Questions and Answers

Does anyone have tips for booking Krisflyer partner award redemptions?

I’m trying to determine if I can book a one way JFK-ICN-SIN-PER or JFK-TPE-SIN-PER business class redemption as there is no saver award availability on SQ flights JFK-FRA-SIN-PER. I already hold a confirmed business class award ticket on SFO-SIN-PER, so don’t have enough points to waitlist. However I am trying to see if there are other options out of New York that might work with the dates I am looking for – 12th June +3 days. (I realise I can book JFK – SFO however timing is awkward due to 11.30am departure time).

On United.com, there appears to be business saver award availability for the desired routings flying Asiana and Thai Airways on the 12th June. I’ve called the Singapore Airlines Krisflyer call centre and selected the option for partner award bookings. The operator I got kept saying I could only fly via FRA with Lufthansa and there was only waitlisting available, which are the SQ flights. I tried explaining that I wanted to book a partner airline award ticket and even gave him the Asiana flight numbers, but he kept referring back to the FRA flight and then said there are no direct flights from JFK to PER. (yes I know – it’s 25 hours plus flying time!)

Award Nexus also shows available flights for the 12th and the 14th June, including routings via EVA and TG.

I’ve not booked a partner award with Krisflyer before. I’ve read the available information on Singapore Air’s website and numerous blog posts etc and it seems like I should be able to book the routing I’m after. Am I trying to book a ticket that isn’t possible? Or was the call centre operator just being unhelpful? Perhaps my terminology isn’t the clearest. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I could get a better result? Thanks in advance.

I’d try to call back and see if you can get another agent or escalate to a supervisor. I’d also confirm via aeroplan to make sure that what you are seeing on UA isn’t ghost availability.

Thanks Gaurav 🙂

I would definitely call back. I had the same issue for my trip from SA to Europe. They are generally really helpful. The Hang-up-and-call-again method applies to SQ award as well.

Thanks for the advice. I’ve called them again and the experience was the complete opposite to the first one. 🙂