Strategy for KE award flights using DL miles
Aug 23, 2012, 12:39 pm
#167
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Silver
Posts: 1,155
Aug 23, 2012, 12:42 pm
#168
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Silver
Posts: 1,155
Wow. Yeah, I can fly out of JFK but right now I'm booked late in September to go through LAX to get on the A380 (and of course there was no low miles seat in BE for the JFK-LAX flight so we're in coach). What's frustrating is to see that Korean shows availability on a number of days but not knowing if these were released to Delta. The last agent I spoke with said she saw only 1 seat available out of probably 30 days that we checked for even non-A380 flights; KE's calendar showed a lot of availability.
Anyway... I guess I'll just have to keep calling... thanks for the info though.
Anyway... I guess I'll just have to keep calling... thanks for the info though.
I once checked KE's availability on SFO-ICN with an agent, and was told that KE has 6+ business award seats for KE members on most of the dates I checked. When I called DL, they could see at most one seat on each flight.
A good example is the union of KE blackout dates of all regions used by DL. This is just pure, pure evil.
Aug 23, 2012, 6:29 pm
#169
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: HNL
Programs: DL PM/1MM, BW DE (lifetime), HH DE, Marriott PE (lifetime), National Emerald Executive
Posts: 7,204
For KE long-sell is not required. I am not sure would it help, honestly..
it's just that if even for a flicker they "see" the seat, it surely can be booked, they just need to be persistent and keep at it until they get it...persistence always gets the KE seat in the end.
(I know, not very useful advice though, sorry.)
it's just that if even for a flicker they "see" the seat, it surely can be booked, they just need to be persistent and keep at it until they get it...persistence always gets the KE seat in the end.
(I know, not very useful advice though, sorry.)
Aug 28, 2012, 11:59 am
#170
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: LGA/JFK
Programs: DL PM, UA Premier, AA Gold, Hertz PC, National Exec Elite, Sixt Plat
Posts: 500
For KE long-sell is not required. I am not sure would it help, honestly..
it's just that if even for a flicker they "see" the seat, it surely can be booked, they just need to be persistent and keep at it until they get it...persistence always gets the KE seat in the end.
(I know, not very useful advice though, sorry.)
it's just that if even for a flicker they "see" the seat, it surely can be booked, they just need to be persistent and keep at it until they get it...persistence always gets the KE seat in the end.
(I know, not very useful advice though, sorry.)
I've called everyday but so far, nothing.
Aug 28, 2012, 12:36 pm
#171
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: HNL
Programs: DL PM/1MM, BW DE (lifetime), HH DE, Marriott PE (lifetime), National Emerald Executive
Posts: 7,204
Do you think it's possible to switch to an earlier date less than one month out from departure onto another Korean flight or do you think attempts to do this will be futile? I'm less than a month out from leaving for Korea but I'd like to leave a lot sooner... perhaps in the next two to three weeks.
I've called everyday but so far, nothing.
I've called everyday but so far, nothing.
Try alternate routes, e.g. going KE to a different airport and then DL or another airline to the final destination, or try CI via TPE (if not during blackout dates), MU via PVG or CZ via CAN, PEK or PVG - the latter can have pretty good availability.
If there's nothing available for the route in question, then there's nothing. Time to get creative and look at different routings and airlines, like CI, MU or CZ all of which have a lot of flights into Korea, and CI and CZ you can easily check online on at airfrance.us by logging into FB and searching for award flights.
