How do I check for partner availability?
 

Called DL to see how many miles are required to go in business class between LAX and SYD using VA. The agent said that she can't query specific carriers. !?!?

She only can put in the origin, destination, and dates. Then, according to her the system returns the mileage required. After some effort, she was able to find out the operating carriers: DL and HA (yuck for their "business" class) for 225k miles.

So, then I went to the web site and put in those dates and got the 225k level, using DL and HA, similar to the phone agent's itinerary. However, upon clicking to the next screen where the itinerary is assembled, I got 150k miles.

Did I get a clueless agent? I thought agents are able to do availability calls for specific carriers and flights? It sounded like she was just entering my dates into DL.com and just quoting what she saw.

BTW, I've been a loyal NW frequent flier since the 1980's, so I'm still adjusting to the DL way of things. NW agents used to be pretty quick and proficient at these things.

- Pat

agent should have been able to check partner specifically. As to the 225k vs 150k, welcome to the broken delta award calendar.

http://www.match.com/

:D

Please excuse the frivolity. I'm looking forward to seeing the answers to your question too.

Smartass.

match.com is a meat market. I'm using www.eharmony.com. I love running a lot and dated some runners, but they turned out to be jerks. So, another common trait I'd like to share with my partner: flying business class. :D Unfortunately, I haven't been successful trying to pick anyone up in airline lounges or business class cabins when I fly. :(

I was speaking to my dad and told him that if I found a woman who only flies business class on international leisure trips (using her money/miles of course), it'd be a match made in heaven. He told me that I'm just really weird when it comes to that - different compared to other guys my age. He sarcastically wished me "good luck."

And now I'm getting my own thread further off-topic. :rolleyes:

Many, many, MANY clueless agents when it comes to booking on VA. I successfully booked 2 Business Class tickets on VA for October but it took 4 agents to do it. Here is my story, in short:

First agent told me, repeatedly, I was wrong and mistaken; that in fact there was no way to redeem miles on VA and I was a very confused individual.
Second agent did it, but booked me in Economy (F) on VA=Coach.
Third agent booked me in Business but according to the fourth agent...
She did it wrong. Fourth agent had to reissue the ticket correctly by following the procedure VA wants but admitted this was his first VA ticket.

Time spent on the phone in total: 2 hours and 7 minutes.

May I ask how many miles?

All partner awards are at Low miles. VA in Business LAX-SYD will be 150K one-way or R/T, or simply not available.

http://www.delta.com/skymiles/use_mi...eage/index.jsp

To the OP's original question, have DL start to add partner search functionality at DL.com like nwa.com had or some competitors websites have today.

As was stated, it only cost me 150,000 per ticket. A great deal if you ask me, even if the VA seats resemble from an appearance standpoint that of the AF J seat, which I dislike.