Singapore Airlines, the Singapore-based airline, has been offering a great opportunity for the members of their loyalty programme Krisflyer, offering status in exchange for miles transferred to your Singapore Airlines account since April 2021. Here are the details of this awesome promotion.
Singapore Airlines’ Status without Flying promotion
Singapore has been closed to most travellers, although they opened up a few months ago with VTL provisions. However, Singapore Airlines’ business has reduced compared to the glory days. This also means that the airline has no way to keep its loyal customers engaged, whether in Singapore or other countries. While Singapore Airlines has been extending member statuses so far, there need to be different ways to keep people engaged with the airline and the loyalty programme.
Singapore Airlines launched an 11-month long promotion where they are offering the opportunity to earn Singapore Airlines status without flying (the airline or any other partner airline). The promotion is valid between April 7, 2021, and February 28, 2022, and you get elite miles for shopping, converting reward points and so on.
Using this promotion, even those with no Singapore Airlines Krisflyer status will be able to upgrade their status to Krisflyer Elite Silver or Krisflyer Elite Gold. Singapore Airlines Krisflyer Elite Silver usually needs you to earn 25,000 elite miles on SQ or partner airlines, and Elite Gold needs you to clock 50,000 elite miles on SQ or partner airlines such as Star Alliance.
Here is how you can earn said status without flying.
The most exciting and accessible option here is to convert your bank points to Singapore Airlines Krisflyer points. For every five miles transferred, you receive one elite mile. In India, Singapore Airlines is transfer partners with American Express Membership Rewards, Citibank Prestige and PremierMiles, HDFC Bank Infinia and Diners Club Black and HSBC Credit Cards.
Since Singapore Airlines Krisflyer Elite Gold status requires 50,000 elite miles, a transfer of 250,000 SQ Miles would be enough to get you the status. Remember, however, that every transaction needs to have at least 10,000 miles received in your SQ account to qualify for the offer, and these miles would post in seven days after the transaction hits SQ.
What good is Singapore Airlines Krisflyer Elite Gold Status?
With an eye on India, you get yourselves a big perk when you get this status: Star Alliance Gold status. Star Alliance Gold status will get you the following perks when you fly on a Star Alliance Airline:
- Access to Star Alliance Gold lounges along with an accompanying guest on the same flight. In India, this would mean access to the Air India lounges and other partnership lounges AI offers to elites, even when flying domestically.
- Priority check-in at the Business Class counter or a special *A counter
- Priority baggage handling
- Priority boarding
- Extra baggage allowance of up to 20 kg or an extra piece
Not just Air India, many Star Alliance carriers fly from India, including United, Lufthansa Group, Singapore Airlines, ANA and others. I recently accessed the Air India Lounge at Delhi Terminal 3 with my Singapore Airlines Gold Status.
Air India Lounge Delhi Terminal 3 Domestic
Weighing the pros and cons
This is a tempting promotion for those who fly Star Alliance frequently. A few things to watch out for:
- Is flying resuming from India anytime soon? (VTL Flying is back to Singapore)
- SQ Miles expire 36 months after transferring, so will you be able to use the miles by then?
- SQ tends to block premium cabin space for their members.
- Lounge access is available via other modes such as cards anyways.
Personally, while I was not going to use this promotion initially, the 15% bonus promotion in Q3 2021 made me do it, with the additional expectation that I will be able to use the status with Air India and other Star Alliance carriers in 2022 and onwards. With the newly announced extension of status, it means I get two years of SQ status rather than one year worth of status. So, I went ahead and closed out the status. This would be true for anyone who would transfer enough points to SQ Krisflyer before February 28, 2022.
Bottomline
This is a great opportunity for those who have the runway to convert into 250,000 miles on KrisFlyer and hold them for future flights if they would like to have Star Alliance status for the next two years. This is also a great opportunity for those who are looking to cash out of their Citi reward points right now.
What do you make of this new Singapore Airlines promotion which offers you a path to Star Alliance Gold? Will you take it? If you will, then will it be today or wait and watch?
