United Airlines brought back Singapore Airlines award space online last week after a four year absence. That makes it easier than ever to take advantage of one particularly great redemption before United’s next devaluation.
> Read More: Singapore Airlines Accuses United Airlines of Lying About Pulled Online Award Space
United currently charges only 30,000 miles one-way for a business class ticket from South Asia to Australia or New Zealand.
South Asia includes:
- Bangladesh
- Bhutan
- Brunei
- Cambodia
- Hong Kong
- Indonesia
- Laos
- Macau
- Malaysia
- Myanmar (Burma)
- Philippines
- Singapore
- Thailand
- Vietnam
So take Hong Kong to Melbourne as an example. You can fly over 11 hours in Singapore Airlines Business Class for 30K miles and $62.50. That is an incredible value, even in Singapores’ older business class.
NOTE: Space is limited. Singapore does not release any longhaul premium cabin award space. It does release limited award space on regional flights and mid-haul flights (as far as India or Australia/New Zealand), but it’s not like you’re going to easily find this on all dates. If you want to take advantage of it, you’ll find some great space with enough patience, but it may not be on the dates you need.
Singapore does release some A350 Business Class space on the Singapore to Brisbane route, though I saw nothing available for the next 11 months when checking today.
Also note that you can mix carriers as well — part of the trip can be on Thai Airways and part on Singapore (like Bangkok to Singapore to Auckland).
Economy Class is currently 17.5K miles on the same route, another compelling value if you are short on miles. But be sure to price shop: while Singapore Airlines is likely to be expensive, you may be able to score an insanely cheap ticket to Australia on another carrier.
CONCLUSION
Remember, United’s next devaluation is on November 01, 2017 so book by October 31st. The award above will rise from 30,000 to 50,000 miles on 11/01. That will still be a good value, but not like the deal available now.
God Save the Points also writes about this here.
> Read More: Why I’m THANKFUL for Latest United Mileage Plus Devaluation
> Read More: The One United Award I’m Booking Before Devaluation
An even better redemption value is from North Asia (eg Beijing) to Oceania (Fiji, Tahiti, etc.) you could fly the PEK-SIN-AKL route, and then connect onto Air New Zealand. This whole thing would be 15/30/40k in economy/business/first.
I think it should be noted that the Singapore A330 SIN-MEL are angled flat, while one can take the new Thai A350 BKK-MEL for the same miles (30K) and have fully lie-flat seats!
Award space with the new Singapore seats are nonexistent to MEL.
Great data point. Thanks for posting.
I was lucky to book SIN-BNE on an A350 the day SQ went live on United. I think that availability was a mistake. When I booked it many dates over many months were available on the 3 A350 routes in business both ways. Not anymore. All that’s available down under (that I found) is A330 and B777-2 old style seats. Like David R said TG A350 is a better choice.