Biz-Class Perksaver to Europe for Summer 2010
 

I am starting to hunt for a Perksaver Award centered for any three weeks around the week of August 2010, so I am pretty flexible. I want an open jaws LAX-to-LJU (Ljubljana); returning FLR (Florence)-to-LAX.

Not surprisingly, this is not bookable for any date in one shot on nwa.com. However, I can find (barely) suitable availability for a RT LAX-to-AMS, and separate 12,500 mile coach availability that is wide open on AF for:

AMS-CDG-LJS and FLR-CDG-AMS

1. If I call nwa's awards desk, can they add-in the AMS-LJU/FLR legs in coach for me for the same 100,000 perksaver cost? Who cares if the short Europe flights are in coach so long as the trans-Atlantic is biz?

2. If I do #1 above, and biz opens up later on the Europe legs, I just call nwa for the upgrade, right?

3. If I want a stopover coming or going (not a layover) in CDG and/or AMS, that is separate 12,500 x 2 (no one-way awards) Worldperks award, correct?
(The open jaws at the destination uses up my allowed stopover on the primary 100,000 mile award, I think.)

4. Wife and I are both Skyteam Elite Plus as WP plats. So can we use any Skyteam biz lounge in AMS and CDG on the strength of EITHER our Elite Plus status OR the fact that we have (in #1 above) a biz award (paid as biz), but seated in coach? (In Europe, the lounges are better than the sucky in-cabin service on intra-Europe travel.)

Consider PSA
 

As opposed to FLR. DL is supposed to reinstate their PSA-JFK non-stop in time for next summer; we took that flight in July and it turned out to be terrific, and PSA is a relatively easy airport to navigate. You can take an hourly express train from Firenze SMN to Pisa Aeroporto, the latter being located maybe 50 feet outside the door leading to the DL check-in.

At PSA, there is an airport-operated VIP lounge which is adequate which is available to those with BE tickets.

1. That is up to you.

2. Once ticketed, if short haul biz opens up, you either have to pay for the change or use one of your two free changes as PE.

3. I thought you get a stopover and an open jaw on international itineraries but I am not positive.

4. You can check lounge access at delta.com. They have a pretty good page where you plug in how you are accessing (Biz ticket, ST E+, etc) and it tells you which lounges you have access to.

John

Thanks to ND76 and fti for the replies
 

Thank you for the help.

Whether I get BOTH an open jaws and an in-route stopover depends on the region. Europe allows both. From nwa.com,

"When you travel on a WorldPerks award ticket in some travel regions, your travel may include one legal open-jaw or one en route stopover per roundtrip journey.

An open jaw is when you travel to one city and return from another, or vice versa. Both flight segments must be of a greater distance than the non-flight (open-jaw) segment. If the open-jaw portion exceeds the maximum permitted mileage, two roundtrip award levels are required.

A stopover is a planned break of more than 24 hours on an international trip or four hours on a domestic trip between your point of origin and your destination or vice versa. One en route stopover and a legal open-jaw are permitted per roundtrip for international itineraries. Stopovers are permitted only in Northwest and partner hubs. Stopovers are not permitted for travel within Asia Pacific/Micronesia, or within/between the United States, Alaska, Canada, Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean and Puerto Rico. Travel must be via a published route and must not exceed MPM."