18sas

More global ex-CAN SkyTeam fares, this batch is to the Far East.

Looks to be wide open almost through EOS.

You can route the long way around from basically any Canadian departure point to BKK/HKG/PVG/PEK through AMS or CDG or both starting at just under CAD 3k.

Fare Basis Code: ZP38CA
Books into Z, intra-European legs book into J for extra mileage earning potential

Rules:

• Travel Oct through Jun 2016
• 28 day advance purchase
• 3 night minimum stay
• 12 month maximum stay
• 2 free stopovers

Sample Fare rules:
PERMITTED 01OCT15 THROUGH 18JUN16 ON THE OUTBOUND
TRANSATLANTIC SECTOR. SEASON IS BASED ON DATE OF
ORIGIN.

TICKETING MUST BE COMPLETED WITHIN 72 HOURS AFTER
RESERVATIONS ARE MADE OR AT LEAST 28 DAYS BEFORE
DEPARTURE WHICHEVER IS EARLIER.

TRAVEL FROM INBOUND TRANSATLANTIC SECTOR MUST COMMENCE
NO EARLIER THAN 3 DAYS AFTER DEPARTURE OF THE OUTBOUND
TRANSATLANTIC SECTOR.

TRAVEL FROM LAST STOPOVER MUST COMMENCE NO LATER THAN
MIDNIGHT 12 MONTHS AFTER DEPARTURE FROM FARE ORIGIN.

2 FREE STOPOVERS PERMITTED ON THE PRICING UNIT IN AMS/
PAR.

I just booked
YYZ-CDG-AMS-BKK/HKG-AMS-DTW-YYZ for a total of 20,192 miles for $2350 = 11.65cpm

This will yield me 30,538 Delta MQMs at a cost of 7.69 cpMQM.

sfvoyage

Can this be booked on DL, AF, or KL's own website?

18sas

Easily on AF and KL websites.

Not so easily on DL's website, but it is possible. This is how I purchased it. If you are so inclined you can read the thread linked below to see how, but it's a little tech-heavy:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...serscript.html

sfvoyage

Thanks. I just checked on AF's website for YVR-CDG-HKG-CDG-YVR over the Dec/Jan holiday period (2 stopovers, both at CDG) and got a ZP78CA fare (instead of your ZP38CA) of CAD3,052+342 tax = 3,394. Is the fare higher because of my having 2 stopovers at CDG?

18sas

No, ZP78CA is the lowest fare from YVR, so if you booked that then you're at the lowest fare offered.

The 7 in ZP78CA indicates that it is a 7 day minimum stay, instead of 3 days for the ZP38CA.

The base fare is CA$200/US$150 more from YVR than YYZ. The theoretically lowest price for YVR-HKG is CA$3189 on KL. The ZP78CA fare still allows 2 free stopovers so not sure what's pushing your price higher, even though it's not that much higher and is definitely still a good deal.

The general price structure is roughly:

ex-YYZ/YOW/YUL ≈ CA$3000 ≈ US$2285
ex-YHZ/YWG/YEG/YYC/YVR ≈ CA$3200 ≈ US$2437

sfvoyage

Thanks for the explanations and useful info. Yes, my price is just a little higher than your base comparison on KL. However, I'm on AF exclusively; I did not select the options on KL with an extra connection via AMS. I can try that and see if the price goes down a bit.

In any case, the price is close enough anyway. I wonder though, is KL better than AF on either the tranatlantic and/or the Europe-Asia segments? I recently flew AF YVR-CDG-JNB and am therefore familiar with their J products on their 772 (2-3-2 old configuration) and their A380 (2-2-2). Both are not full flat seats, but they are not bad. Great service and decent food. Below average video selection. I am, however, not familiar with KL at all.

wonderlaw

FWIW, KLM is showing the new lie-flat configuration for YVR-AMS-CPT, at least for the May dates I am reviewing. This is a 2-2-2 configuration, which I definitely prefer to the AF 2-3-2 configuration. The not so good (or good, depending on your perspective) part of the flights is there is a 24 hour layover in Amsterdam on the way (which I always look forward to).

You can hold the flight reservations for 3-4 days with a $42.00 payment on KLM.

wonderlaw

Actually, I just check, and the $42.00 payment holds it for a week.

sfvoyage

I checked some dates in Dec & Jan, and YVR<->AMS was showing the old A330, while AMS<->HKG was showing 747.

I believe the A330 has the old WBC but a 2-2-2 configuration. Not sure if it's better than AF's 772 with 2-3-2. AF may also swap in 772 with 2-2-2 for that route, once more planes have been reconfigured.

christravelblog

Any options this works the other way around? if not, I think a stop-over is possible of 3-4 months in Amsterdam? being based in the Netherlands i could nest it to some nice itinerary.

christravelblog

Yes all airbus have the old (unless purchased new but i think they don't) all 747 are NEW, and 777 allmost all, by end 2015 they for sure have all new. lately i have not been on any old anymore (not sure which routes they fly the old still). Or maybe the last ones are already in overhaul.

ueutyi

Not seeing anything from YVR, why?

Edit: saw it on af.com

ueutyi

Take AF 2-3-2, slightly better than KL 2-2-2

sp4294

KL is switching to new lie flat J out of YVR on B772 by May. Before that it is old J on A332.

18sas

I think I managed to get all flat bed seating on all the long-haul segments.

YYZ-CDG AF is on a 1-2-1 good herringbone layout
AMS-BKK KL is according to TripAdvisor on a 773 with a 2-3-2 layout but still with the new flat bed seats
HKG-AMS KL on a 747 with the new seats
AMS-DTW DL on a 333 with the good herringbone layout