May 25, 2010
After I had my award on hold on DL.com, I need to call to add MU flight, DL call centers are very bad, especially Cincinnati, most people really have no clue what they are doing. My first call got to that center again, here was our conversation
Me: “I have an award reservation on hold and want to add China Eastern flight segment”
Agent:” I am sorry, sir, on what airline?
Me: “ China Eastern”
Agent: : Sir, China Eastern is not our partner, you can not redeem miles on them, only revenue ticket.”
I knew the conversation is not gonna to anywhere, so I hang up, called again. This time, the call was answered by a nice agent Michelle, in order to save my time and energy, my first question after greeting is
Me :” Where are you located”
Agent:” Chisholm, MN”
Haha, I knew she’s the one and my next question is
” Do you know how to use Delta miles on China eastern flights?”
Agent:” Of course I do, why not?”
I then give her my reservation number and told her the flight number I wanted to add, in just few minutes, she was able to confirm MU 522 from NRT-PVG for me.
My optimal return point for my ticket is either PEK or ICN, but no one operates from PEK, so I had to try ICN-NRT on KE flights. The agent was able to confirmed the flight, but unable to issue the ticket, she told me the reason, and confirmed what I have said 2 months ago, Delta block ALL award redemption on KE during blackout period regardless of Geographic region.
I ticketed my reservation right way as is and planed to add PEK-NRT on DL flights later when seats open.
Few days later, I had to cancel the trip I built up, and replaced with a even better one. I will talk about later as it needs some extra procedures.
One more note: Whenever calling Delta, keep calling until u reach call center in Chisholm, MN as they are former NW worldperks employees, they have more knowledge on how to dealing with award tickets.
Also, if you can speak Chinese, try to dial Chinese call center in China, those Chinese speaking agents are from old NWA.
Posted by Troy under Award redemption, Delta |
May 25, 2010
Now, we have both outbound and return available on delta.com, let’s put them together using Multi City, selected the flights I wrote down earlier with all low award level. then place award on hold online.
Leg 1 ONT-SEA(always separate leg)
Leg 2 SEA-NRT
leg 3 NRT-SFO
leg 4 SFO-SEA
leg 5 SEA-ONT(this leg is considered as stopover point by DL system if leave next day, regardless of connecting time)
For leg 3 and 4, if I put NRT-SEA, routing via SFO showed up too, but only one connecting time available, since I wanted to stay longer in SFO, so I break into 2 segments to search.
With delta.com, sometimes, flight with more than 24 hours connecting time even shows, in this case, DL system doesn’t count as Stopover point.
As I always said DL award allows 1 stopover+1 open jaw, but u can do better than that!
Posted by Troy under Award redemption, Delta |
May 25, 2010
You must register here,
then trasnfer or earn qualifying acticities btw May 24th-July 31, 2010.
Both SPG and Marriott offers good value on hotel transfers, 65000 SPG points can give you 120,000 US airways miles during this promotion. Or 270,000 Marriott points can give you 7 nights at any cat 1-5 hotels +180,000 US airways miles.
Posted by Troy under Marriott, Starwood Hotels, US airways |
May 24, 2010
Few days ago, I talked about how to search outbound using Delta.com to build my trip, now return portion.
For return, there is no help on AS flights, you just have to rely on DL own flight(forget about KE, I will talk about in next few days). many people complained about DL own award availability, but from my past few weeks observation, DL low award from Asia back to US does exist, availability here and there, SEA has better availability than SFO than LAX, but consider SFO is using 767-300, so SEA is your best bet. It’s ok if you see yellow calender for any date of the month, just come back in few hours, you may be able to find some surprise.I was able to find many dates in summer pop up during the past three days
For my return, same thing, search trans pac first, NRT-SEA using calender, flight to SEA via SFO showed up on the date I want, I wrote flight down. as I mentioned earlier, SEA-ONT never been a issue. in the beginning, I added an overnight in SEA, then next day flight from SEA-ONT, amount still showed as 120K for the entire trip.
My first ticket was open jaw from NRT as I couldn’t find anything from PEK-NRT, but it’s not a big deal as PEK-NRT pops up here and there.
with both outbound and return availability, I can piece them together on Delta website.
