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Author	Topic: Using Delta frequent flier miles
Judy TUG Member Posts: 1966 From: Melbourne Beach, FL & Steamboat Springs CO. owner: Celebrity Resort World of Orlando; The Ridge Tahoe; Hatteras High; Worldmark. member:II,RCI,DAE,SFX Registered: Dec 2000	posted 05-28-2005 06:44 Only Delta serves my airport. Between us, my husband and I have almost a million Delta miles that we'd like to use. Over the years, we've tried many times unsuccessfully to book award seats on Delta. I've been searching 331 days out for award tickets to our next timeshare exchange - Melbourne to Cozumel. I don't see anything in coach but "Sky Choice". They only fly this route Saturdays and Sundays, so alternate dates are not an option. Only "Sky Choice" out of Orlando too. What is Delta's pattern? Do they usually load their award seats at the same time that they load their flights? Is it likely that award seats will become available later? Any suggestions? IP: Logged
2hokies TUG Member Posts: 92 From: Virginia Owner: Marriott's Grande Vista, Marriott's Ocean Pointe Registered: Mar 2005	posted 05-28-2005 07:22 Have you only been searching online or have you actually called the Skymiles people? The reason I ask is that just this week, my husband and I have been trying to firm up flights to Aruba in December. When we looked online (United), nothing came up even close to our dates. Then my husband called (moments after we found nothing online) and they not only got us on flights, but they were "saver" award seats, not "standard" awards. We do have to come home 2 days later than our check-out date but we'll just rough it in Aruba for 2 extra days. We're also leaving from Washington/Dulles and returning to Reagan/National, but we chose that arrangement which gets us into the area 2 hours earlier. Good luck! ------------------ MAW - Hawaii/Kauai Photos [This message has been edited by 2hokies (edited 05-28-2005).] IP: Logged
Carolinian TUG Member Posts: 5911 From: North Carolina Registered: Dec 2000	posted 05-28-2005 08:49 As to European routes, Delta has greatly reduced their award inventory this summer on their own metal. As a result of this, two of their major partners which often have very good inventory across the pond, Air France and KLM imposed a blackout on using DL SkyMiles on AF or KLM flights from June 1 -Aug. 31. That blackout does NOT apply to the other partners of AF and KLM like NW, CO, and OK. I feel your pain, as I have 400K SkyMiles to burn myself. Fortunately, I comped my status over to NW a couple of years ago, so my eggs are not all in one basket. I can still use Worldperks to get to Europe in the summer. DL is becoming a joke of an airline for flying to Europe. Why purchase a ticket if they set it up so you can't use your SkyMiles???? Caribbean and Mexico routes may be feeling the same pinch. [This message has been edited by Carolinian (edited 05-28-2005).] IP: Logged
bnalexander TUG Member Posts: 268 From: Richland, WA, Owns Sands, Maui; Fairmont, BC, Canada, Flamingo, Vegas Registered: Jul 2004	posted 05-28-2005 09:56 My problem was not in your area, but was with Delta Skymiles. I was trying to book my boss and his family in first class from Washington State to Puerto Rico. I was getting nowhere. I finally reached a phone rep that was able to get the first class seats I needed (together because of the children). She did this about 5 minutes after I was told that no seats were available by another phone rep. She also offered me Alaska Airlines metal first class coming home that was a much better flight arrangement than I could have gotten from Delta. With the recent changes in how companies are represented by their customer service agents I believe it is really a rule that if you do not get what you want (or an agent that can speak your language and understand what you need) just thank them, hang up, and call until you get an agent who can help. Some will understand your needs and be willing to work for you. Others either are unable to understand or not willing to go the distance to help the customer. So, be sure you call if you don't see anything on line. Then, call until you have talked to enough agents to feel certain someone has really tried to get the seats for you. Also, seats do open up when people change their minds and release them. BTW, Delta has consistently been a nightmare to get seats with my Skymiles. When we REALLY needed to use miles for seats, we were calling the first day they were available at midnight eastern time (you have to ask the agent what time zone they are in until you get one in the eastern time zone) because they told us the tickets were released at midnight of each agents time zone. We got some of what we needed but still could not use our Skymiles as we wished. I have pretty much used my Delta Skymiles up (I did not have the amount to burn that you did) and am not going to be using my Delta credit cards for collecting miles in the future. Good luck! ------------------ Barb IP: Logged
