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Home  >  Biman • China Southern • Iberia • Korean Air • Travel  >  Help Me Get Home: Three Choices!
BimanChina SouthernIberiaKorean AirTravel

Help Me Get Home: Three Choices!

Matthew Klint Posted onMay 22, 2017May 23, 2017 46 Comments

Greetings once again from SE Asia. I’m working late in Vientiane, Laos this evening.

The Novotel at BKK was over $200 so I thought, what the heck, let’s turn lemons into lemonade. I’ve never been to Laos before and the r/t airline ticket plus hotel here came out about the same price as another night at the Novotel.

But I need to get home. Checking off new countries is fun, but checking on my 7-month-old’s diaper is probably more pressing. Nevertheless, if you know me by now you know that I will not be taking the most direct route home. It’s just not in me.

So here’s what I’m considering:

Option One: Kenya Airways Business Class from Bangkok to Hong Kong ($280) + Korean Air First Class from Hong Kong to Los Angeles via Seoul (80K Chase to Korean)

Aero Icarus / Wikimedia Commons

I’ve never flown either carrier and am trying to review every SkyTeam carrier in the next year. I’d love to do an A380 first class comparison between Asiana and Korean on the A380 route (I’ve already flown Asiana, just never published a report). I’d also get a seat on the 747-8 First Class Kosmo 2.0 suites from HKG-ICN. Downside: plenty of other reviews out there.

Option Two: Bangkok to London via Dhaka in Biman Bangladesh Business Class (~$1K) + London to Madrid on British Airways (7K Avios) + Madrid to Los Angeles on Iberia (42.5K Avios)

Aleem Yousaf / Wikimedia Commons

The original plan was to fly to on the Ethiopian Airlines fare to Toronto then connect back to Madrid on a cheap flight and use an award I booked months ago from MAD-LAX during an Avios sale. The normal price is much higher on the MAD-LAX route. Plus, flying on Biman’s premier flight #1 to London would be interesting…probably a bit like the Pakistan Airlines experience I had with Lucky. Another bonus: I’ve never set food in Bangladesh before, so it would be another check mark on the list.

Option Three: Bangkok to Guangzhou to Los Angeles in China Southern First Class (100K Chase to Korean)

Waka77 / Wikimedia Commons

I still intend to fly all A380s and have not been on China Southern’s. Even so, it kills me to even think about wasting 100K points on something that might resemble this.


What do you think? Any preference or anything I am missing? Too bad those cheap Qatar fares ex-BKK are no longer available.

Previous Article The Last Battle with Ethiopian Airlines (+Videos)
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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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46 Comments

  1. Brad B Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 5:42 pm

    Go with KE, best of your choices

  2. Andrew Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 5:48 pm

    When redeeming Korean Air miles, I think that you can only do partner airlines if it is a round-trip. Wouldn’t that preclude option #3?

    • Matthew Reply
      May 22, 2017 at 9:54 pm

      Good question. Would have to do a SAUDIA first class return! Or at least China Eastern.

  3. Shaun Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 5:51 pm

    Honestly, no one cares. Can u get a ticket on MH370?

    • Jill Reply
      May 22, 2017 at 7:05 pm

      LOL
      Good one.
      This blogger needs to stop posting period.
      Nobody cares about his greedy mistake fare pursuit that rightly turned into a nightmare.

  4. Greg Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 5:51 pm

    I forgot that you have a 7 month old.

    I say this as someone who used to do a lot of bizarre mileage runs (and occasionally still does), but if I had gone tilting at windmills like your Ethiopian adventure while my wife was home with our 7-month old, she would have moved home to her mother’s house, created a funeral pyre of all of my stuff, and changed the locks on the house prior to hiring a realtor to sell our house to liquidate for the divorce division of assets.

  5. Spencer Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 5:52 pm

    Option 1 if you want to get home and know you’ll enjoy the journey.

    Option 2 if you want some more adventure.

    Option 3 meh, pass.

  6. jettyboy Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 6:03 pm

    seriously. stop pretending like you are doing a great service to your readers and are fighting “the good fight”. You clearly are not. We all understand you need to travel as part of earning your livelihood (many of us do the same) but this whole adventure was just ill-advised even for a single travel blogger, leave alone one with a seven month old at home.

