Use This Trick and Save Miles on Domestic Tickets, Including Hawaii!

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Did you know there’s a way to use your Starwood points to get cheap award flights within the US, even to Hawaii?

When you transfer Starwood points to Singapore Airlines, you can book certain award flights on United Airlines for fewer miles!  Because Singapore Airlines and United Airlines are Star Alliance partners, and have access to each other’s award seats.  And sometimes they charge different amounts for the exact same routes!

This is a great trick to know, especially given the increased sign-up bonus on the AMEX Starwood cards.  Because you can earn enough for a round-trip coach ticket to Hawaii!

Starwood Points For Domestic Flights
Through April 5, 2017, the Sign-Up Bonus on Either the Personal or Small Business Version of the AMEX Starwood Card Is Enough for a Free Round-Trip Coach Ticket to Hawaii!

I’ll show you the best deals when using your Starwood points for domestic flights.  And explain how many miles you can save!

About the AMEX Starwood Cards

Link:   Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express

Link:   Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express

Link:   My Review of the 35,000 Point AMEX Starwood Card Offer

Link:   How to Fill Out an American Express Business Card Application

Link:   How to Use Starwood Points

Through April 5, 2017, you can earn a total of 35,000 Starwood points on the personal and small business versions of the Starwood Preferred Guest American Express cards after meeting tiered minimum spending requirements.

You’ll also get perks like:

Plus, the $95 annual fee is waived the first year on both cards!

Remember, AMEX will only give you the sign-up bonus for each card ONCE per lifetime, with this possible exception.

With these great sign-up bonuses, you can get Starwood hotel stays or transfer them to 30+ airline partners.

Cheaper US Flights on United Airlines With Singapore Airlines Miles

Link:   Singapore Airlines Award Chart  

Link:   United Airlines Award Chart

For every 20,000 Starwood points you transfer to airline partners, you’ll get 5,000 bonus miles.

And because Singapore Airlines is part of the Star Alliance, along with United Airlines, you can sometimes book United Airlines award flights with Singapore Airlines miles for less than United Airlines charges.

Starwood Points For Domestic Flights
You Book Award Flights on Star Alliance Partners, Including United Airlines, With Singapore Airlines Miles. And Save Miles on Business and First Class Tickets!

Using United Airlines miles within North America (including mainland US and Canada) for United Airlines award flights, you’ll pay:

  • 25,000 United Airlines miles for a round-trip coach award flight
  • 50,000 United Airlines miles for a round-trip Business Class award flight
  • 70,000 United Airlines miles for a round-trip First Class award flight

With Singapore Airlines miles, you’ll only pay:

  • 25,000 Singapore Airlines miles for a round-trip coach award flight
  • 40,000 Singapore Airlines miles for a round-trip Business Class award flight
  • 60,000 Singapore Airlines miles for a round-trip First Class award flight

So round-trip coach award on United Airlines cost the same with both United Airlines miles and Singapore Airlines miles.  But using United Airlines miles for Business or First Class tickets, you’d pay 10,000 miles MORE for the same flights.

Starwood Points For Domestic Flights
United Airlines Charges 50,000 Miles Round-Trip From Chicago to Newark in Business Class. But You Can Book the Same Flights With Singapore Airlines Miles for 10,000 Fewer Miles!

For example, I found a decent number of Business Class award seats from between New York and Charleston, South Carolina, through the end of July 2017.

Starwood Points For Domestic Flights
Downtown Charleston Is Known for Its Old Architecture and Historic Charm
If you want to experience Charleston’s southern charm, you can transfer Starwood points to Singapore Airlines miles to get a discount on your flight!  You can get the same price on any Business Class award flights within the continental US, Alaska, or Canada!

Just remember, do NOT transfer your Starwood points directly to United Airlines because they have a 2:1 transfer ratio.  So it’s not a good use of your points!

Use Fewer Miles to Hawaii!

When you’re planning a trip to a popular spot like Hawaii, it’s especially great when you can save miles!

Using United Airlines miles to Hawaii, you’ll pay:

  • 45,000 United Airlines miles for a round-trip coach award flight
  • 80,000 United Airlines miles for a round-trip Business Class award flight
  • 100,000 United Airlines miles for a round-trip First Class award flight

With Singapore Airlines miles, you’ll pay:

  • 35,000 Singapore Airlines miles for a round-trip coach award flight
  • 60,000 Singapore Airlines miles for a round-trip Business Class award flight
  • 80,000 Singapore Airlines miles for a round-trip First Class award flight

So the exact same United Airlines flights will cost fewer miles with Singapore Airlines!

You’ll save 10,000 miles on coach tickets (45,000 miles – 35,000 miles).  And 20,000 miles when you fly First or Business Class!

