Crossroads - TG or SQ FFP

[scooby5]

In true Asian style i have quite a few credit cards already from around the region (SG, MY and HK) and i can assign to KF i think from all of them, same as i did previously with AsiaMiles. I have the rarely used PremierMiles card in HK since they rebranded it out of the CX Platinum Card a month or two ago, which i had. the benefit from that card now is only the free Plaza Lounge access in HK. Not sure i need yet another card to confuse me even more but i might look into the PremierMiles here also, thanks.

The 25k to keep Silver with KF should be relatively easy if i strictly decide to fly *A so the lower 10k on ROP is not something i looked at. Even though i am now based in SG i just missed the 30k with CX this week by 1 or 2k where i also took a couple of other flights, SilkAir to Jakarta and TH to BKK for example.

[inix]

For me, *S is pretty useless. The only tangilble benefit would be the 25%. But if one don't fly that much, even that is useless.. The reachability of *G would be far more impt.. Especially when we're talking about mortal souls like me who can't afford to keep paying for lounge access

[Kyo]

I'd have to agree with inix on this one - I'm mostly flying regional, and *S is pretty pointless, but since it's only 10k to attain on ROP, and subsequently *G only being 40k per year for the next two years... it's still easier to obtain than *G on Krisflyer by 10K per year.

I have 13.5k Elite Miles this year already on KF, and whilst I could cross over into *S on SQ with a trip to Vienna (i.e putting me over 25k requirement for *S on SQ), I'd prefer to do it on TG because I'd still get *S, plus begin setting my sights on *G, which is the only real 'status' of value in my opinion.

Even if I decided not to use PremierMiles to crediti to TG's ROP, I'd still use it for crediting/redeeming KF miles (lower redemption, 15% discount when done online, no expiry date, redeem whenever you want). The point is, you can credit to whichever program will better suit your needs at that time, so if you're after a quick getaway to Bali (or whever SQ flys), burn the miles and use the 15% off on SQ. If TG goes somewhere SQ doesn't, or you need TG flexibility (maybe for a stopover in BKK), send the miles over to TG instead.

Also, PremierMiles gives you a Priority Pass card so you can access >500 lounges all around the world, which will help a little bit until *G.

[jhm]

The major obstruction to me joining BD / M&M is I can't transfer PremierMiles over to these programs, a real pity because I'm definitely raking in way more mileage than I ever would on Krisflyer Amex.

If that's the only obstruction to you joining BD and you don't earn huge amounts on PremierMiles, then IMHO this is a case of "penny wise, pound foolish".

Look at the BD award chart here:

https://www.flybmi.com/bmi/src/html/...pendmiles.html

You can get a zone 7 (Singapore) to zone 1 (VIE) round trip redemption:

80,000 BD miles + £540 + taxes - F
60,000 BD miles + £405 + taxes - J

And that's before certain optimisations you can make which can reduce the miles/cash cost consideraly (but require you to travel a bit more). One stopover allowed in each direction, e.g. you could redeem (say) SIN-BKK on SQ, stopover and then BKK to Europe on TG.

Finally, you can buy up to 100,000 (IIRC) BD miles each year at a cost of approx. £250 for every 20,000 BD miles. Hilton stays ? 1,000 BD miles per night. BD also send you occasional offers, e.g. complete a 5-minute survey and get 2,500 BD miles!

BD - a brilliant programme!

[scooby5]

Also, PremierMiles gives you a Priority Pass card so you can access >500 lounges all around the world, which will help a little bit until *G.

The Singapore card? Seriously?

If so, count me in! I know already i probably won't keep *G every year because i am mostly a regional flier in Economy.



EDIT: Just checked the Citi-SG website...... it says only two visits per year are free afterwhich they USD24 per person per visit??

[Kyo]

Yes, seriously...

In my world, 2 visits is still better than none.

And if you absolutely needed to use a lounge for whatever reason, at least you could still pay and then access it.

