Sling your way to Singapore using PayRewards Points

PayRewards Points are extremely flexible – and when a trip to Singapore is on the cards, there are plenty of ways to put those points to use and get great value from the rewards they can unlock.

For instance, secure yourself a Singapore Airlines Business Class flight from just 45,000 airline miles, one-way from Australia. Or, make a strategic transfer to the PayRewards partner with the lowest co-payment charges, getting you into Business Class from just $94 in taxes and fees to Singapore, one-way.

Have your sights set on First Class? There’s even a way that you can book it for fewer points than needed for Business Class on the same flight… let’s get into it!

Fly flat for the fewest PayRewards Points

Looking to get the best value out of your PayRewards Points? We’ve checked every option to get you Business Class to Singapore on a non-stop flight. Many of our partners can take you there, but Air Canada Aeroplan does so using the fewest PayRewards Points.

From Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide non-stop to Singapore, you’ll need only 52,500 Aeroplan points to snag a one-way Business Class seat on Aeroplan’s partner Singapore Airlines. As PayRewards Points convert to Aeroplan at a 2.5:1 rate, 131,250 PayRewards Points can take you there. From Cairns, Perth and Darwin, the rate is even less.

* Cash figures above reflect Sydney and Cairns departures, as applicable. Similar charges are payable from other cities.

For Oneworld flights, Japan Airlines is a winner

Because your PayRewards Points are flexible, you’re not locked into booking with only one airline. Instead, you can move where the reward seats are, every time you fly. When those reward seats pop up on British Airways or Qantas, Japan Airlines’ Mileage Bank program wins the day.

Fly Qantas or BA Business Class for only 42,000 JAL miles – or First Class for just 65,000 JAL miles. With a 3:1 conversion rate from PayRewards Points, that’s akin to 126,000 PayRewards Points for Business Class and 195,000 PayRewards Points for First Class.

* Cash figures above reflect Sydney-Singapore on BA. Co-payments vary slightly on Qantas.
^ First Class only available on Qantas Airbus A380 flights, and on British Airways.

Premium Economy reward seats on this route aren’t generally bookable through JAL.

Keep the cash costs down on your Singapore stay

Hoping to minimise the amount paid alongside your points for a flight to Singapore? This is where Singapore Airlines’ KrisFlyer program shines. Even in Business Class and First Class, KrisFlyer only levies the genuine taxes and travel charges when booking with Singapore Airlines.

You can convert PayRewards Points into KrisFlyer miles at a 2.5:1 rate – here’s how that shapes up.

* Cash figures above reflect Sydney and Perth departures, as applicable. Similar charges are payable from other cities.
^ First Class only on selected flights from Sydney and Melbourne. The listed First Class redemption rate reflects KrisFlyer’s ‘Advantage’ seat pricing – the rate most commonly available for this cabin from Australia. Other cabins reflect ‘Saver’ seats, which are more plentiful.
~ Premium Economy only on selected flights and aircraft.

Already have United miles? They’re handy, too

If you’re starting with a balance of PayRewards Points, KrisFlyer is the sharpest path to save on co-payments. But United MileagePlus has the same advantage of no carrier charges on Singapore Airlines reward flights, so keep this move in your back pocket if you’ve already converted some PayRewards Points into United miles (it’s a 3:1 rate).

* Cash figures above reflect Sydney and Perth departures, as applicable. Similar charges are payable from other cities.

Note that United miles can’t be redeemed for Premium Economy or First Class/Suites on Singapore Airlines. Reward seat availability in Business Class is also more limited – particularly on flights from Sydney, Brisbane and Perth – compared to the options available via KrisFlyer and Aeroplan.

The best ways to book First Class

Three airlines offer First Class on flights between Australia and Singapore – British Airways, Qantas, and Singapore Airlines. To nab these seats, we’d suggest focusing on The British Airways Club, Qantas Business Rewards and KrisFlyer, respectively.

KrisFlyer is a strategic play for Singapore Airlines First Class, as these reward seats are exclusive to KrisFlyer. Just be aware that Singapore Airlines tends to release First Class and Suites only as ‘Advantage’ awards from Australia, as tabulated further above for transparency, which require more miles than standard ‘Saver’ seats.