Oct 20, 2012, 3:32 am
#172
FlyerTalk Evangelist & Ambassador: China
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: DL DM/MM, UA 1K, AA Exp, HH Dia, WOH Glob, IHG Plat, Marriott Gold, NA EE, Hertz PC
Posts: 17,418
Now that KE is on DL.com, TPAC J is looking better. But, I'm finding that DL.com still wants to put me on:
1. DL metal & AS metal, resulting in long travel times
2. I cannot access any day for KE's A388 LAX- ICN, anyone else with luck?
1. DL metal & AS metal, resulting in long travel times
2. I cannot access any day for KE's A388 LAX- ICN, anyone else with luck?
Oct 20, 2012, 11:22 am
#173
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: DTW
Programs: AA EXP, DL FO
Posts: 1,719
Nov 2, 2012, 1:53 pm
#174
Join Date: May 2012
Location: New York
Posts: 283
No luck either. I've tried every possible date next September and can't find anything showing up for the two daily nonstop JFK-ICN or ICN-JFK flights (either the 380 or 777). If you look at the calendar and click 'nonstop flights only' then it does indeed look as though space is available, but it won't show up if you click through. A few possibilities... This space is being blocked from showing up on the DL website, or it's completely blocked for use by Skymiles members, or the calendar is simply broken (duh). Has anyone been able to book the 380 over the phone recently?
Nov 2, 2012, 2:50 pm
#175
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 198
No luck either. I've tried every possible date next September and can't find anything showing up for the two daily nonstop JFK-ICN or ICN-JFK flights (either the 380 or 777). If you look at the calendar and click 'nonstop flights only' then it does indeed look as though space is available, but it won't show up if you click through. A few possibilities... This space is being blocked from showing up on the DL website, or it's completely blocked for use by Skymiles members, or the calendar is simply broken (duh). Has anyone been able to book the 380 over the phone recently?
Nov 2, 2012, 3:32 pm
#176
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: DTW
Programs: AA EXP, DL FO
Posts: 1,719
Pretty sure something broke when they integrated the online portion of KE awards. We saw something similar happen during the VA integration. I'm thinking it might have even screwed something up on how agents get seats. KE will fly the A380 (ATL-ICN) daily during Jan 2013 and to only find 1-2 seats is beyond what is normally available IMO. I think things should settle down in the next few weeks. Also notice that the online site shows KE.O and KE.X where as VA is correctly showing the Business/Economy like it would if it was fully integrated. Just be patient (if you aren't under any time constraint). I'm sure many people are all searching daily and someone will post here if they find that it's fixed as lots of seats will pop...
Nov 2, 2012, 3:34 pm
#177
Join Date: May 2012
Location: New York
Posts: 283
No real fixed dates here either. Mainly planning a trip to Japan, but wanted to tack on a few days in Korea either on the beginning or end of the trip in order to fly the 380.
Nov 2, 2012, 4:55 pm
#178
FlyerTalk Evangelist & Ambassador: China
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: DL DM/MM, UA 1K, AA Exp, HH Dia, WOH Glob, IHG Plat, Marriott Gold, NA EE, Hertz PC
Posts: 17,418
FYI, don't always count on the DL engine as I state here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...-thread-3.html
KE award esp in J only sometimes shows up on DL dumb. Case in point, 388 LAX-ICN would occasionally show up a specific date, but them I would search 5 min later and nothing. Call to DL reveals O actually exists.
KVS is probably the best IMO, as I can't seem to get O searches to work with EF.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...-thread-3.html
KE award esp in J only sometimes shows up on DL dumb. Case in point, 388 LAX-ICN would occasionally show up a specific date, but them I would search 5 min later and nothing. Call to DL reveals O actually exists.
KVS is probably the best IMO, as I can't seem to get O searches to work with EF.
Nov 2, 2012, 7:49 pm
#179
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SUX
Programs: BA Silver; HHonors Gold; SPG Gold; Points but dirt with everyone else
Posts: 8,050
Pretty sure something broke when they integrated the online portion of KE awards. We saw something similar happen during the VA integration. I'm thinking it might have even screwed something up on how agents get seats. KE will fly the A380 (ATL-ICN) daily during Jan 2013 and to only find 1-2 seats is beyond what is normally available IMO. I think things should settle down in the next few weeks. Also notice that the online site shows KE.O and KE.X where as VA is correctly showing the Business/Economy like it would if it was fully integrated. Just be patient (if you aren't under any time constraint). I'm sure many people are all searching daily and someone will post here if they find that it's fixed as lots of seats will pop...
