VladQ

Also, be mentally prepared to pay taxes & fees of over $300 for a Business class ticket. Y is about $50 less.

stephem

I have a couple of partner award questions and have not booked a complex partner award since the NWA days. I want to get my parents 2 business class tickets from NY to Bali and so far have found that:

• (DL metal is pretty much impossible)
• first preference would be CZ 380 across the pacific JFK-LAX-???-DPS (good seat and lots of space)
• second would be CI JFK-KIX-TPE-DPS (good availability but would prefer a better seat)

Here are the questions I am trying to work out:

Routing rules: CI and CZ both have a fare filed JFK-DPS so that's no problem, but can I only follow the routings specified in these fares? For example, CZ allows routing CAN-JKT-DPS but I'd ideally like to try to route them CAN-SIN-DPS (with the final segment on KL). The CI fare is an MPM fare, and JFK-KIX-DPS is obviously acceptable, but can I route JFK-KIX-TPE-SIN-DPS. Can I route one of these carriers through SIN?

Stopover: I'd like to route them outbound thru SIN and have them stop and meet up with us there. I know I can do under 24 hours or open jaw between SIN-DPS and just pick up a cheap KL ticket, but would like to maximize the business class experience for them. Can I do JFK-LAX-CAN-SIN(stopover)-DPS?

4 segment limit: If I cannot find them space on the JFK-LAX nonstop, does a JFK-MSP-LAX flight really count as 2 segments (or are there any connections that have the same flt# and count as 1 segment)? If so that would seem to rule out using CZ if I cannot find a nonstop flight for JFK-LAX, and would also rule out transiting through SIN.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated, I've already set up an airfrance account to see CZ and CI award space.

mtkeller

Published routings only matter when trying to use a routing that's way over the MPM. JFK-LAX-CAN-SIN is over the MPM by less than 5%. Based on best knowledge at present, this should be fine. JFK-KIX-TPE-SIN-DPS is under the MPM, so it would be fine.

That should be fine.

Yes, JFK-MSP-LAX counts as two segments, unless you find a direct flight with award availability. This is pretty rare, as DL tends to release it on the component flights. In any case, I'd be surprised to find any direct JFK-LAX flights that have a stop somewhere in the US. If you want the SIN stopover and can't find low award space JFK-LAX (don't rule out Y…you won't find J), I'd suggest paying cash for the flight to LAX.

stephem

Thanks mtkeller, that is all helpful, especially putting them in Y for JFK-LAX if need be.

mnredfox

And keep in mind that DL's fare engine doesn't always work as we described and as indicated in the master thread. Sometimes it works in your favor, sometimes it does not.

stephem

Not sure if others have found this, but the Alaskaair.com award engine works very well for finding AeroMexico award space. The engine works well because it finds point-to-point and connections (many!) when looking at even small cities in Mexico/US and it allows you to easily scroll through days of the week to find space. It actually allowed me to build out a couple of awards during a busy travel period by taking an extra connection and routing through LAP instead of SJD.

BLT

I am flying RT MSP-JRO via AMS in Sept 2013. Using a SUG cert I was able to get upgrades on the DL segments MSP-AMS and AMS-MSP. But no upgrades are available for the KLM flights, AMS-JRO-AMS.

How can I optimize my changes of getting upgraded on the AMS-JRO-AMS flights? If I am not upgraded in advance, can I still ask for an upgrade at the gate?

THEsocalledfan

Thanks for the tip. I think AeroMexico is going to be quite useful for me next time I book and award trip even though I suspect if I do, I will end up on Delta metal for 100k....

philippa

I'm trying to find 2 low-tier economy seats from Europe to the US for next summer. Is there a reason why the Delta website will show no availability in economy on AF partner flights while listing 1st/business as available?

For every flight in question, EF list 9 economy seats available; delta.com has zero, only high-level awards.

If I phone the Delta reps, will they be able to "see" these seats?

KVS

What is the flight #/date?

zhengqiji

I've noticed that delta.com cannot show award space on AeroMexico after Oct 1, 2013, even same flight is searchable and bookable at either AirFrance or Alaska's website.

In this case, how do I book AM ticket with Delta miles? If I need to call them, which fare code I should use for economy class? According to http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...er-thread.html, it looks like Award classes (J/Y) is either C/Z or U. I assume those codes are all pre-10/1/2013?

TIA!

KVS

The new Classes are O/X:
http://Help.KVSTool.com/#AM

zhengqiji

Thank you. Can I assume that DL agents can see those new classes at their end?

RealHJ

They can, but probably 98%+ don't know how to (don't bother to read the internal memos or learn on their own, esp. knowing that the internal memos on that are often purposefully obfusciated so as the agents wouldn't know how to do it and thus pax couldn't get the award they want, even though all is available) or won't bother to search and just will tell you that nothing is ever available.

zhengqiji

~^*@&^*#

Probably I can try Singapore based agents, or hopefully one time Delta IT Dept could fix the problem.