How does the waitlist for award flights function in Singapore Airlines' KrisFlyer program?

Singapore Airlines is renowned for offering some of the finest seating and service globally, with exceptional onboard products that span from economy to opulent first-class Suites.

However, booking award seats in these premium classes can be quite difficult, as the airline generally doesn't make these awards available to most Star Alliance partners, including United MileagePlus.

Yet, don't lose hope if you can’t locate award availability on your desired dates and flights through Singapore Airlines' KrisFlyer loyalty program. We’ll explore a distinctive method to access KrisFlyer awards through its waitlist system.

How does the waitlist system work with Singapore Airlines?

As mentioned earlier, Singapore Airlines does not offer long-haul business or first-class award seats to the loyalty programs of most Star Alliance partners, with the exception of the Air Canada Aeroplan program.

Through its KrisFlyer program, award seats—whether at the lower Saver level or the higher Advantage level—are limited and can be hard to find during peak travel times.

However, KrisFlyer offers a distinctive option that lets you join a waitlist for your desired seats. The airline will only charge you if seats open up and your reservation is confirmed, similar to flying standby but with a chance of prior approval.

When considering the waitlist option, there are a few key guidelines to follow. Firstly, ensure you have the required miles in your account prior to making a waitlist request. Additionally, your request must be submitted at least 21 days before your flight, and you should be cleared from the waitlist at least 14 days before departure.

How to begin your waitlist request

Fortunately, the steps to join a flight waitlist are relatively simple. Begin by creating a KrisFlyer account, logging in, and searching for the flight(s) you’re interested in.

Keep in mind that waitlisting is available solely for flights operated by Singapore Airlines, and not for those managed by Star Alliance partners like United Airlines, Lufthansa, or Air Canada. When you search for an award, results will be shown at the Saver and Advantage mileage levels as "Available," "Waitlist," or "Not Available."

For instance, consider a trip from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Singapore Changi Airport (SIN). In this scenario, Saver and Advantage awards are exclusively available through a waitlist request.

If you notice a date on the calendar with a fare but no waitlist indication (like March 9, 2025), you can secure a seat immediately for the listed price without needing to waitlist.

To be placed on the waitlist, you need a minimum of 107,000 KrisFlyer miles in your account. This poses a challenge for those who intend to transfer points from a flexible points program.

These transfers are generally irreversible, meaning if your waitlisted segment doesn’t clear, you’ll end up with a balance in the KrisFlyer program that cannot be transferred to other airlines or hotels later. While some strategies mentioned below may help mitigate this risk, there's no assurance that you'll clear the waitlist.

After joining a waitlist, you will receive an email alerting you if your award is cleared. However, this does not guarantee that your award will be ticketed; it simply means you have the option to call and ticket it or choose not to, perhaps because you've booked another flight in the meantime.

Upon receiving an email that your waitlist request has been successful, you will be given a ticketing deadline of approximately 24 hours. If you fail to book within that timeframe, you will lose the opportunity to ticket the award.

Tips to enhance your chances on the Singapore Airlines waitlist

Now that you understand how to get on the waitlist, what can you do to boost the likelihood of your award being confirmed? While there are no guarantees, here are some strategies to consider:

• Make your reservations early. Since awards can clear at any time, those who secure bookings in advance will have the highest chance of their awards being confirmed. Additionally, early bookings position you ahead of others vying for the same flight, though keep in mind that higher-status passengers may take priority.
• Waitlist for several flights. While you must have enough miles in your account to ticket any flight on your waitlist, Singapore Airlines permits you to waitlist multiple awards even if you only have enough miles for the most expensive option. If there are several flights available to your destination on a given day, such as the example from Los Angeles, you can waitlist for multiple options simultaneously.
• Steer clear of busy travel periods. Waitlisted awards are more likely to clear if Singapore's revenue management team assesses that the seat is less likely to be sold. In simpler terms, your chances improve when you select dates that aren’t in high demand, such as weekdays or times outside of major holidays at both your departure location and Singapore.
• Secure confirmed awards as a backup. For many travelers, relying solely on a waitlisted flight can be stressful, as it leaves your plans contingent on the airline’s revenue management decisions, potentially leaving you without confirmed travel arrangements until two weeks before your flight. To mitigate this, consider booking a backup flight. This could be in a lower service class or with a less preferred airline, but if it’s a cancelable confirmed award for a nominal fee, you can enjoy the security of a definite travel plan while still having the option to "upgrade" your booking for a small change or cancellation fee if your waitlist clears.
• Maintain KrisFlyer elite status. While there are no guarantees that an elite status member will have their waitlist cleared, and Singapore Airlines doesn’t reveal the order in which requests are approved or declined, having elite status in the KrisFlyer program, like Solitaire PPS Club, typically improves your chances compared to members without any status.

Ways to accumulate Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles

KrisFlyer collaborates with several prominent transferable rewards programs, including:

• American Express Membership Rewards: 1:1 transfer ratio
• Capital One miles: 1:1 transfer ratio
• Citi ThankYou Rewards: 1:1 transfer ratio
• Chase Ultimate Rewards: 1:1 transfer ratio
• Marriott Bonvoy: 3:1 transfer ratio, plus a bonus of 5,000 miles for every 60,000 points transferred

One of the simplest ways to earn KrisFlyer miles is by accumulating transferable rewards through these programs and transferring them to Singapore Airlines. However, keep in mind that transfers to KrisFlyer are permanent, meaning you won’t be able to revert them back to your credit card program if your waitlist doesn’t clear.

Top credit cards for earning Singapore KrisFlyer miles

The following credit cards currently provide attractive welcome bonuses that can be easily converted into KrisFlyer miles:

• American Express® Gold Card
• The Platinum Card® from American Express
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
• Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

In conclusion

If you've ever fantasized about enjoying a premium-class long-haul award flight with Singapore Airlines, you’ll almost certainly need to utilize the airline's KrisFlyer program. This can be tricky due to the high demand for these excellent offerings and the limited award availability that Singapore provides.

Nonetheless, if you have a collection of transferable credit card points and are feeling fortunate, Singapore's waitlist program can help make those awards more attainable.