Up to 50 percent off Singgapore Airlines fares with MasterCard
Filipinos are t r ave l ing more than ever before, with the USA and Europe ranking as top destinations for long holidays, while Southeast Asian countries continue to be “hot favorites” for shorter trips.
“Singapore is one of the highly visited destinations for Filipinos, who go there for leisure, family and friends rooted there, and work,” says Carol Ong, Singapore Airlines (SQ) country manager for the Philippines. “The USA is very popular, Europe is extremely popular, and Australia — people increasingly are going there for the holidays.”
The good news is, MasterCard is partnering with Singapore Airlines this year on several promotions, the foremost of which is discounted travel fares across Economy, Premium Economy ( to be launched in August) and Business Class flights to almost 98 percent of SQ desti- nations, including, for the first time, the United States.
“It’s all about providing excellent service for customers of SQ and all our cardholders,” says Jo-Ann Camacho, vice president of marketing for MasterCard. “We’re offering really good discounted rates to Asia, Europe, the Americas and Africa.”
The promotion coincides with MasterCard programs like “Priceless Cities,” which involves not just travel to a destination but an exclusive experience there that you wouldn’t normally be able to buy. “For example, in New York you go to a Broadway show and have a meet-and-greet with the cast; for culinary treats you eat at a Michelin-star restaurant and sit down with the chef; or you can have your own photo shoot in Paris,” Camacho says. “What better airline to take than one of the favorites of frequent travelers?”
The fare discounts are quite extensive, and can go up to 50 percent. For SQ Economy Class, flights to Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia start at US$200 round-trip, all-in. Japan and Korea are from $400. Australia is $650. Europe starts at $880. Fares to America start at $980.
For Premium Economy, which offers wider seats (six to eight inches more than economy), a better recline, a baggage allowance of 35 kg, priority check-in, boarding, and baggage handling, and additional personal touches like Champagne and Book A Cook ( where you can choose Business Class favorites like Angus beef and lobster Thermidor before you board), flights to Australia start at $1,350 round-trip, all-in, while Paris/Frankfurt, London/Manchester, and Munich/ Zurich start at $1,800.
For Business Class, flights to Southeast Asia start at $800, Australia and New Zealand are from $2,300, Europe from $3,300, and the Americas start from $3,500 round-trip, all-in.
Additional perks include a US$20 travel voucher for every ticket purchase within the promo period, which can then be used for your next purchase of a beyond-Singapore ticket until July 31, 2016.
Another perk is a complimentary SG$20 Changi Dollar Voucher that you can redeem when shopping at Singapore Changi Airport.
“We are working with MasterCard because it’s a very extensively used payment gateway here in the Philippines,” says Ong.
The promotion, which is ongoing from now until July 20, with a travel period up to June 2016, also extends to Singa- pore Airlines’ regional carrier, SilkAir. “We fly to the exotic destinations of SilkAir and all fares are valid for flights originating from Manila, Cebu, Davao, and Iloilo,” says Camille Pacis, senior marketing and PR executive of Singapore Airlines. “We also have Australia at $650.”
Ailea Zialcita, MasterCard’s VP for marketing, stresses that the promo this time is not just for credit cards but also debit and prepaid cards. “We have a lot of the young segment — either starters or kids living on allowance — they’re not yet credit-worthy so they don’t own credit cards with those huge limits yet, but they have money in the bank so they can use their MasterCard credit, debit and prepaid cards to avail of the SQ fares.”
ASIAN CITIES TOP DESTINATIONS INDEX
According to MasterCard’s Global Destination Cities Index, Asian cities are still the preferred destinations of global travelers, with Bangkok (No. 2 with 18.24 million visitors), Singapore (No. 7 – 11.88 million), Kuala Lumpur (No. 8 – 11.12 million), Seoul (No. 9 – 10.35 million) and Hong Kong (No. 10 – 8.66 million) comprising half of the top 10 list. (London is the No. 1 destination.)
Not surprising, then, that MasterCard named Hong Kong its latest Priceless City, with offerings like “the ultimate Peninsula experience” that involves a helicopter ride and culinary tour of the city’s top restaurants. Other Priceless Cities to be launched soon are Thailand and Bali. “Before it was just the experience but now we’re also providing the means to get there,” Zialcita says.
“Dining and shopping are always tops in card use,” adds Camacho, who notes that MasterCard is also the official partner of the Great Singapore Sale, which is ongoing until July 26.
“A lot of times we try to come up with great, big experiences like dining in a Michelin restaurant and sitting at the table with chef,” says Zialcita. “To some segments that’s very attractive, but to the bulk of our cardholders who have the silver cards, something as simple as a free taxicab when you go to the Great Singapore Sale is so priceless to them. When we launched that last year, we got a lot of feedback and they were very happy.”
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To avail of the “Around the World with Singapore Airlines and MasterCard” fare promotion, visit the Singapore Airlines ticket office, call Singapore Airlines Reservations at 756-8888, SilkAir Cebu at 6332-505-7871, SilkAir Davao at 6382-227-5301, SilkAir Kalibo at 6336- 500- 7226, or contact any participating travel agent. For complete terms and conditions, visit Singaporeair.com.