greenwichgolf

Trying to schedule multi-city JFK/CDG/EDI/JFK on Delta web site. No luck even though Air France has 2 non-stops CDG/EDI daily. I chat online with Delta why I can't book, and the response is "Partner has no availability". Then I go to Air France site and try to book. Availability is there, but on the return they want me to fly EDI/CDG/JFK even though Delta has a non-stop EDI/JFK. Have you encountered similar booking issues? Would a phone call get me the routing I want?

SFTNYC

Are you looking for revenue tickets or to redeem miles? If it's the former then I'd be perplexed.

If it's the latter, airlines release different award inventory for their own miles versus partner miles. The case you're running into on the outbound is AF is making award seats available for Flying Blue, but not for SkyMiles. On the return, Delta is not making award seats available for Flying Blue on their nonstop. If you have Amex points (from the non-branded Amex card) these can be transferred to AF/KL flying blue miles. In the old days I'd say book two one ways (one with flying blue, one with SkyMiles), but I think the DL program somewhat penalizes international one-way award bookings now.

greenwichgolf

Revenue.

JFK-cdg 9/30

cdg-edi 10/5

edi-jfk 10/12

VFR

I can get ITA Matrix to show it, but I can't get delta.com to price it.

It's probably cheaper to book CDG-EDI separately; is there a reason you need it on the same ticket?

flyerCO

The issue is DL has no fare CDG-EDI. Unless agent knows to use AF fare for the segment and how to do so it'll never price.
.

greenwichgolf

So I'll have to call Delta to book? Thanks! I noticed the same issue when trying to book online JFK/FCO/CDG/JFK for December '22.

greenwichgolf

I think you're probably right, just thought it'd be more convenient to have one itinerary ...

Thanks,

VFR

For anyone interested in faring, there's a few ways I can see this as faring:

1. Stopover. You buy a ticket that has two fare components: JFK-CDG and CDG-JFK, and on the second one you buy up to a higher fare that allows stopovers in EDI. This can also be done with a JFK-EDI-JFK fare and a buy-up on the first fare.
2. Combination. You buy a ticket that has three fare components: JFK-CDG, CDG-EDI, and EDI-JFK. Each fare supports end-on-end combinations with each other (useful because DL fares can often be combined with AF fares).
3. Circle Fare. You buy a ticket that has one fare component: JFK-JFK, and allows the routing JFK-CDG-EDI-JFK with stopovers in CDG and EDI. I don't believe any of these are filed, but it is potentially a valid fare if you find one.

I could price this as a combination of JFK-EDI ML1J03M3 ($650 base fare + $100 for the stopover) and EDI-JFK XL2J57M2 ($100 base fare). The first fare allows a stopover in CDG (which is why it's $650 more expensive). This prices at $1421.

If you are willing to book CDG-EDI on a separate ticket, you can get the open-jaw transatlantic flights for $844 and CDG-EDI for $98, so a total of $942.

There are a few disadvantages to booking separate tickets:

1. Your checked baggage allowance will be different on the intra-Europe flight (probably 1 bag as a DM, vs 2 bags as a DM for the transatlantic flights).
2. If you cancel / change, you'll have to do that separately (and possibly once with Delta and once with Air France if you book with different airlines).

greenwichgolf

Found some time and called Delta and they are able to book this. A waste of time for both me and the agent, when it should be bookable online. I told the very nice agent that they should pass along the productivity suggestion.

flyerCO

Being able to be bookable online would require extra coding expense. Likely you were booked using an AF fare for the middle segment. AFAIK no airline currently offers the ability to book OAL fares via their website.