SEAUAKID

I'm afraid I'll need to request the advice of more frequent DL redeemers regarding the following.

I'm looking to fly TPE-BKK and return. DL has a within-Asia business-class redemption available for 30k Skymiles.

When I called to inquire on availability, there was availability on KE flying ICN-TPE-BKK and the same return. However, the Skymiles computers indicate to the agents that this is a 60k mile award. When I pointed out that I was not stopping over in ICN, just a 2-hour transit, the agent placed me on hold to research.

Their supervisors informed them that it is an invalid routing. They offered TPE-NRT-BKK instead, which is way more distance. They claim that KE awards for 30k are only available when there is no connection involved.

Could this be the case? Are the KE awards only available without a connection, or is TPE-ICN-BKK really an invalid award routing?

TIA

soitgoes

Delta uses published fares/routings to determine award ticket pricing. Plugging that itinerary into ITA, it prices as two separate fares, TPE-ICN & ICN-BKK. In this case, it works against you, as that means the system will combine two award prices to price out the total cost for the award.

In other cases, this works to your benefit. It's hit or miss.

WBurcham

It could be an interesting rule but I would doubt it.

Call another agent.

SEAUAKID

Thanks for the response, soitgoes. I guess theres my answer. What would be some examples of instances where this would work to my benefit?

Wburcham, I did call a few times and the agents/supervisors all said the same thing.

soitgoes

You can sometimes find fare rules that allow for interesting routings or circle-trip-like itineraries.
One example: I booked DUS-DTW-DCA(stopover)-DTW-DSM(stopover)-DTW-DUS on a standard coach Europe-N. America roundtrip (and luckily before they started charging those hefty Europe origination fees).

You'd have to find someone to do a manual adjustment, which isn't very likely. Deltamatic is automatic.