Krisflyer has been offering regular monthly discounted award ticket redemptions under the “Spontaneous Escapes” promotion. Saver award tickets in economy and business are usually discounted by 30%, and the catch, if you want to call it that, is you have to be pretty spontaneous because awards booked under the promotion need to be traveled within the following calendar month.
Despite this restriction, it’s a pretty good promotion if you have the flexibility. You can find our coverage on previous Spontaneous Escape promotions here.
SQ has released the list of discounted destinations for January, with bookings to be made by 31 December 2017 and travel done from 1-31 January 2018 inclusive. The usual 30% off awards are here, but this month SQ is doing something special by offering 40% off one-way awards from Australia to Singapore. Yes, it only works going one-way, not the other.
Remember that as is the case with every Spontaneous Escapes promotion, you only enjoy the discount if you are able to ticket your award within the stipulated period. That is, if you add yourself to the waitlist in December but your waitlist only clears in January, you’ll pay the regular rates. Good time to learn about goosing the waitlist…
I’m going to list out all the deals first and then give you some thoughts below. Long list alert.
30% off awards- Singapore Airlines
| FROM | MILES REQUIRED FOR ECONOMY CLASS | FLIGHT NO. | BLACKOUT PERIOD | MILES REQUIRED FOR BUSINESS CLASS | FLIGHT NO. | BLACKOUT PERIOD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Asia | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
| Singapore to Guangzhou | 10,500 | SQ850 / SQ852 | – | 19,250 | SQ850/ SQ852 | – |
| Guangzhou to Singapore | 10,500 | SQ851 / SQ853 | – | 19,250 | SQ853 | – |
| Singapore to Hong Kong | 10,500 | SQ866 / SQ868 / SQ872 | 1 – 4 January 2018 | – | – | – |
| Hong Kong to Singapore | 10,500 | SQ847 / SQ861 / SQ863/ SQ891 | 1 – 4 January 2018 | – | – | – |
| Singapore to Taipei | 10,500 | SQ876 / SQ878 | – | – | – | – |
| Taipei to Singapore | 10,500 | SQ877 / SQ879 | 1 – 8 January 2018 | – | – | – |
| Singapore to Beijing | 14,000 | SQ800 / SQ802 / SQ806 | 21 – 31 January 2018 | 24,500 | SQ800 / SQ802 / SQ806 | 21 – 31 January 2018 |
| Beijing to Singapore | 14,000 | SQ801 / SQ805 / SQ807 | 21 – 31 January 2018 | 24,500 | SQ801 / SQ805 / SQ807 | 21 – 31 January 2018 |
| Singapore to Shanghai | 14,000 | SQ826 / SQ828 / SQ830 / SQ836 | 21 – 31 January 2018 | 24,500 | SQ826 / SQ828 / SQ830 / SQ836 | 21 – 31 January 2018 |
| Shanghai to Singapore | 14,000 | SQ825 / SQ827 / SQ831 / SQ833 | 21 – 31 January 2018 | 24,500 | SQ825 / SQ827 / SQ831 / SQ833 | 21 – 31 January 2018 |
| Singapore to Nagoya | 17,500 | SQ672 | 1 – 9 January 2018 | 30,100 | SQ672 | 1 – 9 January 2018 |
| Nagoya to Singapore | 17,500 | SQ671 | 1 – 9 January 2018 | 30,100 | SQ671 | 1 – 9 January 2018 |
| South Asia | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
| Singapore to Ahmedabad | – | – | – | 24,500 | SQ530 | – |
| Ahmedabad to Singapore | – | – | – | 24,500 | SQ531 | – |
