KRISFLYER VS ASIA MILES

[ForumRider]

Which one is easier to redeem as in very easy to chalk points to redeem air tix?
Can someone pls kindly enlighten and advice me?

TIA!

 

[fone]

All these are pretty subjective to your travel patterns and what you want to redeem.

1) Where do you travel and how often, and most importantly, on which airline, which class of service?
Which should also affect what kind of status you can get.
2) Where would you like to redeem for (and what class of service), and how early can you confirm?

Lastly, why confine yourself to only these 2? You fly exclusively SIN - HKG?

 

[ForumRider]

mostly fly asia (bkk, taiwan, china, hk etc) ba...once in a while (2 yrs??) maybe fly US / Aust / Europe
I only want to be able to redeem the air tickets for free asap lor hahaha
no need to be high class or wht... just need to fly can liao

 

[fone]

mostly fly asia (bkk, taiwan, china, hk etc) ba...once in a while (2 yrs??) maybe fly US / Aust / Europe

What airlines do you fly, or are entitled to fly? Average mileage flown per year?

Editted: Not that I want to pry into your personal information, but having status in a airline's program and flying that airline usually gives bonus miles, which might or might not be significant for you.

 

[ForumRider]

What airlines do you fly, or are entitled to fly? Average mileage flown per year?

Editted: Not that I want to pry into your personal information, but having status in a airline's program and flying that airline usually gives bonus miles, which might or might not be significant for you.

i see the both asia miles and krisflyer have different airline partner....
both looks ok to me... but asia miles can claim not only air tickets but other reward stuff , similar to what credit card reward offer.....

i have no particular preference for airline.... as long as fly me to my destination can liao
i usually travel once a year...but in recent 1-2 yrs... i flying more maybe 2-3 times a yr...

 

[fone]

Going by SIN - TPE to be roughly 2000 miles one way and with even 3 trips a year, you get a rough total of 12000 miles a year and about 4000 miles a year currently. With miles expiring 3 years from the date of accrual, you won't be able to redeem them before their expiry within 3 years.

Meaning, in the best case scenario, 4k miles in year 1, 4k miles in year 2, 12k miles in year 3, then you are forced to redeem, otherwise, the initial 4k miles will be expiring. With that, and SQ 15% online discount, you can get 1 way to up to China only or round trip to Malaysia/Indonesia/Brunei. Note that to buy the other one way tickets are sometimes more expensive than buying a round trip ticket. Nothing meaningful IMO.

A better program for you would be to credit to a US-based carrier's program, they usually have expiry of ALL miles have an expiry of 1.5 years from the last activity in the account. Since you fly yearly (and if your patterns are quite regular, within the same month every year), your miles virtually do not expire. Redeem when you feel like it.

Also, you would not be able to make any meaningful status to be able to enjoy bonus miles when flying that particular carrier, maybe only during the years you get to fly to Europe / US / Australia. However, these might not be as significant to have few thousand miles expire each year.

 

[ForumRider]

Going by SIN - TPE to be roughly 2000 miles one way and with even 3 trips a year, you get a rough total of 12000 miles a year and about 4000 miles a year currently. With miles expiring 3 years from the date of accrual, you won't be able to redeem them before their expiry within 3 years.

Meaning, in the best case scenario, 4k miles in year 1, 4k miles in year 2, 12k miles in year 3, then you are forced to redeem, otherwise, the initial 4k miles will be expiring. With that, and SQ 15% online discount, you can get 1 way to up to China only or round trip to Malaysia/Indonesia/Brunei. Note that to buy the other one way tickets are sometimes more expensive than buying a round trip ticket. Nothing meaningful IMO.

A better program for you would be to credit to a US-based carrier's program, they usually have expiry of ALL miles have an expiry of 1.5 years from the last activity in the account. Since you fly yearly (and if your patterns are quite regular, within the same month every year), your miles virtually do not expire. Redeem when you feel like it.

Also, you would not be able to make any meaningful status to be able to enjoy bonus miles when flying that particular carrier, maybe only during the years you get to fly to Europe / US / Australia. However, these might not be as significant to have few thousand miles expire each year.

hmmm how about i using credit card like citibank premier miles cards.... chalk till enuff points then credit it to krisflyer or asia miles? better right? but which one is better? Krisflyer or asia miles?

 

[tycosiao]

Both programs are tough as most fares don't accrue miles.

Most of us here chalk up the miles via credit card spend and since we are in Singapore, we usually use KF.

SQ is in Star Alliance thus you can redeem for flights on *Alliance metals.