Posted by Troy under Award redemption, Delta |
May 24, 2010
Due to sudden schedule change, I have to re book another award using DL miles, this one took shorter than before as I already mastered DL award system! I got
1 overnight in SEA, eat dinner with my friend
1 22 hours layover in HNL, first time Hawaii
1 stopover in NRT
1 open jaw on exact date I want return from PEK and avoided 767-300ER for Trans Pac!
total cost 120K miles+84 in taxes!
Bkng Meals/ Seat/
Day Date Flight Status Class City Time Other Cabin
--- ----- --------------- ------ ----- ---------------- ------ ------ -------
Mon 28JUN ALASKA OK A LV ONTARIO 500P **
AIRLINES 531 AR SEATTLE 727P
Tue 29JUN ALASKA OK A LV SEATTLE 855A **
AIRLINES 851 AR HONOLULU 1155A
Wed 30JUN DELTA 609 OK O LV HONOLULU 1000A D **
AR TOKYO-NARITA 105P# BUSINESS
Thu 01JUL DELTA 647 OK O LV TOKYO-NARITA 705P D **
AR SHANGHAI CN 920P BUSINESS
Fri 27AUG DELTA 634 OK O LV BEIJING CHINA 655A B **
AR TOKYO-NARITA 1150A BUSINESS
Sat 28AUG DELTA 296 OK O LV TOKYO-NARITA 410P D **
AR SEATTLE 920A BUSINESS
Sat 28AUG ALASKA OK A LV SEATTLE 140P **
AIRLINES 538 AR ONTARIO 420P
Posted by Troy under Award redemption, Delta |
May 23, 2010
Before I am writing how I constructed the award, I really have to say something about DL call center. They are bad, very very very bad, they have no idea what they are doing! However, there is a exception, a former NW call center located in Chisholm, MN, people there really know everything! I will talk about later!
First of all, let me explain a little bit on Delta award search calendar, over the past 2 months, Delta award search calendar improved a little, it still provides some incorrect result, but it’s getting better. However, the calendar only considers Delta flight, that means if AS/AF/KL is available on that day, it won’t show on the calendar as low award. For AF/KL, use AF/KL website to search, for AS, use AS website or just plug ur gateway city to a non stop destination serve by AS on DL website, if AS flight shows, the it will be low amount.
With this idea in mind, I started to search outbound trans pacific flights. There are total 4 gateways from US west coast, my dates were not very flexible, I have to arrive in PVG no later than June 19th. I searched LAX, nothing, SFO, nothing, PDX, nothing, all used calender, but for SEA, I did not use calender, instead, I searched day by day because AS has flight from SEA-HNL, then connect to NRT on DL, as I mentioned earlier, this kind of routing will not show under calender search because AS involved. I found availability on June 15th, continue to search, found June 17th, which arrives NRT around noon and on the weekend. Now outbound transpac was done. ONT-SEA leg have seats everyday on AS, no need to worry.
Posted by Troy under Award redemption, Delta |
May 22, 2010
I will provide some detail later tonight and How good a former NWA Call Center can be!!!
Bkng Meals/ Seat/
Day Date Flight Status Class City Time Other Cabin
--- ----- --------------- ------ ----- ---------------- ------ ------ -------
Thu 17JUN ALASKA OK A LV ONTARIO 1025A **
AIRLINES 533 AR SEATTLE 1255P
Thu 17JUN ALASKA OK A LV SEATTLE 455P **
AIRLINES 859 AR HONOLULU 747P
Fri 18JUN DELTA 609 OK O LV HONOLULU 1000A D **
AR TOKYO-NARITA 105P# BUSINESS
Sat 19JUN CHINA EASTERN OK D LV TOKYO-NARITA 500P D **
522 AR SHANGHAI CN 700P
Fri 20AUG DELTA 634 OK O LV TOKYO-NARITA 340P D **
AR SAN FRANCISCO 935A BUSINESS
Fri 20AUG ALASKA OK A LV SAN FRANCISCO 550P **
AIRLINES 313 AR SEATTLE 745P
Sat 21AUG ALASKA OK A LV SEATTLE 145P **
AIRLINES 538 AR ONTARIO 418P
Posted by Troy under Delta |
May 21, 2010
It's not complete yet, I still need to add NRT-PVG/PEK open jaw.
the following ticket has 2 forced stopover one in HNL, another in SFO,
both stopovers give me enough time to visit friends, and real stopover
is SEA, same thing, visiting friends.
