My partner and I are going to participate in an African safari in late spring. The jumping-off point is NBO (Nairobi). I'd like to get as close as possible on DL (or AA, but that's another thread on the AA board) metal and the rest on SkyTeam partners if possible. The idea is to maximize the time on DL metal so that I can hopefully be in BE, and earn as many MQMs as possible.

Alternatively, any F/J award ideas would be appreciated. I may not have as many miles to spend as my buddy Cholula, but I have a respectable amount. (I hope Dovster didn't read that!)

I'm betting I won't get a lot of useful responses, but I hope I'm wrong!

Happy New Year to all.

Hmmm... Well, starting in February, you can earn miles on VS, and VS does Johanesburg and Capetown. You probably can pick up a flight the rest of the way on an African airline. Also, NW/KLM serves Nairobi directly. DL BE to AMS, then connect on to NBO.

Now, if only SkyTeam would get the stupid upgrade awards deal straightened out!

Well you could take DL/NW/KL/CO to AMS and then hop onto a KLM AMS-NBO flight. That would probably be the best option to go with, then you can either burn or earn miles for the entire trip.
It will be good when Kenya Airways joins SkyTeam sometime in 2006.

Actually, Berto brings up an interesting option: IF Kenya Airways were to join Skyteam (look at how long Aeroflot has been rumored to be joining Skyteam), then you could have the very nice option of taking Virgin Atlantic Upper Class all the way down to Capetown or Johanesburg, then taking a Kenya Airways flight to NBO. Of course, I'm sure VS UC CONUS-JNB/CPT would cost a fortune, and unfortunately, we can't redeem on VS anymore but still, what an experience.

Better yet - If you want to burn TONS of miles, how about Emirates to NBO via DXB? That'd be SWEET! (or is that "SUITE"? )

Do you know how many miles that would be? It's New Year's Eve, I'm drinking, and I don't trust myself to figure it out.

I don't know if you're asking about earning or burning, so...

Just the JFK-DXB-NBO leg is 9,054 one-way according to GCM. Of course, if you fly premium cabin you can probably multiply that by 1.5.

As for burning, it'd be 140,000 for first from DXB-NBO, I don't remember off-hand what JFK-DXB would be.

Emirates FC award JFK-DXB is 160K SkyMiles (I think)

I thought we had until 1/28/06 in which case it's still a viable option. Would be 180K for US to JNB/CPT. Then an intra-Africa award on South African for 50K (if using all miles).

Or OP could do 120K Skyteam J award US to NBO.

Swap miles with someone on the coupon connection, in order to get a Flying Blue award.

That way, you could fly into AMS or LON and continue non-stop on KQ to NBO. KQ has an excellent Biz Class product on the 777s to/from Europe.

Excellent idea, thanks!

Isn't that against the Delta SkyMiles Program Rules? How zealously does Delta enforce the rule, if it's against the rules?

MY partner and I faced much the same dilemma before our trip for a safari out of NBO about a year ago. Our questions were the discomfort of BE going via AMS (Yes, we're spoiled. After many RT's in "real" FC on JAL, Singapore, Malaysia with flat beds, didn't relish 20 hours in cradle.)

We ended up going JFK-LHR-JNB-NBO, the transatlantic on UA (no DL partner seats available, but for $220 or so flew UA RT in coach)(BTW, the trip was a birthday present for my partner. Even with super cheapo tickets and only Gold status on UA, they upgraded BOTH of us to FC when I told them it was for his birthday...JUST LIKE DL WOULD, right?

The SAA lounges in LHR were quite lovely...we spent a 12 hour layover (after great food and shower in the lounge) noodling around London. HUGE flat beds and superlative service on 12 hour flite to JNB...then a wonderful (not as fab as MQ in KUL, but pretty perfect) SAA lounge and a thoroughly delightful flite to NBO.

flew back from Mombasa via NBO (I highly recommend a couple days post safari R&R there...we took the o/n train NBO-MOM just for the experience and it was a great, almost anachronistic experience...

Happy to provide more info and details offline if you'd like.
Steve

Are you serious? $220 for that routing? And easy to upgrade? wow!

The $220 was pp for the JFK-LHR only.... hope THAT was clear. I think the upgrade was just the good fortune of a mostly empty plane and a very sweet agent.

The rest was 180K miles per person... though of course, could have done the transatlantic as part of the 140K to JNB if any seats had been available.

The whole trip was one of those last minute, go by any route we could find...and also one of those rare times when everything fell together perfectly!

When does the plug get pulled on the SA awards? I was thinking it was this spring.