After a 21-month hiatus, KrisFlyer members can once again redeem miles for Malaysia Airlines Business Class flights between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, as well as between Kuala Lumpur and London, a useful backup option when SIA Saver awards have run dry.

This also restores the option to visit a number of excellent Oneworld lounges at Changi Airport prior to departure using KrisFlyer miles, great for those without any Avios points or Asia Miles to burn.

A brief history

The ability to book Malaysia Airlines awards with KrisFlyer miles first launched in late February 2024 as part of a joint business arrangement between the two carriers, including closer cooperation and reciprocal frequent flyer programme benefits.

Members could initially redeem miles for both Economy Class and Business Class on the Oneworld carrier’s Singapore – Kuala Lumpur and Kuala Lumpur – London routes.

However, just one week later in early March 2024, Singapore Airlines axed the Business Class option, leaving only Economy Class redemptions available on these routes. It was a bit of a rocky start to the partnership!

Now, effective from 2nd December 2025, Business Class awards are back on the updated KrisFlyer award chart, and are fully bookable online via the Singapore Airlines website and app.

• Singapore to / from Kuala Lumpur
  56 x weekly, Boeing 737
• Kuala Lumpur to / from London
  2 x daily, Airbus A350

Remember to select the ‘Other Partner Airlines‘ option during your search, to check availability.

Pricing is higher than before

While Economy rates remain unchanged from pre-COVID levels, Business Class redemptions have increased compared to their brief 2024 offering.

• SIN-KUL: 22,000 KrisFlyer miles (up from 21,000 miles)
• KUL-LHR: 114,000 KrisFlyer miles (up from 103,500 miles)

These increases for Business Class align broadly with the latest KrisFlyer devaluation, implemented in November 2025.

Note that Malaysia Airlines passes on its (relatively modest) fuel surcharge with award bookings, including those locked in using KrisFlyer miles, but it charges this fee at a higher rate for Business Class compared to Economy Class.

Here’s how the miles outlay plus total taxes and carrier fees look in SGD on these routes.

Header
Route	Economy Class	Business Class
SIN – KUL	8,500 +S$76	22,000 +S$78
KUL – SIN	8,500 +S$35	22,000 +S$52
KUL – LHR	49,500 +S$48	114,000 +S$92
LHR – KUL	49,500 +S$463	114,000 +S$748

Do note the significant taxes and fees payable in the London – Kuala Lumpur direction, due to the UK’s insane (and ever-increasing) Air Passenger Duty.

Important caveats

Do note these limitations for Malaysia Airlines bookings using KrisFlyer miles:

• No through-booking: You cannot book SIN-KUL-LHR (or vice versa) as a single redemption. Self-positioning is required for those connecting in Kuala Lumpur.
• No family discounts: Child and infant discounts are not available when redeeming KrisFlyer miles for Malaysia Airlines tickets.

A useful backup option

This reinstatement brings one nice benefit for KrisFlyer members – when Singapore Airlines Business Class Saver award space is unavailable, Malaysia Airlines provides an alternative redemption to and from London.

This additional inventory could prove valuable during peak travel periods, or when planning last-minute trips.

For example, the redemption screenshot above on 10th December 2025 is a date where only Access awards are available in Business Class on SIA flights to London Heathrow (254,500 miles) or to London Gatwick (212,500 miles) at the time of writing.

Positioning up to KL to take the Malaysia Airlines flight for 114,000 miles plus around S$92 in taxes represents a significant saving worth considering in this case, assuming a fixed travel date is important to you.

Redeem KrisFlyer miles for a Oneworld ‘lounge safari’

The ability to once again redeem KrisFlyer miles for Business Class on Malaysia Airlines flights between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur opens up the option for members to experience the popular ‘Oneworld lounge safari’ at Changi Airport, a perk usually only available to those with Asia Miles, Avios or Flying Blue miles.

Such a redemption will give you access to the following fantastic selection of lounges prior to departure in Singapore, thanks to Malaysia Airlines’ Oneworld membership:

• British Airways Lounge T1 (3pm – midnight)
• Qatar Airways Premium Lounge T1 (7.15am – 10.15am & 5.15pm – 3.15am)
• Qantas Business Lounge T1 (2.30pm – 1am, with additional 8am – 10.15am opening on Tue, Fri, Sun)
• Cathay Pacific Lounge T4 (3 hours before first CX departure, to last CX departure)

Malaysia Airlines allows early check-in at Changi from 8am, so you can potentially spend the whole day feasting and sipping champagne at the lounges listed above before your flight, for a 22,000 KrisFlyer miles redemption.

