Deals KrisFlyer

KrisFlyer Experiences expands to Australia, Hong Kong and Indonesia

With more online workshops available at home in exchange for miles this month, KrisFlyer Experiences is also offering staycation and dining experiences in some of SIA's overseas markets.

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.

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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.

Views from the Shangri-La Sydney. (Photo: Shangri-La)

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)

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