Originally Posted by
Mileage Lover
I may have missed this in search.
Looking into 2020, I see flights NBO-GVA-FCO-LAX. The NBO-GVA-FCO flights are AZ-marketed, Kenya Airways operated flights. For Delta Skymiles earning, would the Kenya Airways-operated flights (again, marketed by AZ with AZ flight numbers) be credit under Alitalia or Kenya Airways? Alitalia earns many more Skymiles RDMs, MQMs and MQDs than Kenya Airways.
Thanks!
Its been explained in length in numerous Skymiles threads but I'll state it again. For DL Skymiles, flights credit based on MARKETING carrier (not operating carrier), in this case AZ is the marketing carrier so it credits based on AZ earn (which you are correct is MUCH better than KQ earn since AZ is a level-1 Skyteam partner.) The only caveat, is that the OPERATING carrier MUST be a Skyteam member airline. So AZ7151 NBO-FCO operated by KQ will credit as a AZ flight to Skymiles with all bonuses. If you book the KQ flight using KQ flight number, you earn, but not nearly as lucrative. If you book AZ NBO-AUH operated by Eithad, you get NO credit for that segment because Eithad is not a Skyteam airline despite the AZ code. Lastly, issuing airline ticket stock has no bearing any more.