How I Turned a Plan Change Into a Better Flight Itinerary

Points and miles are an incredibly useful way to fly more cheaply and comfortably. However, using them also means that you often have fewer options than if you bought your flight with cash. This is because airlines issue limited award availability, especially on popular dates and routes.

This means you may have to compromise by flying at less convenient times or following more complicated itineraries.

However, as my real-life example below demonstrates, sometimes you can turn an inconvenience in the form of a change of plans into a more comfortable journey. Here’s how I did it recently on a flight from Australia to Malaysia.

An uncomfortable but doable flight

I’m originally from Australia and plan to go home for my usual Christmas visit later this year. Since it’s so far away, I try to add a trip somewhere else in Australia or the Asia-Pacific region to make it a two-for-one trip.

I’ve been stashing Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles for a couple of years, and they have a fixed expiration date of 36 months from when they were earned (or transferred from a banking program, in my case). Mine were set to expire in February 2025, and I needed to find a way to redeem them for travel the following year. So when I found a business class seat on a connecting itinerary from Melbourne, Australia, to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, via Singapore, I jumped on it.

However, the flight I booked doesn’t have the most convenient departure time of 7 a.m. Also, the flight isn’t on a typical day; it leaves on New Year’s Day. Needless to say, I don’t think I would have been in the best of moods after the previous night’s festivities. Then came a welcome break that would help broaden my options: a change of plans.

2 changes to the program

It is common for airlines to adjust their schedules prior to departure to accommodate changes in aircraft, demand and routes.

Last month I received emails from Singapore Airlines informing me of two schedule changes.

The first one delayed my arrival in Kuala Lumpur by only five minutes. It seemed reasonable, so I accepted the changes.

The second one moved the departure time from Melbourne forward by five minutes to 6:55. That’s when I thought, “I wonder if I should try my luck and ask to change flights that day. It’s definitely not going to work.” Well, I was wrong.

Using a change of plans to my advantage

Typically, a “significant” schedule adjustment is required to rebook onto another flight. It varies by airline, but typically, the departure or arrival time must change by at least one hour, or a direct flight must be converted to a connecting itinerary. (United Airlines is one of the more generous airlines, offering rebookings for changes as small as 30 minutes.)

The email I received said I could accept the change or call the airline to discuss alternatives. So, I did some research in advance and chose my ideal itinerary, which would depart nearly four hours later than the airline had originally suggested, at a respectable 10:35 a.m., and would cut my connection time in Singapore in half, from three hours to 90 minutes.

While I won’t have much time to enjoy Singapore Airlines’ excellent lounges at Singapore Changi Airport (SIN), it will make my transit quicker. And if I’m late on the first leg of my trip, I’ll have peace of mind knowing I can catch a later flight on the Singapore-Kuala Lumpur corridor, the world’s busiest international route.

I explained to the agent that the schedule change, that extremely inconvenient five-minute schedule change, no longer worked for my travel plans and I wanted to move on to the next flight. I gave her the exact flight numbers and departure times of the two flights I wanted to be on.

Even though there were no Saver rewards available on those flights, he forwarded my case; after 23 minutes on the phone, I was emailed a new itinerary.

In conclusion

What constitutes a “significant” flight schedule change often varies between airlines (and, indeed, between individual customer service representatives), but it’s still worth trying to change your flights for a more comfortable journey.

Related: What to Do When an Airline Changes Your Flight

My advice is to keep an eye on your email for any changes in your plans, make the agent’s job easier by researching your ideal itinerary before contacting them, and be polite and willing to accept a no.

After all, you’ll never know unless you try.

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