ChocolateFactory

What would be the best program to credit a La Première flight CDG-LAX or CDG-SFO?
I have a matched ITA status and a handful of economy flights on AF/KL (credited to FlyingBlue), but no other status. Does the marketing and/or ticketing carrier make a difference?
I almost never fly SkyTeam usually, and if I do, it’s either a short haul flight in Economy or a business class award ticket, typically booked through Delta (with transferred points). Very rarely it’s a FlyingBlue award in Europe in coach.

Travellin_man

https://www.wheretocredit.com/air-france

Xandrios

When flying before July that trip would earn about 180 XP with Flying Blue. While enough to get Silver status, you won't reach Gold which would be needed to get some real benefits flying Skyteam. The award miles earned with a flight like this would depend on how much money was spent, at 4 miles per Euro spent (Assuming AF/KL flight code). If under DL code (F fare) that would be 300% of the distance flown (About 16,000 miles).

Crediting to any other Skyteam programme will likely also earn a percentage of the distance flown - for example Delta would be 300% on an AF P fare.

ChocolateFactory

Thanks. Can FlyingBlue calculate award miles based on ticket price if it’s under AF code, but ticketed by DL? XP don’t depend on the ticketing carrier at all, only cabin class and distance?

What about crediting to ITA or Virgin Atlantic or so?

tbaiyun

If it is ticketed by Delta, then usually it shall hold DL flight numbers where you will earn based on fare category and distance flown.

The +50% XP (special promo) only goes for 057 or 074 ticket stock, with AF/KL flight numbers IMO. At the normal time, the XP will still depend on the ticketing carrier, and if the flight is operated by a Skyteam member. You will earn nothing with a LATAM ticketed, Delta operated flight; neither will you earn anything on a Delta ticketed, VS operated flight.

ChocolateFactory

What if it's DL-ticketed, but with an AF flight number?

Xandrios

As far as I am aware, for flying blue, it does not matter who issued the ticket. All that matters is that the flight number is AF/KL coded. In which case you would earn miles based on the fare price rather than distance flown (And you will get 50% extra XP's if travelling before end of June).

feederflight

Be careful with the terms: sold/marketed, operated and ticketed a 3 different things:

an DL marketed, AF operated, LH ticketed flight would still earn distance based miles as well as XP based on the earning table for DL flights. The ticketing carrier is the least relevant in that context.

ChocolateFactory

Since I have very few XP at the moment, I'm feeling that my best bet would probably be crediting to Delta?

ChocolateFactory

Am I understanding correctly that Delta always awards redeemable miles based on the distance flown for AF-marketed and operated flights? Even if the ticket was issued on Delta stock?

irishguy28

In the absence of a compelling reason otherwise, you should always consolidate all Skyteam flights into a single frequent flyer program. You gain nothing by diluting your flying by topping up various separate accounts with individual smaller amounts of miles/flights, rather than focusing all your effort onto/into a single account.

You should probably check the Delta Skymiles program website and FAQs, and read the Delta Skymiles threads here on Flyertalk (and post a question if you can't find a relevant existing thread). It would really stand to you if you can gain a good understanding of how your primary frequent flyer programme works.

ChocolateFactory

Yeah, that’s what you should do when you live in a country with no decent credit cards.
And not even Delta could answer my question - which I guess says something. Took talking to several people to explain the rules.
Conclusion: On a DL-issued ticket, AF-marketed flights earn by mileage/booking class, while DL-marketed flights earn according to ticket price. Doesn’t make a lot of sense to me, but it is what it is.

flyerCO

Ticket stock has no bearing on DL Skymiles earnings. Anything non-DL marketed will earn per distance based on rules for that marketing carrier.. (even DL operated, but partner marketed earn per rules for marketing carrier)

DL marketed will earn per $, except for BULK/IT tickets. Those will earn per distance as DL has no clue what you paid the TA for a BULK ticket.

Flying_Duck

I am DL Diamond located in the US, having >350K MQMs carried into the next year with an additional 50-75K after the 125K haven been deducted yearly. MQMs are not the problem for keeping DM, however, MQDs (>15K/year) can be. A $400 r/t ticket SLC/LAX usually generates less than $2-300 MQDs (due to taxes and carrier 'fees' (the latter not counted because??!!). Even a transatlantic C ticket on DL is often reduced from 3-4K to 1-2K MQDs (again due to taxes and carrier 'fees' (??!!), I have found that two LP tickets from LAX/SFO through CDG easily gets you over the 15K MQD requirement, as the MQD on AF is calculated as 0.6 x the mileage (0.4 in C) even if the AF ticket is ~5K + taxes and fees) as the MQD calculation is based on miles flown, I.e. a $6K LP r/t ticket with an inter-European C transfer in CDG from SFO/LAX will give you 7K+ MQDs each r/t, and comfortably carry you over the MQD requirement to keep your DM status. Even one LP ticket at $6K r/t will provide you with a nice buffer against DL's MQD 'nickel and diming' of the dollars you spend there!

physicsdude

Was talking with my employer the other day and they explained that this is literally why the company wanted to do AFKL corporate instead of DL as it would allow a lot of the employees to gain ST E+ status a bit easier. Also, they can fly LP using the company's money this way