Singapore Air Spontaneous Escapes June 2022: Pricing the Redemptions
Spontaneous Escapes is a monthly promotion Singapore Air has been running until the pandemic hit. Travel has since resumed, and so has Spontaneous Escapes after a 2-year hiatus. The promo usually gives a 30% discount (I remember there was once it hit 50% pre-pandemic) off certain flight redemptions made with miles, and this month sees a rather short list of destinations getting this discount. The fewer countries could presumably be due to the fact that the travel dates fall within the June school holiday period which naturally sees an uptick of travel.
You have to book the flight before end of May, and the flight dates must be within June 2022 in order to qualify for the discounted rate. Note that you would not be able to change your flight details, and you will only get a refund if the flights are cancelled by SIA.
You can view the full list of destinations and details here.
Pricing the redemptions
I’m considering going to Vietnam or Thailand – both affordable neighbours that have recently made visiting them a lot easier – and I have been trying to see how much these redemptions would cost me. My take is that if you use a 4 mpd card, you are giving up cashback of easily 5 to 8% or more. Assuming we give up just 5% of cashback, each mile costs 1.25 cents, because miles aren’t free.
| Trip | Tax | Economy Class | Cost of Flight | Miles for Business Class | Cost of Flight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangkok (round ticket) | $84.40 | 17,500 miles ($218.75) | $218.75 + $84.40 = $303.15 | 31,000 ($387.50) | $387.50 + $84.40 = $471.90 |
| Singapore to Da Nang | $82.80 | 17,500 ($218.75) | $218.75 + $82.80 = $301.55 | 31,000 ($387.50) | $387.50 + $82.80 = $470.30 |
If you’re someone who just wants to get from A to B at the lowest cost possible, even discounted miles redemptions may not make the most sense for you. Budget flights for Da Nang and Bangkok seem to be around $200, even as low as $160 for Da Nang. I used to be someone like that, I guess, but as one grows into his mid-thirties as I have, one starts to develop a taste for fancier stuff *swirls cheap alcohol in martini glass*
One might then compare the economy redemptions to other full-service airline’s pricing, or even Singapore Air’s prices, and that’s probably where the these redemptions start to make sense. Business class also starts to become tempting… it’s only 13,500 miles, or some $170 more. It is also at this point I have to wonder how much more I am willing to pay just to have more comfortable flight that is barely 2 hours long *ponders while looking at martini glass… bought from Daiso*
Excellent deal: get an iPad with CIMB credit cards! Also, grab S$5 +S$5 Lendlease voucher for use at JEM, 313, PLQ or Parkway Parade in under a minute.
Subscribe to the Telegram for more great deals and updates. Prefer email/WhatsApp? Tap here.
| Trip | Tax | Economy Class | Cost of Flight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frankfurt (round ticket) | $204 | 53,200 miles ($665) | $665 + $204 = $869 |
Longer distance flights are where miles start to shine, and the Frankfurt redemption looks pretty good here. It’s probably difficult to get a full service non-stop flight to Frankfurt under $1,000 regardless of airline, and this redemption makes that pricing possible, in Singapore Air no less.
It’s a pity that business class is not available for this promo. That would have cost 128,800 miles (30% discount from the usual Saver price of 184,000), and would have cost $1,814 after accounting for taxes and a 1.25-cent per mile cost. Not too bad for a 13-hour business flight, and not that more expensive than paying for an economy flight.
Perhaps after the school holidays.
Conclusion
Spontaneous Escapes is likely the way I would use my miles for flying. Not all redemptions, however, are worthy, so it does take a bit of calculation for me to decide on which is the best bang for my miles.
There are also other factors to consider too: I might want to travel in Singapore Air, perhaps in swanky business class, but my mile-less friends may not find the ticket price too palatable. Taking separate flights is fine, I guess, I have travelled solo enough to be okay with the whole thing. It still takes away from the communal experience of a holiday with friends, so I’m still wondering many cents I should subtract from each mile for that 🤔
Maybe I wouldn’t have to take a holiday if I didn’t try to calculate everything like this *throws martini glass on the ground… the glass cup doesn’t break*
Keep up to date on the best cashback/mile cards, financial products, attractive deals, and more tips to maximise your financial wellbeing by subscribing to my Telegram channel.
Subscribe to the channel, then join the group chat. You would often benefit from the tips shared exclusively in the group chat!
Disclaimer: I may receive an affiliate/referral fee when you sign up for services/products on this site, and such fees keep the site running. I would only recommend services/products I would personally use or recommend to my own friends and family, but I do not provide any warranty or guarantee for the quality of these services/products. Thank you for supporting my site!
Please exercise due diligence when signing up for any service/product as I will not be liable for any personal loss, financial or otherwise. Content published here are my sole views and personal opnion, and none of the information here constitutes personal financial advice nor represents the views of my employer(s).