Thereโs an interesting article in todayโs Straits Times called โ7 hacks to max your milesโ (paywall). Unlike most frequent flyer coverage in the mainstream media, itโs actually pretty well-written, and clearly by someone whoโs into the hobby.
I agree with most points the author makes- you get better value by redeeming your miles for premium cabins, thereโs very little point in redeeming short haul flights (because of budget airline alternatives), miles should be spent on flights instead of hotels or shopping, and Star Alliance awards are superior options to paying Advantage prices.
That said, I disagree with his assertion that โupgrades and full redemption awards work out to be about the sameโ, because the way I see it, upgrades are a terrible use of miles (even after accounting for mileage earned on the ticket). The only time where upgrades can make sense is when someone else (e.g your employer) is paying for the cash ticket.
I also hope he isnโt genuinely thinking of blowing 240,000 KrisFlyer miles on a Business Class round-the-world ticket. An Asia Miles MCA is a much better option for such itineraries, in terms of flexibility and price.
Can the second leg of a stopover trick be changed?
But my main point of contention concerns the US$100 stopover trick, which the author describes in his article.
The tl;dr version of the stopover trick is that you could fly LHR-SIN for 92,000 miles in Business Class, or you could fly LHR-SIN-BKK (or any other destination that doesnโt involve backtracking) with a stopover in Singapore for 92,000 miles + US$100 in Business Class.
| Iโve written a full guide to the US$100 stopover trick here, so please have a read of that if all this is unfamiliar to you |
Your Singapore stopover can be up to a year, so youโre effectively adding an additional vacationโs flight for US$100 (+some small difference in airport taxes).
Whenever I teach people how to book a stopover trick, I continually emphasize the importance of confirming where you want to go for your second vacation, because the when can be changed, but the where canโt.
Thatโs why this part of the article confused me:
Ever bought a ticket to, say, Beijing and then a buddy suggests a Michelin-starred feast in Tokyo instead? Besides date changes, award tickets allow a change of routing, even after a trip has commenced. Travel hack: For example, I flew the first leg of a Shanghai-Singapore-Dubai award. But in Singapore, I decided to drop my Oman desert sojourn (from Dubai) and go for a truffle hunt in Piedmont instead (from Milan). With the US$25 administrative fee and a top-up of additional miles for the farther zone and its related airport surcharge and fees, I ended up in Europe.
The author seems to be saying that he managed to change PVG-SIN-DXB to PVG-SIN-MXP after flying the first leg, for US$25 and the difference in miles + taxes.
But itโs always been my understanding (and experience) that once the first leg of a stopover trick has been flown, the second destination cannot be changed. You can change the date or timing of your flight, but your destination is locked in.
The KrisFlyer T&Cs seem to back me up on this- as per I.11:
โAn award ticket may be reissued, but only for travel by the same person and provided no part of the award ticket has been used.โ
Changing PVG-SIN-DXB to PVG-SIN-MXP counts as a reissuance (unlike a date change), and since PVG-SIN has already been flown, it should not be possible to change the second destination.
So this claim has thrown me a bit, and I think there are two possibilities:
- the author got a one-time exception. Iโve heard anecdotal stories of PPS/Solitaire PPS members getting their way on this matter after escalating the issue
- thereโs a new policy that now permits such changes (unlikely)
This could just be a classic case of YMMV, but I definitely wouldnโt book a stopover trick expecting that the second leg can be changed. Assuming it could, however, I also wouldnโt expect KrisFlyer to refund any difference in miles should my revised destination be cheaper than the initial one.
Conclusion
Itโs refreshing to read a miles piece in the press by someone who actually knows what he/sheโs talking about, but Iโd urge caution regarding the point on changing a stopover trick.
Iโd love to hear data points from anyone whoโs managed to successfully change the second leg on a stopover trick after flying the first leg, so shout out below if you have.
I was able to change my second destination from Tokyo to Seoul as well as push the dates back, after flying the first leg back from Sydney. I had to top up a small difference in miles + the $25 penalty.
Didnt have to appeal or escalate. CSO processed it like BAU.
Tokyo should be same number of miles as Seoul though? Any pps status?
The original itinerary was redeemed prior to the last KF devaluation, hence had to top up miles when I did the change to Seoul last month. No pps. Just KF Gold.
Same situation as WJ. Booked PVG-SIN-CDG and changed SIN-CDG to SIN-ZRH after flying the PVG leg. No hassle or escalation. No PPS; not even KF silver.
iโm thinking aloud here: could it be that if the change is within the same ZONE, itโs ok? (CDG/ZRH)
that said the authorโs zones were clearly diff (DXB/MXP)
As written above, I wasnโt even allowed to change from SIN>KIX to either SIN>NRT or HNDโฆ cโest la vie..? or kink in system..?
What if you changed to a lower zone; Iโm assuming the miles are forfeited, or can you pay a redeposit fee to get them back?
IF a change is allowed, the difference in miles should be forefeited. thatโs why you canโt downgrade from an advantage to saver award unless you cancel the whole advantage award (US$50) and rebook a saver
I had this year unfortunately on two separate occasions where because of eleventh-hour work-matters, had to reschedule second-leg of a Stopover booking.. oddly, I used to think it was possible and even recall successfully doing so, last year.. but was told twice this year (so I assumed I remembered wrongly) that no change of destination after first-leg flown, and I even tried to โargueโ (didnโt kick up a fuss) that if I were to reschedule Iโd no longer be able to get R on SIN>KIX because we were on the last Winter-Schedule A380 departure for SIN>KIX, so maybe instead weโฆ Read more ยป
I managed to change the second destination after flew on the first leg. The CSO told me that I can change the destination in the same zone. However another CSO told me Otherwise. Also, some CSO told me that I can even change my destination by topping up the Mile difference. But I managed to change the flight once the waitlisted seat is open for me without topping miles because it is within the same zone.
Another data point, amended destination from KIX to FUK on J after flying the first leg. Only needed to pay the penalty fee of SGD35. Just a lowly KF silver.