"New" mileage routing restrictions to OZ; Now impossible to go via Asia
Mar 12, 2016, 9:00 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Auckland, NZ/New York, NY/ATL
Programs: DL DM MM, BIS 2.4MM, EK Gold, SQ Gold, Marriott Gold, HH Gold,
Posts: 5,222
"New" mileage routing restrictions to OZ; Now impossible to go via Asia
Long story short-confirmed with international reissue desk who confirmed with rates department. Apparently the MPM on all through fare mileage awards from the US-Australia is now 10,300 miles each way, making routing via Asia no longer valid to reach OZ otherwise its viewed as 2 one-ways (US-Asia/Asia-Australia). I put quotations around "new" as it may not be.
To look at just how meticulous DL was about this, I looked at all routings to OZ from the US and the absolute shortest is Seattle which, absolutely perfectly, is 10,380 miles.
Apparently NZ is not included in this as you can still get JFK-Asia-AKL for low if you're lucky, but if you try and add AKL-SYD to this, it doubles the miles.
Good work DL! ^
Edited to add-there seems to be some confusion/missing the fact that this thread is about ROUTING VIA ASIA to save miles and not spending a superfluous amount of miles to fly the direct LAX-SYD flight.
To look at just how meticulous DL was about this, I looked at all routings to OZ from the US and the absolute shortest is Seattle which, absolutely perfectly, is 10,380 miles.
Apparently NZ is not included in this as you can still get JFK-Asia-AKL for low if you're lucky, but if you try and add AKL-SYD to this, it doubles the miles.
Good work DL! ^
Edited to add-there seems to be some confusion/missing the fact that this thread is about ROUTING VIA ASIA to save miles and not spending a superfluous amount of miles to fly the direct LAX-SYD flight.
Last edited by DLATL777; Mar 12, 2016 at 1:53 pm
Mar 12, 2016, 10:49 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,058
Seeing availability on KE and MU from LAX to SYD via ICN and PVG. Both of these routings are over 11K miles.
Seeing some limited low-level availability on DTW-PVG-SYD (DL/MU) in coach (Nov 5 for example). 12K miles.
Seeing some limited low-level availability on DTW-PVG-SYD (DL/MU) in coach (Nov 5 for example). 12K miles.
Last edited by xliioper; Mar 12, 2016 at 10:59 am
Mar 12, 2016, 12:55 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: San Antonio
Programs: DL DM, Former AA EXP now AY Plat, AC 75K, NW Plat, Former CO Gold, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 27,042
There's nothing new about this. As of last year you couldn't get a phone agent to book it. It can however be done online and looking at a random couple of dates it does still work at 80k in J for LAX-SYD via PVG, ICN, or Guangzhou. Again can only be done online for some reason. I've talk with international ticketing who's talked with RM and they agree should be able to get 80k J for LAX-SYD via China or Seoul, but for some reason they can't get it to price correctly using the agents phone system. They tell me to book it online. It's the only time I know that online can book something a phone agent can't. They even tried a wholly MU operated booking LAX-PVG-SYD which is a valid route on MU and thus should book and they still can't get it to work.
Mar 12, 2016, 1:17 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,190
Further, MPMs are tied to fare rules. Fare rules are specific to city pairs. AFAIK there's no such thing as a universal MPM to cover all ex-USA to all Australia destinations.
Mar 12, 2016, 1:33 pm
#9
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS
Posts: 15,027
Mar 12, 2016, 1:44 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Auckland, NZ/New York, NY/ATL
Programs: DL DM MM, BIS 2.4MM, EK Gold, SQ Gold, Marriott Gold, HH Gold,
Posts: 5,222
What are you talking about, Delta doesn't fly SEA-SYD. This entire thread is about routing via Asia to save miles. SEA-ICN-SYD the shortest is 10,380 miles.
Mar 12, 2016, 1:46 pm
#11
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS
Posts: 15,027
Mar 12, 2016, 1:49 pm
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Auckland, NZ/New York, NY/ATL
Programs: DL DM MM, BIS 2.4MM, EK Gold, SQ Gold, Marriott Gold, HH Gold,
Posts: 5,222
Mar 12, 2016, 1:52 pm
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Auckland, NZ/New York, NY/ATL
Programs: DL DM MM, BIS 2.4MM, EK Gold, SQ Gold, Marriott Gold, HH Gold,
Posts: 5,222
There's nothing new about this. As of last year you couldn't get a phone agent to book it. It can however be done online and looking at a random couple of dates it does still work at 80k in J for LAX-SYD via PVG, ICN, or Guangzhou. Again can only be done online for some reason. I've talk with international ticketing who's talked with RM and they agree should be able to get 80k J for LAX-SYD via China or Seoul, but for some reason they can't get it to price correctly using the agents phone system. They tell me to book it online. It's the only time I know that online can book something a phone agent can't. They even tried a wholly MU operated booking LAX-PVG-SYD which is a valid route on MU and thus should book and they still can't get it to work.
Mar 12, 2016, 1:55 pm
#14
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS
Posts: 15,027
Well, the Delta mileage redemption "game" will be up soon as they plan to change it into a fix value redemption system: 1 Skymile = 1 cent.
http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.c...ymiles-future/
Mar 12, 2016, 2:17 pm
#15
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS
Posts: 15,027
