Trip to Australia via ICN - How to fly only Skyteam?
Sep 16, 2018, 9:14 pm
#16
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: perth
Programs: SPG(LTG), QANTAS gold, Korean, Accor Plat
Posts: 1,500
I find it difficult to believe you would contemplate Garuda and not KoreanAir. There are limited options flying to Perth, Garuda and China Southern. Flying into Singapore or Bangkok is a better option than flying to the east coast of Australia for a connection as both are similar distance but better experience on an international flight than domestic.
Sep 16, 2018, 9:18 pm
#17
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: HNL
Programs: DL PM/1MM, BW DE (lifetime), HH DE, Marriott PE (lifetime), National Emerald Executive
Posts: 7,205
Other issue with VN is the long connection times at Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. You also won't be allowed to leave the airport without a visa. Visa must be applied for before departure. While they can give visa on arrival, you must submit paperwork before departure through approved agency, be approved, and receive approval letter before boarding plane to VN.
VN has a lot of flights (more than most other airlines) w/in Asia, even to/from secondary airports 3-4 daily flights (e.g. 1 or 2 to each HAN and SGN), so connections are not necessarily that long, just it often involves short(ish) night-time flights in one direction at least, which can be tiresome.
Also the airports there leave quite a bit to be desired. Last time I was at HAN, the lounge was...underwhelming. Fine for a short while, but right next to it was just unfinished shell space, so just feels kind of odd, a bit humid, and just palatable food (quite unlike in flight where VN is truly top notch and has the second best J-class food in SkyTeam after GA IME).
Sep 16, 2018, 9:28 pm
#18
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,857
Now if you want to go back PER-SYD-LAX-MSP that sounds like a good choice.
Sep 16, 2018, 9:50 pm
#19
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
Vietnam visa takes like 5 minutes to get online, it's easy and quick, and very cheap. Then yes there is a bit of a line, but it's very fast and efficient, to get the actual printed visa sticker in the passport at the airport (the inbound tourists volume is huge, but the people doing the visas do about 5 of them per minute).
VN has a lot of flights (more than most other airlines) w/in Asia, even to/from secondary airports 3-4 daily flights (e.g. 1 or 2 to each HAN and SGN), so connections are not necessarily that long, just it often involves short(ish) night-time flights in one direction at least, which can be tiresome.
Also the airports there leave quite a bit to be desired. Last time I was at HAN, the lounge was...underwhelming. Fine for a short while, but right next to it was just unfinished shell space, so just feels kind of odd, a bit humid, and just palatable food (quite unlike in flight where VN is truly top notch and has the second best J-class food in SkyTeam after GA IME).
VN has a lot of flights (more than most other airlines) w/in Asia, even to/from secondary airports 3-4 daily flights (e.g. 1 or 2 to each HAN and SGN), so connections are not necessarily that long, just it often involves short(ish) night-time flights in one direction at least, which can be tiresome.
Also the airports there leave quite a bit to be desired. Last time I was at HAN, the lounge was...underwhelming. Fine for a short while, but right next to it was just unfinished shell space, so just feels kind of odd, a bit humid, and just palatable food (quite unlike in flight where VN is truly top notch and has the second best J-class food in SkyTeam after GA IME).
Agree on lounges. VN is great in air, on ground at airport in VN, not so much.
Sep 17, 2018, 1:09 am
#20
Join Date: May 2004
Location: formerly Gold now Diamond, formerly MSY, now LAX, formerly NW, now DL
Programs: Hyatt Plat, Hilton Gold, SPG Gold, Delta Diamond/1MM
Posts: 4,635
CI (China "Taiwanese" Airline) is really a nice airline, professional friendly service and TPE is a nice spot to connect. Their lounges have a small dim sum offering plus made to order noodle bar (make sure to get yams from the covered clay pot).
VA is also lovely in that the service is great, I believe you'll have domestic lounge access (double check that) as a GM. It's a Delta partner so you'll get "first" tier partner benefits.
VA is also lovely in that the service is great, I believe you'll have domestic lounge access (double check that) as a GM. It's a Delta partner so you'll get "first" tier partner benefits.
Sep 17, 2018, 1:39 am
#21
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: HNL
Programs: DL PM/1MM, BW DE (lifetime), HH DE, Marriott PE (lifetime), National Emerald Executive
Posts: 7,205
Every booking I've ever seen involves a lengthy at least 5 hour connection. The visa process was a PITA last time I needed one. Long lines to pickup and pay for the visa. At least at that time you had to apply before taking off for VN, it had to be through a VN TA, and you had to have the approval letter in hand, printed out (no simply showing the PDF on your phone) before boarding.
Agree on lounges. VN is great in air, on ground at airport in VN, not so much.
Agree on lounges. VN is great in air, on ground at airport in VN, not so much.
