Transfer of AMEX points-Singapore or Delta?
 

Hi all, I'm having a bit of a breakdown here and I need some advice! Please??? I have 135,000 Amex membership rewards points to transfer. Hubby and I are toying with Bali or Phuket, so here are some options:

1. Transfer them to Delta because we had signed up for a special promotion so that if we transfer them by 7/31, we'll get a 20% bonus from Delta. We already have almost 40,000 Delta miles, so with the bonus, it would give us approximately 200,000 miles.

2. Transfer them to Singapore Airlines. If I book online, Singapore gives a 15% discount. I've done some general searches on their website and their availability looks pretty good. One problem with this is that I'd need a connecting flight from OKC to either JFK or LAX.

To complicate things further, I might be able to snag a Singapore flight through Delta.

I can't call Delta yet because we're not traveling until the end of next August.

I'm leaning toward transferring them to Delta with the thought that if we change our minds about the destination, we'd still have quite a few options, and I like the idea of having the larger block of miles.

Any thoughts? Thanks in advance for any input!
H

Tranferring them to Singapore will give you access to better award availability on Singapore operated flights vs using Delta Skymiles to redeem an award on Singapore. Be aware that in either case, you'll be charged hefty fuel surcharges. Not so bad if you're flying business/first, but can be a good chunk of the ticket price if you're flying in coach. Singapore charges these fuel surcharges on all award redemptions so it doesn't matter what airline you fly. For redemptions other than on Singapore, Delta will start adding fuel surcharges effective August 15th ($50 for intl itineraries originating in US/Canada).

You mentioned that you thought transferring to Delta would give you more options if you changed your mind about your destination - that would be important to me.... I think either option is fine, but if there is any chance you might want to use those miles for a different destination, I'd move them to the carrier that gives you the most flexibility.....

Either program will give you plenty of options. Singapore gives you access to Star Alliance and Delta to Skyteam plus each has a few non-alliance partners. For me, the deal breaker would probably be the very high fuel surcharge Singapore charges on awards particularly if you're thinking of redeeming coach, but if you'll definitely be flying on Singapore, then it doesn't matter because Delta will charge about the same. But for all other redemptions, the Delta $50 fuel surcharge will be far less than what you'd pay through Singapore.

Thanks Patty & Debi, I got busy yesterday and couldn't check back.

I have to admit, I hadn't thought about the fuel surcharge issues, but that probably wouldn't be a deal breaker.

In the end, the bonus miles for the transfer to Delta, combined with the fact that I already have almost 40,000 miles on Delta made me choose them.

I kept thinking that I could end up with 200,000 on Delta OR I'd end up with 135,000 on Singapore and 40,000 on Delta.

With all my miles in one place, I might even be able to swing business class one way and coach the other.

Thanks again for your thoughts!
H

phieaglefan
"With all my miles in one place, I might even be able to swing business class one way and coach the other."

Unfortunately it does not work that way. It is either business or economy round trip. They would charge you the same # of points for business one way as round trip - so might as well go business RT.

I agree with Paulchili...you can either have coach or business class service both ways but not a different class each way. If you heard that people can do business class one way, they probably are trying to upgrade one way.

I believe BA has one way awards - that doesn't apply to you.
I am not aware of any other airline that does have one way awards, but I am not certain. You may check with Delta/Singapore.

Delta allows mixing class of service as well as mixing award levels (Skysaver/Skychoice) on one award.

If the OP can find Skysaver coach one way and Skysaver business one way, a US-Asia award would cost 90,000 miles (half of the coach rt + half of the business rt). However, this must be on the Delta/Multi-airline award which is valid on any combination of the following carriers:

* Delta
* Aeroflot
* Aeromexico
* AirEuropa
* Air France
* Alaska Airlines

* Alitalia
* Avianca
* China Southern
* Continental Airlines
* Copa Airlines
* CSA Czech Airlines

* Hawaiian Airlines
* KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
* Kenya Airways
* Korean Air
* Northwest Airlines

The Singapore partner award is a completely different award and you can't mix and match class of service or use any other carriers except Delta for any domestic segments to get to the Singapore gateways.

That is great in terms of flexibility but poor return.
AA business RT to Asia 1 is 90,000 before Oct 1( 100,000 after) and Asia 2 is 110,000 (stays same). Sure beats business/economy combination on a long trip like that for same miles (or just a few more).

Different programs have different strengths and weaknesses. DL US-Africa business is 120K RT. AA All Partner US-Africa business is 150K RT (I haven't included Oneworld awards but in any case since I'm on the west coast, it would still be higher). By using DL miles for my all of my Africa awards going back to 2005, I've saved 300K miles.

OTOH if I wanted to go to the South Pacific, I'd definitely look at AA first.

For the OP: BTW I wouldn't be surprised at all if the option to redeem on Singapore through Delta goes away anytime without advance notice.

Thanks for everyones replies. I remembered that Delta does let you mix coach & business, so I was surprised to hear others don't. It seems like an advantage, and not necessarily one that costs the airline much, if anything.

Patty, I'm trying not to count on anything! Of course Delta would announce a raise in mileage requirements for alot of it's awards just after I transferred all of those points to Delta Skymiles.

Now I'm wondering if I should try to book at the end of August before the new levels go into effect. Originally was planning to travel at the end of next August and therefore start looking at booking at the end of this September.

Any thoughts?

Thanks again,
H

Generally speaking you can change the dates of award travel without penalty (at least on AA, as long as the itinerary is the same). Thus if you know exactly where you want to go, you can book towards the end of August and then just change the dates a month later. I am not sure if they would charge you more points if the requirenment goes up, or let you book at same point level you booked originally.
Just a thought.

Delta charges $100 per ticket for date changes (waived for Platinum Medallions).

The "saver/discounted" award level for US-Asia is not going up, but there will be new "expanded" and "last seat" levels (formerly there was only Skysaver and Skychoice). The expanded and last seat levels apply to Delta operated flights only. Partner flights will continue to only be available at the lowest mileage level (just like Skychoice is only available on Delta operated flights now).

For redemptions on partner flights, I don't see much changing. For redemptions on Delta flights, it depends on how they're going to allocate seats between the 3 levels.

Of course, that's just my take and who knows what will happen when they implement it.