Using my SQ miles for redemption (but complex!) : What would YOU do ?

[dukesy]

Hi Guys

here is the situation.

i currently have around 200k SQ miles and another 70k in amex i can transfer across if needed, and am SQ gold for last few years.

i would like to travel from the UK (lhr/man, bhx at a push) to Australia.

We will be 2 adults, one child (3yrs) and one infant (4mths).

We need to go to Sydney for 2-3 days , then onto adelaide for 7-8 days. (Ideally open jaw)

Here is where it gets interesting. My company willl cover the costs for ME to go, and i intend using miles to pay for my wife, then pay ourselves for the children.

However, the embargo on LHR flights (all 777/380) means i cant afford to use miles for Mrs D. However, i have noticed that a paid companion fare on VS is good value at 200k miles though, but child fare is a lot.

What i am wondering, is if it better to travel using *A miles (eg TG) as it is only 150K miles, should i use these, and top up to cover child fare aswell (300k total), or is availability in July likely to be nil.

We do need to stopover each way (need a one night break minimum travllling with 2 kids), but not bothered where at all.

so the question is, what would YOU do ????

Once this burn is out of the way, i am transferring to M&M from KF as i am in europe and it is simply a lot easier...

[Gunners]

How about flying to FRA or Amsterdam on SQ?

[dukesy]

How about flying to FRA or Amsterdam on SQ?

hold on...just re-read that..

so would a (for example) bhx-fra(lh)-sin(sq)-SYD(sq)-overground-adl-SIN(sq)-fra(sq)-bhx(lh) just be classed as a europe-sw pac redemption, & therefore be (potentially) available on sq savers ?

[Gunners]

There has been some previious posts about the SQ flights to Europe that allow J saver and F saver redemptions.

[Doraemon]

F saver is only available on B744 flights which is SQ26/25 to/from FRA. J saver is available on B744 and B772ER flights, in the case for Europe, it is flights to/from FRA, AMS, CPH and FCO.

2 of the 4 SYD flights are A380, and hence no J saver (unless they are some "technical" glitches). ADL has J saver as it is operated with A333.

[Gunners]

BNE also has J saver as A330

[MAN Flyer]

Have you looked into using your KF miles to fly on other *A carriers, avoiding SQ ?. I never tried it myself as I always used my KF miles for upgrades but since they introduced the saver awards ban I haven't put any *A partner flights into my KF account. I just dump the odd MI flight and hotel stays there.

There is always loads of award availability on TG for BKK-SYD and to get to BKK you have TG from many places around Europe including LHR/FRA/MUC/OSL/CDG (which has the leased and very nice 77W's) and also LX from ZRH and LH from FRA.

[9V-JKL]

When travelling with an infant, the lesser the number of flights the better. As MANFlyer suggest, go with TG

[dukesy]

Have you looked into using your KF miles to fly on other *A carriers, avoiding SQ ?. I never tried it myself as I always used my KF miles for upgrades but since they introduced the saver awards ban I haven't put any *A partner flights into my KF account. I just dump the odd MI flight and hotel stays there.

There is always loads of award availability on TG for BKK-SYD and to get to BKK you have TG from many places around Europe including LHR/FRA/MUC/OSL/CDG (which has the leased and very nice 77W's) and also LX from ZRH and LH from FRA.

hmm...having checked it out, it would appear that 2x TG redemptions are the way forward . 150k each, for my wife adn my son. Infant i will pay for on "my" ticket. Just have to make sure they are linked.


All i need to check is that a normal redemption on a partner *A airline (in this case TG) allows a stopover each way.. Cant find that anywhere !

I can apparantly buy the additional miles (30k or so) for US$40 per thou. so not TOO bad

[dukesy]

BNE also has J saver as A330

.

go with tg

Thanks for all your comments..i think i agree TG IS the way to go

I was wondering if anyone could tell me though, does the *A TG Redemption (150k miles) allows a stopover in BKK (one each way), as 24 hours solid travel with a 3 yr old and a baby in arms could be a bit too hardcore...even for me

cant see any option on SQ, other than an SQ redemption costs an additional 10k per person per stopover.

can anyone point me in the right direction ?

[MAN Flyer]

I was wondering if anyone could tell me though, does the *A TG Redemption (150k miles) allows a stopover in BKK (one each way), as 24 hours solid travel with a 3 yr old and a baby in arms could be a bit too hardcore...even for me

You can certainly do it on BD awards but having never redeemed a partner award with KF I don't know if they allow it. Have you called and asked them ?.

[dukesy]

You can certainly do it on BD awards but having never redeemed a partner award with KF I don't know if they allow it. Have you called and asked them ?.

Problem i have is i HAVE called, but they wont tell me anything until i can give them EXACT dates, adn am prepared to make a booking there and then (i guess due to availability issues).

However, i cant really make a bookiing until our baby is born (March11th hopefully!!), as a) i need to be sure everything is ok, and b) wont have name til then !

I may send a quick email detailing this and see if they can answer !

Thanks for all your help guys..

See you in the sky..

[dukesy]

update : High Taxes fee ??

Hello everyone.

Quick update for you all, Baby Dukes arrived fit & healthy a couple of weeks ago, so I am now in a position to book our trip to Oz to see our friends

I have a total of 300K miles, which will pay for 2 seats, and i will buy other two myself.

however, SQ are quoting me a total of 1200SGD per person for taxes and fees (around Ģ650 gbp per person)

THis SOUNDS excessive ?

especially when i can buy J class seats on same flights all in for around Ģ1600 !

failing that, can anyone reccoemend a better way of doing this ?

we are a family of 4, 2 Adults, one 3 year old and one infant looking to travel to australia in june/july. 300K SQ miles "in the bank", just taxes/fees to pay. Happy to pay for one adult and one infant fare.

[225]

Well as mentioned you could look at leaving from AMS or other long haul flights from Europe to SIN which allow saver awards. I have done this a couple of times in J savers where we flew to AMS then hopped on a BA flight. SQ will send the luggage all the way through to London and BA do the same to SIN.
You could then do a stop over in SIN for a night or two then hop down to Sydney where you can get saver awards.

[Nichardenberg]

From my experience airlines have somewhat excessive taxes on redemption flights, once was quoted taxes on a CPH-AMS flight which was about double of what I was able to find on at least 10 dummy booking with different airlines.

There are J saver flights out of CPH and good connection time to onwards flights to Aussie territory, maybe that could be an option!?
J saver flight out of FRA is an early flight, leaves FRA before noon, donīt know if it could be a hassle with kids in FRA.
Good luck with the trip, sounds great:o)