Total cost me 120,000 Delta pesos and everything are done online!
will provide more detail tomorrow!
Must redeem on or before: May 23, 2010
Day Date Flight City Time Cabin
--- ----- ------------------- ---------------- ----- ------ --------
Thu 17JUN Alaska 533 LV ONTARIO, CA (ONT) 10:25am First
AR SEATTLE, WA (SEA) 12:55pm
Thu 17JUN Alaska 859 LV SEATTLE, WA (SEA) 4:55pm First
AR HONOLULU, HI (HNL) 7:47pm
Fri 18JUN Delta 609 LV HONOLULU, HI (HNL) 10:00am Business
AR TOKYO-NARITA, (NRT) 1:05pm
Fri 20AUG Delta 634 LV TOKYO-NARITA, (NRT) 3:40pm Business
AR SAN FRANCISCO (SFO) 9:35am
Fri 20AUG Alaska 313 LV SAN FRANCISCO (SFO) 5:50pm First
AR SEATTLE, WA (SEA) 7:45pm
Sat 21AUG Alaska 538 LV SEATTLE, WA (SEA) 1:45pm First
AR ONTARIO, CA (ONT) 4:18pm
Posted by Troy under Delta |
May 20, 2010
Carlson Hotels Gold Points Plus joined others to offer free night promotion, member must register, then stay btw June 1st-Aug 31st, earn 1 free night for every 2 stays and up to 7 free nights.
You can start to redeem ur free night on July 15th, for stay btw Sep 1st-Feb 28,2011.
Posted by Troy under Club Carlson(Formally Carlson Hotels Gold Points Plus) |
May 19, 2010
Since A380 have launched first flight with Singapore Airline, few more ailines have A380 now including AF,SQ,QF and EK. However, finding a seat in premium class on this aircraft is nearly impossible if not completely impossible.
Today, I was bored and my baby behaved well, so I started to play with AF/DL award system again. As I mentioned several times under delta section, finding a business seat with low amount mileage on DL own mental is nearly impossible, you have to rely on AF/KL flights in order to get lowest amount as DL tier award system can not be used on partner airlines. Whenever there is award showing on KL/AF site, you can book it with Delta miles on Delta website.
I know you can find AF A 380 business class on CDG-JFK/JNB occasionally, but today, AF released many business class seats on A380 CDG-JNB starting from June, I guess even covers World cup period!! You can book them on delta.com, once you see the seat on AF site, plug the flight on delta.com.
Here is the price list:
From NA/Caribbean/Mexico-Africa, 120K RT business class
From Europe-Africa, 100K RT business class
From India(any country same zone as India)-Africa, 120K RT business class
From Asia-Africa, 180K RT business class.
Hope you find the date you want on A380!
BTW, I have thought about the way DL blocks KE, it looks like 2 ways
1 using blackout date as excuse as mentioned in previous post.
2 intentionally tells u no seat even if there are, since you have no way to check anyway!
Posted by Troy under Award redemption, Delta, General Frequent Flyer Advice |
May 19, 2010
After my first phone call yesterday, I made few more calls to search my award.
second call, I told her I want to search China Southern flight on May 22nd from PVG-AMS, the lady told me” Sorry sir, you can not redeem trans continent on CZ flight, you can only use CZ for within Asia.”
Follow the “hand up call again rule” I talked to third agent, this time, she checked CZ flight for me and told me no seats, then I asked to check KE ICN-PRG on May 22nd, she put me on hold for few minutes, then told me” Sorry sir, you can not redeem on KE flight on that day because May 22nd is blackout date”
I asked her” is that the blackout date for Trans Pacfic flight only”
She said:” no sir, whenever KE has a blackout date, you can not redeem any KE on that date.”
well, that’s Delta, an airline u are not gonna find any real answer for any thing!With help of KL, AF, DL miles have not become completely useless yet, if some day, DL starts to block KL/AF seats, then it will become the worst program on earth.
Posted by Troy under Award redemption, Delta |
