KrisFlyer will enact changes from 24 January, which include an across-the-board increase in the number of miles required for premium cabin redemptions, along with some welcome enhancements to the redemption process.
In this guide, I summarise the changes, go through how they affect travellers in Australia, and give my advice on what to do with your KrisFlyer miles.
The changes in brief
- An average 10% increase in the number of miles required for both Saver and Advantage redemptions in Premium Economy, Business and First/Suites Class
- The introduction of flexible award searches from 31 January, allowing you to view available award redemptions across a seven-day window
- The ability to upgrade directly from Economy to Business Class even when there is a Premium Economy cabin on your flight
- From the second quarter of 2019, you will be informed at least two weeks prior of the outcome of any redemption waitlist, which will provide greater certainty and the ability to make alternate arrangements should your waitlist be unsuccessful
- Spontaneous Escapes will become a permanent feature of the KrisFlyer program from February, which provides last-minute discounted redemptions on select routes every month
Here is what Singapore Airlines had to say about the announcement:
We have…reviewed our Award and Upgrade levels as part of an ongoing exercise to ensure competitiveness of the KrisFlyer programme.
There will be no changes to the existing Economy Class Saver Award levels and Advantage Award levels for Singapore Airlines- and SilkAir-operated flights.
Adjustments, however, will be made to Award and Upgrade levels in First Class, Business Class and Premium Economy Class. The revised Award and Upgrade charts apply to redemption and redemption upgrade bookings ticketed on or after 24 January 2019.
Here are the links for the award charts:
The last time KrisFlyer tweaked its award chart for Singapore Airlines flights was almost two years ago, in March 2017. Then, it eliminated the online booking discount (negative), increased redemption pricing in 5 of 13 zones (negative) and eliminated fuel surcharges (positive).
Popular redemptions for Australia-based travellers
Here is how the pricing changes will affect those flying out of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Canberra, with an average increase of 10%:
| Destination | Cabin | Current pricing | New pricing | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore | Business | 58,000 | 62,000 | +7% |
| First/Suites | 80,000 | 85,000 | +6% | |
| Japan | Business | 83,000 | 91,000 | +10% |
| First | 105,000 | 115,000 | +10% | |
| Europe | Business | 105,000 | 116,000 | +10% |
| First | 148,000 | 163,000 | +10% | |
| LA/San Francisco/Seattle | Business | 110,000 | 121,000 | +10% |
| First | 154,000 | 167,000 | +8% | |
| New York/Houston | Business | 118,000 | 129,000 | +9% |
| First | 152,000 | 167,000 | +10% |
and here are the figures for Perth- and Darwin-based travellers, with an average increase of 11%:
| Destination | Cabin | Current pricing | New pricing | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore | Business | 32,500 | 36,500 | +12% |
| First/Suites | 47,500 | 52,000 | +9% | |
| Japan | Business | 58,000 | 66,000 | +14% |
| First | 75,000 | 84,500 | +13% | |
| Europe | Business | 95,000 | 106,000 | +12% |
| First | 128,000 | 142,500 | +11% | |
| LA/San Francisco/Seattle | Business | 102,000 | 113,000 | +11% |
| First | 148,000 | 160,000 | +8% | |
| New York/Houston | Business | 110,000 | 121,000 | +10% |
| First | 145,000 | 160,000 | +10% |
The redemption figures above are for Saver Awards and do not include taxes. Note, fuel surcharges are not applied to redemptions on Singapore Airlines.
Here is an example. If you wanted to fly Singapore’s new Suites Class product from Sydney to London via Singapore, you would be up for 148,000 KrisFlyer miles + taxes if you booked before 23 January. If you booked after that, the same flights would cost 163,000 miles + taxes, an increase of 15,000 miles or 10%.
The new A380 Suites Class
Similarly, say you wanted to fly from Perth to Tokyo via Singapore. Right now, that redemption costs 58,000 miles + taxes, but it will jump to 66,000 miles + taxes from 24 January.
Boeing 787 regional Business Class
What isn’t changing?
These changes do not affect:
- Economy Class redemptions
- The award chart for redemptions on Star Alliance airlines—that was devalued separately in December 2017 by an average of 16%
- The award charts for other partners, such as Virgin Australia
- Round-The-World Award pricing
- Upgrade Awards for all sectors and cabin classes
My take
Overall, this is a disappointing development.
An average price increase of 10% for premium cabin redemptions for Australia-based travellers is not insignificant. Whilst frequent flyer programs adjust their pricing on an ongoing basis to recoup costs and remain competitive, giving only three weeks’ notice of the changes is poor form on the part of KrisFlyer. It’s the same amount of notice that they gave last time too. In my opinion, this should definitely be lengthened in the future.
These changes may especially disappoint Point Hacks readers who transferred some or all of their Velocity balance to KrisFlyer before the transfer rate was devalued as of the new year.
My advice is that if you have a redemption in mind and are in a position to book before 24 January, do so. Do note that you can still redeem at current prices for travel after that date as long as the flight is ticketed before the changes come into effect. However, keep in mind that if you change your flights after 24 January, you will be hit with the increased rates.
The introduction of flexible date searching and direct upgrades from Economy to Business Class are welcome additions but a smokescreen for this devaluation.
If you want to improve your knowledge of the program, check out our beginner’s guide to KrisFlyer. For inspiration on what you can do with your KrisFlyer miles, check out our best uses of points series.
What is your take on the changes? And how will they affect your travel plans?
Noted an error in your table with the Singapore redemption for First/Suites from 80k to 85k. It states an 11% increase, which is a typo?
Also, I just called KF to ask about my waitlist on a flight on 02 MAR. Two things I’ve gotten out of this that may be useful to fellow readers (or to add to your article):
1. The call centre lady I spoke to had no idea about these changes…..
2. If you book a reserved (ie, non-waitlist) along with a waitlisted flight before 24 JAN, then you are still subject to the current redemption rate even if the waitlist clears after the new award rates come into effect. I was concerned that if my waitlist clears after 24 JAN then I’d be up for an extra 4k KF points which I’d need to transfer out of Amex as I only ship them across as required. I guess the tip here is to book/waitlist now for any future flights if you have the balance. The standing comment is still correct however – “changes” to flights after 24 JAN will attract the new rate, but waitlists clearing won’t.
What about wait list bookings made before Jan 23 for flights later in the year?
Unless Velocity is looking at expanding their partner network, I guess we will have to move back to Qantas universe for now.
I just wish Turkish Airlines started to fly to Australia on their own metal already and give these some real competition on Europe routes. Soon I guess, given their new airport is almost done.
Im asking this because i was plaaning to transfer all my ascend points to krisflyer before amex devalues their points, but now im not so sure i want to transfer them to krisflyer.
Transfer rates between American Express and KrisFlyer are unaffected by this change, which relates specifically to KrisFlyer program redemptions.
However, as you have correctly stated, there will be a devaluation in the transfer rate between American Express and KrisFlyer on 15 April 2019.
The formal announcement did not make mention of changes to ROW pricing, so assume there is no immediate change for now.