It looks like the value of Chase Ultimate Rewards points just went up a bit. These are the points awarded on some of Chase’s premium cards:
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Chase has just added Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer as the latest Ultimate Rewards transfer partner.
As you’d expect, the transfer ratio is 1:1, and you can transfer points in increments of 1,000 points.
I love the KrisFlyer program, mainly for redemptions in Singapore Airlines premium cabins. Singapore is one of the airlines that releases lots more premium cabin award space to members of their own KrisFlyer program than to members of partner airlines. For example, you can’t use miles from most of their Star Alliance partners for first class awards on Singapore, while you can redeem Singapore miles for their premium cabins.
And since they don’t release this space to many of their partner airlines, availability is actually quite good for KrisFlyer redemptions. They recently even started making two Suites Class award seats available for flights to the US, so it’s now possible to book the “double bed in the sky” on miles to the US for two.
Singapore Airlines A380 Suites Class double bed
I’ve redeemed ~91,000 KrisFlyer miles for Singapore Airlines Suites Class from San Francisco to Hong Kong and Hong Kong to Singapore, and suffice to say it’s a product that’s tough to beat.
Singapore Airlines A380 Suites Class
As a reminder, Singapore KrisFlyer was already partners with American Express Membership Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest, so now the three “major” flexible points currencies are all transfer partners with KrisFlyer.
So I’d say the value of the already super-valuable Ultimate Rewards cards just went up even further.
@ Lucky - when I booked IAH-DME-VIE using KF, they did a 3- or 5-day hold but I don't recall if they deducted miles right away. Perhaps it was different than regular award since I used Star Alliance chart and didn't get 15% online booking discount.
Anyhow, given SQ fees, it normally makes sense to use this for J or F when traveling from US.
Just booked my virgin Suites redemption last night (2 pax). The fees from LAX-SIN-DPS are indeed quite steep at $830 r/t pp. (The most fuel surcharges I've EVER paid). The phone reservation agent was quite painless and provided the 15% discount without any fuss. It's amazing availability right now based on what it had been for the past several months from SQ USA-based flights.
In my experience this week, the AMEX transfers to SQ have...
Just booked my virgin Suites redemption last night (2 pax). The fees from LAX-SIN-DPS are indeed quite steep at $830 r/t pp. (The most fuel surcharges I've EVER paid). The phone reservation agent was quite painless and provided the 15% discount without any fuss. It's amazing availability right now based on what it had been for the past several months from SQ USA-based flights.
In my experience this week, the AMEX transfers to SQ have gone thru overnight (under 10 hours). My current Chase transfer to SQ processed at the same time is still processing 12+hours later.
Ben;
When I go to singapore website and enter my account I have zero miles; when I try to book with miles it just gives me a price. No options with miles for any of the dates I am looking
Do I need miles in my account to even see any options? or is the default to give you price when there are no award flights.
Thank you
@ Rami -- You shouldn't need miles. Be sure you're selecting "Redeem KrisFlyer miles," because the website can be glitchy.
Thankfully I booked my Suites redemption last week! Availability is just about to get a lot worse!
Is there a better way to search for F/suites availability on the SQ website beyond selecting each day one at a time? I'd like to find a suite or F in the next few weeks. Thanks.
@ Sue -- There isn't, unfortunately.
That is awesome, Bob! I believe SQ suites passengers can still access the virgin Atlantic clubhouse at JFK so given a choice, I would pick the JFK-FRA route versus FRA-JFK.
@Joey Thanks, I was actually looking at booking our return flight in suites, and I found two days that work with our schedule that have two saver suites available on the FRA -> JFK route.
FYI, although I was planning on getting to Europe another way (probably Austrian), I did poke around some and I found one day on the JFK -> FRA flight that had two saver suites. Sadly, it doesn't work for...
@Joey Thanks, I was actually looking at booking our return flight in suites, and I found two days that work with our schedule that have two saver suites available on the FRA -> JFK route.
FYI, although I was planning on getting to Europe another way (probably Austrian), I did poke around some and I found one day on the JFK -> FRA flight that had two saver suites. Sadly, it doesn't work for our schedule at all, but it's interesting to know that they release two saver suites occasionally.
I looked again at my miles and realized I probably would have enough UA miles and UR miles left over to cover Austrian flights both ways, even after I transfer to KrisFlyer, so I might give it a go anyway. If it gets booked in the meantime, I'm sure I can find another use for the Krisflyer miles.
@Bob, for JFK-FRA, they normally release only 1 suite in the saver level; which means if you and your future wife want to be on it, then one of you will have to get the saver and the other will get the regular award price. Just an FYI though that unofficial policy may have changed.
Thanks Lucky, that's what I feared. Since it's my honeymoon and I'm not particularly flexible on dates, I probably won't risk it and stick with my initial plan to book Austrian business when availability opens up 90 days out.
I would love to redeem some UR for suites JFK->FRA on the way back from my upcoming honeymoon. I have the points, but I'm concerned that because the transfers aren't instant, the award will be gone by the time my points transfer and I'll be stuck with Krisflyer points, when I could be using my UR points for another transfer for my return flight. Any thoughts on this? Or is my only option to roll the dice and pray?
