I love Singapore Airlines. In fact I think they are one of the best airlines to fly especially in business and first class.
When it comes to securing reward tickets with Singapore Airlines, their waitlist system plays a crucial role. But what does “waitlist” really mean? Essentially, it’s like raising your hand for a seat that’s not currently available. Singapore Airlines allows passengers to join a waitlist for reward tickets, offering a chance to snag a seat even if it’s initially unavailable.
How long before the Singapore Airlines waitlist clears?
Singapore Airlines has made a positive change to their waitlist system. This is so you won’t be kept in suspense until the last minute. The airline commits to informing you of your waitlist status 14 days before the flight. This means you’ll know if your waitlisted redemption is successful or not, providing ample time for alternative plans if needed. This change came into effect in the second quarter of 2019, aiming to remove the uncertainty associated with waitlists.
Waitlists for redemption upgrades remain available up to the departure date, offering flexibility for those seeking an upgrade.
How to Get on the Waitlist: A Simple Guide
- Ensure Sufficient Miles: Before diving into the waitlist process, make sure you have enough miles in your account. This ensures that when the time comes to confirm your seat, you won’t face any rejection due to insufficient miles.
- Choose Your Flight and Waitlisted Option: Pick the flight you desire and opt for the waitlisted option during the booking process.
- Enter Your Information: Complete your personal details to secure your spot on the waitlist.
- Submit: Once everything is in order, hit the submit button to finalize your waitlist request.
- Confirmation Email: Keep an eye on your inbox for a confirmation email. This email will contain a booking reference number and notify you that you are officially on the redemption waitlist. Here’s what it looks like:
Personal Experience: The Waiting Game
Having attempted the waitlist process multiple times, I’ve found that, unfortunately, the waitlist doesn’t always clear. Despite my efforts, securing a spot on waitlisted reward flights remains uncertain.
If you are successful however, you are essentially looking for an email notifying you of your success and prompting you to pay and confirm your reward flight.
If you do receive this, to kickstart the confirmation process, head over to your KrisFlyer account and click on confirm available flights. You will be guided through the necessary steps, including payment options and finalizing your long-awaited reward flight.
So what are the chances of Singapore Airlines waitlist clearing?
I’d say the chances are quite low, but that shouldn’t discourage you from giving it a shot.
Here are some handy Tips:
- I suggest putting yourself on the waitlist for several flights, given you have sufficient miles in your account.
- It’s also a good idea to secure a backup option by booking another flight. This way, you have a fallback in case the waitlist doesn’t work out, ensuring you’re not left scrambling for last-minute alternatives.
- Another helpful tip is to use seats.aero. This handy application lets you search for redemption tickets and set up an alert if none are available. This way, you’ll get an email as soon as a redemption ticket becomes available. Even though Singapore Airlines isn’t directly listed as a source, seats.aero includes information from Velocity. Click the info button next to the results, and it will show the flights under Singapore Airlines. Don’t mind the “book via Virgin Australia Velocity” unless you have Velocity points or you wish to transfer krisflyer miles to velocity and book it through there. Instead, go to the Singapore Airlines site and search for the flight you found using seats.aero. Here’s a snapshot of what that looks like:
Once you have found the flight click on the info button and the following window will appear.
Understanding Waitlists: Why They Exist and How They Clear
Waitlists exist because the demand for certain flights and reward seats often exceeds the available supply. Airlines, including Singapore Airlines, use waitlists to manage this demand. Clearing a waitlist, in the context of reward seats, depends on various factors. These may include last-minute cancellations, changes in travel plans by other passengers, or additional reward seats becoming available closer to the departure date.
For example if you are looking to redeem a first class seat, this may be even more difficult because not all aircrafts have them. The Singapore Airlines A350-900 which flies to Melbourne does not offer first class at all. So you would be looking at getting waitlisted only on the flights that do have first class.
Flexibility and patience are key when dealing with waitlists, as there’s a chance your preferred seat may ‘open up’ as the travel date approaches. It’s important to note that a waitlist on a ticket is not the same as standby or SBY on your boarding pass.
Summing Up
In conclusion, while the waitlist system adds an element of uncertainty, understanding the process and being prepared can increase your chances of securing that coveted reward seat with Singapore Airlines. Saving up miles to redeem tickets and learning to travel for free is an art. If you master it, the world is literally your oyster. Happy Hunting!
