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Bernard  
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I Just Don't Fly Enuff with SQ

I flew with Singapore Airlines throughout my college years in Melbourne, chose to stay in Krisflyer partner hotels and recently to India too but still I don't fly enough points to exchange for a practicable return tix home or move up from basic tier. Instead I'm losing miles every quarter because I don't redeem them fast enough.

I think I want to call it quits and drop my loyalty with SQ and just go for the next cheapest ticket. I reckon its pretty futile to be chasing FF miles. What are some of the experiences you have with your frequent flyer program? Do they have any real value for regular joe like me? Currently I'm enrolled with just Krisflyer (SQ), Asian Miles (CX) and Velocity (DJ) and Dynasty Flyer (CI).

posted on Thursday, November 30, 2006 10:51 PM by Bernard

# re: I Just Don't Fly Enuff with SQ @ Thursday, November 30, 2006 11:21 AM

I dont fly often, but I do still save up those frequent flyer miles. Like you I am in several ones: Delta SkyMiles, AirTran A+, Northwest WorldPerks, and a whole stack of others. While most of my accounts have a small amount like 1000 miles, the others I have been working on. I have about 20500 skymiles, onlt 4500 to go to a skysaver ticket; 8 A+ points which is enough for a one-way ticket; 3300 on Northwest which I use to redeem for magazine subscriptions. The jey is to finding a program that is the best value to you. So your not frequently flying and it looks like SQ miles expire no matter from date it posts (like AirTran), instead of being extended by the most recent activity. My SkyMiles are good until Dec. 31, 2008 and before then I know I will have some sort of activity to extend the expiration until 2009. You could go for the lowest ticket option, or if you really like SQ, you could consider trying to start anew with another Star Alliance FF program (United?). Also, I find ways to get miles for not flying. Ive earned a small amount of miles on Delta for buying magazines, taking surveys, etc,; and those 8 AirTran points I got from buying medium drinks from Wendy's.

winwiz88

# re: I Just Don't Fly Enuff with SQ @ Thursday, November 30, 2006 12:46 PM

I have accounts with three airlines but try very hard to fly with Delta when I can. I have found that with the agreements airlines have I can get points from flights on several airlines and have them put on the account for one. So several airlines let me get points applied to my Delta account. Several others to US Air. I will be golden if those two merge as US Air wants to do and they merge miles. :)
Last year I flew enough on Delta (or related) to qualify for the second level of benifits. I earned double FF miles for each flight this year. I have already used some to send my son on a nice Thanksgiving vacation. I will use more to take the whole family come February.
It doesn't look like I will qualify for the same level this year unless at least 2 unexpected trips come up in the next month. But at least I am well past the 25,000 for the first level. Hopefully that will mean some upgrades next year and I will get a 25% FF mile bonus still.
BTW is so very nice to get a free upgrade coming home from vacation last week. A red eye is much easier to take in First Class. IT would have cost me $300 to pay for an upgrade for my wife and I.

AlfredTwo

# re: I Just Don't Fly Enuff with SQ @ Thursday, November 30, 2006 12:49 PM

Oh no. My long well written comment got lost in the posting. Short version is I take advantage of agreements between airlines that let me send points from several airlines to a single account.

AlfredTwo

# re: I Just Don't Fly Enuff with SQ @ Thursday, November 30, 2006 5:06 PM

I try to fly with partner airlines too eg with US Airways, only because they are a Star Alliance partner. My big points bank is really with China Airlines because I made all my US trips with them but unfortunately, they are not part of any alliance.

Bernard

# re: I Just Don't Fly Enuff with SQ @ Friday, December 01, 2006 5:14 PM

FF miles are tricky things that have to be managed very deliberately. Several years ago, we lost several thousand miles because we had been saving them up only to have them expire. Another time, we save them up for a trip only to have the equivalents change on us. Finally, last year, we said, to heck with it, and just became very opportunistic about using them, that is, when there was a chance to use them, we did.

Didith


 
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