| Singapore to Bengaluru | – | – | – | 24,500 | SQ502 | – |
| Bengaluru to Singapore | – | – | – | 24,500 | SQ503 | – |
| Singapore to Kolkata | – | – | – | 24,500 | SQ516 | – |
| Kolkata to Singapore | – | – | – | 24,500 | SQ517 | – |
| Singapore to Mumbai | – | – | – | 24,500 | SQ422 / SQ426 | – |
| Mumbai to Singapore | – | – | – | 24,500 | SQ421 / SQ425 | – |
| Africa | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
| Singapore to Cape Town | 17,500 | SQ478 | 1 – 17 January 2018 | – | – | – |
| Cape Town to Singapore | 17,500 | SQ479 | 1 – 17 January 2018 | – | – | – |
| Singapore to Johannesburg | 17,500 | SQ478 | 1 – 17 January 2018 | – | – | – |
| Johannesburg to Singapore | 17,500 | SQ479 | 1 – 17 January 2018 | – | – | – |
| Europe | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
| Singapore to Amsterdam | – | – | – | 59,500 | SQ324 | 5 – 8 January 2018 |
| Amsterdam to Singapore | – | – | – | 59,500 | SQ323 | 2 – 9 January 2018 |
| Singapore to Copenhagen | – | – | – | 59,500 | SQ352 | 5 – 11 January 2018 |
| Copenhagen to Singapore | – | – | – | 59,500 | SQ351 | 1 – 13 January 2018 |
| Singapore to Dusseldorf | 26,600 | SQ338 | 1 – 13 January 2018 | 59,500 | SQ338 | 1 – 7 January 2018 |
| Dusseldorf to Singapore | 26,600 | SQ337 | 1 – 13 January 2018 | 59,500 | SQ337 | 1 – 7 January 2018 |
| Singapore to Paris | 26,600 | SQ334 / SQ336 | 2 – 10 January 2018 | 59,500 | SQ334 / SQ336 | 5 – 8 January 2018 |
| Paris to Singapore | 26,600 | SQ333 / SQ335 | 2 – 10 January 2018 | 59,500 | SQ333 / SQ335 | 1 – 10 January 2018 |
30% off deals- Silkair
| FROM | MILES REQUIRED FOR ECONOMY CLASS | MILES REQUIRED FOR BUSINESS CLASS |
|---|---|---|
| South East Asia | Â | Â |
| Singapore to Bandung | 5,250 | 12,250 |
| Bandung to Singapore | 5,250 | 12,250 |
| Singapore to Denpasar | 5,250 | 12,250 |
| Denpasar to Singapore | 5,250 | 12,250 |
| Singapore to Kalimantan | 5,250 | 12,250 |
| Kalimantan to Singapore | 5,250 | 12,250 |
| Singapore to Kota Kinabalu | 5,250 | 12,250 |
| Kota Kinabalu to Singapore | 5,250 | 12,250 |
| Singapore to Kuala Lumpur | 5,250 | 12,250 |
| Kuala Lumpur to Singapore | 5,250 | 12,250 |
| Singapore to Kuching | 5,250 | 12,250 |
| Kuching to Singapore | 5,250 | 12,250 |
| Singapore to Langkawi | 5,250 | 12,250 |
| Langkawi to Singapore | 5,250 | 12,250 |
| Singapore to Lombok | 5,250 | 12,250 |
| Lombok to Singapore | 5,250 | 12,250 |
| Singapore to Makassar | – | 12,250 |
| Makassar to Singapore | – | 12,250 |
| Singapore to Manado | 5,250 | 12,250 |
| Manado to Singapore | 5,250 | 12,250 |
| Singapore to Medan | 5,250 | 12,250 |
| Medan to Singapore | 5,250 | 12,250 |
| Singapore to Pekanbaru | 5,250 | 12,250 |
| Pekanbaru to Singapore | 5,250 | 12,250 |
| Singapore to Penang | 5,250 | 12,250 |
| Penang to Singapore | 5,250 | 12,250 |
| Singapore to Semarang | – | 12,250 |
| Semarang to Singapore | – | 12,250 |
| Singapore to Surabaya | – | 12,250 |
| Surabaya to Singapore | – | 12,250 |
| Singapore to Yogyakarta | 5,250 | 12,250 |
| Yogyakarta to Singapore | 5,250 | 12,250 |
