Originally Posted by
Romadoc
My only experience thusfar has been as a Sky Team member. As such, it was simple to request transfer to a partner airline and, space allowing, one could book award travel. Our last use was ATL-GVA on AF in F class. Cost was 100K/per. Is there no similar policy using *A? If this is true, than I will be limited to CO as the other members of *A have no arrangement with either AMEX or Marriott.
I can tell its been a while since you've done this since you mentioned you used AF F class. These days no North American Skyteam carrier can get you an award ticket on AF in F class. (nor KE F class for that matter, which is the only other Skyteam airline with international F.)
You didn't transfer miles between skyteam programs. What happened is you called your Skyteam airline's frequent flyer programs and they issued a ticket for you on the other Skyteam airline's flights. Your ticket was still issued on your host airline's ticket stock.
Each Skyteam airline just as each Star Alliance Airline has their own mileage requirements for trips booked from point A to point B. It might cost 100,000 miles on one member for a trip in C from JFK-TLV while it might be 130,000 on another. Each is left to make their own rules and mileage price points.
When/If CO actually joins *A you will be able to get a ticket on ANY *A carrier at CO's mileage price point if the partner has availability when you want to travel. If the switchover actually happens it will probably be later in 2009 or 2010 because of the hoops to jump through before the switch occurs. If you're trip is anytime soon then you'll be on a Skyteam ticket if you're using CO miles for it. That allows you to utilize a combination of CO, DL, NW, KL, AF, OK, and AZ. (no SU Moscow-TLV flights, makes an award tough to use to TLV)