Singapore Airlines deep discount fares: USA from S$838, Tokyo from S$518, London from S$968 and more

It’s no secret that the Covid-19 travel downturn has hit Singapore Airlines hard, with numerous flight cancellations, a hiring freeze, and senior management pay cuts. 

Therefore, it’s unsurprising that they’ve just launched one of their biggest fare sales in recent memory. I normally gloss over these, but there are some prices that really made me sit up and take notice.

Ground rules

These fares are available for booking from now till 19 March 2020, with travel dates between now and 31 May 2020.

They only require a minimum of one passenger, and cannot be refunded (though you’ll presumably receive a refund if the flight is cancelled or if a new travel advisory is issued). Changes are allowed for a fee and you’ll earn 50% of the miles flown when you credit to KrisFlyer.  

Minimum and maximum stays apply, and the deals may only be valid on certain flight numbers; if you’re not seeing the promotional pricing, this may be why. You can click on any of the fares on this landing page to see the full rules.

Unlike booking award tickets, the best deals here are actually in Economy, so that’s what I’ll be focusing on in the next few sections. 

My picks are far from comprehensive, so be sure to look at the full list of deals. 

To South East Asia

Phuket: S$168

Phuket normally prices at S$188 during fare sales, so we’re seeing a further S$20 cut on an already rock-bottom fare. 

Bangkok: S$198

Most Singapore Airlines fare deals to Bangkok price around S$228, perhaps $218 at the lowest, but now we’re seeing sub-S$200 fares. Do note that the S$198 fare is valid for travel as late as 30 September 2020- perhaps lock in Q3 travel and pray that things calm down by then?

Koh Samui: S$288

Considering the stranglehold that Bangkok Airways has on Koh Samui airport, S$288 round trip fares are excellent value. The departure time from Singapore is ideal (early morning), but unfortunately it also means you’ll have to fly home from Koh Samui around lunch time. 

To Japan

Tokyo: S$518

Tokyo fares are a mere S$518, way below the usual ~S$600 prices. To put things in perspective, Japan Airlines is asking for about S$580 during the same period. 

To Europe

Barcelona: S$868

The last few rounds of fare sales have seen Barcelona hover between S$908 and $938, so S$868 is a comparative steal. 

London: S$968

Sub-S$1,000 fares for direct flights to London are a good deal in my book, and you can secure one for just S$968. If you want to wait until the end of the year to fly, S$998 isn’t a bad deal either, and gives you until 30 November 2020. 

To the USA

Seattle: S$838

It’s rare to see Singapore Airlines tickets to the USA price for less than S$1,000, though I believe Seattle touched S$988 even before the Covid-19 outbreak. However, I can guarantee you I’ve never seen a S$838 fare for USA travel, which is what Seattle is pricing at right now. 

San Francisco: S$938, Los Angeles/ New York JFK: S$1,008

San Francisco is a great deal at S$938, as are Los Angeles/New York JFK for S$1,008. Back in 2009 I distinctly remember booking a S$1,299 promo fare on Cathay Pacific to San Francisco and feeling very pleased, which just goes to show you what a lousy business the airline industry is- 10 years, and negative price growth. 

Intriguingly, it only costs an additional S$160 to upgrade from Economy to Premium Economy Class to Los Angeles. That’s a deal I’d certainly take, if I intended to travel there. 

What card should you use to book?

Singapore Airlines tickets will code as online airfare purchases, so you can consider using the following cards to maximize your miles. 

	Earn Rate	Cap
DBS Woman’s World Card Apply here	4 mpd	S$2K per month
UOB Lady’s Card & UOB Lady’s Solitaire Apply here	4 mpd	S$1K for Lady’s, S$3K for Lady’s Solitaire. Must choose travel as your quarterly bonus category
KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card Apply here	3 mpd	None
DBS Altitude Visa/ AMEX Apply here	3 mpd	S$5K per month
AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend Apply here	2 mpd
AMEX KrisFlyer Credit Card Apply here	2 mpd
HSBC Revolution Apply here	2 mpd

In addition to the usual credit card miles, certain cards are offering additional gifts for Singapore Airlines bookings. You can get a S$50 Changi Gift Card for every S$500 spent on a Mastercard (an option for those using the DBS Woman’s World Card), and up to S$110 of CapitaVouchers when you pay with a HSBC card. 

The first 1,000 KrisFlyer UOB credit card members to buy tickets will also earn a bonus 4 mpd, capped at 6,000 miles per cardholder. This means you could potentially earn up to 7 mpd, an extremely decent haul assuming you’re in the first 1,000 (thanks @ SQfan)

Conclusion

These are some great fares for Singapore Airlines, although you obviously need to decide for yourself whether you’re comfortable traveling in the current climate.

If you want extra peace of mind, consider buying “cancel for any reason” travel insurance, which will at least allow you to recover some costs if you later decide not to fly.