KrisFlyer Experiences launched last year in Singapore, promising money-can’t-buy experiences in exchange for your hard-earned KrisFlyer miles, though the timing was unfortunate, with the first live wine tasting event cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Since then the platform has largely moved to online events, like photography courses and fashion workshops, though with restrictions easing there have also been some dining events like a Singapore Airlines dinner in a cable car or a meal on board a replica Orient Express train.
Overseas experiences
With international travel still off the cards for most of our readers, KrisFlyer Experiences is making its first venture overseas for residents of Australia, Hong Kong and Indonesia, with a series of staycation and dining options in their home countries.
These are priced from 9,000 miles through to 120,000 miles, and in some cases the value isn’t that terrible for those with large balances to burn (despite no current expiry worries).
Australia
| Experience | Dates | Cost |
| Relaxing escape at Shangri-La Sydney Horizon Opera House City Room Club Lounge Access Use of boardroom |
5 – 7 Jul 12 – 14 Jul 9 – 11 Aug 6 – 8 Sep 13 – 15 Sep 11 – 13 Oct 18 – 20 Oct 8 – 10 Nov |
95,000 miles |
| Two-night getaway at Shangri-La The Marina, Cairns Horizon Marina View Room Club Lounge Access Complimentary garment pressing Complimentary shoe-shine Use of boardroom |
5 – 7 Jul 12 – 14 Jul 9 – 11 Aug 6 – 8 Sep 13 – 15 Sep 11 – 13 Oct 18 – 20 Oct 8 – 10 Nov |
82,000 miles |
| Experience | Dates |
| Relaxing escape at Shangri-La Sydney Horizon Opera House City Room Club Lounge Access Use of boardroom |
5 – 7 Jul 12 – 14 Jul 9 – 11 Aug 6 – 8 Sep 13 – 15 Sep 11 – 13 Oct 18 – 20 Oct 8 – 10 Nov |
| Cost: 95,000 miles |
|
| Two-night getaway at Shangri-La The Marina, Cairns Horizon Marina View Room Club Lounge Access Complimentary garment pressing Complimentary shoe-shine Use of boardroom |
5 – 7 Jul 12 – 14 Jul 9 – 11 Aug 6 – 8 Sep 13 – 15 Sep 11 – 13 Oct 18 – 20 Oct 8 – 10 Nov |
| Cost: 82,000 miles |
|
These experiences are for mid-week stays and are targeted at Australian residents, given the current border restrictions. They should also be available to New Zealand residents using the travel bubble between the two countries.
In value terms they aren’t too bad.
We checked for the 18-20 October period and for an equivalent room at the Shangri-La Sydney the cost is S$1,180, giving you a value of 1.24 Singapore cents per mile.
For the Cairns property on the same dates, a cost of S$1,120 gives an even better value of 1.37 Singapore cents per mile, thanks to the lower miles outlay.
Hong Kong
| Experience | Dates | Cost |
| Fun-filled escapade at Island Shangri-La Deluxe Harbour View Room Club Lounge Access Afternoon tea set for two Buffet dinner for two + child Family yoga class |
9 – 11 Jul 16 – 18 Jul 23 – 25 Jul 6 – 8 Aug 13 – 15 Aug 3 – 5 Sep 10 – 12 Sep 17 – 19 Sep 24 – 26 Sep 8 – 10 Oct |
120,000 miles |
| Family getaway at Kowloon Shangri-La 2 x Horizon Club Deluxe Rooms Club Lounge Access |
9 – 11 Jul 16 – 18 Jul 23 – 25 Jul 6 – 8 Aug 13 – 15 Aug 3 – 5 Sep 10 – 12 Sep 17 – 19 Sep 24 – 26 Sep 8 – 10 Oct |
75,000 miles |
| Experience | Dates |
| Fun-filled escapade at Island Shangri-La Deluxe Harbour View Room Club Lounge Access Afternoon tea set for two Buffet dinner for two + child Family yoga class |
9 – 11 Jul 16 – 18 Jul 23 – 25 Jul 6 – 8 Aug 13 – 15 Aug 3 – 5 Sep 10 – 12 Sep 17 – 19 Sep 24 – 26 Sep 8 – 10 Oct |
| Cost: 120,000 miles |
|
| Family getaway at Kowloon Shangri-La 2 x Horizon Club Deluxe Rooms Club Lounge Access |
9 – 11 Jul 16 – 18 Jul 23 – 25 Jul 6 – 8 Aug 13 – 15 Aug 3 – 5 Sep 10 – 12 Sep 17 – 19 Sep 24 – 26 Sep 8 – 10 Oct |
| Cost: 75,000 miles |
|
These weekend staycations are obviously targeted at Hong Kong residents, with the Singapore – HK air travel bubble still ‘on ice’.
Again the value here isn’t awful.
Looking at the 17-19 September weekend, we priced up the Island Shangri-La experience at S$1,680 (S$1,280 for the room with club access + S$100 for the afternoon tea + S$300 for the buffet dinner). That gives the experience a value of 1.4 Singapore cents per mile.
For the Kowloon deal, the two rooms with club access on the same weekend are priced at S$1,200, for a value of 1.6 Singapore cents per mile.
It’s worth mentioning of course that Hong Kong has no shortage of excellent staycation offers at the moment, so if you’re living there and planning a local hotel stay you might well do better at an alternative property.
Indonesia
| Experience | Dates | Cost |
| Javanegra Gourmet Atelier, Jakarta Set menu for one person Dine-in or delivery |
Available 3 Jun – 31 Aug |
9,000 miles |
| Javanegra Gourmet Atelier, Jakarta Set menu for two people Dine-in or delivery |
Available 3 Jun – 31 Aug |
30,000 miles |
In Indonesia, KrisFlyer Experiences is starting off with a customised set menu at a gourmet restaurant in Jakarta, which is also available for home delivery within the city if you don’t want to dine in.
I have no idea how much these set menus are worth, so it’s difficult to judge the value here.
What’s available in Singapore?
KrisFlyer Experiences hasn’t suddenly gone overseas-only, so there are still a range of experiences available to redeem here in Singapore this month, as shown below.
Singapore
| Experience | Dates | Cost |
| JJ Lin Sanctuary Finale Virtual Concert |
10 Jul @ 8pm |
16,000 miles |
| Chocolate Appreciation and Truffle Making Online Workshop |
26 Jun @ 2.30pm 11 Jul @ 2.30pm |
10,000 miles |
| Kombucha Brewing Online Workshop |
20 Jul @ 10am |
11,000 miles |
| Anti-Ageing Face and Body Lotion Online Workshop |
18 Jul @ 2.30pm |
12,000 miles |
Summary
It’s interesting to see KrisFlyer Experiences branch out to members residing in SIA’s other markets, though of course we still personally wouldn’t recommend cashing out your miles this way due to the low value generally offered compared to First and Business Class flight redemptions.
This year we’ve also seen the Kris+ app extend offers to KrisFlyer members in India, South Korea, the USA, Indonesia and Australia, though this currently takes the form of discounts at specific retailers, with no ability to earn or pay using miles (yet).
In future, once travel opens up, KrisFlyer Experiences like these could be a new way for Singapore Airlines to try and extract more miles from travellers while they are away from home, for example a cocktail-making class overlooking Sydney Harbour.
These could even be promoted and sold via the in-flight entertainment system en-route to your destination.
In the meantime we still wouldn’t rush to cash out KrisFlyer miles this way – Singapore Airlines is extending any expiring miles until at least April 2022.
(Cover Photo: Shangri-La)