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Yesterday, Singapore Airlines unveiled a devaluation for award redemptions up and down its award charts. However, to make this more palatable, the airline also announced expanded ways to earn elite miles and added new “access redemptions” award tickets. Here's what to know about these recent Singapore Airlines changes.
Singapore Elite Status Earning Changes
Through the end of August 2025, you could only earn elite miles on flights operated by Singapore Airlines, Scoot, Star Alliance, and other select partner airlines. However, effective September 1, 2025, you will be able to earn elite miles on your everyday spending with the Singapore Airlines Group non-flight entities.
You will earn 1 Elite mile for every SGD1 (~US$0.78) you spend when you:
- shop and dine with Kris+ in Singapore, Melbourne, and Sydney
- make purchases through KrisShop
- book travel experiences with Pelago
If you don't already use these platforms, this change won't have a meaningful impact on your day-to-day. However, Pelago has experiences all over the world, so you don't need to travel to Singapore to earn your elite miles.
KrisFlyer Elite Silver members can earn up to 5,000 Elite miles from non-flight spend, while KrisFlyer Elite Gold members will have a cap of 10,000 Elite miles. That means you won't be able to earn elite status without setting foot on a plane. However, this will provide some flexibility and allow you to earn elite status a bit quicker (or push you over the cusp if you're almost there).
These elite miles will also count toward your KrisFlyer Milestone Rewards. KrisFlyer members and KrisFlyer Elite Silver members will have the same elite miles cap of 5,000, and KrisFlyer Elite Gold members will have the miles cap of 10,000 elite miles toward Milestone Rewards.
Related: How To Book a Free Stopover Using Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Miles
Singapore Adds Access Redemptions
Singapore Airlines appears to have acknowledged that award redemptions are scarce on popular routes. So, the airline is introducing access redemptions, which allow you to use your KrisFlyer miles to pay and secure confirmed flight tickets immediately on your preferred flights as long as there are available seats. The number of miles required will differ based on the demand for seats.
These access redemptions are in addition to any seats available for award flights. Even if award seats are fully redeemed, access redemptions allow you to pay for your flight with miles. This feature will be available starting November 1, 2025. It's unclear how much these tickets might cost, but it's an interesting proposition.
Related: Singapore Airlines Launched Fixed Award Chart for Scoot Flights
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Devaluation
As a brief reminder, here are the changes coming for flights ticketed on or after November 1, 2025:
- Business and first saver award redemption rates for Zones 1 to 9 will increase by 5%
- All cabin class saver award redemptions for flights to/from Europe and the U.S. (Zones 11 to 13) will increase by 5%
- Flights to/from Africa, the Middle East, and Turkey (Zone 10) will increase by 10 to 20%
- Advantage award rates across all zones and cabin classes (except Zone 10) will increase by 10 to 15%
- Zone 10 has its own changes: Economy Advantage rates increase by 5%, Business Advantage Rates increase by 18%, and Suites/First Advantage rates increase by 15%
The only decrease across all award redemptions is a 5% reduction in economy saver awards for flights within Asia and the South West Pacific (Zones 1 to 9).
You can read more about these changes in our article on the Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Devaluation.
Final Thoughts
Having easier ways to book award seats and reach elite status doesn't make up for the KrisFlyer devaluations entirely, but these improvements offset the pain a bit. Although we don't yet know if access redemptions will be a good value, it will be much easier to use your KrisFlyer miles. If you're working toward elite status, earning elite miles on non-flight purchases is also great news.
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