Like most airline tickets, both award and revenue, Korean Air tickets expire one year from date of issue. That presents quite a problem for me…
You might recall that Ben from One Mile at a Time and I flew in Saudia First Class from Dubai to Los Angeles via Jeddah. I booked my ticket with Korean Air, spending 160K miles (transferred from Chase Ultimate Rewards) for a round-trip award, since Korean Air does not permit one-way partner awards.
As much as I truly loved Saudia First Class, instead of another journey on Saudia I booked a return to Dubai via Moscow in Aeroflot Business Class, with a stopover in Moscow. The mileage cost was identical, but I wanted to add a recent Aeroflot review to the blog and re-visit to Moscow. That trip was scheduled to take place in April, but had to cancel it because my other work became so hectic.
The plan was to re-schedule the trip for early next month, where I’d fly to Moscow and Dubai before heading back nonstop on Emirates in time for FTU Washington, DC. But I ran into a serious award space issue with Aeroflot, leaving me with no way to fly on the Russian carrier.
> Read More: Booking Aeroflot Award Space With SkyTeam Partners Proves Difficult
Technically, you cannot change carriers once booked. However, in feeling out Korean Air I believe an exception might be made in this case since there is absolutely nothing available on Aeroflot.
Ideally, I would re-route through Seoul Incheon in Korean Air First Class, but that won’t happen for two reasons. First, routing from North America to the Middle East via Asia is not permitted. Second, even if it was it is Korean Air “peak season” and thus my particular award would be ineligible.
Awards must end in the same country they begin in, so it is not like I have any other options besides Dubai…
If the new terminal in Jeddah was open, I would take Saudia, but until that opens I see little blog value in another Saudia First Class review. I’ve also reviewed Saudia business class (twice) and economy class (twice).
My Options
There are three SkyTeam carriers I have not tried out yet that I would like to: Aeromexico, Air France, and Middle East Airlines. Could I work a route that included all of them?
Ideally, I’d book Los Angeles to London or Paris on Aeromeixco via Mexico City, then Middle East Airlines to Dubai via Beirut. Middle East Airlines uses an A330 for its London and Paris flights. Air France is another option. While Air France longhaul partner award space is very limited, there is space from Paris to Dubai. That flight is also operated by a 777-300 (77W) with Air France’s latest business class product.
That’s my plan: Aeromexco connecting to Middle East Airlines or Air France. I’d love throw in a Tarom segment as well, but that seems a bit ambitious.
Any suggestions? Am I missing anything?
Of course if nothing else works, Korean Air will refund my $322 fuel surcharge on Aeroflot and I’d forfeit the miles. I cannot let that happen…
There was quite a lot of Air France space from Ord and jfk (well definitely the latter) to Paris when I looked (last week) They charge less for the a380 – jfk to Paris was down to around 52k. Of course that doesn’t help you to fly Aeromexico….
Also a lot of air Europa. Out of jfk. I couldn’t figure out the seat type though.
As for Air Europa,
A330 out of JFK has a mix – some have been re-configured with lie-flats seats, others have not.
787 out of MIA is safe with a guaranteed lie-flat.
Are the miles in danger of expiring if they get redeposited?
Given the lack of options, can you cut your losses, pay the redeposit fee of a few thousand miles and get a nearly-full refund? Unless you’re set on earmarking these miles for this particular trip…
There is no redeposit available. Miles are forfeited if the trip is not taken.
Ah, for some reason I didn’t realize that you’d already started travel on the outbound leg. It makes sense now.
It’s too bad. Korean Air miles expires 10 years after earning, so there would have been plenty of time for other uses.
OT but that’s a really badly photoshopped engine on the A380 title picture. Couldn’t KE just have used an actual photograph of one of their A380s?
I agree. Do you have one I can switch it with? 😉
I spent more time searching for a featured image than I did writing that post!
Other than the one engine, what is wrong with it?
Asking for a friend 🙂
I’ve always found MEA to be accommodating, including facilitation of stopovers in Beirut on several occasions, even when on a low fare Y ticket. It’s not a bad airline, certainly better than Egyptair and not far short of Aegean.