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Newbie at Krisflyer ---what to do?

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  • Newbie at Krisflyer ---what to do?

    Hello,
    I recently joined the Krisflyer! I travel semi-annually on SQ 1/2 (HKG-SFO) on Y (usually discounted fares). I want to know some tips on how to make the most out of my membership, and realistically the chances of being invited to upgrade or use the Krisflyer lounge. Not a premium customer here but I would like to enjoy the SQ charm if I could! Thanks~

  • #2
    and realistically the chances of being invited to upgrade
    You will most probably never get an upgrade with SQ I am afraid.

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    • #3
      Originally posted by SQ002 View Post
      Hello,
      I recently joined the Krisflyer! I travel semi-annually on SQ 1/2 (HKG-SFO) on Y (usually discounted fares). I want to know some tips on how to make the most out of my membership, and realistically the chances of being invited to upgrade or use the Krisflyer lounge. Not a premium customer here but I would like to enjoy the SQ charm if I could! Thanks~
      Welcome to Krisflyer! Some observations as a longtime KF (Gold) member:

      SQ focuses it's loyalty program on J and F passengers...that is their PPS program...you get decent benefits as Star Alliance Gold / Krisflyer Gold but the real differentiation is for pax who fly Business/First/Suites, which is where PPS comes in. You can only ever be PPS if you fly Business or First. And then they will do extraordinary things for you (Or so I have heard )

      For frequent flyers who fly economy (I am in this category), Star Gold / Krisflyer Gold does have benefits, although even this this pales compared to PPS. It's 50K miles to Gold. Gold is worth maintaining if you travel frequently as there are benefits that make flying more comfortable.

      Once you reach Krisflyer Gold, you will have preferential choice of seating, priority check in, priority waitlist, additional luggage, priority boarding, and also access to Star Gold Lounges (Including SQ lounges, except, that you don't get access to the SilverKris Lounges in Changi, SIA's home base. As KF Gold, you only get access to the Krisflyer Gold Lounge.).

      Upgrades? Almost never happens on SQ, and never because you are KF Gold (Since PPS will always have priority over KF Gold for upgrades). Courtesy upgrades? You are probably more likely to be struck by lightning on a sunny day in Singapore.

      However, SQ does upgrade you (Or anyone else for that matter) when overbooked. As Star/KF Gold, I have been upgraded to J several times when Y was overbooked (But only when overbooked, never as a courtesy upgrade)...MEL-SIN, ICN-SFO, BKK-SIN, SIN-CMB.

      Just last month, I was offered an upgrade, at the check-in desk, from Y to J (For next day travel — not on my booked flight, on either A350, A380 or 777 J) the next day because the BOM-SIN sector I was confirmed on was overbooked. But I had to decline, and flew on my Y booking, because I only had a day to spend in SIN before my next SQ flight...

      As KF Gold, you are Star Gold. In some cases, that means you may be treated better on other Star Alliance carriers than on SQ. I've been op-uped to J on Lufthansa (MUC-SIN) as Star Gold. And Star Gold lets you into the LH Senator lounges in FRA, MUC and elsewhere.

      And onboard SQ flights, SQ service is pretty good whether you are KF Gold, PPS or anything else...you are at least assured of that.

      Are you based in SIN or HKG? If based in HKG, and if you fly mainly Y, I would actually go for the CX program (Although CX seems to be going through a rough patch right now) or one of the Oneworld programs, as the CX/Oneworld lounges are better than the Star Alliance lounges, and my impression is that Oneworld airlines treat Sapphire members (Which is the equivalent of Star Gold) better than SIA Krisflyer treats KF Gold. And if you attain Oneworld Emerald (Possibly with just Y travel), the benefits and op-ups become more frequent. I was previously Oneworld Sapphire/Emerald, and I was upgraded from Y to J on quite a number of occasions: MEL-SIN on QF, SIN-LHR on BA, SIN-HKG and HKG-SIN on CX, and DOH-SIN on QR.

      Hope this helps!
      Last edited by yflyer; 11 June 2018, 10:51 AM.

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      • #4
        Not premium either, nor a frequent flyer.. but I do watch out for credit cards that offer promotions for KF miles and accumulate KF miles on those cards. have managed to redeem some Y and J tickets using mostly my cc miles this way.

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        • #5
          I would fly CX over SQ in this situation

          3 flights to choose from compared to 1
          Chance of upgrade even as MPC GR
          One program recognition applies to all classes of travel.

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          • #6
            I would agree with sticking with CX if based in HK......whilst it was 2007 I had to make a change from CX to SQ programs, at that time CX service to "Gold" level was far better than SQ is today. I can't comment on CX now but I had been gold there for many years, based from both HKG and KUL, and upgrades to J was common even on cheap tickets. Not good for CX, but good for me.

            Lounges were quieter, generally.

            You should compare CX and SQ hard product on your route, CX have been very slow in modernizing their fleet and I could image some are still very old.

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