Scoot has announced that it is joining the Singapore – South Korea Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) scheme, becoming the first out of four airlines on the route to launch quarantine-free services in both directions on 15th November 2021.
With full-service carriers dominating this route, the good news for travellers is that this budget option starts at a highly competitive S$380 return in Economy Class, or S$780 in ScootPlus.
“Scoot is pleased to announce the latest series of promotional fares for the upcoming launch of Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) flights between Singapore and South Korea.”
Scoot
This is a fraction of the round-trip fares offered by other VTL airlines, with return trips in Economy Class this December at around:
- Asiana: S$1,180
- Korean Air: S$1,420
- Singapore Airlines: S$1,350
Scoot’s promotional fares on this route are valid for booking until 7th November 2021 at 11.59pm Singapore Time.
Scoot non-stop Seoul schedule
Scoot is deploying its Boeing 787-9 aircraft on this route, with 35 seats in ScootPlus (2-3-2 configuration) and 340 seats in Economy (3-3-3 configuration).
The downside with Scoot is that there’s not much choice on offer. The low-cost carrier will fly non-stop to Seoul and back only on Mondays, so the low fares are probably only much use for a fixed trip of 1/2/3 weeks.
Singapore Seoul
15th November 2021 – 26th March 2022
| Days | |||||||||
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S | |||
 |
TR840 787-9 |
||||||||
| SIN 01:25 |
ICN 08:50 |
||||||||
Scoot will pip Korean Air to the post on Monday 15th November 2021, when it operates the first quarantine-free flight from Singapore to Seoul since COVID-19 restrictions in early 2020, five minutes ahead of KE646.
Seoul Singapore
15th November 2021 – 26th March 2022
| Days | |||||||||
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S | |||
|
TR841 VTL 787-9 |
||||||||
| ICN 10:30 |
SIN 16:15 |
||||||||
Scoot will also operate the inaugural designated VTL flight from Seoul to Singapore on Monday 15th November, around 8 hours ahead of Korean Air’s evening KE645 departure later the same day.
For more flexibility, you can consider flying to Seoul on a different day of the week with a different airline, then use the Scoot VTL flight to return to Singapore, or vice-versa, which may still give you a nice saving even though you won’t benefit from the cheapest round-trip deal.
Remember you can take any non-stop flight with any of the four airlines operating on this route from Singapore to Seoul – it’s only your return flight that needs to be a designated VTL service.
Other options: Singapore to Seoul
If an overnight flight departing in the early hours of a Monday morning doesn’t sound like your kind of thing, there are 14 other weekly non-stop Singapore – Seoul services with other carriers, any of which you can take for a quarantine-free arrival provided you meet the criteria.
Singapore Seoul Flights
(from 15th November 2021)
| Days | |||||||||
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S | |||
 |
SQ608 |
||||||||
| SIN 01:25 |
ICN 08:50 |
||||||||
 |
KE646 |
||||||||
| SIN 01:30 |
ICN 08:50 |
||||||||
|
SQ600 |
||||||||
| SIN 08:05 |
ICN 15:30 |
||||||||
 |
OZ752 |
||||||||
| SIN 23:00 |
ICN 06:20* |
||||||||
The final details of the Singapore – South Korea VTL have yet to be announced, but here’s what we know so far about how the process will work in the outbound direction for our Singapore-based readers.
VTL Process
Singapore South Korea
- Must be fully vaccinated with a WHO vaccine and certificate issued in Singapore or South Korea
- Must have stayed in Singapore or South Korea for 14 days
- Unvaccinated children aged 6+ are not eligible
- Apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation* (application from Singapore not yet available)
- Purchase COVID-19 travel insurance (min. coverage of KRW30 million – approximately S$34,000)*
- Book an on-arrival PCR test before departure (from 8 Nov)
- Take a pre-departure COVID-19 PCR test (up to 72 hours before departure)
- Travel to Seoul on any non-stop flight
- Install the Self-Check mobile app and enter your daily health status for 14 days from the day of arrival
- Take an on-arrival COVID-19 PCR test
- Leave the airport via private transportation to your residence or accommodation
- Self-isolate until the result is available (12 hours)
For stays of 8 or more days:
- Take another COVID-19 PCR test on either Day 6 or 7 of your trip, with the arrival day as Day 0*
- Self-isolate until the result is available*
* Not applicable for South Korean citizens or permanent residents
Other options: Seoul – Singapore (VTL flights)
If Scoot’s Monday morning VTL flight from Seoul to Singapore doesn’t suit you, there will be up to 13 other designated VTL services you can fly back on each week
Seoul Singapore VTL Flights
15th November 2021 – 26th March 2022
| Days | |||||||||
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S | |||
|
SQ607 VTL |
||||||||
| ICN 10:50 |
SIN 16:15 |
||||||||
|
OZ751 VTL |
||||||||
| ICN 16:20 |
SIN 21:55 |
||||||||
|
SQ601 VTL |
||||||||
| ICN 16:35 |
SIN 22:20 |
||||||||
|
KE645 VTL |
||||||||
| ICN 18:35 |
SIN 00:10* |
||||||||
* Next day
Note that Asiana’s Sunday OZ751 VTL flight is only applicable from 5th December 2021. Asiana has also not confirmed its VTL flight schedule (ICN-SIN) beyond 31st January 2022 at this stage.