Amy Johnson TUG Member Posts: 56 From: Registered: Dec 2000	posted 05-28-2005 17:21 If it seems to be too good to be true.... We have 2 weeks at the Royals next Easter and I wanted to try and use either Skymiles or NW's WorldPerks for a couple of tickets. I was able to hold the outbound flights on the Sunday of the first week on my first attempt. They are on Delta metal, not through Mexico City (which then involves 3 flights), not on Comair etc.. at really great times. Leave Detroit at 9am and arrive Cancun around 2pm. Then I had to wait until the return portions were loaded. On the first call I was able to book the Saturday return. Big jets, one connection, no long layover and all for SkySaver miles (30,000 miles each). Taxes for each ticket was only $60 and some change. It all seemed too easy. Now I'm wondering what will happen if all the rumors at Flyertalk comes to fruition. Am I going to have to bite the bullet and pay big time ticket prices at the last minute. These tickets to buy were only $410. each. Northwest and Spirit from Detroit much higher. Are folks that are loaded with FF miles on Delta not booking that far out because they fear they won't have the flights operating? I am wondering if I should have just burned these miles on a domestic ticket for this summer? What are you mileage pros thinking? Amy IP: Logged
Banker TUG Member Posts: 40 From: Woodstock,GA,USA Registered: Jul 2003	posted 05-28-2005 18:06 My husband and I have Skymiles with Delta and can't get a flight this year. We go October 7th-14th, a Friday to Friday trip which is not the cheapest to fly when paying for it. there are absolutely no skymiles seats. They could get us Skychoice, using double the miles, but we did not want to do that. We are waitlisted for a lot of flights going from Atlanta and connecting through a lot of Florida cities before ultimately gettting to Nassau...but what are my chances?? slim to none I guess.....they suggested going to Laguardia and then down to Nassau, but my husband does not want to spend the whole day and have to go way north to NY just to go south to Nassau. We own at club Land'Or on Paradise Island. All the airlines are so expensive this year for Friday travel in October to Nassau...I hate it that people in NY can go for super cheap on JetBlue and nonstop...Delta's nonstop direct is almost $600.00 per person Atl to NAS!!!! I am sick with envy!! IP: Logged
fnover TUG Member Posts: 90 From: Annandale NJ USA Registered: Jul 2001	posted 05-29-2005 05:46 I must be lucky as I never had a problem using Skymiles, (Skychoice or Skysaver) either out of ATL or EWR. I was able to get the dates I wanted for our trip to HNL Jan. 2006. You can also use Skymiles on Nothwest & Continental Airlines. ------------------ Kauai Beach Club IP: Logged
lweverett TUG Member Posts: 160 From: Va. Beach, Va. Registered: May 2001	posted 05-29-2005 08:57 I just booked my son and his wife on Delta from Norfolk, VA to Cancun for 3rd week in January. Did it on the phone, knowing I would have to pay premium miles. The agent was kind enough to look for and find 1st class tickets for them, with great connections, at the same miles price. This only happened because the web site would not let me book tickets because I was not flying myself. Was willing to pay 60,00 miles per rather than $700.00 each since the miles tickets can be refunded if anything happens. Web site quote for these tickets was $4200.00. I am well pleased. ------------------ Larry IP: Logged
