a KrisFlyer member?
Flying on SQ, the calculations are relatively simple:
1. In economy fare classes V, G, Q, N, T: 0 (as in zero, zip, nada). It's the price you pay for the heavy discount on those fares. The way to guard against this risk is (a) if booking online, check that the conditions on "Mileage Accruability" say "Yes"; or (b) if booking through a travel agent, ask them for the fare class.
2. Any other economy fare class (including Executive Economy): actual miles flown (as calculated by SQ)
3. Raffles Class: 125% of actual miles flown
4. First Class: 150% of actual miles flown
If you're an Elite Silver, Elite Gold or PPS member crediting to KrisFlyer, you get an additional 25% on the base mileage (i.e., the equivalent economy mileage). Note that 25% of zero is zero, so your bonus miles are nonexistent if you decide to go for the heavily discounted economy fare classes.
Flying on a partner airline:
1. For economy class, most of the time you get that partner's native rules (i.e., what their FFP members would earn), but without any minimum mileage guarantees. Be wary of fare classes where the partner FFP gives only a fraction of the miles, however (say, 50% for T fares on LX or 50% for V fares on TG): it seems KrisFlyer will not grant mileage for these flights.
2. For business or first class, you get the 125% or 150% of actual miles flown, respectively.
3. For premium economy,
9V-JKL has compiled the mileage earned in
this post and in
this.
Note that the miles will credit to KrisFlyer only if both the flight number and the metal are partner airlines. So, you're OK if it's an AC flight number on a UA-operated flight; you're not OK if it's an LH flight number on a flight operated by one of LH's regional, non-*A partners in Europe.