  7. Dale Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 6:07 pm

    Lol at the first comment. That person doesn’t care, but yet there are reading the blog?! 😉

    Definitely option 1. I hear great things about First Class on Korean Air, that it even better than Asian First…

  8. Eric Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 6:09 pm

    I find all these comments expressing outrage over the fact that Matthew left home, frankly, bizarre.

    This was nothing more or less than a business trip for Matthew. This blog is his business. This business trip generated a lot of content for his blog. Mission accomplished.

    Yes, he has a wife and kid – no different from a lot of us business travelers. I know I for one have gone on a lot of business trips (away from my wife and family – gasp!) that have ended up generating a lot less revenue for my business.

  9. DM Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 6:13 pm

    Option 1. I have a trip to Tokyo/ICN planned later this year and I’m trying to decide which premium cabin product to fly. Would appreciate a current review of Korean 1st class.

  10. Spencer Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 6:14 pm

    I’d go with option 1 if you need to get home and just want to enjoy it. Otherwise, have some fun with option 2.

  11. Nick Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 6:21 pm

    Option 2 definitely, I don’t think we’ll get a Biman review anytime so otherwise.

  12. David W Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 6:24 pm

    I’d vote for Biman and Iberia just because there are less reviews of those airlines. Otherwise, KQ and KE!

  13. A Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 6:26 pm

    Matthew, sorry for all the negative troll comments on here. Clearly people have nothing better to do with their time but hide behind a computer being a negative, miserable person.

  14. Santastico Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 6:28 pm

    Get something cheap in economy so you get home quickly. After all this mess you deserve a 16+ hours in a middle seat in economy. :))))

  15. Michael C Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 6:44 pm

    Why all the haters? They’re obviously reading this blog for a reason so I’m not sure why they’re so critical…perhaps they’re unhappy with their lives and projecting onto you…or maybe they skipped the last session with their therapist…or they need to double up on their meds. At any rate, I vote for option #2 for a review of Biman.

  16. jean Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 6:45 pm

    Gotta go with one or two. The Kenyan route in one is enticing but two sounds great all around

  17. Abdul Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 6:48 pm

    I thought Korean doesn’t allow one way flights with Partners?!

  18. Mark Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 6:54 pm

    Don’t you need to get a round trip when flying a Skyteam partner when using Korean points? And you could forgo the Kenya leg and just spend 95K from BKK, fees are less too.

  19. Hao Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 6:59 pm

    I would pick the stop in Dhaka. Never been but one of my good friends owns a few restaurants there.

  20. MEOW Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 7:27 pm

    I would pick option 2, just because it sounds like it would be more interesting.

    I think some of the trolls are coming from here, you are getting killed on FT right now: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/external-miles-points-resources/1586440-boarding-area-s-fall-69.html

  21. Gil Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 7:29 pm

    I’d go with option 2. Would be interesting to read a review on Biman!

  22. Cornholio Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 7:39 pm

    You traveled to the other side of the world to get in a fight with some stupid airline instead of spending time with your young child. I see where your priorities are…..disappointing.

  23. Windbag Miles Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 7:55 pm

    Selfishly I’d say option 2, since it would generate the most interesting trip report. However, option 1 sounds significantly more comfortable.

  24. Trevor Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 7:57 pm

    Sounds like you are having an interesting, if memorable time. Dhaka seems like a fun option tho I suspect that is the longest duration… so you’ll have the balance that one.

    That said, it’s been interesting to follow your experience with Ethiopian; it seems somewhat reminiscent of the Swiss error fare out of Yangon a few years ago. Wish this had ended better for you, but keep churning the lemonade!

  25. DaninMCI Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 8:15 pm

    Option 2 as Avios are worth way less than the chase points. I wonder if the YQ is a deal breaker on those routes.

  26. Billiken Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 8:30 pm

    That Korean A380 looks pretty darn sexy. It would be hard for me to pass that up!

  27. Christian Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 8:51 pm

    Well, since you won’t go with the most direct routing, option 2 seems the way to go.

  28. Tiamsanit Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 9:12 pm

    Anything good but Biman. This chitty airline, like a flying trash can. I’d risk my life flying these metal. Dhaka airport is a joke too. One of the ugliest in the world.

