Questions and Answers

I am planning a trip to Bangkok in early 2018 utilizing my 600k+ UR points. I have some general questions I am hoping I can get some assistance on.

It looks like my 2 best flight options out of SFO would be Korean Air or Singapore Air.
1. Is February considered peak or non-peak time of year?
2. How many points for a RT ticket on each airline?
3. Can I book 2 one way tickets on each airline to experience different products for the same amount of miles?
4. How far in advance can I start booking flights?

In regards to the two airlines, my first instinct is to fly SQ round trip, however KE flies the 747-8 out of SFO with the Apex Suites in business class to ICN, then an A380 to BKK. I was thinking of flying KE on the outbound, the SQ’s A350 on the return. This way I could experience different aircraft. What is everyone’s experience with these products and am I looking at this the “right” way? Just curious and thank you!

Woodrow

The websites for each airline should state when off-peak dates are, as well as any blackout periods.

Here are the award charts for each of the airlines:
[URL]https://www.singaporeair.com/saar5/pdf/…/charts/SQMI_OneWayAwardCharts.pdf[/URL]

[URL]https://www.koreanair.com/global/en/skypass/redeem/korean-air-awards/ke-award-chart.html[/URL]

Yes, you can book 2 x 1-way tickets. That’s a great way to experience both products.

You can start booking a little less than a year out. With Korean it looks like you can book ~360 days in advance (today, 11/21/16 they’re selling tickets for 11/17/17). For Singapore it looks like they sell ~350 days in advance (I see 11/10/17 as the last date for sale today).

Keep in mind if you need connecting flights within the US that US airlines open their award calendars at ~330 days.

I think you have a good plan on trying two different carriers and products. Plus on KE you can get a stopover in Seoul no charge. You can get one with SQ in Singapore for $100.

SQ goes online at I think 351 days.
KE is a few days shy of a year.

KE won’t be a problem finding space as they release tons.
SQ should be ok too, just start looking 12 months minus a week or two from your desired dates.

One-ways : Allowed on both
SQ: No peak periods
KE: Hasn’t published 2018 yet but inbound to Asia in 2017 is fine on those dates, outbound from Asia has a week in Feb that’s peak season

One-way
J in KE SFO-BKK = 75K plus surcharge which to BKK are only about $80 OW
J in SQ SFO-BKK = 80K plus surcharge

Great info. Thanks!

As a follow up, how far in advance do I need to open a KE and SQ FF account to be able to transfer UR points?

I don’t know but they’re free so why not open them now?

[QUOTE=”MidSouth Skier, post: 23200, member: 184″]I don’t know but they’re free so why not open them now?[/QUOTE]
Touche…Thanks!

Everyone probably has a different opinion, but for someone with only 600k+ UR points, would you think it is worth spending the extra 80k points for my wife and I to fly in F as opposed to Apex Suites in J? Also, on the return, should we stay with KE (F or J), or fly SQ A350 on the return? The service I would imagine is far superior on SQ, but the Apex suites look roomier than the SQ J seats.

SQ J seats on 350 are wide but pitch is shorter. You sleep on an angle but the bulkhead rows have wider footwells. Apex (haven’t been in one) are narrower but longer.

Me, I’d get FC on KE and get J on direct SQ or FC on the 777 that stops in HKG.

Agree with [USER=2121]@MarkS[/USER], except I [I]hate[/I] the 777 flight that stops in Hong Kong. The timings are rough, and re-clearing security in Hong Kong in the middle of the night isn’t super fun. Did that with my mom, and regretted it.