SQ first launched its mySQupgrade program back in July 2016, which allowed passengers in economy to bid for upgrades to premium economy.
At the time I went on record as saying (with regards to whether SQ would expand this program to cover economy to business upgrades):
I am convinced the answer to this is โnoโ. SQ is loathe to do anything to devalue or cannibalize demand for its business class product.
Which is why I was stunned to hear on the Telegram group that people were receiving offers to bid for economy to business upgrades. I went to check the website, and here’s what the mySQupgrade site is now showing (or rather, has probably been showing for a while but I only just discovered):
I’m really at a loss for words because this goes against my entire world view of SQ. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m happy this option exists and I think it’s the right thing to do. But given SQ’s traditional attitude towards its premium cabins, I’m just totally surprised that it’d be willing to “cheapen” them (in its mind, not mine) by opening them to bids.
Here’s a screenshot that Mitch from the Telegram group sent to me for a flight from Singapore to Bangkok. You can see that the bid range on offer is between S$180-S$370 for a one-way upgrade (it’s a work trip so he couldn’t tell me what the base fare paid was).
I wondered how long this had been going on for, so I went to dig on Flyertalk and SQTalk. I found a post from early November where someone mentions that he/she was also invited to bid for an upgrade on the SIN-BKK route.
So it does appear that bids around the $200 mark can work, at least on this route (this poster had a very expensive full Y fare). That’s a decent amount to pay if you want to treat yourself.
The next big question I have is whether or not these bids are offered to those on long haul flights. Because if I squint hard enough, I could see SQ being willing to accept regional J cabin “devaluation”, but long haul J would be a totally different matter altogether.ย I know the photo on SQ’s upgrade website shows the 2013 longhaul J seat, but I’d like to see some proof of this.
One interesting thing I noticed about the FAQ’s was this point:
What happens if my bid to upgrade is successful?
Congratulations! Youโll now fly on Premium Economy Class or Business Class with wider food and beverage options, increased baggage allowance, as well as priority check-in, boarding and baggage handling. The fare conditions of your booking wonโt change, and any accrual of KrisFlyer miles and Elite miles will be based on your original booking.
I notice it didn’t mention lounge access. I’m not sure if that’s an oversight or deliberate, but if anyone has won an upgrade to business please let me know if lounge access is included too.
Edit: oh, silly me. It says so on the site that access to lounges is included.
If anyone’s been offered an upgrade on a medium or long haul flight, do let me know! Would be interesting to gather data points.
I would think that lounge access would be included given that the boarding pass they issue you would be a business class boarding pass (with your J seat number printed)
yeah, i think so too. i don’t see the lounge dragons scanning boarding passes so there’s no way they’d know whether someone bid to upgrade or bought a regular ticket. unless of course the bid to upgrade tickets have some special marking on them
Correct me if I am wrong but isn’t it only at Changi that “no lounge access” would be an issue for non-kf elites? My other half only flies economy but does have kf gold and in all airports other than Changi, he gets to use the same lounge as those flying biz.
SQ has gone downhill but they have such staunch Singapore residents’ support that they keep pushing the boundaries on their meanness. Last weekend my friends from Malaysia told me it’s cheaper for them to fly SQ to Sydney or Capetown than by flying MAS – so why do they have to sc*%w us to make up for their marketing to our neighbours? As for inviting bids to upgrade, I believe that they would rather cheapen themselves by offering themselves out than to allow us to redeem business class seats. I was flying Economy to BKK (waitlist for Business) yesterday but… Read more »
Just want to say this is fairly common. If you check flights from Singapore to Australia, London, etc, MAS will usually offer you lower price than SQ.
to be fair it’s pretty common practice that airlines will price tickets starting outside their home country but connecting through their home country more cheaply than those starting in their home country. part of it is the captive market element, but another is that they’re trying to attract marginal business. SQ isn’t the only one who does this. You need to convince people to fly eg BKK-SIN-SYD instead of BKK-SYD directly. Of course the dynamic in SEA is a bit different because it’s no secret that there are many indonesians/malaysians/thais (esp the wealthy) who would gladly take a one stop… Read more »
Suck it up. Doubt SQ needs your business too
I may have misread, but didn’t the “Bid now and enjoy” business class image mentions “Access to SilverKris Lounges around the world”?
Nope, you didn’t misread. I’m just going senile…updated!
You have more chance of being run over by a bus than SQ upgrading anyone
In Singapore you have fairly good chance to be run over by bus.
Friend of mine was upgraded one way from Business to First on SIN FRA NYC recently. He is PPS Solitaire, plus it was his birthday. Rest of us will just have to wait for the bus first…
PPS Solitaire has a “birthday upgrade program” as part of the officially published benefits.
Besides, the price of sq biz is probably what some others charge for first. Just like sq economy is often more expensive than others’ biz ( and I am not talking MH but genuine competitors like CX….)