XP: Skypass miles for Delta flight
Jan 26, 2016, 3:30 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 8
XP: Skypass miles for Delta flight
XP from Delta:
I've done quite a bit of research on here but just want any advice/opinions/warnings about this before I follow through.
We are at DTW (major Delta hub) and want to fly to EZE (Argentina) this summer. We will have 61,000 miles through Chase Sapphire UR. Booking on Chase's site gets us almost to a free ticket but the flights have 2 long lay overs. We are flying with my 3 year old son for the first time and I don't want that. We are looking to book 1 tix free, pay for the other two.
I'd like to transfer my UR miles to Skypass miles and book a Delta flight. On Delta's site it costs 85,000 miles round trip. When I call Korean Air they tell me they'd charge me 50,000 round trip for the same flight.
Obviously this seems too good to be true. I am afraid to transfer my UR miles over and then get stuck with them in Korean Air when I travel to Spanish speaking countries.
All thoughts and opinions welcomed and appreciated.
I've done quite a bit of research on here but just want any advice/opinions/warnings about this before I follow through.
We are at DTW (major Delta hub) and want to fly to EZE (Argentina) this summer. We will have 61,000 miles through Chase Sapphire UR. Booking on Chase's site gets us almost to a free ticket but the flights have 2 long lay overs. We are flying with my 3 year old son for the first time and I don't want that. We are looking to book 1 tix free, pay for the other two.
I'd like to transfer my UR miles to Skypass miles and book a Delta flight. On Delta's site it costs 85,000 miles round trip. When I call Korean Air they tell me they'd charge me 50,000 round trip for the same flight.
Obviously this seems too good to be true. I am afraid to transfer my UR miles over and then get stuck with them in Korean Air when I travel to Spanish speaking countries.
All thoughts and opinions welcomed and appreciated.
Jan 28, 2016, 10:46 am
#2
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 12
Can Korean Air actually see award availability on their system or are they just quoting their award chart to you? It costs 50k Skypass miles to fly RT from North America to South America on a SkyTeam partner airline as you can see here:
https://www.koreanair.com/global/en/...h-america.html
However, this is only valid on flights where Delta has released "saver" award level space to their SkyTeam partners. If they haven't released this space on certain flights, KE won't be able to "see" the flight on their system to book your award flight.
Delta removed their award charts online, but you can still find the old cached charts that show a flight from North American to Southern South America (which I assume EZE is in), costs 30k points OW (or 60k points round trip).
A quick monthly search on Delta shows one RT flight at 60k points, but most flights show 77.5k, 85k or 95k points. That being said, your current itinerary at 85k points is probably not a "saver" award level and won't work for a KE award flight. I would manipulate your itinerary to see if you can find a 60k flight. Be aware that this will be a little like finding a needle in a haystack. You may be searching for 1-2 combinations a month that actually work. If you're able to do this, you should be able to use 50k Skypass points to book the flight.
When you call to book with KE, they should be able to book and hold your award flight. AFTER THAT, you can transfer your UR reward points. I would not transfer your points over until you are 100% award availability exists and they have held your award flight. Good luck.
https://www.koreanair.com/global/en/...h-america.html
However, this is only valid on flights where Delta has released "saver" award level space to their SkyTeam partners. If they haven't released this space on certain flights, KE won't be able to "see" the flight on their system to book your award flight.
Delta removed their award charts online, but you can still find the old cached charts that show a flight from North American to Southern South America (which I assume EZE is in), costs 30k points OW (or 60k points round trip).
A quick monthly search on Delta shows one RT flight at 60k points, but most flights show 77.5k, 85k or 95k points. That being said, your current itinerary at 85k points is probably not a "saver" award level and won't work for a KE award flight. I would manipulate your itinerary to see if you can find a 60k flight. Be aware that this will be a little like finding a needle in a haystack. You may be searching for 1-2 combinations a month that actually work. If you're able to do this, you should be able to use 50k Skypass points to book the flight.
When you call to book with KE, they should be able to book and hold your award flight. AFTER THAT, you can transfer your UR reward points. I would not transfer your points over until you are 100% award availability exists and they have held your award flight. Good luck.
Feb 5, 2016, 9:56 am
#3
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, MLife Gold, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, Caesars Diamond, Amex Plat
Posts: 5,939
In another thread, I learned that you want to look for single letter fare code (N) above the mileage amount to confirm saver flight. If it's a double letter fare (NL), it is not that low/saver level. That might help you narrow it down.
But I have a follow up question. Does DL actually withhold even saver seats from partners? In other words, if I see a single fare code/saver ticket, will KE also see it?
But I have a follow up question. Does DL actually withhold even saver seats from partners? In other words, if I see a single fare code/saver ticket, will KE also see it?
Feb 5, 2016, 4:52 pm
#4
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SUX
Programs: BA Silver; HHonors Gold; SPG Gold; Points but dirt with everyone else
Posts: 8,050
In another thread, I learned that you want to look for single letter fare code (N) above the mileage amount to confirm saver flight. If it's a double letter fare (NL), it is not that low/saver level. That might help you narrow it down.
But I have a follow up question. Does DL actually withhold even saver seats from partners? In other words, if I see a single fare code/saver ticket, will KE also see it?
But I have a follow up question. Does DL actually withhold even saver seats from partners? In other words, if I see a single fare code/saver ticket, will KE also see it?