If you check-in at around 8am for an evening departure, for example this 9.20pm one:

Then our suggested lounge safari itinerary would be:

• À la carte breakfast in the Qatar Lounge
• Dim Sum lunch at the Noodle Bar in the Cathay Pacific Lounge in T4
• Back to T1 for afternoon bites in the Qantas Lounge
• Evening champagne and bites in the British Airways Lounge
• Shower and à la carte dinner back in the Qatar Lounge

Champagne flows freely in all of these lounges, except the Qantas one where an Aussie sparkling is offered. Showers are available in all the lounges too, except over at Cathay Pacific.

Our advice? Save the shower experience for the Qatar lounge, where high-end Diptyque Paris toiletries await in the private suites.

Don’t drink too much though – you’ll still need to make your way to Terminal 2 on the SkyTrain to actually catch your Business Class flight to Kuala Lumpur, after all this luxuriating! Allow an extra 15-20 minutes for that.

If your lounge experiences at Changi have been limited to the SilverKris facilities and some of the third-party options, I strongly recommend trying this Oneworld “lounge safari” the next time you need to head to KL. Your eyes will be opened to a whole new standard.

Remember though, it’s still cheaper to use Avios, Flying Blue or Asia Miles to redeem a Singapore – Kuala Lumpur flight in Business Class on Malaysia Airlines and enjoy the same lounge safari:

• Avios: 12,500 points
• Flying Blue: 15,000 miles
• Asia Miles: 20,000 miles

Nonetheless, at least the option is now open to KrisFlyer members once again, albeit for 22,000 miles.

Which Business Class seat will you get?

The onboard experience Malaysia Airlines offers varies significantly depending on your route and aircraft type.

SIN – KUL: Recliner seats

Malaysia Airlines operates Boeing 737-800 and 737-8 MAX aircraft on the Singapore – Kuala Lumpur route, both featuring recliner Business Class seats in a 2-2 configuration.

Gone are the days of the Airbus A330 operating selected flights on this route, which offered a superior flat-bed product.

It’s worth noting that Malaysia’s recliner product on the Boeing 737s is now inferior to all Singapore Airlines options on the same route.

SIA deploys widebody aircraft on KL flights, with both long-haul and regional Business Class seats in the mix, plus Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft fitted with lie-flat seats – a significant upgrade since the carrier retired its ex-SilkAir Boeing 737-800s.

KUL – LHR: Proper flat-bed Business Class

The Kuala Lumpur to London Heathrow route is a different proposition entirely. Here Malaysia Airlines operates the Airbus A350 with fully lie-flat Business Class seats – the Thompson Vantage model – a far more comfortable option for the 14-hour journey.

These seats convert into a 76-inch fully flat bed, but individual travellers will no doubt want to try and snag one of the 13 ‘solo’ options – not easy out of 35 seats in total.

Looking ahead, from 2026 Malaysia Airlines will introduce an enhanced Business Class product on its Airbus A350 fleet, featuring closed-door suites in a 1-2-1 configuration.

This new seat, already fitted to the carrier’s brand new Airbus A330neo aircraft, will be progressively retrofitted to the A350s starting next year.

The flagship KL – London route is likely to be a high priority for this upgrade, so it will be possible to redeem this one with KrisFlyer miles in the not too distant future.

The return of Malaysia Airlines Business Class awards to the KrisFlyer programme provides welcome flexibility, particularly when Singapore Airlines award space to or from London is tight.

While the product may not match SIA’s standards, especially on the SIN-KUL-SIN sectors, it offers a viable alternative – and the A350 experience to London will become even competitive from 2026 with brand new closed-door suites in store.

For Singapore – KL travel, this development restores the ability to redeem KrisFlyer miles for a ‘Oneworld lounge safari’ at Changi, and although the redemption rate isn’t particularly attractive it could still be worth considering if KrisFlyer miles is all you have to splurge on the ground experience.

(Cover Photo: Lukas Wunderlich)