You probably know KrisFlyer. Chances are, you’ve earned a few miles with it, maybe even redeemed them for a reward flight. That is a good start!
But KrisFlyer is just one program in a much bigger universe. There are dozens of airline loyalty programs out there, and the smartest travellers don’t stick to just one. Instead, they use a handful strategically to get more value from every mile they earn.
Simply put, this guide is for someone who knows KrisFlyer but wants to understand how the wider world of airline alliances and points works. By the end, you’ll know which other programs matter for Singapore travellers, and how to start using them without getting overwhelmed.
What is an Airline Alliance?
In short, an airline alliance is a group of airlines that work together.
So when airlines are in the same alliance, they:
- Sell tickets on each other’s flights (codeshare)
- Honour each other’s lounge access for premium passengers
- Let you earn miles on any member airline and credit them to your preferred program
- Let you redeem miles on any member airline
And that last point is the important one. For instance, if you have KrisFlyer miles, you can book an award ticket on any Star Alliance airline, not just Singapore Airlines. That includes ANA, Lufthansa, United, EVA Air, Thai, Air Canada, and more.
This also works in reverse: someone with United MileagePlus miles can book a Singapore Airlines flight.
The Three Major Alliances
As mentioned, there are three major global alliances that together cover almost the entire world.
1. Star Alliance
This is the one you already belong to, since KrisFlyer is a member. With 26 member airlines, it is the largest alliance.
| Airline | Hub | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Singapore Airlines | Singapore (SIN) | Your home carrier |
| ANA | Tokyo (NRT/HND) | Widely regarded as one of the best business class products in the world |
| United Airlines | Various US hubs | Flies Singapore to San Francisco, and onwards across the US |
| Lufthansa | Frankfurt (FRA) | Main gateway to Europe through Germany |
| EVA Air | Taipei (TPE) | Good premium cabin options from Taipei |
| Thai Airways | Bangkok (BKK) | Short hop from Singapore |
| Air Canada | Various | Good option for Canada and US routes |
| Turkish Airlines | Istanbul (IST) | Excellent coverage of Europe, Africa and the Middle East |
Other members include Asiana, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, Copa, Croatia Airlines, EgyptAir, Ethiopian, LOT, SAS, Shenzhen, Swiss, and TAP Portugal.
2. oneworld
Unfortunately, there is no Singapore-based carrier in oneworld, but this alliance is still very useful for Singapore travellers.
| Airline | Hub | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Qatar Airways | Doha (DOH) | Flies to Singapore, and their Qsuite business class is consistently ranked among the best |
| British Airways | London (LHR) | Strong European and transatlantic network |
| Cathay Pacific | Hong Kong (HKG) | Close to Singapore, excellent premium cabins |
| Japan Airlines | Tokyo (NRT/HND) | Fantastic service, great for Japan travel |
| Qantas | Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane | Your neighbour down under |
3. SkyTeam
Similarly, there is no Singapore home carrier here, but it fills important gaps.
| Airline | Hub | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Air France / KLM | Paris (CDG), Amsterdam (AMS) | Excellent coverage of Europe |
| Delta Air Lines | Various US hubs | Largest US carrier by network size |
| Korean Air | Seoul (ICN) | Strong Asian network, good business class product |
| Garuda Indonesia | Jakarta (CGK) | Regional neighbour |
| Vietnam Airlines | Hanoi / Saigon | Good option for Vietnam routes |
Notable Non-Aligned Airlines
Of course, some major airlines are not part of any global alliance:
- Emirates operates its own partnerships and co-branded credit cards
- Etihad has partnerships with several airlines but operates independently of any alliance
- AirAsia runs its own low-cost network
- Ryanair / EasyJet are budget carriers with their own ecosystems
Generally, budget low-cost carriers like AirAsia or Ryanair is not part of any major alliance. There might be some exceptions such as Scoot being part of Singapore Airlines, and being able to earn and redeem KrisFlyer miles on Scoot flights. But the benefits don’t extend to other airlines in the alliance that Singapore Airlines belongs to.
How Loyalty Programs Work Within Alliances
Now here is where it gets interesting, and where most people get confused.
Each airline runs its own loyalty program, even within the same alliance. Star Alliance alone has:
- KrisFlyer (Singapore Airlines)
- MileagePlus (United Airlines)
- ANA Mileage Club (ANA)
- Miles & More (Lufthansa Group)
- Infinity MileageLands (Thai Airways)
These are all separate programs with their own earning rates, award charts, fees, expiry policies, and credit card transfer partners. Still, the alliance lets you move value between programs by flying, but you earn and spend within your chosen program.
A Concrete Example
For instance, let’s say you want to fly from Singapore to Tokyo on ANA, which is a Star Alliance member.
- Use KrisFlyer — Check SingaporeAir.com, find ANA flights, and book with your KrisFlyer miles at KrisFlyer’s rates.
- Join another program — Join ANA Mileage Club, transfer your credit card points there, and book at ANA’s rates instead.
The key: the same ANA flight can cost different amounts of miles depending on which program you use. Ultimately, this is where the opportunity lies.