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Is this offer still valid. I plan to transfer 400k miles to Krisflyer. Is it still worth it.
I don’t know about that – but I do know that 5th july onwards krisflyer is DEVALUING the points required by 10-16%
So make a decision accordingly
Are intermiles applicable for transfer to SQ? and if yes, then at what rate? anybody..
no
So 250,000 AmEx membership rewards points will get u star alliance gold if they’re transferred to Singapore Airlines? Sounds like a lot.
Where does it say minimum 10,000 miles. That is/was for earning the bonus which is no longer in effect. But any amount of miles should earn the elite miles in the conversion at 1:5. Please correct me if i am wrong or update the post.
@Debit, you are wrong. Please read the T&C with a fine-tooth comb and you will find the relevant terms.
Indeed ajay. Surprisingly you are better at using a fine tooth comb than me. The surprises from nature astound me.
You are right.
Ajay, let’s see how long before Air India or Vistara blacklists from their flights. I can’t wait for that day to come!
MasterCard making you look a fool in the past was hilarious. I enjoyed this and now Air India blocking you is more hilarious. Well done and keep pissing people off so you can get a taste of reality check.
@Ajay – thanks as always for your posts. You mentioned this is a good option for folks looking to cash out their Citi points. I have 110k premier mile points and have been looking to convert to Taj TIC points. What is your take on using Premier miles for Taj TIC? Is it a good option from a maximising value point of view?
How can u convert it to TJ TIC points? It is not showing in the options
You have to call Citi card helpline and ask them to transfer by providing your TIC membership number. 2 premier points will be equal to 1 TIC points.
What’s the transfer rate from Citi Prestige to TIC?
Nope.
It’s not. 110k prestige point can equal 50k prestige points if upgraded.
That means approx 2.1l airmiles (including 2500 joining bonus).
In other words, instead of 50k value right now, it can be used much more.
Close to 5.5 return economy trips to Singapore/Thailand etc from India via SQ.
Or 2.5 return in economy via Qatar to US
And many other options.
Thanks Priyansh. To clarify, i have Citi premiermiles points and not prestige points. I am assuming the above conversions don’t apply there. Would your take then change?
Hello Rehan, i think preyansh is suggesting that you should think of upgrading to Citi Prestige, for you that would be a better deal.
Yes.
Was suggesting to upgrade, as long as your limit is 3l+, easy to do.
And this will give you much more value.
Min each prestige point will give 2 re value in most programs including relatively less rewarding ones like intermiles even.
So you should consider it strongly if it makes sense for you.
Else I wouldn’t be a fan of TIC points as I would rather try to encash it at 45p.
@Priyansh, Not wise to upgrade to Prestige anymore, since 20K fee hits and…the card is anyways going to be a dud when the Citi Credit Cards business sale concludes!
Would disagree here. Especially in above eg, where they have chunk of PM.
In fact for them, best time to upgrade as they probably would get a good replacement from Axis but even if not, the value post upgrade is going to be much more thn fees paid
i have the points in my amex account, could someone suggest if its better to convert or hold for other uses into amex itself? Only really flew Jet airways consistently. My home airport is Bagdogra, hence not at all into Vistara, Air India could be if the no. of flights increase and rates become competitive. SUggestions..
@Saurav, ultimately only you can decide what uses you can put your points to. If you are unsure that this is good for you then maybe it is not 🙂
Hi Ajay-
My gold status in krisflyer is done. How do I apply for matching the status to star alliance gold?
WhAt is the procedure?
Currently I have silver status on miles and more
Kindly let know
Thanks
@Nishank, If you have Krisflyer Gold, that is SQ’s equivalent of Star Alliance Gold. You don’t need to do anything but use your card all over.
I wish they gave out physical cards like the old days … is there still a way to
Get em ?
SIA is extending the elite status for another year. So in effect you get to enjoy the gold status for 2 years if you transfer 250K miles and 3 years if you transfer 500K miles (in 2 batches of 250K).
Is the third year of status due to roll over of elite miles?
Yes