KrisFlyer is Singapore Airlines’ loyalty program, useful for those who fly on the global carrier and its partners such as Virgin Australia and all the other Star Alliance member airlines.
The ‘points currency’ is KrisFlyer miles, which are easily earned through credit cards, flying and bonus points promotions. These can then be redeemed for great-value award flights in all classes, including Singapore Airlines First Class and Suites.
This guide is ground zero for those who are just starting off. Read on for how to join the program, earn as many points as you can, and use them for maximum value and amazing flight experiences.
How do I join the KrisFlyer program?
If you don’t already have a KrisFlyer membership, it’s free and easy to sign up for one. Check this page first as you may be able to pick up some bonus points on the way.
- Visit the KrisFlyer registration page and fill out your personal details
- Scroll down and enter your contact information
- Next, create a secure password
- Enter a promotional code (if any), then click ‘Continue’ to finish signing up
How do I earn KrisFlyer miles?
Unlike Qantas and Velocity frequent flyer points, which are both easily earned in Australia, KrisFlyer miles are a little harder to come across. The two quickest ways to earn KrisFlyer miles are:
- Signing up for a credit card (that transfers to KrisFlyer) with a large sign-up bonus
- Using a high KrisFlyer miles-earning credit card on an ongoing basis
Apart from credit card programs, there are a number of other ways to earn bonus KrisFlyer miles, including:
- Flying on Singapore Airlines, Star Alliance and non-Star Alliance partner airlines like Virgin Australia
- Booking hotel stays
- Booking a car rental
Here is an easy-to-understand video about earning opportunities:
KrisFlyer and Velocity Frequent Flyer
KrisFlyer enjoys a unique bilateral relationship with Velocity Frequent Flyer which allows you to convert Velocity Points into KrisFlyer miles and vice versa. While you’ll lose some points doing it this way (it’s a 1.55 to 1 transfer rate in either direction), KrisFlyer often has greater availability and pricing which makes the transfer worthwhile.
You may consider crediting your Virgin Australia flights to KrisFlyer instead of Velocity — this guide will help you decide whether to do so.
If you are short on miles for a redemption, you can:
How do I redeem KrisFlyer miles?
In our opinion, the best value for your KrisFlyer miles comes from redeeming them for flights on Singapore Airlines and its partners, such as Air Canada and Lufthansa.
A particularly good-value option is to target your use of KrisFlyer miles to Singapore Airlines and United flights, as there are no fuel surcharges applied to travel on these airlines.
Singapore Airlines is famed for its world-leading Business Class products which fly to all major Australian cities. Sometimes you can get these at 30% off through the monthly Spontaneous Escapes promotion.
The latest Business Class products include the new A380 product, which you’ll find on selected flights to Sydney, Melbourne, London, Mumbai and Hong Kong.
On those same Airbus A380s, the First Class Suites are an aspirational product for many. In theory, you only need 93,500 KrisFlyer miles to book this from Australia to Singapore. But this ‘Saver’ level is not usually available, so you’d need to fork out 155,000 KrisFlyer miles to book it at the ‘Advantage’ rate instead.
Saving your miles up for a round the world redemption is another popular option, with 240,000 KrisFlyer miles enough to book a ticket in Business Class with multiple stopovers worldwide.
Additionally, you can also use your miles to book a ticket for someone else. KrisFlyer allows you to set up to five people as your redemption nominees. Read more about it in our dedicated guide here.
Some more booking tips:
- You’ll want to aim for a cheaper Saver Award rather than the more expensive ‘Advantage’ award
- Your KrisFlyer miles have a hard expiry of three years
- You may be able to put your KrisFlyer award on hold while you wait for points to transfer over
- You can place yourself on a waitlist if the award seats are booked out
If you are looking for more inspiration for what to do with your KrisFlyer miles, check out our best uses of points series.
Not sure how to even search for award seats with KrisFlyer miles? Check out this post.
How do I earn Singapore Airlines elite status?
Holding KrisFlyer Gold status or above is the key to unlocking a raft of premium perks with Singapore Airlines and its partners, such as complimentary upgrades, lounge access, and priority check-in and boarding.
There are two separate programs when it comes to status — the KrisFlyer program and the PPS program. The KrisFlyer program has Silver and Gold tiers, which are earned through collecting Elite Miles on Singapore Airlines, Star Alliance and partner airline flights.
KrisFlyer Member
To achieve/maintain: 0 Elite miles
Base-level membership with no additional tier benefits. You can earn and redeem KrisFlyer miles and use them for reward flights, upgrades and more. You can also book flights on behalf of up to five redemption nominees, which could be family members or friends.
KrisFlyer Elite Silver
To achieve/maintain: 25,000 Elite miles over 12 months
Silver is the first elite status, but it doesn’t offer you that much more. You get a 25% miles bonus, reduced service fees and higher priority with waitlisting and standby. Standard seat selection is free as well.
KrisFlyer Elite Gold
To achieve/maintain: 50,000 Elite miles over 12 months
KrisFlyer Gold is the level to aim for and gives Star Alliance Gold benefits and lounge access across the whole network, plus Virgin Australia domestic lounge access. There is also priority check-in, luggage, boarding and higher priority with waitlisting. ‘Forward Zone’ economy seats are free to select.
It takes 50,000 Elite Miles within a 12-month period to earn KrisFlyer Elite Gold status, which is then valid for 12 months.
PPS Club Member
To achieve/maintain: S$25,000+ spent on eligible flights over 12 months
PPS Club membership, on the other hand, is based on how much money you spend on Business and First Class flights with Singapore Airlines. The benefits are much better than KrisFlyer Gold status, such as enhanced lounge access and more perks.
You would have to spend around $25,000 SGD for Singapore Airlines Business/First Class flights (excluding taxes) in a year to get 25,000 in PPS Value, which qualifies you for a year of PPS Club membership.
Solitaire PPS Club Member
To achieve/maintain: S$50,000+ spent on eligible flights over 12 months
For the sake of completion, the top level is Solitaire PPS. This gives the best perks possible, such as First Class lounge access, First Class check-in, a partner PPS member card for someone else, and the highest priority with award redemptions, among many other smaller benefits.
You would have to spend around $50,000 SGD for Singapore Airlines Business/First Class flights (excluding taxes) in a year to get 50,000 in PPS Value, which qualifies you for a year of Solitaire PPS Club membership.
Here are the quickest ways to earn Star Alliance Gold status in one trip. Also, new HSBC Star Alliance Credit Card applications might be able to fast-track to Star Alliance Gold, simply by spending AU$4,000 within three months.
How do I contact KrisFlyer?
To get in touch with KrisFlyer about a membership enquiry or flight redemption, try:
- Calling +61 2 8228 1188 from anywhere, anytime
- Sending them a direct message on Twitter or Facebook
- Submitting an online enquiry
While the Call Centre might be the quickest way to resolve your issue, try the social media channels if the line is busy.
Summing up
If you fly or are interested in flying Singapore Airlines, Virgin Australia or one of its other partners, then the KrisFlyer program may be worth signing up for if your travel patterns suit.
KrisFlyer miles are most quickly earned by signing up for one of these credit cards, and can easily be used for great-value redemptions in Business and First Class.
Do you know someone who might get some use out of the KrisFlyer program but needs a little help? Share this guide using the social media buttons below!
Supplementary images courtesy Singapore Airlines and KrisFlyer.
