Spontaneous Escapes have been announced for March 2023, with 30% off redemptions for selected Singapore Airlines routes in Business Class, Premium Economy Class and Economy Class.
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| Spontaneous Escapes |
You can now book these awards on a first-come-first-serve basis up till 28 February 2023.
Do note that Spontaneous Escapes awards may not appear on the Singapore Airlines mobile app (this issue seems to affect Android users more than iOS). If you’re encountering this issue, try using the desktop website instead.
Spontaneous Escapes: Ground Rules
| โ Spontaneous Escapes: The Basics |
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All Spontaneous Escape awards must be booked and ticketed by 28 February 2023 and are for travel between 1-31 March 2023 (blackout dates may apply).
Singapore Airlines has rejigged its booking interface to show Spontaneous Escapes awards under a special Promo category. This is the one you should select when making your booking.
You might recall that prior to COVID, Spontaneous Escapes were a subset of Saver awards. This created a problem, namely that if you wanted to book a regular Saver award (because it comes with a cancellation option, unlike Spontaneous Escapes awards), you couldn’t actually do it!
Now that Spontaneous Escapes are a separate category unto themselves, you have the freedom to choose to pay regular Saver prices if you so wish (thereby enjoying additional flexibility).
Spontaneous Escapes awards are strictly non-cancellable and non-changeable (SIA’s free rebooking policy doesn’t apply here, and in any case ended on 31 July 2022). Singapore Airlines has made the following concession:
For (i) any flights cancelled by SIA, or (ii) if a SQ-operated flight was removed from a Participantโs booking due to Covid-19 and governmental regulatory changes, the miles redeemed in the unused portion of the ticket will be refunded into the relevant Participantโs KrisFlyer account with no additional fees charged.
However, requests to change any booking details, or to retain the ticket for future use will not be granted. Participants may submit their request via the Assistance Request form.
-Spontaneous Escapes T&Cs
The above applies to regulatory changes, not conditions as they exist at the time of booking. If you make a speculative booking to a country that hasn’t reopened, and it still hasn’t reopened by the time of travel, you won’t be entitled to a refund. In contrast, if you make a booking to a country that is currently open and it subsequently closes its borders, then you will be able to seek assistance.
Since no concession is made for travellers who cannot fly due to COVID-19, the onus is on you to purchase travel insurance that covers miles & points bookings.
Which travel insurance policies covers miles and points bookings?
My picks for this month
After a run of barren months we’re finally seeing a wider range of Spontaneous Escapes destinations, including the return of Business Class awards for Europe. Do note, however, that the school holiday period of 11-19 March is partially or entirely blacked out for some popular destinations.
Amsterdam is available at 72,450 miles in Business Class, although disappointingly, 17 out of 31 days in March are blackout dates! If you don’t mind Economy Class travel, then Frankfurt and London at 29,400 miles could be options too.
Business Class awards to Brisbane are a deal at 47,950 miles, though there’s no love for the rest of Australia this time round (unless you consider Economy Class to Sydney at 21,350 miles a deal).
Closer to home, Bali for just 5,950/14,700 miles in Economy/Business is always a solid option, especially when cash fares are disproportionately expensive. Hong Kong is featured again at 11,550/23,800 miles for Economy/Business, and with relaxed entry requirements might be worth a visit. Even better, you can find seats on the 2017 Business Class product if you select the A380 flight- a real treat even on a short-haul journey.
Premium Economy awards on the non-stop USA flights (San Francisco, Newark, New York JFK) are still available at 52,500/56,350 miles, though you’ll need to decide if you’re willing to stomach a Premium Economy seat on an ultra-long haul flight.
Full list of Spontaneous Escapes
Business & Economy Class
South East Asia
North Asia
West Asia & Africa
Australia
Europe
USA
Premium Economy Class
Australia
North Asia
West Asia & Africa
Europe
USA
What if you have an existing award?
If you’ve already holding on to a confirmed award on a flight that is now under Spontaneous Escapes, you will need to:
- Book the Spontaneous Escapes rate
- Cancel the existing booking and pay the redeposit fee (US$75 for Saver, US$50 for Advantage)
I strongly recommend doing it in this order, in case the Spontaneous Escapes award space disappears in the meantime. It does mean you’ll need sufficient miles on hand, of course.
Depending on your luck, miles may be recredited immediately to your account, but can take up to 4-6 weeks. If you need them urgently, the CSO can put in a request to expedite the process, but YMMV.
Conclusion
Singapore Airlines Spontaneous Escapes for March 2023 are out, and we finally see a return of Business Class awards for Europe (albeit with very restricted dates), plus the regular stalwarts like Hong Kong and Bali.
Don’t forget to ticket your awards by 28 February 2023 to enjoy the discounts.
What will you be booking for Spontaneous Escapes?
no more first class to Jakarta?