Star Alliance ticket redemptions

[Kianbeng]

Hi guys,

 

Need to ask some questions. I'm on Krisflyer membership. Usually I redeem only on SQ flights. It's only recently I went to the star alliance website and found that you can actually redeem other airlines' tickets using your KF points.

 

I have a few questions:

1) Can it be cheaper to redeem other airlines using the KF points?

2) Any disadvantages / advantages?

3) How do we do it? Via Star Alliance office in SG?

4) What is round the world ticket? Can really fly and stop over to every where in 1 go?

 

Basically I'm thinking of maximise how I use the KF points. Currently if I book online I get a 15% discount which is quite ok but the discount is also reversed if you need to change your return ticket if your departure ticket is consumed.

 

Thinking of going to places like China. For 5hr flight, thinking of going business class with my wife?

Edited January 26, 2008 by Kianbeng

[KapitanE]

I do not think there will be any savings in miles if you redeem an award ticket on a Star Alliance airline. If you want to go to a destination where SQ does fly into, best is to use a SQ flight, you get 15% discount for redemption on-line.

 

If you want to redeem with another airline, you will have to call krisflyer, telp no is behind on your card. Let them arrange, that is according to SQ website.

 

Going to China, if you redeem on biz class, I would recommend that you get the daylight flight out and in. This is so that you don't just board the plane, then sleep until breakfast. At least you can enjoy the service during the day flight.

 

Well personally, I have redeemed, flights to Bangkok (many times, including this weekend), to Melbourne for 3 (my family), flights to Manila... all on SQ...

[Kianbeng]

ya so far I also only redeem on SQ coz got 15% savings. But I was thinking of maybe trying out other airlines' business class. Maybe more shiok?

[Kb27]

Hmm...I didn't know about the Star Alliance website.

I clocked my point on United since I fly to US sometimes on business.

 

When I redeem trip to Manila with United, they will give me a SQ ticket, since they don't fly there.

However, the conditions set by United will be different as compared to when I redeemed the same tickets from Krisflyer, although the point deduction is the same.

 

For example, United has a lot more conditions since they "buy" the seat from SQ.

 

But apparently, their points for redemption is lower say when flying to Perth than Krisflyer.

 

I think it's hard to decide which is better.

 

I also have American Airlines points and recently I asked and was quoted 60,000 points to travel to BKK on Cathay Pacific.

If I had clocked my points on Cathay Pacific during my trips, the BKK redemption would be only 15,000 points. Yea, AA sucks if you have to redeem locally.

[Kianbeng]

Yes. It seems like if our travels are originating from SG, then most likely we have to stick with KF. Other FF programmes usually bo hua.

[Kb27]

If you fly frequently enough, crediting points to KF is good. It is easier to redeem air tickets out of SG.

However, we have to remember that points has a 3 year expiry.

 

My last trip to US, I decide to credit the point to KF, although I travel United.

 

United gave my company a good deal. I have a gold member with them and when travelling economy class on SIA, I can still use the lounge.

[KapitanE]

Nah.... other airlines biz class is not more shiok... I flew on Asiana, TG, MH amongst others, and did not find their biz class any good....

 

My personal boycott are CX and NWA..... I will not fly on them even if price is cheaper....

[Sabian]

why the boycott on CX & NWA?

[KapitanE]

Long story and hard to explain......

 

I may give CX another chance, but unlikely.....

 

NWA,... forget it, unless I am on domestic routes within US.

[Sabian]

i took CX to SFO in Nov and that one time was enough. (for me not to fly CX again)

 

the plane condition damn jialat.

[KapitanE]

Okay, let me relate my CX experience..... it way back in the late 90s..... yes, it has been that long since I have boycotted CX,........

 

I was flying Bkk to Sin, boarded the plane, found my seat occupied.... apparently the plane had came from HKG, stop over Bkk, before SIN.... the seat was occupied by an ang moh..... so i called the stewardess.... after they hoo..hhaha...hooo, blah blah blah... I thot they will send me to J.... but no.. they speak with the ang moh and send him to J instead..... so angry.... somemore i had water dripping on my head during take off...knnccb... from that day promise myself never to take CX in my life if I have other choices.... I had a recent trip to China, my travel agent asked me to go on CX transit thru HKG, I said NO.... I flew Asiana, transit thru ICN in J class too... up you CX.....

[Meecar]

if are white then it is different

 

some how anything that is white appear to have advantage

 

 

white angel

 

darkie toothpaste change to darlie - white man now

 

white get to cut queue at zouk

 

white get to see MP first

 

white horse in army

 

 

 

etc

[Sabian]

so the pinkie syndrome also afflicts CX...

 

if J got space and need to "negotiate" with the chow ang mor, shd have just given the seat to you, since, u were inconvenienced by his inconsiderate behaviour.

 

(sollie, after my US trip, i like USA ang mor less, before trip, i tot they were a gracious bunch, all the talk abt stamping out racial inequality is hogwash, anyway that is for another story),

 

the water dripping takes the cake! i think their planes really CMI! the headphone on both flights to/from SFO cannot work, need me to "support" the connection with one finger, knn, after one movie, my finger kenna cramps!

 

the space between the window seat and window got litter and is dusty.

 

the seat pocket containing the safety notice and inflight mag is torn and keep falling out at the slightest touch until I TL, ask the stewardess to take all the barang, i share with my wife.

 

the best part is when i flipped the tray out for meal, the cover came loose, so during meals, i have to shove the cover below the seat in front.

 

and all the other times, I flew SQ and once Qantas, never seen a plane's interior so sad.

[Kianbeng]

Yes. Always can enter star alliance gold lounge whenever you are travelling on star alliance ticket.

 

United gave your company special corporate deals? Meaning you guys probably use alot of them....

[Kianbeng]

wah. That probably meant ang moh also got gold. If both gold, then maybe look at skin colour.

 

Actually....he already sit until hot liao....should have sent you to J.

[Kianbeng]

I think it's not the ang mor's inconsiderate behaviour or something. It must be the seat arrangement kok up coz they were continuing the same flight. But usually I think at least our SQ handles such things carefully.

 

I noticed that european side usually got very bad arrangement / systems. ie, frequent gate changes, ppl turning up with same seat booking and got turned away after they boarded the flight and was told the flight is extremely overbooked. sigh. Heng so far I never kenna. I very kiasu. If I got confirmed seat for my next connecting flight, I usually go to the transit desk and reconfirm everything again coz sometimes there is no gate, or gate changes. And then they will just confirm and reissue everything again.