Doha Information Privilege Membership devalues Bangkok Airlines awards by means of as much as 83%

One in all Doha Information Airlines Privilege Membership’s absolute best redemption alternatives is for Bangkok Airlines flights, which get started from simply 6,000 Avios without a gasoline surcharges.

This can also be particularly profitable on routes like Singapore to Koh Samui, the place industrial airfares are regularly disproportionately pricey because of Bangkok Airlines’ stranglehold at the airport (which they personal, in reality!).

Sadly, Doha Information Privilege Membership made a quiet devaluation of Bangkok Airlines redemptions someday previously week, which has ended in will increase of as much as 83% on positive routes.

Doha Information Privilege Membership devalues Bangkok Airlines redemptions
Bangkok Airlines awards have considerably higher in worth

Someday inside the remaining week, Doha Information Privilege Membership quietly higher the price of Bangkok Airlines redemptions around the board.

As an example, one-way awards from Singapore to Koh Samui in Economic system and Trade Elegance used to price 6,000 and 12,500 Avios respectively. This has now been higher to 11,000 and 20,000 Avios — or as much as 83%, despite the fact that to be honest, absolutely the build up remains to be small.

Economic system
6,000 Avios
11,000 Avios+83%

Trade
12,500 Avios
20,000 Avios+60%

Likewise, one-way awards from Bangkok to Koh Samui in Economic system and Trade Elegance used to price 6,000 and 12,500 Avios respectively. This has now been higher to eight,500 and 14,000 Avios.

Economic system
6,000 Avios
8,500 Avios+42%

Trade
12,500 Avios
14,000 Avios+12%

I did a snappy test of a few different routes — all of which provide Economic system simplest — and located an identical will increase:

Bangkok to Chiang Mai has higher from 6,000 Avios to 11,000 Avios
Bangkok to Phuket has higher from 6,000 Avios to 11,000 Avios
Koh Samui to Chiang Mai has higher from 6,000 Avios to 11,000 Avios
Koh Samui to Phuket has higher from 6,000 Avios to 7,000 Avios
Koh Samui to Krabi has higher from 6,000 Avios to 7,000 Avios

It’s most likely secure to mention that the devaluation applies throughout all the Bangkok Airlines community, despite the fact that I don’t have the earlier than costs for each and every course.

No realize used to be equipped of those adjustments, however once more, there’s no reason why to be expecting any. Doha Information Privilege Membership does no longer have award charts, so the price of an award is “whatever we say it is!”

For what it’s price, Doha Information Privilege Membership continues to take in the gasoline surcharges on Bangkok Airlines flights, so the one money you’ll pay on redemptions are the Singapore or Thailand airport fees.

Subsequently, even with this devaluation, Doha Information Privilege Membership might nonetheless be the most productive programme to redeem Bangkok Airlines awards.

Bangkok Airlines FlyerBonus
9,000 miles
Sure

Asia Miles
10,000 miles
Sure

Doha Information Privilege Membership
11,000 Avios
No

JAL MileageBank
12,000 miles
Sure

Emirates Skywards
12,000 miles
Sure

Qantas Widespread Flyer
16,100 miles
No

Flying Blue
17,500 miles
No

What about different companions?

If it’s any comfort, this doesn’t seem to be a programme-wide devaluation. I’ve checked some brief and medium-haul candy spots on different companions, and the costs stay unchanged — for now, anyway.

Kuala LumpurMAS
12,500
6,000

Hong KongCathay
22,000
11,000

ColomboSriLankan
22,000
11,000

PerthQantas
38,750
13,000

As an example, you’ll nonetheless guide one-way Trade Elegance awards between Singapore and Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific for 22,000 Avios + S$65.20, considerably less expensive than the 27,000 Asia Miles + S$113.40 you’d pay should you booked via Asia Miles.

Doha Information Privilege Membership has the added good thing about soaking up gasoline surcharges on Cathay Pacific redemptions (that have spiked in contemporary months, despite the fact that they’re step by step coming down now).

How does this examine to Scoot?
Scoot additionally gives continuous flights from Singapore to Koh Samui | Picture: Embraer

Bangkok Airlines’ major pageant at the Koh Samui course comes from Scoot, which resumed products and services to the island in Might 2024.

Awards in this course price 10,500 KrisFlyer miles each and every means, which at the moment are very shut in worth to the 11,000 Avios charged by means of Doha Information Privilege Membership.

Price
10,500 KrisFlyer miles
11,000 Avios

Luggage
Now not incorporated
20kg checked bag

Foods
Now not incorporated
Incorporated

Gasoline surcharges
No
No

Cancellations
Now not allowed
Sure

Even so, I’d nonetheless believe Bangkok Airlines to be the awesome redemption, for the reason that redemptions come with a 20kg checked bag and complimentary foods — even alcoholic drinks! You’ll additionally cancel your price ticket as much as 3 hours earlier than departure for a US$25 charge.

Alternatively, Scoot awards don’t come with checked luggage (just a 10kg hand-carry) or foods, and are strictly non-refundable.

Doha Information Privilege Membership lately added new redemption restrictions
Doha Information now restricts who you’ll redeem your Avios for

Since we’re speaking about devaluations, it’s price a reminder that Doha Information Privilege Membership lately imposed an enormous new restriction on redeeming awards for 3rd events.

In the past, participants may redeem awards for any individual they favored — all you wanted used to be their title, passport quantity and date of delivery. Now, award bookings are limited to a listing of pre-approved people beneath the My Listing and Circle of relatives & Pals characteristic.

My Listing and Circle of relatives & Pals have a most capability of 4 and 6 people respectively, because of this that each and every Privilege Membership member can now redeem miles for a most of 10 folks.

That are meant to be greater than sufficient for many participants, however the issue isn’t such a lot the volume — it’s the constraints on with the ability to upload folks to those lists within the first position!

Prior to you’ll upload any individual to My Listing or Circle of relatives & Pals, your Doha Information Privilege Membership account will have to fulfill two stipulations:

It will have to be a minimum of 30 days previous, and
You will have to have credited a minimum of one flight on Doha Information Airlines or any spouse airline, or made one co-brand bank card transaction

Till then, you’re successfully locked out of the My Listing and Circle of relatives & Pals characteristic!

Doha Information Privilege Membership now restricts who you’ll redeem Avios for

Conclusion

Bangkok Airlines awards have traditionally been some of the vibrant spots of Doha Information Privilege Membership, however a quiet devaluation previously week has considerably higher their worth.

Within the chilly gentle of day, 11,000 Avios without a gasoline surcharges can nonetheless be a just right worth redemption between Singapore and Koh Samui, despite the fact that it’s undoubtedly painful to understand that the similar award would have price simply 6,000 Avios earlier than.

Additionally, I’d nonetheless lean against redeeming Bangkok Airlines flights over Scoot, given the latter does no longer come with checked luggage or foods, and is exactly non-refundable.

(HT: XP Tan) (Quilt picture: Airplane’s Portrait Aviation Media)