How We Flew Singapore Airlines Business & First Class for $233

Singapore Airlines consistently ranks as one of the best airlines in the world — and their SilverKris Lounge is the stuff of legends. After a vacation in Singapore and Malaysia, we knew we had to fly home in style. This is exactly how we booked a multi-leg Business Class and First Class journey from Singapore all the way to Los Angeles for just $233 out of pocket, using points.

Cash Back vs. Points — Why We Always Choose Points

Every travel rewards card gives you a choice: cash back or points. We always choose points. Premium travel cards like the Amex Platinum, Chase Sapphire Reserve, and Capital One Venture X let you accumulate flexible points that transfer directly to airline partners — including Singapore Airlines' KrisFlyer program. The math simply doesn't work in favor of cash back when you're targeting premium cabin flights.

Step 1 — Transfer Your Amex Points to KrisFlyer

Most major flexible points currencies — Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Capital One Miles, and Citi ThankYou Points — transfer to KrisFlyer at a 1:1 ratio. Here's how to do it with Amex:

1. 1Log in to your American Express account.
2. 2Click Rewards and Benefits → Ready to Redeem → Transfer Points.
3. 3Click View All to browse airline and hotel transfer partners.
4. 4Select Singapore Airlines — you'll see the 1:1 ratio confirmed.
5. 5Enter the number of points to transfer and click Review Transfer.
6. 6Confirm your details and hit Submit.

Step 2 — Search for Award Availability

Once your miles are in KrisFlyer, head to singaporeair.com and select Redeem Flights instead of Book Flights. Enter your route, travel dates, and preferred cabin class, then hit Search.

• Look for "Saver" award tiers — these have confirmed availability and the best redemption rates.
• Avoid flights labeled "Waitlist" — Singapore Airlines rarely clears these before departure.
• Use the weekly calendar view to scan multiple dates at once for open award seats.

Our Actual Booking: Singapore → Tokyo → Los Angeles

Leg 1 — Singapore (SIN) → Tokyo Narita (NRT) · Business Class

• Award type: Saver (confirmed, no waitlist)
• Cost: 52,000 KrisFlyer miles + ~$48 in taxes and fees per person

Leg 2 — Tokyo Narita (NRT) → Los Angeles (LAX) · First Class

We initially booked Business Class Advantage Awards at 123,000 miles + $43 per person. A few days before departure, First Class availability opened on a flight one day later — so we extended our Tokyo stay by a night and upgraded.

• Rebooking fee: $24 USD per person
• Business Class total for two: 246,000 miles → First Class total for two: 241,000 miles (saved 5,000 miles)
• Net upgrade cost: ~$50 more out of pocket after accounting for what we'd already paid

The Math: Cents Per Point

A CPP of 6¢ is exceptional. Most travel hackers consider anything above 1.5¢ a solid redemption. Singapore Airlines First Class and Suites are among the few ways to consistently hit 4–6¢+ CPP — which is exactly why flexible transferable points beat cash back for frequent travelers.

If you want to start earning transferable points, use our Find a Card tool or browse cards by category to find the right one for your spending.