Originally Posted by
cdrgt69
*this is a re-post from the SkyTeam forum, but really better for Delta*
I'm going to start travel from Jacksonville FL (JAX) to Beijing China (PEK) this year. I'm diamond on delta and prefer to keep all travel with the SkyTeam Alliance. Also, it looks like all the travel will have to be coach. Can someone help me with the strategy?
1) Upgradable Coach Fares are OK - How do I upgrade to business class?
2) Transfer airports available are Atlanta, NY (JFK), Detroit, and Minneapolis.
3) Airline options are Korean Air (ATL & JFK), or Delta (ATL, MSP, DTW).
4) Prefer two segments and minimal trip duration.
5) Strong preference for nice plane (addicted to A380, but a newly renovated plane would do)
If 1) is most important, DL permits upgrades with DL miles or SWUs from M B Y fares. If you fly KE but only have DL miles, you need a SkyTeam upgrade which requires a Y fare and has about five months of blackout dates. So DL metal looks like the better of two expensive choices in general. For coach, KE might be better but it depends on the plane.
I'm surprised that SEA-PEK on DL isn't an option for you.
If you connect through MSP, you would also connect in NRT. This is pleasant and efficient, but does result in a later evening arrival and an early morning departure. The DL SCs there are great. The trip would be at least three segments, depending on the schedule of JAX-MSP flights.
Look at aircraft. On DL, the 777 is my favorite plane. the reconfigured 747s are good, but there's the risk of the old version being substituted; it has angled flat beds in BE and no AVOD in coach. Avoid the non reconfigured (most of the fleet) 767-300s like the plague for both BE and coach. Only KE has the A380.