Singapore Airlines extends Bonus Flight Credits validity to December 2022

Despite Singapore reopening its borders to fully vaccinated travellers from all countries in April this year, and a complete removal of COVID-19 testing for those arriving here from later the same month, there are still limited travel opportunities when heading to some countries, including China, Hong Kong, Japan and Taiwan.

Singapore Airlines is therefore making a further concession to those holding credits for future travel, in case they haven’t been able to make a booking yet, or wish to travel in the second half of 2022.

Bonus Flight Credits extended

Many of our readers took advantage of Singapore Airlines’ travel waiver policy between March 2020 and March 2021, enticed by the offer launched in April 2020 to retain their ticket values as flight credits for future travel, with the airline sweetening the deal by offering a bonus credit of up to S$500 for each passenger.

Here’s a breakdown of the bonus that was offered, based on your booked travel class.

Bonus Flight Credits
Travel Class	Additional Credit*
Economy	S$75
Premium Economy	S$100
Business	S$200
First / Suites	S$500

* If your eligible ticket contained a combination of cabin classes, the bonus flight credits were based on the higher cabin class. If you had a partially flown ticket, you would only have the remaining value of your ticket retained as flight credits, but they would not be eligible for these bonus flight credits.

SIA’s travel waiver policy for existing bookings made during the initial COVID-19 period has now ended, replaced with a complimentary rebooking option, currently running until 31st May 2022 (which looks to be the final extension).

However, those holding tickets issued on or before 15th March 2020 who had originally planned their travels up to 31st March 2021 were eligible for these Bonus Flight Credits for future travel.

Originally Singapore Airlines gave customers until 30th June 2021 to use the credits, later extending the time limit to 31st December 2021, then again to 30th June 2022.

This third validity extension means you’ll be able to apply the credits to a future booking with all flights completed by 31st December 2022, over seven months from now.

This looks set to be the final extension of Bonus Flight Credits validity, with Singapore Airlines now adding this new statement to the policy:

“Unused credit will be forfeited from 1 January 2023 onwards.”

Singapore Airlines

Here’s a reminder of how the Bonus Flight Credits work.

How Bonus Flight Credits work

• You can use the flight credits from an eligible ticket for up to two new flight itineraries with Singapore Airlines for yourself, with the last flight sector of each flight itinerary being on or before 30th June 2022 31st December 2022.
• At the point of rebooking of the new flight itinerary, the bonus flight credit will first be applied to the total cost of the new flight itinerary.
• If your flight credit is sufficient to cover the cost of your new itinerary, the entire cost of the new itinerary will be deducted against the flight credits. Any remaining flight credits may then be used to offset the cost of a second flight itinerary for the same passenger.
• Flight credits cannot be split to purchase multiple bookings. The credits must first be used to completely offset the purchase of one booking, before any remaining credits can be used to offset the purchase of a second booking before 31st December 2022.
• Where your flight credit is insufficient to cover the entire cost of your new flight itinerary, you will have to pay for any top-ups for the new flight itinerary.
• You will be issued a new ticket when the flight credits are used to rebook a new flight itinerary. All fare conditions of the new ticket, including any applicable rebooking fees, refund conditions and/or cancellation fees, will be applicable to that new ticket.
• Flight credits can be used to book Scoot or Star Alliance flights if the new booking is made via Singapore Airlines.
• You will not be allowed to transfer and/or combine your flight credits in any manner whatsoever.
• Any unused flight credits will expire on 30th June 2022 31st December 2022, and will be non-refundable thereafter. Any residual value in your partially used flight credits are also non-refundable.

If you previously opted to keep your tickets open due to the COVID-19 outbreak, prior to Bonus Flight Credits being offered, you’ll also have retained the value of the unused portion of your ticket as flight credits in addition to automatically qualifying for these bonus flight credits.

Similarly, if your flights were cancelled by Singapore Airlines or SilkAir during the travel waiver period, you will retain the full value of the unused portion of your tickets as flight credits plus you’ll also be awarded these bonus flight credits when rebooking your travel.

Bear in mind that the bonus flight credit is a fixed amount and you will still be subject to any fare difference when rebooking. For example in the same class on the same route, the fare may have increased by more than Singapore Airlines is providing in additional credit when you come to rebook.

Apart from changing your travel dates, flight credits also allow you to:

If you have already used your flight credits against a future booking, do note that you’ll be subject to the fare conditions of your new itinerary for refund eligibility, if you wish to cancel and rebook.

Once you have firmed up your new travel plans, you can apply your flight credits when booking online, by submitting the previous (refunded) booking reference at the payment stage.

That’s an improvement on the original method, which required submission of your preferred rebooking options and travel dates using the COVID-19 assistance request form, with customer service staff then following up on your request.

That second option remains available, however, for those who prefer it.

Bonus Flight Credits for foreign currency bookings

The bonus flight credits in the table above relate to the additional amount you will receive over and above your originally ticketed fare when you rebook a flight, denominated in Singapore Dollars.

If you rebook a flight with the fare in a currency other than Singapore Dollars, the Bonus Flight Credits will be awarded in local currency, based on an exchange rate determined by SIA.

While Singapore Airlines doesn’t look likely to extend its complimentary rebooking policy beyond 31st May 2022, those still holding onto Bonus Flight Credits issued way back in 2020 have had another six months of validity added to redeem their value.

This allows you to apply the credits on up to two bookings with travel completed by 31st December 2022, even to a different destination or in another fare category or higher cabin class if you wish.

This will be particularly useful for those with credits still to use who prefer to travel in the second half of this year, rather than completing their trips by the end of June.

If you’ve already used your credits for a future booking, remember you’ll be subject to the new booking’s fare terms in order to now refund or change your itinerary, however if you’re still sitting on the unused credits you’ve now got six months more breathing room to redeem them.

(Cover Photo: MainlyMiles)