Got an American Express card like *amex platinum* or the *amex gold*? You might be able to get a 20% bonus when transferring Amex Membership Rewards points to Singapore Airlines!
This is one of the first transfer bonuses we've ever seen to Singapore and its KrisFlyer mileage program, period. But not everyone will see it: While it's fairly widely available to Amex cardholders, it's still a targeted transfer bonus.
If you're eligible, this transfer bonus will last through Dec. 31 … or perhaps end even sooner: American Express notes it will only be available “while supplies last.”
Read our guide on Amex transfer partners and how it works!
Transfer bonuses like this one are great – they're essentially free airline miles and a great way to get even more value out of your credit card points. And a bonus to Singapore ca be incredibly lucrative: It means you need fewer points to book roundtrip flights to Singapore (SIN) in economy, cheaper Singapore Airlines business class redemptions to Southeast Asia and Japan or even Europe, and a way to get to Hawaii and back for just 20,000 Amex points.
But while you may be tempted to cash in immediately, remember: These transfers are a one-way street – once you send points to Singapore, you can't get them back to your Amex account. That means you shouldn't transfer points to the KrisFlyer program (or any airline) until you know the flights you want to book are available.
Should You Transfer Points to Singapore?
How far does an extra 20% bonus really get you with Singapore Airlines?
On one hand, a 20% bonus is relatively meager compared to the bonuses of 30% or more we regularly see from Amex to many airlines. On the other hand, any bonus is better than the standard 1:1 transfer ratio you typically get sending Amex points to Singapore. And this is the first time we've seen a transfer bonus from Amex to Singapore, aside from a quirky 2020 promotion that Singapore Airlines itself launched with all the big credit card companies.
With a 20% bonus, transferring 68,000 Amex points would net you a bonus of 13,600 Singapore miles for a total of 81,600 miles. Those numbers aren't random…
That's enough to book a one-way in business class on either of Singapore's fifth-freedom routes to Europe: New York City (JFK) to Frankfurt (FRA) or Houston-Intercontinental (IAH) to Manchester (MAN).
One thing to keep in mind: Singapore Airlines miles expire after three years … and there's no way to reset that clock. So with Singapore in particular, you should never transfer points unless you've already decided what you're going to book with them.
Remember: Transfers are a one-way street. Once you send your Amex points to Singapore, you can't get them back. That means you'll want to take a hard look at award availability and ensure the flights you want to book are available before taking advantage of this bonus.
Keep tabs on all the ongoing credit card transfer bonuses!
How to Maximize This Singapore Transfer Bonus
There are plenty of potentially great ways to put this transfer bonus to use.
First & Biz Class to Asia or Europe
Using Singapore's own KrisFlyer miles is one of the only ways to book Singapore business class seats – and especially Singapore first class suites, which are easily the biggest among the best in the world.
Singapore is no longer flying its Airbus A380s equipped with these massive suites to the U.S. If it ever resumes flying between New York and Frankfurt, you can book that route for 97,000 Singapore miles each way – just 81,000 Amex points with a 20% bonus!
But Singapore business class is great, too. And this transfer bonus makes it much more affordable.
Read our full review of Singapore Airlines business class from Singapore (SIN) to Los Angeles (LAX)!
There are many routes you can save on a big business class redemption with this transfer bonus. For example, you can book:
- The longest flight in the world from New York (EWR) to Singapore (SIN) for 111,500 miles – or with this bonus, you'd need to transfer just 93,000 Amex points.
- Shorter flights from Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), or Seattle (SEA) to Singapore (SIN) cost 107,000 miles, so transferring 90,000 Amex points is all you need.
- Singapore also flies nonstop between Los Angeles (LAX) and Tokyo-Narita (NRT), a route you can book for 103,500 miles – just 87,000 Amex points with this 20% bonus.
- It's also one of the coolest ways to get to Europe, with nonstop flights to both Manchester (MAN) and Frankfurt. Both routes cost 81,000 miles each way in business class, meaning 68,000 points is all you need to transfer after factoring in this bonus.
Economy to Singapore for Less
If you don't have the points or appetite for a premium cabin redemption, Singapore's economy seats are among the best in the world. And Singapore miles are also useful for roundtrips in economy.
You could travel to Singapore and back from the East Coast with Amex points to spare: At just 88,000 miles for a roundtrip flight to Southeast Asia, you'll need to transfer only 74,000 Amex points.
Flights to Hawaii for 20K RT!
Oddly, Singapore miles are also one of the best ways to book flights to Hawaii using points.
You can use Singapore miles to fly Alaska Airlines from the mainland U.S. to all four Hawaiian airlines … and it costs just 24,000 miles roundtrip, or just 20,000 points with this transfer bonus. That's less than what many airlines charge for a one-way flight.
You’ll need to book a nonstop flight to get these low rates, so you may need to book a connecting flight. Alaska only flies direct to the Hawaiian islands from West Coast airports like Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), Seattle (SEA), San Diego (SAN), and Portland (PDX).
But it works whether you’re flying to the Big Island (KOA), Maui (OGG), Honolulu (HNL), or Kauai (LIH). Unfortunately, you have to call Singapore's booking line – at 1 (833) 727-0118 – as these flights aren't bookable online. But for the savings, it could be worth the extra work.
Bottom Line
Any transfer bonus is always welcome news. And while this 20% bonus when transferring Amex points to Singapore isn't quite a home run for everyone since it's a targeted promotion, it seems to be fairly widely available.
If you're one of the lucky ones, don't wait too long. This 20% transfer bonus from Amex to Singapore will end Dec. 31 … if not sooner.