Booking award ticket on KLM using delta miles

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Apr 17, 2013, 10:29 am

#16

DL0620

Join Date: Feb 2011

Programs: UA 1K, Delta Plat

Posts: 92

Has anyone been able to book a KLM transatlantic flight AMS and on to North Asia at Delta's North America to North Asia price? For some city pairs, routing with a single stop at AMS is faster than routing via the Pacific.

For example, BOS/DTW/MSP/NYC-AMS-CTU and return would be 80K Y/120K J if this is still possible, since KLM does publish fares for this origin and destination.

I had previously read that this was possible if KLM published a fare, but I have not heard of anyone doing this in some time.

Apr 27, 2013, 4:29 pm

#17

Xeno

Join Date: Aug 2000

Location: OKC

Programs: DL DM/2.768MM, Global Entry, Titanium_Marriott, GHertz

Posts: 6,751

I am considering doing HKG-BCN in early June and SU doesn't have O inventory for my dates of travel (at least not HKG-SVO-HKG).

When I use EF to search for KLM flights, there is no O inventory but there is "C" or "flex award for elites". Is this class available only to KLM elites and not DL.

The flights I want do not show on DL web, namely 6/5 - 6/10.

Apr 27, 2013, 6:19 pm

#18

lamont2718

Join Date: Nov 2012

Location: ATL

Programs: Bonvoy Ambassador, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Gold, AA EXP, UA Silver, former DL DM

Posts: 2,001

That's correct, C inventory cannot be booked using DL SkyMiles. As a general rule of thumb for KLM flights, if it does not show up on your delta.com award search then it probably cannot be booked as a DL award. And sometimes, even if it does show up on delta.com it still cannot be booked! That has been increasingly the case recently.

Apr 28, 2013, 6:56 pm

#19

BG-777Flyer

Join Date: Oct 2006

Location: ATL

Programs: DL DM, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond

Posts: 208

What are the equivalent redemption levels between Delta and KLM?

For example, if I go to the KLM web site and find a "classic" award for 50k miles between AMS-ATL, does that equate to a low award of 60k miles when I call Delta to book ??

Or do I have to price the itinerary on the delta.dumb web site to see the true amount of miles I would have to redeem? I'd rather call and deal with a person since the award engine is so broken.

Apr 28, 2013, 7:52 pm

#20

lamont2718

Join Date: Nov 2012

Location: ATL

Programs: Bonvoy Ambassador, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Gold, AA EXP, UA Silver, former DL DM

Posts: 2,001

A subset of KLM "classic" awards are available for low-level redemption using DL SkyMiles. Aside from those, there is no other way to book KLM flights as Delta awards (unless the flight is a Delta codeshare).

Apr 28, 2013, 10:45 pm

#21

Bigez747

Join Date: Jan 2006

Location: HOU via MSY

Programs: WN: A+, CP National: Exec. Elite. Choice hotels: Platinum Priority Club: Platinum

Posts: 224

This is such a pain in the neck. I spent over 2 hours on hold today trying to book a flight on KLM using DL miles and in the end after seeing everything available online, I was told only the outbound is available.

I do have a question, does DL allow you to redeem DL miles for flights on SU or any other skyteam partner besides AF and KL?

Apr 28, 2013, 10:59 pm

#22

mnredfox

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: 17,421

Quote:

Originally Posted by BG-777Flyer

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...er-thread.html

Jun 7, 2013, 3:08 pm

#23

PHXflier

Join Date: Nov 2009

Location: PHX

Programs: Delta 2M DM, Southwest A List and CP

Posts: 1,102

Effective June 1, 2013, KLM has increased their business R/T transatlantic mileage requirement to 125,000. I'm wondering whether Delta will follow suit?

In any case, if anyone has any luck in getting award tickets on transatlantic KLM-operated flights using Delta miles, it would be good to post it here... Availability seems to have vanished altogether.

Jun 7, 2013, 3:12 pm

#24

mtkeller

Join Date: Jul 2010

Location: SUX

Programs: BA Silver; HHonors Gold; SPG Gold; Points but dirt with everyone else

Posts: 8,050

Quote:

Originally Posted by PHXflier

DL is not concerned with the mileage that FlyingBlue requires. They look at how they match up against AA, UA, and US. While those programs all have some differences, the key areas of agreement are domestic awards and US-Europe awards. I don't expect we'll see a change in the price for US-Europe that's not related to FBATR.

Jul 13, 2013, 10:13 am

#25

number21

Join Date: Jan 2010

Location: SMF

Programs: Delta PM, Hyatt D

Posts: 416

Quote:

Originally Posted by PHXflier

In any case, if anyone has any luck in getting award tickets on transatlantic KLM-operated flights using Delta miles, it would be good to post it here... Availability seems to have vanished altogether.

Did a search this morning for ANY availability on North America-KLM/AMS-North America in O class. Nothing ... Nada. Has KLM pulled all O inventory for Skyteam or DL use? AF has good availability 1 year out.

Jul 13, 2013, 10:23 am

#26

benzemalyonnais

Join Date: May 2008

Location: BOS/SIN

Programs: SQ

Posts: 2,704

Something is going on with DL and KL - I'm actually convinced that this is coming from DLs end.

There are a lot of things showing up on the Delta site that won't book. Including the intra-Europe flights

Jul 14, 2013, 1:05 am

#27

MSPeconomist

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Quote:

Originally Posted by number21

Today I found award inventory on delta.dumb for KLM ORD-AMS but repeated efforts to book it, as business class low, caused errors. A SLC DM agent tried hard and spent time on it, including booking each segment that I told her separately and trying a long sell (she said), but no luck and she admitted that there were problems between DL and KLM during the last year or so.

The good news is that we found even better flights in low for me.

Also, KLM connections within Europe in business class seem to have improved availability, although AF seems to be better in this dimension currently.

Jul 14, 2013, 1:48 am

#28

umamy

Join Date: Nov 2011

Location: Ann Arbor, MI

Programs: Delta DM, SPG Plat, Priority Club Plat, Club Carlson Gold, Hertz

Posts: 72

Quote:

Originally Posted by benzemalyonnais

I had this same issue recently, trying to book a KLM flight (AMS-CDG) in the middle of two other legs (DTW-AMS-CDG-DEL). I found each leg on delta.dumb, but got the "one of the flights just sold out error" when I clicked through to book. Spent hours on the phone with Delta reps trying to work out the issue, and got a lot of misinformation about it not being bookable.

Eventually, I was able to put just the KLM flight (AMS-CDG) on hold on delta.dumb, and then the rep I was on the phone with added all of my other legs to that reservation. Success!

Jul 14, 2013, 2:08 am

#29

MSPeconomist

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Quote:

Originally Posted by umamy

This seems consistent with what I saw: KLM and especially AF intraEU flights can be booked with DL miles, at least in business class, but KLM TATL shows some phantom availability on delta.dumb while AF TATL consistently does not appear on delta.dumb or EF.