CX is in Oneworld and thus you can redeem for flights on Oneworld Metals.

 

[ForumRider]

Both programs are tough as most fares don't accrue miles.

Most of us here chalk up the miles via credit card spend and since we are in Singapore, we usually use KF.

SQ is in Star Alliance thus you can redeem for flights on *Alliance metals.

CX is in Oneworld and thus you can redeem for flights on Oneworld Metals.

So u mean KF is more common among in spore?

 

[fone]

So u mean KF is more common among in spore?

Krisflyer is probably more well known here, but not the best, depending on how much you fly. You see the thread people are asking about what they can do with like 12k miles, since you can only redeem or let the miles expire with KF. With other programs, there are ways to get it extended with little costs.

 

[Suleyman]

hmmm how about i using credit card like citibank premier miles cards.... chalk till enuff points then credit it to krisflyer or asia miles? better right? but which one is better? Krisflyer or asia miles?

If you are using Citi Premiermiles card, do note that you earn 1.2 Citi Mile/$. 1 Citi Mile = 1 KF Mile or 0.4 AsiaMiles.

All other cards that accept both will have the same exchange rate.

So u mean KF is more common among in spore?

Mainly because most just think of Singapore Airlines by default. However, it is also true that you have the best availability of routes via Singapore Airlines, compared to oneWorld flights (eg, SIN-TPE direct is available via SQ, but for Asia Miles, you can take CX, but will need to transit through Hong Kong).

One thing to note also is that to redeem a Star Alliance (eg, Asiana, or ANA) flight using KF miles will cost you more miles. Eg. Using KF points, SIN-SFO return in Business class cost 136,000 miles on SQ, but 195,000 miles on any other Star Alliance partner. So, generally you would want to stick to SQ flights.

For oneWorld, as long as you stick to one carrier, the number of points required is the same, whether by CX or any of it's partners.

But to your original question, it's ultimately a question of how you fly. If you just buy the cheapest ticket with little regard to brand (or alliance) loyalty, then neither of the FFP will work, esp since deeply discounted tickets usually earn little or no miles (eg. some SQ tickets earn 10% miles only, hardly worth the trouble).

As has been mentioned a number of times, award tickets (even accumulated with bums in seats) are really only worthwhile if you would like to take premium seats (Business & First), and particularly for long haul flights. If you are happy in Economy class in any airline, you can find discounted fairs on some airline at the price that SQ or CX would charge you for the award ticket's tax & surcharges.

 

[ForumRider]

If you are using Citi Premiermiles card, do note that you earn 1.2 Citi Mile/$. 1 Citi Mile = 1 KF Mile or 0.4 AsiaMiles.

All other cards that accept both will have the same exchange rate.



Mainly because most just think of Singapore Airlines by default. However, it is also true that you have the best availability of routes via Singapore Airlines, compared to oneWorld flights (eg, SIN-TPE direct is available via SQ, but for Asia Miles, you can take CX, but will need to transit through Hong Kong).

One thing to note also is that to redeem a Star Alliance (eg, Asiana, or ANA) flight using KF miles will cost you more miles. Eg. Using KF points, SIN-SFO return in Business class cost 136,000 miles on SQ, but 195,000 miles on any other Star Alliance partner. So, generally you would want to stick to SQ flights.

For oneWorld, as long as you stick to one carrier, the number of points required is the same, whether by CX or any of it's partners.

But to your original question, it's ultimately a question of how you fly. If you just buy the cheapest ticket with little regard to brand (or alliance) loyalty, then neither of the FFP will work, esp since deeply discounted tickets usually earn little or no miles (eg. some SQ tickets earn 10% miles only, hardly worth the trouble).

As has been mentioned a number of times, award tickets (even accumulated with bums in seats) are really only worthwhile if you would like to take premium seats (Business & First), and particularly for long haul flights. If you are happy in Economy class in any airline, you can find discounted fairs on some airline at the price that SQ or CX would charge you for the award ticket's tax & surcharges.

Thanks for the enlightenment....
I guess i should go for KF then......

 

[punggolkid]

Might I suggest an alternative?

In your situation, you should go for Aegean's Miles & Bonus programme. It's 4k miles for *S status and another 16k for *G status (I.e total of 20k tier miles for *G). Since you probably won't be able to do much with your miles redemption for award tickets, you may like to consider just accruing enough to earn *G status to enjoy the business class row check in, *A lounge access, and priority bag tag, plus additional baggage allowance.