| Singapore to Cebu | 8,750 | 14,000 |
| Cebu to Singapore | 8,750 | 14,000 |
| Singapore to Chiang Mai | 8,750 | 14,000 |
| Chiang Mai to Singapore | 8,750 | 14,000 |
| Singapore to Da Nang | 8,750 | 14,000 |
| Da Nang to Singapore | 8,750 | 14,000 |
| Singapore to Davao | 8,750 | 14,000 |
| Davao to Singapore | 8,750 | 14,000 |
| Singapore to Hanoi | 8,750 | 14,000 |
| Hanoi to Singapore | 8,750 | 14,000 |
| Singapore to Kalibo | 8,750 | 14,000 |
| Kalibo to Singapore | 8,750 | 14,000 |
| Singapore to Koh Samui | 8,750 | 14,000 |
| Koh Samui to Singapore | 8,750 | 14,000 |
| Singapore to Luang Prabang | – | 14,000 |
| Luang Prabang to Singapore | – | 14,000 |
| Singapore to Mandalay | 8,750 | 14,000 |
| Mandalay to Singapore | 8,750 | 14,000 |
| Singapore to Phnom Penh | 8,750 | 14,000 |
| Phnom Penh to Singapore | 8,750 | 14,000 |
| Singapore to Phuket | 8,750 | 14,000 |
| Phuket to Singapore | 8,750 | 14,000 |
| Singapore to Siem Reap | – | 14,000 |
| Siem Reap to Singapore | – | 14,000 |
| Singapore to Vientiane | – | 14,000 |
| Vientiane to Singapore | – | 14,000 |
| Singapore to Yangon | 8,750 | 14,000 |
| Yangon to Singapore | 8,750 | 14,000 |
| North Asia | Â | Â |
| Singapore to Changsha | 10,500 | 19,250 |
| Changsha to Singapore | 10,500 | 19,250 |
| Singapore to Chengdu | 10,500 | 19,250 |
| Chengdu to Singapore | 10,500 | 19,250 |
| Singapore to Chongqing | 10,500 | 19,250 |
| Chongqing to Singapore | 10,500 | 19,250 |
| Singapore to Fuzhou | 10,500 | 19,250 |
| Fuzhou to Singapore | 10,500 | 19,250 |
| Singapore to Kunming | 10,500 | 19,250 |
| Kunming to Singapore | 10,500 | 19,250 |
| Singapore to Shenzhen | 10,500 | 19,250 |
| Shenzhen to Singapore | 10,500 | 19,250 |
| Singapore to Wuhan | 10,500 | 19,250 |
| Wuhan to Singapore | 10,500 | 19,250 |
| Singapore to Xiamen | 10,500 | 19,250 |
| Xiamen to Singapore | 10,500 | 19,250 |
| Singapore to Hiroshima | 17,500 | 30,100 |
| Hiroshima to Singapore | 17,500 | 30,100 |
| South Asia | Â | Â |
| Singapore to Bengaluru | 12,950 | 24,500 |
| Bengaluru to Singapore | 12,950 | 24,500 |
| Singapore to Chennai | 12,950 | 24,500 |
| Chennai to Singapore | 12,950 | 24,500 |
| Singapore to Coimbatore | – | 24,500 |
| Coimbatore to Singapore | – | 24,500 |
| Singapore to Colombo | 12,950 | 24,500 |
| Colombo to Singapore | 12,950 | 24,500 |
| Singapore to Hyderabad | – | 24,500 |
| Hyderabad to Singapore | – | 24,500 |
| Singapore to Kathmandu | 12,950 | 24,500 |
| Kathmandu to Singapore | 12,950 | 24,500 |
| Singapore to Kochi | – | 24,500 |
| Kochi to Singapore | – | 24,500 |
| Singapore to Kolkata | 12,950 | 24,500 |
| Kolkata to Singapore | 12,950 | 24,500 |
| Singapore to Male | 12,950 | 24,500 |
| Male to Singapore | 12,950 | 24,500 |
| Singapore to Trivandrum | 12,950 | 24,500 |
| Trivandrum to Singapore | 12,950 | 24,500 |
| Singapore to Visakhapatnam | 12,950 | 24,500 |
| Visakhapatnam to Singapore | 12,950 | 24,500 |
40% off deals- Singapore Airlines and Silk Air
Note that the deals below are only valid for travel originating in Australia.
