Hi,

Just wanted to share my experience to see if any of the senior members here can offer suggestions.

So I have 80k Delta Skymiles which is supposedly enough for a low level tkt from Asia or the Middle East to the US.

After umpteen hours of scouring award flights on DL.com, and several hours on the phone with DL agents in the US and India, I have come up blank.

Want to travel end of May-beg June and return end of July or August. Pretty open with dates and even sectors (can land anywhere in the US, from BOM, DEL, BKK, SIN, DXB etc).

My findings:

1. Nothing available on DL, AF, KLM, etc.
2. I joined expertflyer and found availability on CI, MU, CZ (DL.com doesn't show these airlines)--but when I called DL, they either say the seats aren't there, or even if they are, the taxes and surcharges are 4-500 USD!
3. Skymiles rep said most of the above airlines have blackout dates for Jun-Aug.
4. Same amount of surcharge to redeem from Europe to the US (ridiculous!)

So can't help but conclude that skymiles are a poor alternative to United miles, and only good for domestic US redemption.

Last year I got BKK-NRT-IAD-CMH/SFO-SYD/PER-BKK for only 65k United miles and $100 or so tax!

Any ideas out there?

Sorry to vent.

--ATD