Judy TUG Member Posts: 1966 From: Melbourne Beach, FL & Steamboat Springs CO. owner: Celebrity Resort World of Orlando; The Ridge Tahoe; Hatteras High; Worldmark. member:II,RCI,DAE,SFX Registered: Dec 2000	posted 05-29-2005 11:23 I'm glad to hear that there are still some competent and helpful Delta phone agents. I'd given up calling after my experience this winter: I called and asked when Delta would load next winter's seasonal flights to Steamboat Springs. The agent insisted "We don't fly into Steamboat Springs. We discontinued those flights last March". This was in February 2005, the day after I'd been in the Steamboat airport and seen Delta in full operation. Another time, an agent refused to hold an outgoing award seat for me until the return was loaded. Insisting that they don't do that. Amy, how did you get them to hold seats for you? Or did I just get a disagreeable agent (again)? IP: Logged
Amy Johnson TUG Member Posts: 56 From: Registered: Dec 2000	posted 05-29-2005 12:23 Judy, I was told that they will do a 14 day courtesy hold on the outbound segment and when I called the agent was indeed willing to do this. I asked, she did not offer. When I booked the return portion, I still had 5 days remaining on the 14 day hold so I didn't necessarily have to complete the ticketing that day. My understanding is the NW will not do this. Since we are going for 2 weeks, I figured that the folks going for one week (at Easter) would grab all the flights while I waited for the return portion to get loaded. Delta definitely has an advantage where this is concerned. Amy IP: Logged
Dani Moderator TUG Volunteer Posts: 5152 From: New York Registered: Dec 2000	posted 05-30-2005 17:55 I must be lucky too. I was able to get New York to Venice for this fall just a month and a half ago. I didn't get direct flights, but I'm in there so I'm a happy camper. Also, I was able to get a flight from Venice to Paris for free as a layover which saved me a nice sum of money. Delta has never been a problem for me in terms of booking flights. Also, don't forget to try their partners Northwest and Continental. I will say that it pays to call daily as things are ever changing. I also think that some reps are better at researching flights than others. ------------------ Danielle IP: Logged
Judy TUG Member Posts: 1966 From: Melbourne Beach, FL & Steamboat Springs CO. owner: Celebrity Resort World of Orlando; The Ridge Tahoe; Hatteras High; Worldmark. member:II,RCI,DAE,SFX Registered: Dec 2000	posted 06-04-2005 13:51 Finally! Wonders never cease. We got two round trip skysaver award tickets from Melbourne Beach to Steamboat Springs for next December with a return in March. It would have been an expensive trip otherwise. Delta just listed those flights today. I've been checking daily since January. Why they weren't available 331 days in advance, I don't know. Now if we can just get to Cozumel .... IP: Logged
grest TUG Member Posts: 1674 From: Ocala, FL;, Mt. Amanzi, Place on the Bay, Seapointer, Strand Pavilion Registered: Dec 2000	posted 06-05-2005 05:35 We've had mixed results in terms of actually getting the tickets we needed with Delta, but I must say that the agents have almost always been very helpful and tried very hard to meet our needs. Connie IP: Logged
Carolinian TUG Member Posts: 5911 From: North Carolina Registered: Dec 2000	posted 06-05-2005 15:05 Connie - I have to agree about the agents, especially those in Special Member Services, who deal with the members of the Medallion elite program. I particularly remember one time when they were trying to reschedule a flight for me to Europe in the summer at a fairly late date and spent well over an hour working up all sorts of creative routings to try to find availibility, such as connecting to Air France in Mexico City or Guadeloupe, FWI. They were getting ready to book the Mexico City connection when something showed up with a more direct routing. My Medallion status expired in February after I comped over to NW and quit flying Delta, so now I will be back dealing with the regular agents until I finish burning through my remaining DL miles. Unfortunately, the agents can't create inventory out of thin air, and when management creates situations which reduce availible award seats like the mess with the AF/KLM blackout on Delta award travel for this summer, it just makes me glad I moved on to another airline when I did. Not only does that blackout severely impact award travel to Europe, but it also closes the door on using DL miles (but not CO or NW miles) on the Air France Caribbean flight from Miami to Guadeloupe and Martinique. [This message has been edited by Carolinian (edited 06-05-2005).] IP: Logged

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