Scoot Insider: Best Rewards Program for Budget Travel
Scoot Insider: Best Rewards Program for Budget Travel
ValueChampion Rating 
Good for
- Budget travelers
- NTUC members
- UOB KrisFlyer cardholders
Bad for
- Those looking for membership rewards and perks
- Flight and travel flexibility
- Frequent flyers
With over 60 destinations (20 of them in China alone) and 18 countries overall, Scoot Insider program is a great option for those looking for a low-cost airline in Southeast Asia with travel rewards. The greatest advantage of the Scoot Insider program is the fact that it is connected to the KrisFlyer rewards program run by Singapore Airlines, which is Scoot's parent company. This means you can earn miles on KrisFlyer and redeem them on Scoot low-cost flights, and vice versa. In addition, you can sign-up for UOB KrisFlyer Debit or Credit Card, get more miles for spend and even more Scoot flight perks.
| Pros | Cons |
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Pros
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Cons
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Scoot Insider Membership
| Earn Miles Through | Redeem Miles On |
|---|---|
| Scoot Flights | Scoot Flights |
| Singapore Airlines Flights | Singapore Airlines Flights |
| UOB KrisFlyer Debit Card | UOB KrisFlyer Debit Card |
| UOB KrisFlyer Credit Card | UOB KrisFlyer Credit Card |
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Scoot Insider does not offer membership tiers, but its Scoot Insider rewards program allows you to earn miles on all trips booked with Scoot, 1 mile/S$1 spent, as well as on trips with mixed itineraries which include Singapore Airlines in addition to Scoot.
As a Scoot Insider you can also create a KrisFlyer account, sync the two accounts, and start earning miles on even more flights. You will be able to earn points on KrisFlyer and Scoot Insider and redeem those points for flights on both platforms as well. While 1 mile/S$1 spent on Scoot may not have the best value, you can always get more miles for each S$1 spent if you sign up for a UOB KrisFlyer Debit Card or UOB KrisFlyer Credit Card.
How to Use Scoot Insider
In addition to Scoot Insider partnership with KrisFlyer which allow miles to be earned and redeemed on both Scoot Airlines and Singapore Airlines, the benefits also include birthday vouchers, paying for flights with a mix of miles and cash and earning miles on mixed itineraries where only part of your trip is with Scoot Airlines.
Scoot Insider membership allows you to not only earn miles on flights operated by Scoot, but also on mixed itinerary flights with sectors operated by Scoot's partner airlines: Singapore Airlines, SilkAir and Virgin Australia. While you earn miles automatically on Singapore Airlines and SilkAir flights, claiming miles for Virgin Australia flight sector is only possible through a retroactive miles claim process.
Scoot NTUC Scoot Airlines also offers benefits to NTUC Union Members. All you need to do is enter your NRIC, date of birth and mobile number to register. Benefits include year-long priority boarding for flights departing out of Singapore and 5kg upgrade for FLYBAG and FLYBAGEAT bundle with purchase of 20kg or 25kg baggage.
Scoot Flight Cancellation Scoot Airlines tickets are non-cancellable and non-refundable. An exception is made if cancellation occurs for medical reasons, immediate family members death or flight delay with retiming of 4 hours or more. Refunds may be processed in cash or in the form of Scoot travel vouchers.
Scoot Vouchers Miles can only be earned on flights which were paid for in cash. Flights purchased with KrisFlyer miles or Scoot vouchers will not accrue mileage. In addition, Scoot vouchers must be redeemed within the validity period.
ScootPlus On Scoot flights connecting in Singapore you now have the option of upgrading your flights by selecting the ScootPlus Mixed Cabin option when booking. ScootPlus cabin perks include double legroom seats, 30kg check-in baggage allowance and 2 pieces of cabin baggage, priority check-in and boarding as well as a variety of meal choices and beverages. This option is only available on Boeing 787 and Airbus 320 aircrafts.
Scoot Insider KrisFlyer Cards
One of the easiest and quickest ways of accumulating miles is through using a credit card associated with a given rewards program. While Scoot Airlines does not have their own credit card, their partnership with Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer means you can sign up for UOB KrisFlyer Debit or Credit Card, earn KrisFlyer miles and redeem them on either Scoot Airlines flights or Singapore Airlines flights. In addition, you will be able to take advantage of extra Scoot Airlines flight perks. Read our reviews below to figure out which one of these cards will be the best fit for you.
KrisFlyer UOB Debit Card
| The good: Highest earning per S$1 spent of all KrisFlyer cards
The bad: Limited card benefits on high spending |
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| The good: Highest earning per S$1 spent of all KrisFlyer cards
The bad: Limited card benefits on high spending |
What is unique about Krisflyer UOB Debit Card is the fact that it's a debit card, and it rewards you for saving rather than spending, as is usually the case with rewards cards. This card is great for people looking to save money, credit their salary to the account and still take advantage of the rewards. However, you do need to maintain a monthly average balance of S$1,000.
In addition to a welcome bonus of 1,000 KrisFlyer miles at sign-up, getting the KrisFlyer UOB Debit Card will get you several Scoot Airlines flight privileges such as priority check-in and boarding, booking flexibility and additional baggage allowance.
- 1.4 KrisFlyer miles (min balance 3,000)
- 3.4 KrisFlyer miles (min balance 100,000)
- 5.4 KrisFlyer miles with minimum S$350,000 deposit
- Up to 6.4 KrisFlyer miles with salary crediting
- Conversion fees waived
- 1,000 KrisFlyer miles welcome gift at sign-up
- Priority check in and boarding for Scoot flights
- Additional baggage allowance for Scoot flights
- Standard seat selection for Scoot flights
- Booking flexibility waiver for Scoot flight
| Age | 18 years |
|---|---|
| Salary | No minimum |
| Min deposit | S$1,000 to open account |
| Annual fee | S$53.50 (first year waived) |
KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card
KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card is a great option for frequent travelers with Singapore Airlines, but given its fees and KrisFlyer perks, it might be a less attractive option for Scoot Insider members. It offers up to 10,000 KrisFlyer miles at sign-up and 3 KrisFlyer miles for every S$1 spent on Singapore Airlines, Scoot and KrisShop.
In addition to privileges on Scoot flights, you also get an accelerated upgrade to KrisFlyer Elite Silver membership tier and a S$20 rebate on purchases from KrisShop. All in all, this is a great card if you are looking to maximize your KrisFlyer miles earning potential while enjoying extra membership and Scoot flight privileges.
- 3 KrisFlyer miles on Singapore Airlines, SilkAir, Scoot and KrisShop
- 3 KrisFlyer miles on dining, food delivery, online shopping and travel
- 1.2 KrisFlyer miles on other spend
- Accelerate upgrade to KrisFlyer Elite Silver membership tier
- Priority check in and boarding for Scoot flights
- Additional baggage allowance for Scoot flights
- Standard seat selection for Scoot flights
- Booking flexibility waiver for Scoot flight
- S$20 rebate on KrisShop purchases with min spend
| Min age | 21 years |
|---|---|
| Salary Requirement for citizens and PR | Min annual salary of S$30,000 |
| Salary Requirement for foreigners | Min annual salary of S$80,000 |
| Annual fee (principal card) | S$192.60 (first year waived) |
| Annual fee (supplementary card) | S$96.30 |
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Zoryana is a Senior Research Analyst at ValueChampion, who focuses on evaluating credit cards, savings and fixed deposits in Singapore. She holds a BA in Political Science and an MPA in International Finance and Economic Policy, both from Columbia University. Prior to joining ValueChampion, Zoryana worked in treasury management consulting.