pointsmaestro

Hey guys,

First, I was trying to use my points to book a ticket using my miles for my girlfriend. I know that it says that only family member are allowed to be booked but was wondering if there was anyway around to book a ticket for her? I'm trying to surprise here with a trip.

Second, I read that you can have 2 stopovers (1 there and 1 back) on a roundtrip flight. How long can the stopovers be and how would I find tickets to book this? I was thinking of doing JFK-NRT-ICN on the way there then another stopover (yet to be decided) on the way back.

Any help would be much appreciated!

Thanks!

rgdave

Are you redeeming miles already in Skypass or planning to transfer from Chase Ultimate Rewards to Skypass to redeem? If the former, you're screwed. KE Skypass really holds tight to only allowing a Skypass member to book/redeem for themselves and immediate family members. If you add a 'family member' to your account, you have to fax/email them proof of family relationship (i.e. marriage certificate.) They permit siblings, inlaws and grandparents are 'family members', but not sure how they verify a sibling, for example, a sister who's now married with a different surname, or a grandparent on your mother's side. But KE is big on documentation and paperwork, so plan on creating some type of paper trail. I get that they don't want to open Skypass miles to being sold on the open market, but they're really behind in not permitting a guest to travel with a member on the same itinerary. Some other Skypass member may have a workaround.

Regarding stopovers, I think it's 'enroute', so ICN on most itineraries. No limit to the ICN stop, so you may need to book a cheap one way intra-Asia to make your itinerary work.

pointsmaestro

Thanks for replying. My parents have a stash of points that can be transferred to me under the family policy that they have. I also do have enough UR points to get the tickets as well. My idea was that I can transfer the points from my parents account into my skypass and get my ticket that way. Then I was possibly thinking of transferring my points into my gf's skypass account. I think the T&C's of Chase said that you can transfer to a domestic partner. Although I do not know what Chase means by that, I can show them that my gf is living with me and can provide proof by a change of address... and even adding her as an auth user to my cards. Can't think of any other creative ways to bypass these bothersome restrictions.

So with stopovers, I can do JFK - ICN - NRT. Then on the way back do something like NRT - HNL - JFK? I'm trying to look at the KE website to see this but it's not showing anything when I type the destination codes under open jaw flights. I guess calling is the only way to do this?

rgdave

If you want to route via HNL on the return, it's going to be a Skyteam award, not a KE-direct award. Skyteam awards have to be r/t, not one way, and permit one stopover. So if your destination is NRT, you can transfer at ICN on the outbound but not have a stopover longer than 24 hours. KE flies nonstop from NRT to HNL, so that's not a problem. Then it's going to be DL from HNL to NYC (with a likely transfer in LAX or SLC.) If you want a stopover in ICN, NRT and HNL, you might want to think about booking KE on JFK-ICN-NRT with a stop in ICN, then NRT-HNL nonstop on KE as two one way awards, and a separate domestic o/w from HNL to NYC with UA by points transferred from UR.

pointsmaestro

Thanks. This is really helpful. Can you explain how stopover work? Are all stopovers generally that short in duration? I have family in Korea and was hoping I could stay there a few days before hopping over to Japan.

I don't necessarily have to stop at HNL but figured if I'm getting a round trip redemption, I might as well take advantage of a stopover. I would like to keep it strictly KE as I believe if I were to use sky team then I'd be using more miles. Would you recommend any stopovers or any other tips? I really appreciate it. I'm new to the points game and finally am comfortable with ways of accumulating points and knowledge in that aspect... But coming to redeem them... I guess I'm sort of a newbie haha. Did a lot of reading but this is the first time I'm using my points and trying to get the best value from them.

floridastorm

So, my understanding is that when booking on KAL, with Skypass mileage, you are allowed one stopover each way. In other words, JFK-ICN-BKK, you would be allowed a stopover in ICN each way.

Is there a maximum amount of time allowed for the stopover in Korea?

How do you process the booking on line with KAL if you are going to do a stopover? Or, do you have to book via telephone with their customer service in that it's not an immediate connection?

I also notice, with the KAL website booking process, that it does not recognize other than gateway US departure cities. In other words MCO-JFK-ICN-BKK. There doesn't seem to be a way to book MCO - BKK. In order to have your checked baggage automatically transferred in JFK you would have to have an all inclusive ticket on KAL although the MCO-JFK portion would be on an American carrier.

ChuckHH

This may get you blacklist with Chase. They have tightened the loophole starting last year by changing UR homepage... And not to mention that you do have to pay a few hundred dollars of fuel taxes on top of "peak season" restriction...

Eddy421

On a one way korean air skypass award, as long as you are connecting between 2 regions showing on their award table** you may stay as long as you want in seoul (as long as ticket is valid)
For example, you may fly today FRA to ICN and then ICN to SIN in (360 days from now) the cost of a one way europe to southeast asia...
Such award can not be booked online
Eddy

Note : ** for example, thereis no award chart for US to Europe on the korean air skypass awrd chart - in that case, you need to KE skypass one way award....