VN visa online application is done by a number of authorized parties, very competitive rates...but yes, the pick-up at HAN or SGN can seem a bit chaotic (in reality it's faster than it looks, as they are very fast and efficient). 5 hours is not enough time to go out anyway given the traffic and distances. VN does have free transit tours, hotel, meals for transit pax, but you only get that on certain itineraries (like from Australia to EU) when there are no closer-in flights. IMO it's a great value to book a longer (10+, even better if 20+) hour layover with VN if it qualifies for the free transit tour/hotel/etc. VN is one of few airlines to do that still (QR used to - well just hotel and meals, no tour, for transit pax -, but last time I checked don't do that anymore), and you get a good choice of itineraries and from what I recall seeing printed they also put you in good hotels.
Sep 17, 2018, 1:57 am
#23
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: HNL
Programs: DL PM/1MM, BW DE (lifetime), HH DE, Marriott PE (lifetime), National Emerald Executive
Posts: 7,205
CI is far superior to KE nowadays, for both in air and and on the ground (CI lounges at TPE are some of the best of any SkyTeam lounges, esp. in terms of food).
A few years ago, would have been may be a tie, but not anymore given how rapidly KE has went downhill the last few years in all aspects.
Sep 17, 2018, 2:18 am
#24
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: United Kingdom
Programs: Bonvoy LTTitanium, BAEC Silver
Posts: 591
Didn't they have a poor safety record before? I assume they have addressed these issues with no incidents of late?
Sep 17, 2018, 5:32 am
#25
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
Sep 17, 2018, 7:36 am
#27
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Washington, DC, Chapel Hill, NC (RDU)
Programs: DL Plat (won't hit DM again) 2MM (2.5), HH Gold, PC Gold, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 5,626
Other issue with VN is the long connection times at Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. You also won't be allowed to leave the airport without a visa. Visa must be applied for before departure. While they can give visa on arrival, you must submit paperwork before departure through approved agency, be approved, and receive approval letter before boarding plane to VN.
Sep 17, 2018, 8:33 am
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: DL PM, MR Titanium/LTP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,130
+1
GA is probably the best airline in SkyTeam.
VN is also strong and has excellent in flight product and service (on the ground, not so much).
I would go with GA, VN, CI, MF, KE, CZ, MU - in that order.
SkyTeam has by far the strongest coverage of any alliance in Asia, so there are options galore to go from ICN to PER. And many interesting extra stops are possible, like going ICN-DPS on GA, stop a few days there, then take one of the many LCC flights DPS-PER. That way also (US-DPS / DPS-US) it's a through-fare on an award flight. That's really the best way to go to Australia, esp. Western Australia, IMO, on a SkyTeam award.
GA is probably the best airline in SkyTeam.
VN is also strong and has excellent in flight product and service (on the ground, not so much).
I would go with GA, VN, CI, MF, KE, CZ, MU - in that order.
SkyTeam has by far the strongest coverage of any alliance in Asia, so there are options galore to go from ICN to PER. And many interesting extra stops are possible, like going ICN-DPS on GA, stop a few days there, then take one of the many LCC flights DPS-PER. That way also (US-DPS / DPS-US) it's a through-fare on an award flight. That's really the best way to go to Australia, esp. Western Australia, IMO, on a SkyTeam award.
Anyway OP you said up front you want to maximize your miles on this trip. That will only happen if you fly the Tier 1 partners: AF / KL / KE / MU / VA.
Why not break it into two RT: USA - ICN on DL and then ICN - PER on KE?
Unless you want to go to Vietnam I'm not sure it's worth adding the stop just to avoid KE - especially if you are flying in Y
Sep 17, 2018, 4:14 pm
#29
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 375
To be honest, that was my fear.
Sep 17, 2018, 4:17 pm
#30
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 375
+1
GA is probably the best airline in SkyTeam.
VN is also strong and has excellent in flight product and service (on the ground, not so much).
I would go with GA, VN, CI, MF, KE, CZ, MU - in that order.
SkyTeam has by far the strongest coverage of any alliance in Asia, so there are options galore to go from ICN to PER. And many interesting extra stops are possible, like going ICN-DPS on GA, stop a few days there, then take one of the many LCC flights DPS-PER. That way also (US-DPS / DPS-US) it's a through-fare on an award flight. That's really the best way to go to Australia, esp. Western Australia, IMO, on a SkyTeam award.
GA is probably the best airline in SkyTeam.
VN is also strong and has excellent in flight product and service (on the ground, not so much).
I would go with GA, VN, CI, MF, KE, CZ, MU - in that order.
SkyTeam has by far the strongest coverage of any alliance in Asia, so there are options galore to go from ICN to PER. And many interesting extra stops are possible, like going ICN-DPS on GA, stop a few days there, then take one of the many LCC flights DPS-PER. That way also (US-DPS / DPS-US) it's a through-fare on an award flight. That's really the best way to go to Australia, esp. Western Australia, IMO, on a SkyTeam award.