Singapore Airlines devalues KrisFlyer Round The World and Partner awards

Singapore Airlines has caught up with the tail end of its recent devaluation of KrisFlyer miles, confirming increased rates for redeeming Star Alliance Round The World awards and for securing redemption seats on its five non-Star Alliance partner airlines, including Virgin Australia and Vistara.

This follows a devaluation of the airline’s KrisFlyer miles when used to book awards and upgrades on Singapore Airlines and Star Alliance flights, which came into effect in early July 2022.

These latest changes were expected, and generally increase award costs by 8% to 18%.

Star Alliance Round The World devaluation

Singapore Airlines has applied an increase to its Star Alliance Round The World award rates, effective for bookings made from 5th July 2022.

KrisFlyer Star Alliance Round The World
Award Rates

Travel Class			Change
	Old Rate	New Rate
Economy	180,000	200,000	+ 11.1%
Business	240,000	280,000	+ 16.7%
First	360,000	405,000	+ 12.5%

The biggest hit here is in Business Class, where an additional 40,000 KrisFlyer miles for a Star Alliance RTW award ticket is equivalent to an additional 17% compared to previous rates.

However, it’s important to note that these rates have been left untouched since 2012, so a relatively modest increase after ten years doesn’t seem too punitive.

Be warned though, booking a Star Alliance Round The World award is not a simple process, and there are many rules and restrictions to be aware of.

We outlined the details in our full guide a few years ago, which you can check out below.

Booking a KrisFlyer Star Alliance Round The World Award READ OUR GUIDE

Booking a KrisFlyer Star Alliance Round The World Award READ OUR GUIDE

Partner airlines devaluation

Most Singapore Airlines partner redemption rates were hiked in the scheme’s 2019 devaluation, and this time round it’s no exception with all five airlines and all cabin classes impacted.

Award charts   Alaska Airlines bookings until 31st July 2022 Alaska Airlines bookings from 1st August 2022

Main changes   Economy and First Class redemption rates are increasing across the board, by around 10% to 15%. For example, a U.S. West Coast to East Coast redemption in Economy Class on Alaska will cost 13,500 KrisFlyer miles, up from 12,000 miles.

Award charts   Juneyao Airlines bookings until 31st July 2022 Juneyao Airlines bookings from 1st August 2022

Main changes   Economy and Business Class redemption rates are increasing across the board, by around 8% to 16%. That will push a Business Class award from Singapore to Shanghai up from 26,000 KrisFlyer miles to 30,000 miles.

Award charts   Virgin Australia bookings until 31st July 2022 Virgin Australia bookings from 1st August 2022

Main changes   Domestic Australia and trans-Tasman flights are increasing in cost by around 8% to 13% in Economy and Business Class.

Remember that while domestic Virgin Australia redemptions using KrisFlyer miles may be attractive, you’re still far better off using British Airways Avios points to redeem on Qantas, or Qatar Airways Privilege Club Avios transferred for free across to your BA account.

Award charts   Virgin Atlantic bookings until 31st July 2022 Virgin Atlantic bookings from 1st August 2022

Main changes   Largely academic, because award availability to KrisFlyer members is scarce (and that’s a generous description), but all Virgin Atlantic redemption rates are increasing by around 18%. Round-trip companion awards are being abolished, but again they were essentially impossible to achieve under KrisFlyer anyway.

Award charts   Vistara bookings until 31st July 2022 Vistara bookings from 1st August 2022

Main changes   Vistara’s Economy, Premium Economy and Business Class award rates are increasing across the board, by 9% to 11%. It is still not possible to redeem Vistara’s international flights using KrisFlyer miles, only intra-India awards are supported.

SIA and Star Alliance devaluation

Singapore Airlines recently introduced new (higher) redemption rates for for Saver, Advantage and Star Alliance award redemptions.

Here’s a reminder of how that looks (click to expand).

