HedgeFundFlyer

A week or so ago I booked, through co.com, an IAH-DXB flight for a trip in mid-April. The flight connected in LGW and continued to DXB on EK, which as far as I can tell is the only EK flight to earm EQMs on CO. A few days later I had to change my schedule to leave and return a few days later, but after calling the elite line was unable to reschedule due to either CO flights to LGW/CDG/AMS not having BF availability, or the Skyteam partners having neither F nor J availability. I tried booking to AUH or DOH instead, but got messages that CO and partners don't go to AUH and that DOH is only serviced on Thursdays and Fridays (???). So reluctantly I rebooked on a direct EK JFK-DXB flight (in J, but hoping to upgrade with miles) with a short IAH-JFK flight on CO.

I had made some protestations after moving to IAH that I didn't want to switch primary loyalty to CO, but I eventually threw in the towel. CO is a good airline and it's just too darn convenient.

Now that I made the commitment to CO, I want to maxout EQMs, and in particular I wanted to be able to earn OnePass miles on this trip (and ALSO experience CO BF, which I never have). I could have flown in business/first on any number of oneworld or star alliance combos, but status on EK and the price made it more attractive. Wondering if anyone else has been frustrated trying to get from the U.S. to the Mideast on CO and earning EQMs.

J.Edward

Do you want to do DOH-(KL)-AMS-(CO)-IAH?

You'll get 150% for C (KLM's WBC) and you can still get CO's BF seat on the AMS-IAH flight.

HedgeFundFlyer

I inquired about this, but it didn't seem like there was availability on the dates I'm traveling -- business-related so I'm not too flexible. Never flown KLM so I'm certainly curious.

dgilman

I lost out on 30k EQM last year when I had to fly NYC-DXB-SIN and back.

J on EK JFK-DXB is worth it. Make sure you're on the flagship Airbus. It's extremely hard to get into F on that flight. My ticket was actually booked F, but there was only J on that flight NYC-DXB and DXB-NYC.

So, yes, frustrating, but if frustrating is J/F on EK, I'll take it.

HedgeFundFlyer

I agree. EK is fine. I'd just rather use the all-in 25k EQMs toward my CO OnePass. CO seems fine to get across the pond, but the Skyteam partnership seems a little weak compared to the others. Now I'm in the strange position of becoming an unintentional Skywards Gold. Luckily I do travel to Dubai, but I'm not sure I'd take EK to Asia over other options (even CO). But hey, like you say, it could be worse and I'll take it.

(BTW, I've flown F in the 345 both ways. This time in J I'm on the 77W, which has better J seats).

skipmnyc

Am I missing something? According to CO.com, all EK operated flights earn EQM's and tier bonuses (as long as booked in one of the 15 listed eligible fare classes). I read this to mean all EK flights system-wide, regardless of CO code share. Can somebody please clarify this, as I am considering doing my next business trip to JNB on EK via DXB, (i.e., JFK-DXB-JNB-DXB-JFK) and am under the impression that the entire itinerary will earn CO EQMs?

ijgordon

What part of this statement, from the page you link, is not crystal clear?

* OnePass Elite qualification miles and points and Elite mileage bonuses may only be earned on Continental Airlines codeshare flights operated by Emirates connecting in London Gatwick (LGW) to/from Dubai.

OK, I'll answer that question It's not clear whether you have to be ticketed on the CO flight to get the EQMs, or if it will suffice to fly LGW-DXB on an EK-ticketed flight. The language is identical to the Virgin Atlantic page, and you DO earn CO EQMs on VS-ticketed flights, as long as that flight also operates as a CO codeshare.

But it's certainly clear that there will be no EQMs on JFK-DXB or DXB-JNB. You'd need to do AF via CDG or KL via AMS to get EQMs to JNB.

rkkwan

Look at the fine print in the bottom:

"* OnePass Elite qualification miles and points and Elite mileage bonuses may only be earned on Continental Airlines codeshare flights operated by Emirates connecting in London Gatwick (LGW) to/from Dubai."

skipmnyc

Thanks for that -- oops. Having done EWR-AMS-JNB-CPT-AMS-EWR on KL (with a side trip to Lusaka, Zambia) just a week ago on KL, on the heels of having already qualified for Plat in 2008, I guess all the careening between continents and hemispheres has made me too tired to *scroll down*

Wouldn't it be nice if EK just joined Skyteam? VS too, for that matter--fat chance on both counts, I know.

HedgeFundFlyer

But that would make Skyteam a real global alliance

ijgordon

Heaven forbid...

yensoy

You could've done DXB-DEL-EWR-IAH and truly maxed out your miles

ElkeNorEast

Interesting... when EK starts IAH-DXB service in December, will EK discontinue the codeshare with CO?

HedgeFundFlyer

My guess is yes. EK hasn't shown much interest in prolonged partnerships with any airline. IAH-DXB is a highly-traveled route that is just getting busier, and the new EK route will definitely cut into existing CO business via LGW.

CO should have seen the DBX phenomenon coming and tried to make sure it could get more people to the Middle East, esp. DBX, more reliably, esp. given the energy connections between the two regions.

(Since my original posting I've been losing sleep trying to decide whether to re-book my ticket to BA in order to keep my oneworld status since EK status is really only useful for trips to DBX and surrounds.)

ElkeNorEast

My only caveats to anyone trying to fly BA these days are 1) transit UK and you can only have one carry on ex-UK, so you have to check your bag and 2) unless you take the IAH-DTW-LHR flight, you'll be stuck doing the LGW to LHR shuffle, and I HATE that.

Of course, it's also a good excuse to spend a night in London, which is good IMO but other people might not be so keen.

Also, since you can only take one piece of hand luggage on ex-UK flights, that means you have to check a bag and BA aren't doing very well in the luggage handling department these days.

I'm sure you've checked the AF site, yes? They have lots of CDG-UAE flights, I'm surprised you couldn't get ANYTHING on them... and all the EQMs on AF fall nicely into your OnePass account.