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Last month we ran an article summarising the upcoming devaluation of the KrisFlyer Star Alliance award redemption chart. The good news is, not all the rates will increase – if you are redeeming a trip in economy to or from Singapore, the mileage requirement is basically staying the same, and so there’s no rush for you.
If you’re planning a trip in business or first class however, or a trip between two ‘zones’ elsewhere in the world, there are some increases that may well affect you. Some of them are quite significant, so if you know your travel plans it makes sense to act now and save.
In case you missed it, here are the old and new redemption rate tables by cabin class:
The tables also fully describe which countries fall into each ‘zone’.
Online search and redemption is coming on Thursday, but don’t wait for that
Singapore Airlines are dangling a carrot with this devaluation, at long last it will be possible to search and book Star Alliance award redemptions via the KrisFlyer website, rather than having to do so through the call centre. While that’s welcome news, frankly it should always have been possible.
The problem is, the functionality won’t go live until Thursday, once the devaluation has happened.
Remember you don’t need to call to search availability, just use the United MileagePlus website here where it’s easy to search Star Alliance redemption award seats already, without logging in. Just remember to tick the ‘Search for award travel’ box.
Once you see the results, it’s the ‘Economy Saver’, ‘Business Saver’ or ‘First Saver’ awards you need to see, as these are the redemptions available to members of other Star Alliance airlines. Also remember to disregard the miles required and taxes chargeable, as these apply to members of the United MileagePlus program. To check the miles requirement for KrisFlyer members, refer to the charts mentioned earlier. Taxes will be confirmed by the customer contact centre when you call to book.
Once you find the routing and flights you want with availability, you can then call KrisFlyer to book.
How far in advance can I book a Star Alliance redemption?
Bookings can be made up to 11 months prior to departure. That means if you need a redemption even as far ahead as November 2018, provided you book by Wednesday (6th December), you will pay the current miles rate for your flights.
Don’t forget, there’s a LOT of seats to Europe from May
If you want to travel to Europe after mid-May, and you can’t find a Saver redemption on Singapore Airlines, remember that LOT Polish are launching a new route from Singapore to Warsaw, flying the route on a Boeing 787, with onward connections available to their extensive European network of over 50 destinations, including London, Paris and Barcelona.
We checked Star Alliance award availability and found two business class award seats on practically every LOT flight during the seven-month period from May to November 2018. The cost is 80,000 KrisFlyer miles one-way, but increases to 85,000 if you book from Thursday onwards. Not the biggest saving in the world – but there are plentiful dates available making this a very flexible option, so why not book now and save?
Happy searching and booking!
(Cover Photo: Lufthansa Group)