@ Bob -- Only option is to risk it, unfortunately. Singapore doesn't allow holds on KrisFlyer awards.
Hi,
KrisFlyer vs Skypass for business or even economy to Hawaii from East Coast. Thoughts?
@ Ross -- KrisFlyer is generally much better. Much more availability on United than Delta at the low level.
This is great as have always wanted to fly Singapore Airlines and have tons of Ultimate Rewards points.
Y'all are acting like this is great news. Uhh... They're not adding more award seats. KrisFlyer availability is about to plummet.
I just realized it also means I can book LH F class with my UR points at 160K RT versus 220 with United
Now if they would just add Miles and More I would never use another credit card in my wallet. I would love to be able to book LH F class in advance
Lucky, whats the pattern SQ releases their award seats J and F ? also if you click on waitlist, what will happen next and how long the wait to confirm ?
@ choi -- They release some space when the schedule opens, but anything beyond that varies. As far as waitlisting goes, there's not a timeline for when it clears. Sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't.
Seriously, Ben/anyone: can you explain to me the lure of krisflyer miles? the cash outlay in fuel charges and fees makes these awards very expensive to my eyes. my whole point of earning miles/points is to not have to pay cash. i calculate the value of my points (and my MS) based upon what they can buy me. if $500/whatever is added onto the award for 'fees', that $500 is part of the equation. for...
Seriously, Ben/anyone: can you explain to me the lure of krisflyer miles? the cash outlay in fuel charges and fees makes these awards very expensive to my eyes. my whole point of earning miles/points is to not have to pay cash. i calculate the value of my points (and my MS) based upon what they can buy me. if $500/whatever is added onto the award for 'fees', that $500 is part of the equation. for me, that makes SQ miles a poor value.
sure, if i want a once in a lifetime 'let's have sex on a plane in a bed nonstop on our non-stop' experience, i'd pony up the points (once) for 2 suite class awards and feel the future memory revisits worth the cost. beyond that, i don't see value for $/points. and it's worse intra-asia, as the market is so competitive with LCC's that the SQ fees can be the same as the cost of a ticket. Long haul i want to/need to fly in front. for most intra-asia the flights are short enough that economy is fine, i don't care about being fed, etc. so, again, no real value for points.
Lucky,
How far in advanced would I need to plan if I wanted two RT tix from US to Singapore (or Hong Kong, or KL, or somewhere very, very far away:))
I know availability is slim...here's to hoping time and patience can get around low availability!
p.s., why do they call you Lucky?
@ Ben -- "Lucky" is my dog's name and is just a nickname I picked up a long time ago. No good reason, really.
Ideally I'd recommend booking at least eight months out if you want to redeem for Suites Class. If you're good with first class then much closer in should be fine.
Well done, Chase! Spectacular result.
Do you have any idea how long it takes for Ultimate Rewards to post after a transaction is made buying something?
I have several transactions from last week that cleared but my balance still shows zero.
i have the Chase Ink Business Card.
Thanks!
@ Chris -- Points typically post when the statement closes.
Maybe we can expect for a chase Singapore co-branded credit soon?
@ Winston -- Would be nice, though wouldn't count on it!
Just made a transfer. Def not instant. I think I run on Suite availability is coming. :p
@Joey: yeah I can see that ; you wanna experience the experience, so sleeping doesn't really accomplish it. I'm thinking SFO-NRT-SIN-KUL and I just need to have enuff for a family of 4.
Christmas has come early this year! Was just looking around at other credit cards with KF but now will just stick to the Chase Sapphire and rack up the UR points. Thanks for the update Lucky!
This is awesome! Hopefully the annual fee for Chase UR cards won't increase.
@Ozaer N. - JFK-FRA was always bookable with SQ miles. ;) I flew the route last year and loved the experience (VS clubhouse at JFK, caviar, krug, etc.) but next time I'd redeem the miles for a longhaul flight. JFK-FRA is roughly 7 hours redeye flight and regardless of how comfy the bed was, I still arrived in FRA with lack of sleep.
FYI - Transfer was definitely NOT instant in my case. Here's hoping the points show up before the award I want disappears!
Lucky do you think Amex will lose Singapore Air as a transfer partner? Thx
@ sushiguy -- Singapore doesn't have an exclusive relationship with American Express or Chase as far as I know, so I highly doubt it.
@Al - yes indeed, but LH aren't nearly as easy to come by as UR
JFK- FRA....a good option, now bookable with SQ miles!
It says two business days on Chase.com
Ben...how long does it take for the points to show up in your KF acct after the fertilization? :)
@ Ozaer -- Transfers are instant.
Woohoo! That is AWESOME!! I love SQ so now I just might show Chase a bit more love in the future.
Lucky - it would be totally awesome if you can write a follow-up on the sweet spots using KrisFlyer miles. Thanks ;-)
@ jo -- Working on it for tomorrow morning! :)
lufthansa miles and more would cost only 34k for the same biz class rd trip.
Now I can get rid of my high fee Amex cards!
Wow nice! Now UR might be worth more than MR.
Great news! Also 40K roundtrip for US domestic business class, right? That's quite a bargain for UA ps!
@ Jason B -- Indeed, 40K is a hell of a value for roundtrip domestic business class.
That is fantastic news!