Getting to PMI on SkyTeam
 

My good friend is getting married in PMI next year, and, in the best of all world, we'd like to fly on a SkyMiles redemption. IB and Spanair seem to rule Spain these days, with not a lot of SkyTeam presence. Any thoughts on a good award routing from PHL? We will be traveling with 3 kids, so we'd like to keep connections to 2 each way, if possible.

Looks like you'll have to call Delta for special routing to PMI.

This is the message I get when I tried a dummy award booking from PHL to PMI

Award Ticket ReservationsThis market is not valid for Award Ticketing on delta.com, but may be available on one of our SkyMiles Airline Partners. Contact us at 800-323-2323 or call the number on the back of your SkyMiles card for assistance. Non-US based customers, please contact us for assistance.

Air Europa. Easy to redeem, although it's not a very good airline at all.

I completely forgot about UX. Thanks for that.

I used to travel from the USA to PMI at few times a year for work. It certainly isn't an easy place to get to on SkyTeam. Basically you will arrive into either AMS or CDG. From AMS, you take KL to either BCN or MAD and connect to Air Europa. From CDG you will fly AF to BCN or MAD and connect to Air Europa.

Air Europa has been difficult with seat assignments in my previous journeys. They are not assigned until you check in. On multiple occasions, I would arrive for my Air Europa flight in BCN with my NW/DL boarding pass only to find out I was issues a duplicate seat. Be sure to recheck with Air Europa when you make the connection to save yourself any surprises. Hopefully now that they are more a part of SkyTeam that things will improve. It is a very short flight from BCN to PMI... about 20 minutes on a good day.

BCN is the preferred airport to connect through as the terminal is new, the gates tend to be closer and there is a nice general service lounge in the front that Sky Team Elite Plus members can hang out.

Other posters have mentioned Air Europa, but DL itself is pretty well positioned in the Spanish market (MAD, BCN, VLC, AGP). If I were you, I'd take one of DL's nonstops into BCN or VCE, spend a couple of days there, and get to PMI on a separate ticket. You can nearly always pick up flights for less than EUR 20 each way (I usually fly Vueling in Spain). Or you kids might like taking one of the superfast ferries to Mallorca (they leave from both Barcelona and Valencia, although depending on when you go, service might be by regular ferry).

I'm surprised by the low price for revenue tickets in J class on UX. They're about $1400 all-in. Not bad for what appears to be a near lie-flat experience.

I've done NW/KL into BCN and then Air Europa to PMI in paid biz. I think it's a fine airline with generally new planes and OK service, although business on the shorter routes mostly gets you lounge access and no lines.

Coming from the US, the easiest connection is BCN. In addition to it being a new and recently expanded airport, this routing avoids the mess of transferring between terminals (several miles apart) in MAD. Smaller Spanish airports generally aren't much with few lounges or other amenities.

BCN is also a wonderful city for a stopover, much more interesting than MAD. Valencia is also pleasant but can be very hot and humid.

Having lived in MAD for 6 years earlier in my life, we're considering a stop-over to catch up with friends. That said, I agree, transferring in BCN is much preferred.