ScottB asks,

Questions about two different trips with different airlines’ miles, Gary:
1. If I use SQ Krisflyer miles to fly F from the U.S. to Singapore, (a) is a free stop permitted in Hong Kong?; and (b) is a flight(s) on UA to a SQ U.S. hub included in the award price, and, if so, in F or Y?

2. If I use AA AAdvantage miles to fly F on Etihad to India, (a) I don’t think American permits a free stop in the UAE — how many additional miles are required to stop there either outbound or inbound?; and (b) is a flight(s) on AA to an EY U.S. hub included in the award price, and, if so, in F or Y?
Thanks for your help with these questions.

Singapore Airlines has what in many ways is a great mileage program. You can get Singapore Airlines Krisflyer miles transferred in from American Express, Chase, Starwood, and Citi ThankYou Rewards. So they’re easy points to get.

Singapore does add fuel surcharges onto award tickets when they apply to paid tickets, but their award chart for many destinations is quite reasonable.

Singapore Airlines First Class, Boeing 777-300ER

Booking Stopovers on Singapore Airlines Awards

Singapore Airlines allows one free stopover on a roundtrip award. They do not allow a free stopover on a one-way award.

However you can book a stopover on a one-way award for an extra $100 fee. You cannot do this on the Singapore Airlines website, you have to call. Since you’re calling, you do not automatically get the 15% online redemption discount in the number of miles your award costs, though you can ask for it.

Including Partner Airlines on a Singapore Airlines Award

If you’re booking an award that includes a United domestic flight to connect to the Singapore Airlines flight as part of your itinerary, then you can’t book online anyway and you do not get that 15% online redemption discount. Only Singapore Airlines flights can be booked online using the Singapore website.

Once you forego the online redemption discount, yes, you can include a United flight as part of the award in the same class of service booked (so United first class if it’s a Singapore Airlines business or first class award).

Booking Stopovers Using American Airlines Miles

American does not offer free stopovers on award tickets. All of their awards are priced one-way. So if you fly from the US to Middle East that’s 90,000 miles in first class.

Then after you stop in Abu Dhabi (I advise you to end the reservation, and make it your destination rather than a stopvoer, so that Etihad will give you complimentary car service on arrival to anywhere in the UAE) you have another one-way award to your final destination.

Etihad Car Service, Abu Dhabi

• Business class is 25,000 one-way within the region (Middle East and India are part of the same region)
  
• And it’s 35,000 miles one-way for first class

Domestic Connections on American Airlines Awards Are “Free” (Usually)

Booking a domestic connection to get to your Etihad international flight will generally be included in the price of your award, the only difference will be some extra airport taxes.

And they’ll be included in the class of service of your international award. So if you’re flying Etihad business or first class, your domestic American flight can be in business or first class if available.

For example, if you’re flying Austin – Chicago – Abu Dhabi with Chicago – Abu Dhabi in business class, Austin – Chicago can be booked in American’s domestic first class for no additional miles.

The only caveat here — read my “Ultimate Guide to Booking Award Tickets Using American Miles” — is that Etihad has to publish a fare between your origin and destination to get all of the flights included as a single award. Now, they do publish fares from most American destinations to most of their destinations these days. That wasn’t always the case – early on during their partnership most US cities didn’t have published Etihad routings to the Maldives, and so the US domestic flight would cost additional miles.