I’d imagine that most of us have faster-growing balances with Velocity Frequent Flyer than we do with KrisFlyer, given the breadth of Velocity points earn opportunities in Australia in and beyond Velocity credit card partners.
A unique feature of Velocity and KrisFlyer is the ability to transfer points between the two programs at a ratio of 1.55:1.
However, whether you use one program or another will depend on the specific Singapore Airlines redemption you have in mind – and you’ll need to compare the costs in both Velocity and KrisFlyer to calculate. This guide aims to show you how.
We have updated this guide to reflect the recent devaluation between the transfer rate of Velocity Points and Krisflyer Miles.
Two important points
Firstly, Singapore Airlines releases more award space to its own KrisFlyer members than to its partners, e.g. Velocity, so what you see as available on the KrisFlyer website might not be bookable through Velocity.
That means while it may not make sense by a points-by-points comparison to transfer your points to KrisFlyer, limited availability through Velocity may mean that you have to transfer your points to KrisFlyer in order to secure that seat.
Secondly, on the routes researched, taxes charged by KrisFlyer were less than $5 above those charged by Velocity, so we can just make a comparison based on the difference in points pricing.
From 1 January 2019, Velocity award redemptions on Virgin Australia became more expensive due to added ‘Carrier Charges’.
First and Suites Class
If you want to travel in Singapore Airlines First Class or Suites Class, it definitely pays to do your calculations comparing what it would cost to redeem directly through Velocity versus transferring to KrisFlyer.
As you can see from the table below, there is no hard-and-fast rule:
| From Singapore to | KrisFlyer miles needed | Velocity points needed | Velocity points transferred to KrisFlyer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hong Kong | 37,500 | 56,000 | 58,125 |
| Shanghai | 50,000 | 56,000 | 77,500 |
| Beijing/Mumbai/Delhi | 50,000 | 78,000 | 77,500 |
| Sydney/Melbourne | 80,000 | 95,000 | 124,000 |
| London/Paris/Frankfurt | 115,000 | 134,000 | 178,250 |
| New York | 120,000 | 203,000 | 186,000 |
| Between Frankfurt and New York | 76,000 | 95,000 | 117,800 |
You can find more information in our full guide on using your points to book Singapore Airlines First Class/Suites Class
Business, Premium Economy and Economy Class
To work out which airline is best for redeeming your points for these cabins, I’ve compared the pricing of one-way Singapore-operated flights from Sydney and Melbourne to three destinations: Singapore, Tokyo and London.
The points needed for each destination are the same from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Canberra – figures from Perth and Darwin are lower.
An example of what we’re aiming for: the best value way to travel in Singapore Airlines Business Class, here one of their regional Boeing 777s
| From Melbourne/Sydney to | KrisFlyer miles needed | Velocity points needed | Velocity points transferred to KrisFlyer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore (Economy) | 28,000 | 35,000 | 43,400 |
| Singapore (Business) | 58,000 | 65,000 | 89,900 |
| Tokyo (Economy) | 42,000 | 56,000 | 65,100 |
| Tokyo (Business) | 83,000 | 104,000 | 128,650 |
| London (Economy) | 53,000 | 75,000 | 82,150 |
| London (Business) | 105,000 | 139,000 | 162,750 |
My conclusions
Based on these examples, it seems that:
- On a points-by-points basis, KrisFlyer redemptions on Singapore Airlines flights are always cheaper than Velocity redemptions
- While keeping your points in Velocity for First and Suites Class redemptions seems to work most of the time, transferring them to Krisflyer can sometimes be cheaper
How to do your own comparison: an example
Step 1: Find your desired route and cabin on the Velocity award chart (Table 2 for Singapore Airlines redemptions) and KrisFlyer award chart
Step 2: Write down the two prices, e.g. a one-way Business Class seat to London will cost you 139,000 Velocity points or 105,000 KrisFlyer miles
Step 3: Multiply the KrisFlyer price by 1.55 to see how many Velocity points you’d need to transfer, i.e. 105,000 KrisFlyer miles x 1.55 = 162,750 Velocity points
Step 4: If that pricing is higher than booking through Velocity, then you should book through Velocity. If it is lower, then you should transfer your Velocity points to KrisFlyer. In the London case, it is cheaper for both Business Class and Economy redemptions to be booked through Velocity directly.
