Korean Air Surchages
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 3
Korean Air Surchages
I was shocked to be quoted a 500 dollar surcharge from korean Air for a open air ticket from Singapore -> San Fran and returning from Phtuket -> Seattle.
The same trip using points from Alaska only costed 140 in fees.
Is there anyway to dodge these steep korean air surcharge fees?
The same trip using points from Alaska only costed 140 in fees.
Is there anyway to dodge these steep korean air surcharge fees?
#2
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SUX
Programs: BA Silver; HHonors Gold; SPG Gold; Points but dirt with everyone else
Posts: 8,050
KE collects fuel surcharges on their award tickets. Because of the way they publish the fuel surcharge (it's embedded as a Q surcharge in most fares rather than broken out as YQ/YR), most partners do not collect it. The only way I know of to avoid it is to use another program's miles.
#5
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Rio Rancho, NM - USA
Programs: DL, UA, WN, Amtrak, Hyatt, Accor
Posts: 1,793
I booked a DL award this week: LAX-BNE-PQQ on VA [OPEN JAW] DPS-ICN on KE [stopover] ICN-LAX on KE. All in bizclass. Total fees $126.40. Sounds like a ripoff with your routing using KE miles.
#6
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: LAX
Posts: 380
I usually redeem KE miles on last minute F tickets because the F availabilities are very good due to one of the factors being the YQ charge.
So I don't mind paying $400 YQ on roundtrip F tickets because of good availability.
#7
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea
Programs: KE Skypass Morning Calm Member, OZ Club
Posts: 2,352
Delta doesn't charge the high fees to book with SkyMiles like KE does with their own Skypass miles.
Different pricing structure, from what I've gathered.
Different pricing structure, from what I've gathered.
#8
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: NE & SE Asia, N America
Programs: TG ROP Gold, Lifetime OZ Diamond Plus, BA Gold
Posts: 3,105
When looking at the whole picture, the fuel surcharges are a bit annoyance, but the alternative is much less pleasant in my mind.
#9
formerly ltabi
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: LAX
Programs: AA PLT, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 202
#10
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: LAX
Posts: 380
If you redeem DL miles, it only costs 6k miles for business class and around $10 for tax but extra $25 for phone fee since it can't be done online.
#11
formerly ltabi
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: LAX
Programs: AA PLT, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 202
Unfortunately I have KE miles (about 12000). I was wondering why it cost so much to redeem...I am hoping there was an error and that the taxes/fuel surcharges for GMP-CJU was about 10-20USD
#12
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: NE & SE Asia, N America
Programs: TG ROP Gold, Lifetime OZ Diamond Plus, BA Gold
Posts: 3,105
I just bought a domestic ticket on KE a few days before I posted that so I know it's current. Absolutely no way should the taxes be anywhere close to $200, even for a R/T. Call back and ask again. Be sure they understand what route you're flying. Buying a ticket outright should only cost about $100 O/W ($200 R/T). So perhaps they didn't realize you wanted an award ticket, or forgot and hit the wrong button and were quoting the price for a purchased ticket.
#14
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: LAX
Posts: 380
Consider using UA, AA, or DL miles to fly the respective partner aircrafts if you don't want to pay the YQ.
#15
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: AA EXP (owe), BA Silver (ows), AB Silver (owr), WN A+/CP, IHG Spire AMB, Avis First
Posts: 1,414
^ on this. I'd only redeem my KE miles for F tickets, and you can actually get KE F tickets when you want them.