Saver Awards Devaluation Economy Economy Class Saver Awards Current Rate New Rate Change Zone 2 Malaysia, Indonesia & Brunei 7.5 8.5 +13.3% Zone 3 Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia & Laos 12.5 13.5 +8.0% Zone 4 South China, Hong Kong & Taiwan 15.0 16.5 +10.0% Zone 5 Beijing & Shanghai 20.0 21.5 +7.5% Zones 6 India, Sri Lanka, Maldives & Bangladesh 18.5 20.0 +8.1% Zone 7 Japan & South Korea 25.0 27.0 +8.0% Zone 8 Perth & Darwin 20.0 21.5 +7.5% Zone 9 Other Australia & New Zealand 28.0 30.5 +8.9% Zone 10 Africa, Middle East & Turkey 25.0 29.0 +16.0% Zones 11 & 12 Europe, Canada & USA West Coast 38.0 42.0 +10.5% Zone 13 USA East Coast & Houston 40.0 44.0 +10.0% Redemption rates are shown in thousands of KrisFlyer miles Premium Economy Premium Economy Saver Awards Current Rate New Rate Change Zone 4 South China, Hong Kong & Taiwan 24.5 26.5 +8.2% Zones 5 & 6 Beijing & Shanghai India, Sri Lanka, Maldives & Bangladesh 32.0 34.5 +7.8% Zone 7 Japan & South Korea 34.5 37.5 +8.7% Zone 9 Australia & New Zealand 47.0 51.0 +8.5% Zone 10 Africa, Middle East & Turkey 37.0 43.0 +16.2% Zone 11 Europe 64.5 71.0 +10.1% Zone 12 Canada & USA West Coast 68.0 75.0 +10.3% Zone 13 USA East Coast & Houston 73.0 80.5 +10.3% Redemption rates are shown in thousands of KrisFlyer miles Business Class Business Class Saver Awards Current Rate New Rate Change Zone 2 Malaysia, Indonesia & Brunei 19.0 21.0 +10.5% Zone 3 Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia & Laos 21.5 24.0 +11.6% Zone 4 South China, Hong Kong & Taiwan 30.5 34.0 +11.5% Zones 5 & 6 Beijing & Shanghai India, Sri Lanka, Maldives & Bangladesh 39.0 43.0 +10.3% Zone 7 Japan & South Korea 47.0 52.0 +10.6% Zone 8 Perth & Darwin 36.5 40.5 +11.0% Zone 9 Other Australia & New Zealand 62.0 68.5 +10.5% Zone 10 Africa, Middle East & Turkey 49.0 56.5 +15.3% Zone 11 Europe 92.0 103.5 +12.5% Zone 12 Canada & USA West Coast 95.0 107.0 +12.6% Zone 13 USA East Coast & Houston 99.0 111.5 +12.6% Redemption rates are shown in thousands of KrisFlyer miles First Class & Suites First Class & Suites Saver Awards Current Rate New Rate Change Zone 2 Malaysia, Indonesia & Brunei 27.5 30.5 +10.9% Zone 3 Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia & Laos 32.5 36.0 +10.8% Zone 4 South China, Hong Kong & Taiwan 40.5 45.0 +11.1% Zones 5 & 6 Beijing & Shanghai India, Sri Lanka, Maldives & Bangladesh 53.0 58.5 +10.4% Zone 7 Japan & South Korea 70.0 77.0 +10.0% Zone 8 Perth & Darwin 52.0 57.5 +10.6% Zone 9 Other Australia & New Zealand 85.0 93.5 +10.0% Zone 10 Africa, Middle East & Turkey 75.0 86.5 +15.3% Zone 11 Europe 125.0 141.0 +12.8% Zone 12 Canada & USA West Coast 130.0 146.5 +12.7% Zone 13 USA East Coast & Houston 132.0 148.5 +12.5% Redemption rates are shown in thousands of KrisFlyer miles

Advantage Awards Devaluation Economy Economy Class Advantage Awards Current Rate New Rate Change Zone 10 Africa, Middle East & Turkey 55.0 63.5 +15.5% Redemption rates are shown in thousands of KrisFlyer miles Business Class Business Class Advantage Awards Current Rate New Rate Change Zone 10 Africa, Middle East & Turkey 90.0 103.5 +15.0% Zone 11 Europe 120.0 123.0 +2.5% Zone 12 Canada & USA West Coast 125.0 128.5 +2.8% Zone 13 USA East Coast & Houston 140.0 143.5 +2.5% Redemption rates are shown in thousands of KrisFlyer miles First Class & Suites First Class & Suites Advantage Awards Current Rate New Rate Change Zone 10 Africa, Middle East & Turkey 135.0 148.5 +10.0% Zone 11 Europe 220.0 225.5 +1.6% Zone 12 Canada & USA West Coast 222.0 228.0 +2.7% Zone 13 USA East Coast & Houston 237.0 243.0 +2.5% Redemption rates are shown in thousands of KrisFlyer miles

Upgrade awards have also taken a hit, though these were rarely good value in the first place, even at current rates.

KrisFlyer 2022 Devaluation
Key Points

Based on flights to and from Singapore:

• Economy Saver awards are increasing for the first time in years, by around 8% to 16%.
• Premium Economy Saver awards will also set you back around 8% to 16% more miles than before.
• Business Class Saver awards will cost roughly 10% to 15% more. This is the biggest hit in our opinion.
• First Class and Suites Saver awards suffer a 10% to 13% higher redemption rate.
• Some longer Advantage awards will cost 2% to 16% more miles.
• Star Alliance awards increase by around 8% to 16%.
• Star Alliance round-the-world award tickets using KrisFlyer miles increase by 11% to 17%.
• Partner awards using KrisFlyer miles increase by around 8% to 16%.

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It may seem like we’re talking nothing but devaluations lately when it comes to the KrisFlyer scheme, but in fact this is really one devaluation, trickled out over two or three ‘phases’ across the programme’s redemption options.

It’s actually been some time since Singapore Airlines increased redemption rates for Star Alliance Round The World award itineraries, leaving those rates unchanged in the last few devaluations, so ‘addressing them’ in this latest increase isn’t too surprising.

Most KrisFlyer members don’t often use the partner award options (though there is good value in some of them), so the impact of these increases is much less relevant than those we’ve seen for the SIA / SilkAir and Star Alliance award charts.

With this final round of KrisFlyer award chart devaluations confirmed, let’s hope for a few years of stability at these new rates across the board.

(Cover Photo: Virgin Australia)