A good redemption option for flights inside South America using Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles

Here is a good redemption option for flights inside South America.

Regular readers will know that I am very keen on the little known Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer redemption between the UK and Dubai.  You can book Business Class flights on Lufthansa or SWISS for just 50,000 miles return compared to 120,000 Avios on a peak date.

We covered some other Singapore Airlines sweet spots in this article.

With KrisFlyer being a 1:1 American Express Membership Rewards partner, it isn’t too tricky to get the miles.  We are doing this very trip next week on SWISS and I will report back.

Reader Steve dropped me a note about another good value Singapore Airlines redemption.  Flights within South America are just 40,000 miles return in Business Class (20,000 miles one-way).

You can confirm this on the KrisFlyer Star Alliance redemption chart here.

Steve booked a flight from Rio de Janeiro to Santa Marta in Colombia.  The first leg to Bogota was on an Avianca A330 with a flat bed for the six hour flight.  He then transferred to a one-hour short haul business class service from Bogota to Santa Marta.  The total cost was just 20,000 miles plus $30 tax for the one-way trip in Business Class.

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How to earn Star Alliance miles from UK credit cards (April 2025)

None of the Star Alliance airlines currently have a UK credit card.

There is, however, still a way to earn Star Alliance miles from a UK credit card. 

The route is via Marriott Bonvoy. Marriott Bonvoy hotel loyalty points convert to over 40 airlines at the rate of 3:1.

The best way to earn Marriott Bonvoy points is via the official Marriott Bonvoy American Express card. It comes with 20,000 points for signing up and 2 points for every £1 you spend. At 2 Bonvoy points per £1, you are earning (at 3:1) 0.66 airline miles per £1 spent on the card.

There is a preferential conversion rate to United Airlines – which is a Star Alliance member – of 2 : 1 if you convert 60,000 Bonvoy points at once.

The Star Alliance members which are Marriott Bonvoy transfer partners are: Aegean, Air Canada, Air China, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Avianca, Copa Airlines, Singapore Airlines, TAP Air Portugal, Thai Airways, Turkish Airlines and United Airlines.

You can apply here.

Marriott Bonvoy American Express

20,000 points for signing up and 15 elite night credits each year Read our full review