Those miles can really add up, especially if you’re booking more than one flight!

Plus, United Airlines charges low taxes and fees, usually ~$11 per person for a round-trip award flight.

How to Book Singapore Airlines Award Flights

Link:   Starwood Points Transfer to Airline Miles

1.   Transfer from Starwood Points to Singapore Airlines Miles

First, log-in to your Starwood account, then select the drop-down menu under your name, and click “Redeem Starpoints” under “Starpoints & Awards.”

Starwood Points For Domestic Flights
After You Log-In, Select “Redeem Starpoints”

Then select the “Travel” button.

Starwood Points For Domestic Flights
Click “Travel” and You’ll See All the Ways You Can Redeem Starwood Points for Travel

From there you’ll see the option to “Transfer Air Miles.”

Starwood Points For Domestic Flights
Choose “Transfer Air Miles”

Click the “Transfer Starpoints to Air Miles” link.

Starwood Points For Domestic Flights
Then Select “Transfer Starpoints to Air Miles”

When you click “Transfer Starpoints to Air Miles,” a pop-up will appear that allows you to select the airline you want to transfer your Starwood points to.  You’ll have to enter your frequent flyer number and the number of Starwood points you want to move.

Then click “GO!”

Starwood Points For Domestic Flights
Note: Starwood Points Don’t Transfer to EVERY Airline at a 1:1 Ratio!

Here are a minimum number of Starwood points you can transfer, depending on your elite status level with Starwood:

  • Starwood Platinum members do NOT have a minimum requirement with most airlines
  • Starwood Gold members have a minimum transfer requirement of 1,500 Starwood points
  • Regular members have a minimum transfer requirement of 2,500 Starwood points

And it takes ~1 to ~2 weeks for your transfer request to complete.  So this is NOT a good way to book last-minute flights.

2.   Call Singapore Airlines to Book United Airlines Flights

Link:   How to Use ExpertFlyer

After the transfer is completed, find saver award seats on United.com and write down the flights you want.  Then call Singapore Airlines at 800-742-3333 to book.

Remember, you can use ExpertFlyer to alert you when there’s an award seat available so you don’t have to remember to check!

How to Use Your Starwood Card Sign-Up Bonus to Get to Hawaii

It costs only 35,000 Singapore Airlines miles to get to Hawaii in coach, round-trip.

So the current 35,000 Starwood point sign-up bonus from both the personal and small business AMEX Starwood card is more than enough for a free coach ticket to Hawaii! 

Because you’ll get a 5,000 mile bonus when you transfer 20,000+ Starwood points to one of their airline partners.

So when you transfer 30,000 of your Starwood points over to Singapore Airlines, you’ll find 35,000 Singapore Airlines miles in your account!

Starwood Points For Domestic Flights
Use Your Starwood Points to Enjoy Hawaii’s Beaches Like Emily Did!

And you’ll still have 5,000 Starwood points left in your Starwood account.

If you want a Business Class flight to Hawaii (that costs 60,000 Singapore Airlines miles), you could apply for both the personal and small business Starwood cards.

Or, you could convince a friend or family member to share their Starwood points.  Because it never hurts to ask. 😉

And don’t forget,  you can move points from the other transferable points programs to Singapore Airlines at a 1:1 ratio.  Including American Express Membership RewardsChase Ultimate Rewards, and Citi ThankYou points.

You can even earn Singapore Airlines miles when you take JetBlue flights!

Use Starwood Points for Flights With NO Blackout Dates

Need flexibility in your travel plans?  Book any airline you want on any date through SPG Flights.

But remember, you can likely get more value by using Starwood points for Cash & Points stays or with the 5th award night free perk.

That’s because you might pay more Starwood points for your flights than if you transfer to a partner airline.  So be sure to check the cost of your flights and do what’s best for you!

And don’t forget, you can also transfer Starwood points to other airlines for domestic award flights, like American Airlines, British Airways, or Delta.

Bottom Line

You can transfer Starwood points to Singapore Airlines to save miles on United Airlines flights.  Because sometimes, you’ll pay fewer miles than United Airlines charges for the same flights!

And with the limited-time 35,000 point sign-up bonus on the AMEX Starwood cards, you can earn enough points for a free round-trip coach ticket to Hawaii!

You’ll save 10,000 miles on domestic First or Business Class round-trip flights.  And when you fly to Hawaii, you’ll save 10,000 miles on a coach award flight, and 20,000 miles for First and Business class.

If you’re booking multiple award tickets, that can really add up!

Have you booked United Airlines flights with Singapore Airlines miles?  Let me know in the comments!

Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)

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