KrisFlyer Now Requires 1,000 Miles in Your Account to Search Award Space

Singapore Airlines has implemented a new requirement for its KrisFlyer loyalty program: members must hold a minimum of 1,000 miles in their account to search for award availability on the airline's website. The change took effect on July 21, 2026, though reports indicate a staged rollout. Previously, anyone could create a free KrisFlyer account and immediately search for award space across Singapore Airlines and Star Alliance partners without holding any miles. Under the new rule, accounts with fewer than 1,000 miles will see an error message stating their balance is insufficient for flight redemption searches. The website will instead direct these users to the Flight Recommender tool, which provides a rough overview rather than date-by-date availability. The threshold applies specifically to the search function, not booking; an account with just over 1,000 miles can still search for high-cost redemptions like Singapore Suites. Early reports suggest the mobile app may still allow zero-balance searches, but this loophole may not last. The move is likely aimed at reducing server load from automated award-scraping tools and bots, which previously could create unlimited free accounts to query availability. By requiring a real balance, Singapore Airlines makes it costlier for scrapers to maintain active accounts. For frequent fliers, particularly those in Canada who use KrisFlyer to scout Star Alliance saver space for Aeroplan redemptions, this means maintaining a small balance or transferring points to access the search tool