Here’s the process from South Korea to Singapore:
VTL Process
South Korea Singapore
- Must be fully vaccinated in Singapore or any VTL country
- Must have stayed in South Korea, Singapore or any VTL country for 14 days
- Apply for a VTP in advance*
- Purchase COVID-19 travel insurance (min. coverage of S$30,000)**
- Take a pre-departure COVID-19 PCR test (up to 48 hours before departure)
- Travel to Singapore on designated ‘VTL flights’
- Take an on-arrival COVID-19 PCR test
- Self-isolate until the result is available (6-24 hours)
* Not applicable for Singapore Citizens or permanent residents
** Not applicable for Singapore Citizens, permanent residents or pass holders
Non-VTL flights
Do note that Asiana and Korean Air will operate non-VTL flights from Seoul to Singapore:
- OZ751 (Sat) is not a designated VTL flight.
- KE643 (Sun) is not a designated VTL flight.
You will not be able to book these services and have a quarantine-free arrival in Singapore – 7 days SHN at home would apply.
Scoot will continue to operate Singapore – Taipei – Seoul and Seoul – Taipei – Singapore services each Friday, but these are also not designated VTL flights.
With Taiwan still prohibiting transit traffic, these flights only serve the Singapore – Taipei and Taipei – Seoul markets anyway, so tickets are not currently bookable as Singapore – Seoul or Seoul – Singapore, meaning they should cause no confusion.
We’ve also fully updated our complete list of all designated VTL flights to Singapore confirmed to be operating under the programme, with over 10 airlines now offering options from 20 cities.
Recent additions not only include these new Scoot Seoul flights but also Swiss from Zurich and two more weekly Frankfurt – Singapore flights added by Lufthansa.
Each airline website will obviously only show you its own flight options, so be sure to bookmark our list – an essential tool when planning your VTL trip.
Testing may cost more than the flights!
If you’re able to score a cheap Scoot fare to and from South Korea on the VTL that’s very good news, because the COVID-19 testing regime is looking likely to eclipse your flight costs based on what we know so far!
Though the final details are still awaited, here’s an example of the testing costs you’ll face per person on a longer trip from Singapore to South Korea and back.
VTL
|
| Test | Cost |
| Singapore pre-departure* | S$125 – S$200 |
| South Korea arrival | S$150 – S$200 |
| South Korea Day 6/7 test | S$150 – S$200 |
| South Korea pre-departure | S$150 – S$200 |
| Singapore arrival | S$125^ |
| Total | S$700 – S$925 |
* Prices vary between providers and locations.
^ Reduced from S$160 from 18th November 2021.
You’ll have to be really missing the Kimchi and cold weather to embark on this one if costs do turn out as high as we expect!
Stay tuned for the final details, which are expected in the coming days.
Earn but don’t burn
As you probably recall, you’ll earn some KrisFlyer miles based on the cash fare for your Scoot flight, which is always better than nothing.
On the redemption side, however, KrisFlyer works on a fixed value basis for offsetting Scoot cash fares at a terrible 0.95 Singapore cents per mile. You should therefore be saving your KrisFlyer miles for their true value – a Singapore Airlines redemption – not a Scoot booking.
Summary
Seoul will have 14 weekly VTL flights to Singapore by 1st December 2021 operated by four different airlines, including this Scoot addition on Mondays from 15th November.
Scoot isn’t exactly the epitome of luxury, but with launch fares like this at a fraction of the cost being offered by other operators on this route, and limited award space on SIA, it’s definitely worth considering for at least part of the journey.
Given what look to be high costs associated with testing on this VTL, you may need to save all the money you can on the flights themselves!