Summing up
It pays to do your research, specially now that the transfer rate between the two programs have been devalued.
If you don’t have the time to though, chances are you’re better keeping your Velocity points where they are for most Singapore Airlines redemptions, although the figures can vary for First and Suites Class awards.
However, if you’re lucky enough to have a KrisFlyer balance, then you’ll (almost always) pay less overall than redeeming through Velocity.
As an example, today – 30.10.18 – I can book a flight next year via Krisflyer for 19.10.19 but Velocity for 25.09.19
If booking SQ award flight via Velocity website, could we still take advantage of the $100 stopover or is it only for KF redemption?
Thank you.
Also if I am aiming for Business class reward ticket Singapore-New York in Jan 2020, will it make more sense to transfer my Velocity to krisflyer now before the Devaluation takes place?
Using Singapore’s rewards chart which is zonal it worked out to be 45,000 each KrisFlyer points plus small amount of taxes. Sent 121,500 Velocity points to KrisFlyer and paid $68 taxes for our two rewards tickets.
The same rewards flights for two booking directly with Velocity chart which is based on miles would be 184,000 Velocity points plus $68 in taxes.
It pays to check. Over 60K Velocity points different is about as big a discrepancy as I have seen.
Its a real sweet spot in Singapore’s charts.
Have you found any different routes where the taxes differ more substantially? Would love to hear if so!
Step 3: Multiply the KrisFlyer price by 1.35 to see how many Velocity points you’d need to transfer, i.e. 139,000 x 1.35 = 141,750
When you should have written
Step 3: Multiply the KrisFlyer price by 1.35 to see how many Velocity points you’d need to transfer, i.e. 105,000 x 1.35 = 141,750
Aside from that, it’s an awesome guide, thanks for sharing
Sector is Sydney-Mumbai-Sydney.
We are members of Royal Orchid, Velocity, Kris Flyer etc. etc
Could you please opine: which is the best of these, for having points credited for our above journey?
Many thanks for your advice and sorry for the bother.
Under SQ it’s in the 58K redemtpion band.
Under Velocity it will cost you 92K points. A transfer to SQ would require just 78.3K points or a nearly 14K points saving.
Then there’s the issue of HKG. Seems nearly impossible to get a reward seat with VA but SQ has decent availability.
1) First class only through KF
2) More availability in business class via KF
The comparison is almost entirely academic when in most cases for international travel (IME) you need to be redeeming directly through KF for SQ awards!
Consider also those KF points are good for all Star Alliance…
Caution trough on when you transfer to KF, given expiry of points…
Im about to buy melbourne-bangkok economy return. Via SQ
Is it better to buy straight from SQ to earn Krisflyer or better of through virgin website to get velocity. Which one has higher earning rate?
Thank you
I didn’t know, SQ Business Class can be redeemed through Velocity.
I actually transferred all my Velocity to SQ and redeem Business. singapore to Tokyo and Singapore to Melbourne
Sad 🙁
You mention the elimination of fuel surcharges on Singapore Airlines when booking with KrisFlyer. Are the fuel surcharges on Singapore Airlines still applicable when redeeming flights via Velocity? It would be handy if we could see the $ value of any additional charges required booking via either KrisFlyer / Velocity in the above examples in order to really make a decision.
Thanks
We are looking at booking mixed economy/premium economy CBR-SIN-LHR (i.e. economy to Singapore, Premium Economy to London) and are happy to pay the base fare then upgrade using krisflyer points (Transferred from velocity points). But I cant find anything about the extra fees this might have in terms of Singapore Airlines fees and charges will put on those points upgrades.
Many thanks for the wonderful info you provide. I recommend the site to all my friends!
Am new to this site and appreciate advice. Have recently flown BNE-LON and return 2.5 times all on Etihad on sale tkts. Have listed Velocity as my FF. Very few points accrued on these flts.
Would I have been better off gathering the frequent flier points in the Etihad scheme rather than Velocity?
I am about to embark on Qatar to London and have listed Qantas as my FF program.
Any advice appreciated.
I opted for 2 X PER-AUH-LHR in J @ 220,000 points. I paid $145 in taxes total (instead of an extra 15k points). One thing to note is that if you choose to do this Virgin sting you for the $30 per passenger credit card booking fee, so I had to add another $60 on top – bit rich on a $145 fare!