The Sweet Spot Concept
Route: Singapore to Tokyo in Business Class
| Program | Miles needed (one-way) |
|---|---|
| KrisFlyer | 54,500 miles (Saver) |
| ANA Mileage Club | 40,000 miles (Low Season) |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 52,500 miles |
*Rough examples. Of course, actual pricing varies by date and availability.
If you are trying to get from one place to another, you can see that different programs charge different amounts for the same route.
The point is not that one program is always better. Instead, it is that having options gives you flexibility. For example, when KrisFlyer award space is sold out, ANA Mileage Club may still have availability. Similarly, if KrisFlyer charges high fees on Lufthansa flights, booking through Air Canada Aeroplan might be cheaper.
Common Misconceptions
“I only fly Singapore Airlines, so I only need KrisFlyer”
This is the most common mistake people make.
Even if you only fly SQ, however, there are situations where having another program helps:
- KrisFlyer award space on SQ flights can be expensive or unavailable at certain times. It is odd but sometimes Air Canada’s Aeroplan program might have availability on Singapore Airlines flights that you can’t find with KrisFlyer points.
- Booking the same SQ flight through another Star Alliance program may be cheaper in miles
- You may want to fly a route SQ does not serve directly
KrisFlyer is essential, of course. But it should not be your only program.
“All miles are worth the same”
Actually, they are not. For starters, some programs consistently deliver 2 cents per mile in value while others struggle to hit 0.5 cents. Ultimately, the value depends on the route, cabin class, fees, and how flexible you are with dates.
KrisFlyer miles are among the more valuable programs. For context, we value them around 1 cent per mile for economy and much more in business class. But even within KrisFlyer, some redemptions give you better value than others.
“Transferring miles to another program is complicated”
In Singapore, thankfully, it is often just a few clicks. For example, most banks (Citi, DBS, UOB, Amex, HSBC, Maybank) let you earn points that can be transferred to multiple airline programs. Then, when you are ready to book, you simply log into your bank’s rewards portal, select the airline program, enter your membership number, and confirm. From there, the miles usually arrive within 24-48 hours.
A beginners guide to banks’ transfer ratios.
A Singapore-Focused Strategy
First things first: you do not need 10 programs. In fact, you need 2-3, chosen well.
Recommended Starter Stack
Program 1: KrisFlyer (you already have this)
Keep using it for Singapore Airlines redemptions and Star Alliance partner bookings.
Program 2: Asia Miles (Cathay Pacific)
- Cathay Pacific has good award availability to Europe, Japan, and Australia
- You can also redeem on oneworld carriers (Qatar, BA, JAL, Qantas)
- Free to join, and miles expire after 18 months of account activity
- Many of the same SG credit cards transfer to both KrisFlyer and Asia Miles
Program 3: One of the Avios Programs
The Avios ecosystem includes British Airways Executive Club, Qatar Airways Privilege Club, Finnair Plus, Iberia Plus, and Aer Lingus AerClub. Miles transfer 1:1 between all of them.
- Great for short-haul redemptions (Singapore to KL, Bangkok, Bali)
- Qatar Airways Qsuite is one of the best business class products you can redeem miles on
- Frequent transfer bonuses (like the current 30% Qatar bonus)
- Avios do not expire as long as you earn or spend at least 1 Avios every 36 months
Bonus: Air Canada Aeroplan
This one deserves a mention because it is beginner-friendly for Star Alliance redemptions. Specifically, it uses a distance-based award chart, which can be cheaper than KrisFlyer for certain routes.
How Singapore Credit Cards Fit In
This is also where Singapore has an advantage. After all, we have some of the best miles-earning credit cards available.
Transferable Points Currencies
The key concept is transferable points. Instead of earning airline miles directly, you earn bank points that can be converted to multiple airline programs at will.
| Bank Program | Transfers to |
|---|---|
| Citi ThankYou Rewards / Citi Miles | 13+ programs including KrisFlyer, Asia Miles, Qatar Avios, Qantas, Air France/KLM, Thai, Etihad |
| DBS Treasures / DBS Insignia | 8+ programs including KrisFlyer, Asia Miles, British Airways Avios |
| UOB Lady’s / PRVI Miles | 6+ programs including KrisFlyer, Asia Miles, British Airways Avios |
| Amex Membership Rewards | 10+ programs including KrisFlyer, Asia Miles, British Airways Avios, ANA, Delta |
| HSBC Revolution / HSBC Visa Infinite | 7+ programs including KrisFlyer, Asia Miles, British Airways Avios |
| Maybank Treats Points | Several including KrisFlyer, Asia Miles, Qantas |
As mentioned, a card that earns transferable points gives you maximum flexibility. You earn points, keep them in the bank until you are ready to book, and only then decide which airline program to transfer to.
A Simple Rule
Use transferable points, not direct airline miles.
For instance, if you earn Singapore Airlines miles directly on a co-branded card, you can only use them with KrisFlyer. On the other hand, if you earn Citi Miles or DBS Points, you can choose KrisFlyer today, Asia Miles tomorrow, or Avios next week.
Summary
| Concept | Key Takeaway |
|---|---|
| Alliances | Three big ones: Star Alliance, oneworld, SkyTeam |
| Programs | Each airline has its own, and different programs charge different rates for the same flights |
| Sweet spots | Some programs are cheaper for certain routes. Always check your options |
| Credit cards | Transferable points are better than direct airline miles |