Hey, it's free, so no harm done, right?

[kelvgoh]

not entirely related to OP's ROP v KF issue, but wrt to credit cards and lounge priviledges - perhaps you may want to apply for a Diner's Club card. The card automatically allows you unlimited access to lounges at selected locations.

It's no great hoots, but if you travel around Asia pretty often (and don't have FFP priviledges), particularly India and Japan, it's a pretty useful card.

http://dinersclub.com/en/DCIHome/airport.jhtml

just fyi

[pogonation]

If that's the only obstruction to you joining BD and you don't earn huge amounts on PremierMiles, then IMHO this is a case of "penny wise, pound foolish".

Look at the BD award chart here:

https://www.flybmi.com/bmi/src/html/...pendmiles.html

You can get a zone 7 (Singapore) to zone 1 (VIE) round trip redemption:

80,000 BD miles + £540 + taxes - F
60,000 BD miles + £405 + taxes - J

And that's before certain optimisations you can make which can reduce the miles/cash cost consideraly (but require you to travel a bit more). One stopover allowed in each direction, e.g. you could redeem (say) SIN-BKK on SQ, stopover and then BKK to Europe on TG.

Finally, you can buy up to 100,000 (IIRC) BD miles each year at a cost of approx. £250 for every 20,000 BD miles. Hilton stays ? 1,000 BD miles per night. BD also send you occasional offers, e.g. complete a 5-minute survey and get 2,500 BD miles!

BD - a brilliant programme!

I second that! If you are not going to be flying that much and mainly doing short haul flights and thus earning few miles, BD is your best option as the spending power is literally about 3 times better than most other *A FFP's. If you want to use your miles to get your wife out to SE asia every year and attain gold status then BD is the program for you!

One of BD's amazing awards:
Spain/Scandinavia/Italy ---> Hong Kong = 18,750 miles + £122.50 + taxes in J
25,000 miles + £170 +taxes in F


You could earn gold and send your wife to SE asia return in F (for £550) every year!!

It will still be a long time before BD would become M&M so use it while you can and then swap over to KF if the dreadful changeover happens

[Kyo]

So, scooby5, what program did you end up joining?

[scooby5]

I took membership of KF and put my first 1100 miles in last week on a trip to Jakarta. Another 1760 goes in next week on a trip to Bangkok, having flown SQ on all sectors.

I am hoping to clear 50k in the next year from a couple of trips to Europe to see if the nice SQ people will give me gold straight away or not.

The main reason for taking KF though was so i have the option of using local credit cards to add miles via their points so that i can keep the wife happy and flying back to HK for free - i can be single more often

Thanks everyone!!!!

[Kyo]

Yes, if you redeem for SQ flights to Hong Kong or elsewhere, it's still quite good value and credit card points will help (although require some time to clear occasionally).

[scooby5]

I flew my first qualifying sector on July 22nd so two weeks later i have to ask how long it takes to get the proper KF card and welcome pack, if there is any?

The miles are in the account from the day after i flew so i know the stuff is working.

[Kyo]

I'm sure it arrives any day now... don't worry, it does come

[scooby5]

Card just arrived........

The letter says, ".....Your personal KrisFlyer Membership Card is enclosed with this membership kit."

Now the question is, i got the card and an Application Form for the KF AmEX but nothing else so can i assume there is no such thing as a "kit" anymore? There is no handbook, no membership guide with useful numbers etc. like i got with CX? I still use the neat leather ticket holder thing that MarcoPolo first sent me and the Guide that all came together.

[jhm]

IIRC, the only guide which came with KF EG was a small booklet detailing the silver/gold benefits (so I may have got that with KF ES) - so pretty much worthless as it just repeats what you already know.

There's no guide with useful phone numbers nor (like with PPS) a booklet of shopping/hotel/etc discounts.

Besides that KF silver/gold benefits booklet, the only other things which they used to send were the luggage tags.