hotel
Shangri-La Circle is the loyalty program for one of Asia's grand luxury hotel groups - 100+ properties across the Shangri-La, Kerry, Hotel Jen, and Traders brands, concentrated in Asia, the Middle East, and a handful of European gateways. It rebranded from the old Golden Circle in 2022 and runs on a refreshingly simple idea: earn points on stays, dining, and spa, then redeem them for free nights with no blackout dates and no expiry while you stay active. Four tiers - Gold, Jade, Diamond, and invite-only Polaris - climb from basic member perks to genuinely indulgent ones: lounge access, 4 PM checkouts, and at the top, an "All Access" benefit that lets Polaris members use a Shangri-La's pool and lounge without even booking a room. If your travels run through Asia, it's one of the more rewarding luxury programs going.
The actual numbers. Get your nerd on, memorize the cheap ones.
The cheat sheet.
Shangri-La Circle uses a FIXED redemption value rather than off-peak / standard / peak category bands. Points redeem at a fixed rate of 15 Shangri-La Circle points = USD 1 (or local-currency equivalent) of the property's prevailing cash rate - so each point is worth about 6.67 US cents toward rooms, dining, spa, experiences, or Boutique purchases. Example: a room costing USD 300 a night runs about 4,500 points. EARNING is tier-based: Gold 1 point per USD, Jade 1.25, Diamond and Polaris 1.5. Cash + Points awards use the same 15:1 rate with a 500-point minimum. No blackout dates (subject to the award availability the hotel releases). Airline conversions run at a base 1:1 (varies by partner), minimum 1,000 points, then 500-point increments. Points expire on the second anniversary of the end of the calendar year in which they were earned.
Where your points punch above their weight.
Where this currency genuinely shines.
18 places to send these points. Where the currency goes.
18 programs this transfers out to.
Shangri-La Circle transfers points or miles OUT to these programs.
| To | Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Air China PhoenixMiles | 1:1 | To Air China PhoenixMiles, 1:1. No transfer tax; min 1,000 points, then 500 increments. |
| Air France | 1:1 | To Air France-KLM Flying Blue, 1:1. No transfer tax; min 1,000 points. |
| ANA Mileage Club | 1:1 | To ANA Mileage Club, 1:1. No transfer tax; min 1,000 points. |
| Cathay Pacific Asia Miles | 1:1 | To Cathay (Asia Miles), 1:1. No transfer tax; min 1,000 points. |
| China Southern Sky Pearl Club | 1:1.6 | To China Southern Sky Pearl Club, 1:1.6 (a strong ratio). No transfer tax; min 1,000 points. |
| Delta SkyMiles | 1:1 | To Delta SkyMiles, 1:1. No transfer tax; min 1,000 points. |
| Etihad Guest | 1:1 | To Etihad Guest, 1:1. No transfer tax; min 1,000 points. |
| Finnair Plus | 1:1 | To Finnair Plus, 1:1. No transfer tax; min 1,000 points. |
| Hainan Airlines | 1:1.6 | To Hainan Fortune Wings Club, 1:1.6 (a strong ratio). No transfer tax; min 1,000 points. |
| Juneyao Air | 1:1 | To Juneyao Air, 1:1. No transfer tax; min 1,000 points. |
| Oman Air Sindbad | 1:1 | To Oman Air Sindbad, 1:1. No transfer tax; min 1,000 points. |
| Philippine Airlines Mabuhay Miles | 1:1 | To Philippine Airlines Mabuhay Miles, 1:1. No transfer tax; min 1,000 points. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | 1:1 | To Qantas Frequent Flyer, 1:1. No transfer tax; min 1,000 points. |
| Qatar Privilege Club | 1:1 | To Qatar Privilege Club, 1:1. No transfer tax; min 1,000 points. |
| Saudia Alfursan | 1:1 | To Saudia AlFursan, 1:1. No transfer tax; min 1,000 points. |
| Singapore KrisFlyer | 1:1.25 | To Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, 1:1.25. Periodic conversion bonuses appear (e.g. a 2025 promo lifted it to ~1.56). No transfer tax; min 1,000 points. |
| United MileagePlus | 1:1 | To United MileagePlus, 1:1. No transfer tax; min 1,000 points. |
| Velocity Frequent Flyer | 1:1 | To Velocity Frequent Flyer, 1:1. No transfer tax; min 1,000 points. |
The status ladder. 4 rungs, each unlocking better lounges, bags, and bragging rights.
4 status levels.
Entry tier - free to join; earns 1 point per USD
20 nights or 6,000 tier points; earns 1.25 points per USD
50 nights or 15,000 tier points; earns 1.5 points per USD
By invitation only; earns 1.5 points per USD
Club lounges and breakfast: who gets in.
Who gets in, who doesn't, and the carve-outs.
Shangri-La's Club Lounges are the program's lounge perk, gated by tier:
Lounge availability and amenities vary by property; not every Shangri-La operates a Club Lounge.
The high-leverage moves. Read this before you transfer a single mile.
The smart-money plays.
Resort fees, blackout dates, points expiry, the stuff nobody tells you until you've been burned once.
The fine print, decoded.
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Last reviewed: June 2026
Loyalty programs change rules, fees, transfer ratios, and award pricing all the time — sometimes without warning. We do our best to keep these pages current, but the program's own site is always the final word. Always confirm specifics directly with Shangri-La Circle before transferring miles or booking an award. Treat anything on this page as a starting point, not a guarantee. Crazy4Points is not responsible for actions taken based on information here — see our Terms of Service for full details.