  29. Alan Brint Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 9:24 pm

    How about option 3? First class travel sounds amazing right now. I don’t really feel like Iberia, they’re not exactly a great airline, and an African airline doesn’t really suit me either after your encounter with Ethiopian. Just my two cents.

  30. Mike Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 9:39 pm

    Option #2 but be careful in Dhaka.

    Please don’t be bothered with all these unkind people trying to tell you how to live your life.

  31. Donald Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 9:47 pm

    I would vote for #1.
    While choice 2 is the more esoteric, the first one more people would actually find useful.

  32. Kevin Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 9:55 pm

    Wow what a bunch of dicks in the peanut gallery tonight. Why don’t you guys go back to MMS?

    Definitely Bimin! Or perhaps you can find something on Sri Lankan?? BKK->CMB->LHR->LAX?

  33. Joey Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 10:46 pm

    I’ve flown on CZ A380 first back in late 2015 and had a much better experience than Lucky (thank you Lucky for prompting them to get better.) From what I recall, it took a few days to book the KE partner redemption award as I had to call the call center but then again I booked it 6 months before travel. And yes, it has to be roundtrip. Saudia First sounds great as does China Eastern or China Airlines!

    Good luck on your decision!!!

  34. Brian Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 10:55 pm

    Go with Korean and enjoy yourself. I don’t read your writing to see you torture yourself and likely an infinitesimal number of your readers give a flying duck about Bangladesh. IAG biz class is just pitiful other than for sleeping. Push Korean for the best service possible and see what happens. That’s of value. Wasting miles for torture is not in the cards for me any more.

  35. Ben S Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 11:22 pm

    #2. Not sure why all the hate. I totally love what you’re doing.

  36. MeanMeosh Reply
    May 22, 2017 at 11:43 pm

    #2 sounds like fun. Burn them Avios! Plus, knowing your travel tastes, I’d venture to bet you’d find Dhaka quite interesting. (Never been there personally, but based on what I’ve read, sounds like the type of place you’d enjoy seeing once.)

  37. Margaret Gray Reply
    May 23, 2017 at 12:06 am

    Oh my god. As the mother of a great child actor, Jason J. Delmonico, these are EXACTLY the venom and malignant attitude other lesser mothers throw at me on a DAILY BASIS. My advice for all these bottom-feeders? GET A LIFE.

  38. Stephen Bradley Reply
    May 23, 2017 at 12:15 am

    Jal 70k business. I just got back this am..good solutions if you have one world.

    • Matthew Reply
      May 23, 2017 at 12:36 am

      That’s actually quite tempting. I love JAL F so much. I bet business is great too.

  39. Hans Mast Reply
    May 23, 2017 at 12:26 am

    Do not fly China Southern. They’re horrible. No need for another review of them.

    I’d say option #1 unless you actually visit Dhaka for a bit. We need some Kenya Airways reviews. I’ll FB message you my pics of Dhaka.

  40. jean Reply
    May 23, 2017 at 12:29 am

    The hate is ridiculous, Ethiopia was incorrect and this was in interesting case study of seeing how far they would go to stand their ground, something that I enjoyed following.

  41. Mike Reply
    May 23, 2017 at 1:51 am

    Option #1: Would like to see your comparison.

  42. Aptraveler Reply
    May 23, 2017 at 11:06 am

    Screw the haters, I for one find it fascinating what you’ve done here even if it’s a bit extreme. Imagine how people would feel if you had gotten ET to honor the fare after all the travails you went thru. I bet the conversation of the haters would have been different, since it’s hard to argue with success!

    In any case, Bangladesh sounds like an adventure stop & I respect how you always think outside the box & challenge the establishment.

    So Biman & Iberia for the win!

  43. Rick Banzhoff Reply
    May 23, 2017 at 4:31 pm

    Having flown Biman a couple of times
    … and having regretted it … I’d go with Korean. You will really enjoy their bibimbap!

    And for all of the meanspirited remarks, remember this: even the dull and ignorant have their story so recognize these people for what they are: vicious and meanspirited. Their day will come .. and it won’t be nice.

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