Summary
I was able to get tickets for 160k by combining a DL low award (LAX-NRT, 120k miles) with a KE low award (NRT-ICN, 40k miles). As you will see, it proved an impossible task (at least with award availability as it is now) to simply add the KE low segments on to the DL low segments to get the whole trip at 120k.

It is also worth noting that this took many, many hours. I hope that the info I can share here will save someone some time later. Further, after this experience, I am left believing that there is simply no way the average person could either figure this out, or preserver long enough to make it work. When I say “average” I am referring to someone like my brother-in-law. He’s not elite, but runs his business on CC and takes five or six domestic trips a year. Unlike my business, his doesn’t involve frequent travel, so he isn’t a travel agent on the side. He’s got the miles, but not the expertise to use them (perhaps DL Skymiles consulting could be a new business…hmmmm….)

Ok, here we go:

On-line tools
As has been well documented, DL.com has serious issues. That said, I did notice a marked improvement with their last update. The first huge problem is lack of KE (or other than AF) award availability on-line. This is a bit of a problem when trying to get to Asia. I often found that when low availability days did come up, they would price higher when I went to purchase (again, well documented). This issue seems to be related to the specific itineraries it tries to pair to make a round-trip. I did find away around this: search for one-ways. When you find the two that you want, search again for roundtrips, but select the “by schedule” option and pick your flights. You may still get a high priced ticket. This may be caused by DL.com creating, what an agent described as, a “non-standard routing.” This causes DL.com to price the itinerary as two tickets. There seems to be a way around this too. Again, search for one-ways to find your flights. Then search for multi-city trips and build the same segments as your one-ways.

KE Availability
There is very limited (1 seat at most) low availability on KE from the US. However, these is very good low availability on KE within Asia. KE NRT-BKK low business class is 40k miles. DL is 45k. From the US, there are substantial blackout dates on KE. Within Asia there are substantial blackout dates as well. These are: from US 2/12-16; 7/16-8/26; 9/18-26; 12/30-31; within Asia: 2/12-15; 7/16-8/15; 9/17-26; 12/24-31. Note that when you call to inquire on KE award availability the agent will see the low award as available, but when they try to ticket it will generate a “Can not price” error. This will cause you to be put on-hold while they try to figure out why it doesn’t work.

Also note that NRT-BKK will present you with problems due to DL and KE schedules.

DL Availability
When I started searching there was only high and some mid-availability LAX-BKK. Once I learned that you can combine two ST carriers on one PNR, I started looking at just LAX-NRT on DL. It seems that there has been a release of DL low availability from US gateways to NRT in the last few days. October-December seems to be lightening up.

Ticketing Rules
This took a long time to figure out, and I’m not willing to bet my soul that I have a complete and true understanding of it. Fortunately, Les in Chisholm was able to shed some light on the issue (he spent a good deal of time on the phone with the ticketing support desk to get to the bottom of if). When you try to add KE segments on to DL segments the entire routing must be valid. Makes sense, except that what’s valid LAX-NRT or LAX-BKK isn’t always one of your choices for low award on DL.com. Here’s the problem: from LAX, you are often stuck with LAX-HNL-NRT or NRT-HNL-LAX as one of your choices. This routing causes the system to price the KE add-on as an additional ticket (120k+40k). Second issue: if you try, as I did, to combine a low and medium award LAX-NRT (so you can get the non-stops) and then add KE segments, this also causes the system to price two tickets (180k + 40k, because you’re combing two levels of award). Note that I found this HNL routing from PDX, SEA, SLC, and MSP as well. While this seems to be the cause of getting 160k and 220k priced tickets, I must admit that I got a few different answers to this (some were clearly guesses) so this may not be definitive.

Phone Support
When you call the elite line, it will ask you if you wish to redeem miles. When you say, “yes” you seem to get transferred to the first available agent, anywhere. I don’t believe I was ever (at all times of the day) transferred to one of the elite call centers. This resulted in some interesting conversations, such as “Ok, I’d be glad to help you check up to five dates,” “Sir it looks like Korean has from 2/12 to 12/31 blacked out.” (“Are you sure?” “Yes, sir, I can’t help you with blacked out dates”) and “This is what my computer says, there’s nothing else I can do for you.” There is an obvious way around this: when it asks you if you want to redeem Skymiles, yell “No” into your phone. You will be transferred to the elite desk, which can search partner award inventory and help you.

Also note that, unlike the website, when you call in, they can not “hold” an itinerary. It is an immediate deduction of miles.

KVS Tool
While useful, it did not show the 9:25am NRT-BKK departure that all of the agents wanted us on (with a nice 5+ hour layover in ICN). This may be my fault, I only tried one method.

My Trip
I booked LAX-HNL-NRT-LAX on DL. Because of the HNL non-standard routing, I called and asked for KE availability and booked that as a separate PNR. Note that every time I tried to just add the KE segments, there was a problem.

I hope this helps someone save some time. For the benefit of all, if anyone knows of an easier way, or something else I should have done, please share.