Looking for feedback from those who have flown Skyteam to Malaysia recently.

I have a 50/50 chance of needing to make a last minute business trip to Malaysia, leaving Monday evening or Tuesday from BOS. Final destination is Penang, but I'm only interested in getting KUL, since flights from there to Penang are numerous and shouldn't be a problem. Return is expected to be from DXB. I am Silver on DL, no status with other airlines.

Northwest/KLM through AMS looks like it may be the best bet. Only one stop (two if I go through DTW), with 9-12 hours in AMS to work, sleep, sightsee. KE looks like a possibility but with at least two stops.

Any thoughts?

Many ST carriers allow you to earn/burn on MH. They fly from EWR and AMS, including a KL codeshare from AMS. If the price is the same, you absolutely want the MH flights - especially if you're in coach, as they have 34" pitch, seatback TVs, and far, far better service than KL.

I'm not sure about DL members earning on MH, but I'll be the KL codeshare qualifies.

No level miles though, just award miles. So if you need a matter of 18K odd miles to push you to gold, well, that's your chance.

Don't fly northworst longhaul to asia - they tend to put their oldest DC-10s on such routes. I'd suggest a DL-KE combo BOS-NYC-ICN-KUL

Or something that's far easier on you, jetlag wise - via europe (BOS-AMS-KUL or BOS-CDG-KUL) on AF/KL

One other option to consider would be to fly BOS....SIN and then SIN-KUL Penang. You might well find that you can ticket to KUL that way without issues.

Also, depending upon your plans, this might be a good candidate for an RTW ticket.

If there's any way you can do it...try and get into MH's F lounge at KUL. It is amazing! (and if you are even booked on just KUL-SIN on MH's 2 class 737's you can get in!)

Steve

I agree completely and had the same thought. F is only slightly more than Y and worth it for the lounge alone. My preference is to fly F on SQ from SIN to KUL and F on MH from KUL to SIN so you get each carrier's F lounges in their respective home towns.

I've recently done JAC-SFO-ICN-PENANG and back the same way. Not bad on Korean in J.

Give me KLM over MH anyday. Don't know how they got their reputation but we had 6 horrible flights with them on honeymoon.

From Delta.com

Malaysia Airlines offers:

Economy Class: No mileage credit
Business Class: 125% of mileage
First Class: 150% of mileage

16Malaysia Airlines:
Mileage may be earned on Malaysia Airlines-coded and operated flights. Mileage credit is applicable only for residents of the United States, Bermuda, Canada, the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, or South America. No mileage credit is awarded for intra-Malaysia flights, or for fares booked in I, R, or T class.

Singapore Airlines offers:

Economy Class: Actual mileage flown
Business Class: 125% of mileage
First Class: 150% of mileage

18Singapore Airlines:
Mileage may be earned on Singapore Airlines-coded and operated flights. Mileage credit is not applicable for fares booked in G, N, Q, R, or V class, or for tickets issued as part of a cruise package.


Doesn't mention anything about if they count towards Medallion status

That's because they don't.
They only count as SkyMiles.
Only the airlines listed here earn Medallion Qualifying Miles (MQMs) that count toward Medallion status.
The resources listed here can be used to earn or burn SkyMiles.

Hey all! Glad to finally be on FlyerTalk myself!

rts123, you're right! There are plenty of connections between KUL and PEN. Cathay Pacific and Malaysia Airlines offer "full-service" between the two airports. But if you have to pay it yourself, and seeing as MH flights within Malaysia don't count for Delta miles, you might as well fly Air AsiaAir Asia. They are no-frills but then again it's such a short flight.

swede_swiss

I ended up going MHT-JFK-ICN-PEN (DL MHT-JFK, KE the rest of the way). Once in Penang I boarded an oil tanker and was on there for 17 days before getting off at DXB and returning DXB-CDG-CVG-MHT on AF & DL.

Aside from a 3 hour delay in taking off from MHT, the trip went very well. It was coach all the way, but I managed to at least get an aisle seat on all segments and lucked out with a row to myself DXB-CDG, so I could lay down and sleep.

KE had the best legroom, followed by AF, then DL (all long flights were on 777). My 12-hour layover at ICN went well, thanks to the transit hotel in the terminal, while the 6 hour layover at CDG and 4 1/2 at CVG on the return trip were not as nice.

The reward from the trip was making Gold on DL for the first time ever - I'm usually Silver or nothing. If I'm *really* lucky and get another long trip, I could just get Platinum this year.

Edit: Oops. I failed to note the dates and managed to miss the final post after the OP's travels that bumped this up. Anyways, I supposed I'll leave the rest of this post intact for posterity.

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I would highly recommend KE via ICN if you don't mind the extra stop. If you are flying in J/F, make sure you get the flights with the new seats.

There's the added benefit that Connexion is free at the moment, so you can be online working (or at least trying to work) the whole flight. So assuming it's still up and running when you fly, KE is your only SkyTeam choice for Connexion service. With KE's comfortable seats (especially on the upper deck of the 747), the great food (steaks I can actually eat since they're cooked to order, unlike the horrible flavorless well-done stuff everyone else seems to serve), invariably pleasant flight attendants, and Connexion service, I could just stay in the air for weeks. My favorite SkyTeam carrier at the moment, at least until Delta introduces proper flat beds in J (KE is lie-flat, though I didn't have any of those sliding problems many people seem to run into.) Even if you are in Y, all Connexion-equipped flights have REGULAR power outlets at every seat. No EmPower junk needed.

I flew KE LAX-ICN-AKL (after BOS-LAX on DL), SYD-ICN-NRT, and NRT-ICN-KUL a few months back at the beginning of an RTW award. Every flight with them was excellent. The lounges in ICN are extremely nice as well if you have access to them; great food spread and free high speed Internet (actual real high speed�at least 50 - 100Mbps going into the facility by my estimate) which are the two most important things to me. (Well, and the beverage selection. KE has won awards for their wine selection so no problem there. )

Make sure you try the bibimbap if you do fly KE!