SQ Routing Options from East Coast to Asia
Jan 21, 2020, 5:16 am
#17
Join Date: May 2017
Location: SIN
Programs: AS MVPG75k, AA Plat
Posts: 741
Well, the flights I'm seeing are $4,771.52 per person and candidly I don't have that kind of money. I've been saving points for the past 4-5 years specifically for this trip.
I'm not an expert on this so I've got some knowledge gaps. Although there's some transfer partner overlap between Amex, Chase and Marriott, it's not 100%. My understanding is that I'm not limited to flying on these carriers as I can transfer points to them and book flights on any other carrier within the same alliance. If that's the case, how are flights priced when multiple carriers are involved?
For example:
I'm not an expert on this so I've got some knowledge gaps. Although there's some transfer partner overlap between Amex, Chase and Marriott, it's not 100%. My understanding is that I'm not limited to flying on these carriers as I can transfer points to them and book flights on any other carrier within the same alliance. If that's the case, how are flights priced when multiple carriers are involved?
For example:
- I find the key flights I need on SQ's site that show a cost of 95k KrisFlyer points for each traveler
- For flights I can't find on SQ's site, I check another Star Alliance member's site (e.g.: United, ANA etc.)
- I find the flights I need on Star Alliance member's site, like UA, for 90k United miles for each traveler
- If I call SQ customer service to book, how will they charge for all the flights? Is it 95k + 90k per person? Or do they use some other metric to calculate the cost?
Anyway, your "deadweight cost of travel" right now is 190k KF miles per person, let's say a conservative 1.25 cpm valuation and $80 taxes, that'd be $2,455
If you took JL JFK-TPE, you'd earn 36,454 AS miles with no tier bonus, which at a 1.45 cpm valuation is worth $528, so "deadweight cost of travel" is $2,082 - $528 = $1,554.
It's quite a substantial difference ($901 of cost avoidance). KF miles really should be used on sweet spots of the KF charts, which are few and far between due to successive devaluations, but of course the decision is yours to make.
In your shoes, I would reposition to Europe either in economy or on a SQ redemption involving IAH-MAN, because it's only slightly longer than repositioning to the West Coast, and then grab a cheap QR J, BA J or LX F/J fare from there.
Last edited by Unionruler; Jan 21, 2020 at 5:28 am
Jan 21, 2020, 12:12 pm
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,391
I was under the impression that because SQ was a member of Star Alliance that, if I saw availability on United.com for X, Y, Z flights, I could call SQ customer service to book those United flights using KrisFlyer points. If that is not the case, I do appreciate the correction here!
Well, if you've been accumulating KF miles for umpteen years to make this trip (and you don't necessarily travel enough to use them elsewhere- especially considering it's a family trip), what else are you going to do with them? At this point might as well burn them even if it's not "best and highest use" and use your cash for other things you can't use KF miles on (and those miles would expire worthless eventually anyway).
Last edited by eponymous_coward; Jan 21, 2020 at 12:17 pm
Jan 24, 2020, 5:38 am
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 76
Hm it's actually JFK-KUL for $2,209 per person and JFK-TPE for $2,082 per person. Yesterday JFK-KUL was below $2,100 when I checked.
Anyway, your "deadweight cost of travel" right now is 190k KF miles per person, let's say a conservative 1.25 cpm valuation and $80 taxes, that'd be $2,455
If you took JL JFK-TPE, you'd earn 36,454 AS miles with no tier bonus, which at a 1.45 cpm valuation is worth $528, so "deadweight cost of travel" is $2,082 - $528 = $1,554.
It's quite a substantial difference ($901 of cost avoidance). KF miles really should be used on sweet spots of the KF charts, which are few and far between due to successive devaluations, but of course the decision is yours to make.
In your shoes, I would reposition to Europe either in economy or on a SQ redemption involving IAH-MAN, because it's only slightly longer than repositioning to the West Coast, and then grab a cheap QR J, BA J or LX F/J fare from there.
Anyway, your "deadweight cost of travel" right now is 190k KF miles per person, let's say a conservative 1.25 cpm valuation and $80 taxes, that'd be $2,455
If you took JL JFK-TPE, you'd earn 36,454 AS miles with no tier bonus, which at a 1.45 cpm valuation is worth $528, so "deadweight cost of travel" is $2,082 - $528 = $1,554.
It's quite a substantial difference ($901 of cost avoidance). KF miles really should be used on sweet spots of the KF charts, which are few and far between due to successive devaluations, but of course the decision is yours to make.
In your shoes, I would reposition to Europe either in economy or on a SQ redemption involving IAH-MAN, because it's only slightly longer than repositioning to the West Coast, and then grab a cheap QR J, BA J or LX F/J fare from there.
Jan 24, 2020, 8:35 am
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 76
My dyslexia kicked in completely misread 'JL' as 'J business fare'; I was looking at SQ business class fare hence the super high price. Thanks!
Jan 24, 2020, 9:21 am
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 76
Understood.
I hear you. I've been accumulating points on CC's with the hopeful intention of redeeming them as smartly as possible. That said however, I've now mostly committed us to SQ because I transferred a sizable amount CC points into KF miles. It wasn't intentional in the sense we had to be on SQ because of some affinity or loyalty to SQ. Candidly although we do like some airlines (LH and NH in particular), we couldn't care less what airline took just as long as it got us to where we needed to go. At this point I think I'm 'stuck' with my LAX-NRT(stop)-SIN(stop)-MLE(stop)-SIN(stop)-LAX in business. I don't mean that in a truly negative way - because it really isn't a bad thing - just that I've unintentionally [and potentially significantly] limited redemption options. The only really sad story here is that "it's not the best and highest use" which can be chalked up to me not fully appreciating the ins and outs of alliances, partners and smart routing.
I really do appreciate the feedback. Thanks again!
Well, if you've been accumulating KF miles for umpteen years to make this trip (and you don't necessarily travel enough to use them elsewhere- especially considering it's a family trip), what else are you going to do with them? At this point might as well burn them even if it's not "best and highest use" and use your cash for other things you can't use KF miles on (and those miles would expire worthless eventually anyway).
I really do appreciate the feedback. Thanks again!
Last edited by JuliusPIV; Jan 24, 2020 at 9:49 am