How to use DL miles to book MU (China Eastern) award flights?
#1
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,033
How to use DL miles to book MU (China Eastern) award flights?
I was looking for award tickets on some of MU's staple regional routes yesterday and noticed that Delta doesn't show any MU results. Then I tried some intra-China routes where I know there is almost always award inventory on offer (e.g. SHA-PEK, SHA-KMG; never waste mile on these btw)...also nothing on MU, but tons of options on CZ, which is leaving Skyteam. Isn't MU one of DL's core partners? This isn't a huge deal for me, but it would be nice to be able to use miles between Shanghai and Japan without having to stop in Korea. Maybe we need to book by phone? Thanks in advance for your insights.
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,586
I was looking for award tickets on some of MU's staple regional routes yesterday and noticed that Delta doesn't show any MU results. Then I tried some intra-China routes where I know there is almost always award inventory on offer (e.g. SHA-PEK, SHA-KMG; never waste mile on these btw)...also nothing on MU, but tons of options on CZ, which is leaving Skyteam. Isn't MU one of DL's core partners? This isn't a huge deal for me, but it would be nice to be able to use miles between Shanghai and Japan without having to stop in Korea. Maybe we need to book by phone? Thanks in advance for your insights.
https://www.delta.com/us/en/skymiles...-miles/#travel
(Some airlines might not make some of their award seats available to partners.)
#3
Join Date: Jun 2022
Programs: DL PM,Hyatt Glob, Marriott Plat
Posts: 60
MU‘s service sucks. Many flights they still serve packaged snacks instead of regular hot meal nowadays.
Check china's flyertea webside for MU award space if you read chinese........ www.flyert.com
Check china's flyertea webside for MU award space if you read chinese........ www.flyert.com
#4
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,033
Check china's flyertea webside for MU award space if you read chinese........ www.flyert.com
#5
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,033
There's no harm in calling DL to inquire, but DL's website says that award travel on MU can be booked online:
https://www.delta.com/us/en/skymiles...-miles/#travel
(Some airlines might not make some of their award seats available to partners.)
https://www.delta.com/us/en/skymiles...-miles/#travel
(Some airlines might not make some of their award seats available to partners.)
#6
Join Date: Jun 2022
Programs: DL PM,Hyatt Glob, Marriott Plat
Posts: 60
While few would dispute the fact that MU's service used to suck (i.e. remember the 等方·days and those aging MD11s they flew to LAX), I personally prefer their current and hard product to most US carriers now. But, that's beside the point. Whether or not I liked them, I would still fly with them because I live in Shanghai and they dominate both airports here.
What specific threads there discuss redeeming award flights on MU using DL miles?
What specific threads there discuss redeeming award flights on MU using DL miles?
I remembered DL used to able to redeem 7.5K for domestic first class on MU/CZ/MF, and 6K for economy. Yes, 7.5K only for FC. Maybe since they fixed this, MU award space became limit. Old good days are gone.
https://www.flyert.com/t-3953410-1-1.html
https://www.flyert.com/t-4080908-1-1.html
You live in Shanghai, well you can just call DL's Mandarin line for MU award space.
#8
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: HNL
Programs: DL PM/1MM, BW DE (lifetime), HH DE, Marriott PE (lifetime), National Emerald Executive
Posts: 7,205
KE? For X (Y), may be. But not for O (J). When speaking of O availability, KE practically never releases any flights but regional flights only, which are only ever available Mon-Fri (never on the weekends or holidays in O or X). Long-haul flights KE only releases X (Y), for practical intents and purposes close to zero O (J) inventory.
#9
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,033
I don't care about tpac, and I wouldn't expect them to release those flights anyway. I care about intra-Asia. The point is that they supposedly haven't released ANY inventory to Skymiles.
#10
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,747
I'm frustrated. I found China Eastern award flights from LAX-PVG and onward. I moved a substantial amount of AMEX points to Delta. I then attempted to book - and attempted - and on and on. The award seats show until I get to the final step when it says that the seats have already been claimed. But of course they show up again and again when I attempt to book again. Is it common for Delta to show phantom availability for China Eastern?
#11
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,033
I'm frustrated. I found China Eastern award flights from LAX-PVG and onward. I moved a substantial amount of AMEX points to Delta. I then attempted to book - and attempted - and on and on. The award seats show until I get to the final step when it says that the seats have already been claimed. But of course they show up again and again when I attempt to book again. Is it common for Delta to show phantom availability for China Eastern?
#12
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,747
I would say this is worse. I moved 330K AMEX points to Delta to cover the cost of the award seats that I am unable to book. I now have those points sitting in an account that I rarely use.
#13
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Now in SLC
Programs: DL GM 1MM, MR LT Titanium
Posts: 4,117
I'm frustrated. I found China Eastern award flights from LAX-PVG and onward. I moved a substantial amount of AMEX points to Delta. I then attempted to book - and attempted - and on and on. The award seats show until I get to the final step when it says that the seats have already been claimed. But of course they show up again and again when I attempt to book again. Is it common for Delta to show phantom availability for China Eastern?
#14
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,747