Fly 7,000 Miles in Asia on JAL's Business for US$670 - 40% off Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Miles
Receive up to 40% bonus Mileage Plan miles when you purchase at least 30,000 miles before 06 April 2017. There are some sweet spots on using Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles and if you live in Asia and wish to check out the business cabin on Japan Airlines, you can do so for just US$670 (approx S$945). Read on to find out how you can get up to 17 hours worth of flight time by redeeming the Mileage Plan miles on Japan Airlines.
Devaluation of KrisFlyer Miles (Singapore Airlines) and Upcoming Changes - Effective 23 March 2017
KrisFlyer has just announced some important changes that will be happening on redemption and redemption upgrade bookings that are ticketed from 23 March 2017 onwards. While the changes seem to be a devaluation of KrisFlyer miles, travellers may be able to gain some out of these changes on short-haul flights and those with high YQ surcharges. Read on to find out what are the upcoming changes and how will they affect you as a whole.
Summary of Changes to the OCBC 360 Account - Effective 01 April 2017
The OCBC 360 Account is a dream account that every young adult should have. When it was first launched in Singapore back in 2014, it offered the best interest rate on any savings plan that was available at that time. Ever since then, the OCBC 360 Account has been given a refresh and other banks have started launching competing products (e.g. UOB One Account) which in my opinion, are inferior of OCBC's longstanding savings account. There are a number of changes to the OCBC 360 Account that will be effective from 01 April 2017 so make sure you read though them thoroughly before deciding whether the product is still a good fit for your spending habits and banking goals.
Best Use of IHG Rewards Club Points (Reward Nights) for InterContinental Hotels around Singapore
IHG Rewards Club points are great because you can use them for decent reward nights and a bunch of other less valuable redemption (that you should not even consider) - they can also be converted into miles (largely at a 1000:200 ratio) which can be quite useful if you are converting to one that is potentially of greater value (e.g. Mileage Plan on Alaska Airlines). While I have previously considered reward nights in Singapore to be of inferior value, certain properties around Singapore (in a 7-8 hour flight radius) can offer pretty great value. For the purpose of comparison, I am using only the Best Flexible Rate which could potentially introduce bias in resort locations (these properties generally have a larger Advance Purchase discount).
Finding Fare Class and Crediting Miles - Where to deposit Miles on Heavily Discounted Flights?
I am a strong advocate for full-service carriers but one of the frustrations that I face with heavily discounted Economy tickets is the low mileage accrual rate (yes, I am looking at you, Singapore Airlines!). Airlines regularly run promotions with exceptional rates but often at a price of lower mile earning rates. Find out how to look for the fare class of your ticket and where to deposit them.
Singapore's Best Credit Card for Miles - HSBC Advance Visa Platinum Credit Card
I have written a number of articles on which credit card to get in Singapore in order to maximise miles accrual and I have always deliberately excluded the HSBC Advance Visa Platinum Credit Card because of the conditions required to get this card (it is not just about the annual income requirement). More importantly, the 10X HSBC Rewards Points promotion was supposed to end last year but it has been extended until 31 March 2017.
Complete List of Complimentary Airport Lounge Access with Singapore Credit Cards
Having the right credit card in Singapore is extremely important if you travel quite a bit - it can help you rake up significant miles which you can use for free premium cabin travel and some of the credit cards actually have tangible travel benefits like free airport lounge access and limousine transfer amongst other things. There are two main types of credit cards in Singapore that offer complimentary airport lounge access - one requires a minimum spend and one does not. Check out my summary of credit cards in Singapore that offer complimentary lounge access below!
Complete Guide to the OCBC VOYAGE Card with a Personal Concierge
The OCBC VOYAGE Card allows you to earn up to 2.3 VOYAGE Miles (redeemable for KrisFlyer Miles) per S$1 and it offers some pretty impressive benefits like a personal concierge service, unlimited access to Plaza Premium Lounges and other Visa Infinite perks. Is this card worth its S$488 annual fee? Find out everything you need to know about maximising the benefits on the OCBC VOYAGE Card.