British Airways’ program has a delightful quirk: reward seats to Singapore in First Class require fewer points than Business Class. Don’t ask us why! You can convert PayRewards Points into BA Avios at a 3:1 rate.

As for Qantas, the Roo rarely releases First Class reward seats to Singapore – largely because these flights are tied into Qantas’ onward Singapore-London service, on which First Class is in high demand with travellers paying full fare. But if you’re travelling at an off-peak time, you might just be in luck.

PayRewards Points can be converted to Qantas Business Rewards at a 2:1 rate. From there, you can convert these Qantas Points across to any personal Qantas Frequent Flyer account at a 1:1 rate.

* These cash figures reflect Sydney departures. Similar charges are payable from other cities. Premium Economy and First Class are not currently available non-stop from Brisbane or Melbourne.

Just a heads up: the Darwin-Singapore route is operated by Qantas’ Boeing 737s. These are the same single-aisle jets you’d typically expect on a route like Sydney-Melbourne, but on an international flight to Singapore.

The best ways to book Premium Economy

Premium Economy can be a great way to travel in comfort – especially on daytime flights where you’re not trying to sleep. This provides a better journey than booking Economy, without the points hit of a Business Class booking.

But Premium Economy sits in an odd corner of the frequent flyer landscape, as not every frequent flyer program can book this type of reward seat on partner airline flights. For instance, you can book Singapore Airlines Business Class and Economy Class through Aeroplan and United MileagePlus, but not Premium Economy. The same is true when spending JAL miles on British Airways – Premium Economy seats just don’t appear in JAL’s search results, in the way that the other cabin classes do.

This is where Virgin Australia’s Velocity Frequent Flyer program stands out. Velocity members have access to Premium Economy reward seats on Singapore Airlines – and with our 2:1 conversion rate from PayRewards to Virgin Australia Business Flyer (and its onward 1:1 transfer rate to any personal Velocity account), the numbers stack up nicely.

* Cash figures above reflect Sydney and Cairns departures, as applicable. Similar charges are payable from other cities.

One last option, if you’re stuck…

There’s one last way to fly up front to Singapore on points, and that’s Jetstar’s direct Melbourne-Singapore service. This flight offers Business Class, but it’s really a Premium Economy seat. Think a recliner, not a flat bed. You can book using Qantas Points.

Be mindful that if you’re a Gold or Platinum Qantas Frequent Flyer, or a Qantas Club member, Jetstar international flights are no longer eligible for Qantas lounge access from 1 July 2026. Platinum One and Chairman’s Lounge members are unaffected.

Strategies for Singapore on points

Still hunting for a reward seat to suit? Here are a few final tips to help you get onboard.

• You can also redeem KrisFlyer miles on Scoot. Flights from Australia begin at just 12,500 KrisFlyer miles one-way in Economy Class, but it’s not possible to book ScootPlus (Premium Economy) using miles.
• Search for flights from Western Sydney Airport (WSI). Singapore Airlines is launching a non-stop service to Singapore from late 2026, bringing additional opportunities for travellers spending points. These reward seats may not always appear when searching for ‘SYD’ flights – so be sure to search for ‘WSI’, too.
• Consider your wider options. We know that your time is valuable, so we’ve focused exclusively on non-stop flights for this article. But if you’re not rushed, one-stop journeys can bring more options. Flying Malaysia Airlines via Kuala Lumpur is a popular path, and one that doesn’t involve a significant geographical detour.
• Have Qantas Platinum, Platinum One or Chairman’s Lounge status? If you’re struggling to find a suitable flight, you can call and request that Qantas make one available. This only works for lightly-loaded flights (look for sale fares before calling) and is never guaranteed – but if you’re in a pinch, it never hurts to ask.

With so many ways to get to Singapore in comfort, we’re sure you’ll be devouring chilli crab and sipping on Singapore Slings very soon!

Written by Chris Chamberlin

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About the author

Chris enjoys making the most of frequent flyer points, which have taken him around the world – usually, at the front of the plane. He’s travelled over 1.5 million miles sampling the best in Business Class and First Class. That’s further than three return trips to the moon! Chris is based at Point Hacks' Melbourne office as News Editor, and shares his experiences via @chris_chamberlin on Instagram. When he’s not travelling, he enjoys tennis, keeping fit, and discovering new gins.