| FROM | MILES REQUIRED FOR ECONOMY CLASS | FLIGHT NO. | BLACKOUT PERIOD | MILES REQUIRED FOR BUSINESS CLASS | FLIGHT NO. | BLACKOUT PERIOD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darwin to Singapore | 12,000 | MI802 / MI804 | 1 – 10 January 2018 | 19,500 | MI802/ MI804 | – |
| Perth to Singapore | 12,000 | SQ214 / SQ216 / SQ224 / SQ226 | 1 – 14 January 2018 | 19,500 | SQ214 / SQ216 / SQ224 / SQ226 | 1 – 14 January 2018 |
| Adelaide to Singapore | 16,800 | SQ276 / SQ278 | 1 – 10 January 2018 | 34,800 | SQ276 / SQ278 | 1 – 10 January 2018 |
| Brisbane to Singapore | 16,800 | SQ236 / SQ246 / SQ256 / SQ266 | 1 – 10 January 2018 | 34,800 | SQ236 / SQ246 / SQ256 / SQ266 | 1 – 10 January 2018 |
| Canberra to Singapore | 16,800 | – | – | 34,800 | SQ292 | 1 – 10 January 2018 |
| Cairns to Singapore | 16,800 | MI812 / MI814 | 1 – 10 January 2018 | 34,800 | MI812/ MI814 | – |
| Sydney to Singapore | 16,800 | SQ222 / SQ242 / SQ252 | 1 – 16 January 2018 | 34,800 | SQ222 / SQ242 / SQ252 | 1 – 16 January 2018 |
Thoughts
Obviously the destinations I find to be good value will depend on my individual travel preferences and patterns, and will very likely be different from yours. That said…
(1) Paris, Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Dusseldorf for 59.5K miles one-way business is a very good deal, especially given the fact that SQ no longer charges fuel surcharges. Even if you don’t fancy going to any of these 4 cities, remember that you can use them as springboards to get to hard-to-redeem destinations like LHR and FRA. All these flights will be equipped with SQ’s 2013 business class seat
(2) Revenue flights to Koh Samui tend to be expensive because of Bangkok Air’s monopoly control over the airport, so it may make sense to look at 8.75K/14K economy/business redemptions on MI
(3) If this is going to be your maiden business class experience, be careful you don’t end up on a flight with SQ’s regional J product because you’ll end up disappointed. You can refer to my fleet and seats guide to know how to spot such aircraft, but as a general rule if you see 2-2-2 in the seatmap or if the flight is operated by an A330 you know it’s got the regional J seat
(3) 40% off awards from Australia is fantastic, and yes, you need to get to Australia first but I quite fancy 34.8K miles for a one-way business class award from Brisbane or Sydney. Do note that Sydney has a very big blackout period- slightly more than half the month is unavailable for redemption (1-16 Jan). Come on guys…
The good news is that KVS is showing pretty good business saver award space on SQ242/252 from 17 Jan onwards (it’s CS+ in the screenshot below)
(4) Also, if you were hoping to try out SQ’s new business class on the Sydney SQ221/232 route, I’m sorry to say that flight isn’t available for discounted redemption. That said, it’s not like saver space is totally unavailable. I managed to find quite a few dates with business saver space on the new A380 from March 2018 onwards
(5) Final point- my default stance on economy class redemptions is that they’re poor value, but if you do manage to get a 30% off award it may make sense in certain circumstances (eg Koh Samui or routes where revenue tickets are normally very expensive)
Actually if you are used to economy (or gasp… budget airlines), I don’t think you would find regional business class to be disappointing at all haha.
well yeah. but my point is if business class were a once in a lifetime experience for you, then you owe it to yourself to find a route where you can get the shiok product
Just checked on redemption for Singapore/Phnom Penh/Singapore on business class, 28,000 miles required compare to usual 40,000 miles. So, the discount of 30% is for both ways and not one way.
SilkAir/Singapore Airlines still make mistake, there is no city called Kalimantan, Kalimantan is Indonesian portion of Borneo , the correct city is Balikpapan, city in East Kalimantan (and there are many cities with airport in Kalimantan)