 

[ForumRider]

actually my idea is that i slowly chalk up miles within 1-2 yrs.... might spend abt 10-30k annually? This spending include my wife spending as well etc

and my idea is to claim round tickets of 2 to asia country (like TW, HK, CHN) mainly for short trip etc....

i have Premier Miles card and Amex platinum card... just wonder which card better to use and convert to KF....

but then there is asia miles too...so i m not very sure betweek Asia Miles and KF...which one should i go for ....

 

[fone]

Aegean is good only for its easy *G. If TS is not going to get 20k miles a year, then no point. *S has not much benefits either, until TS starts to fly inter-continental flights. No bonus miles for *S either as TS is unlikely to fly A3. I'd put 20k miles into A3 and that's it.

Assuming 12k per year or 24k miles in 2 years, please check what can you claim. If given a choice to claim miles, I'd most definitely claim on SQ business / first, unless they don't fly that sector. With 24k miles, you can't even get a round trip to TPE / HKG on economy. However, if you put your miles into a program like UA's mileage plus, your miles virtually do not expire and you can accumulate and redeem whenever you want. Other benefits with UA is that redemptions do not come with fuel surcharge. Like a SIN - TPE round trip redemption, you pay almost $400 with Krisflyer redemption, but only $47.20 (plus a US$25 booking fee) with UA miles. Business redemption also uses less miles using UA miles (used to be much much less miles).

I also have the premier miles card, but due to other cards we have, we seldom spend on the premier miles card either as looking for the best rebates. Each mile is worth like US$0.01 to me at most, that is a 1.3% rebate at most, so unless there is no other better returns. The Manhatten card giviing 5% cash rebates (with limits each quarter). The 1.88% interests for Bonus$aver account with a $500 spending on up to $25,000 means 7.8% rebate on the $500 spending monthly. So only if any spending after the limits of the standard chartered cards have been reached and no better rebates, then we will use the premier miles card.

 

[Suleyman]

Actually, miles are worth a lot more than 1c per mile. Really depends on how you use them (eg, I would value them about 4c when used for Business class tix on long haul flights. SQ sells them to you at USD40/1000 miles, or 4 c US/mile). With a number of cards that are offering 1.4 to 1.6 miles/$, PM has seen less usage from me but I find other miles earning cards are still good.

 

[fone]

Actually, miles are worth a lot more than 1c per mile. Really depends on how you use them (eg, I would value them about 4c when used for Business class tix on long haul flights. SQ sells them to you at USD40/1000 miles, or 4 c US/mile). With a number of cards that are offering 1.4 to 1.6 miles/$, PM has seen less usage from me but I find other miles earning cards are still good.

Let me paraphrase my views again. I'd only buy miles at US$0.01 per mile in bulk, ok that may be few years back, so maybe about S$0.015 per mile. I'm ok with topping up 1000 miles at US$40 to fly somewhere in business, but not in bulk. Yes, I do agree that if you divide the miles by the cost of a business / first class ticket, you'd get more, but to earn / buy miles in bulk, it is still about US$0.01 per mile (no point stating that you'd buy at US$40 / 1000 miles just to be on par with business class seats value).

 

[jimbb80]

Hi guys,

Does Cathay have a fuel surcharge for reward redemptions similar to SQ? anyone know the rough fees?

For example the SQ fees last time i checked were very high:
SQ SG-HK 125usd
SQ SG-Shanghai 330usd
SQ SG-London 480usd

United Airmiles on the other hand has no fuel surchage so was approx 30-70usd for each of the same flights...

thanks

 

[fone]

Hi guys,

Does Cathay have a fuel surcharge for reward redemptions similar to SQ? anyone know the rough fees?

For example the SQ fees last time i checked were very high:
SQ SG-HK 125usd
SQ SG-Shanghai 330usd
SQ SG-London 480usd

United Airmiles on the other hand has no fuel surchage so was approx 30-70usd for each of the same flights...

thanks

In general, most US-based carriers do not charge fuel surcharge for redemption. So Cathay should have charges for them.

FYI, United's program is called Mileage Plus, not Airmiles.

 

[jimbb80]

Thanks. Yes made mistake meant Mileage Plus. Im actually a member but want another one too.

Have heard ANA is quite good regarding fuel surcharges. They have a surcharge but it appears to be much lower than SQ, BA, Cathay.

Anyone use them?

Emirates was apparently great but just read an article the other day regarding them closing the fuel surcharge a couple months ago. Also Qantas figured out the loophole on redeeming on emirates and will fix it. for those interested:

Qantas aims to close fuel surcharge loophole

http://www.businesstraveller.asia/news/emirates-to-introduce-fuel-surcharge-on-reward-