Skyteam Advice: CO, DL or Flying Blue?

[jjpb3]

Looks like my business travel will allow me to sample CO this coming week. I wanted to get some perspectives on where to bank my miles from SQTalkers with SkyTeam experiences. Based on my residence address and Amex membership points, CO, DL and AF/KL are the ones in the running.

What I'm looking for:

• Non-expiring miles
• Good customer service when (1) I redeem or have questions about redemption, or (2) irregular ops occur
• Service and perks to low-level elites (i.e., not the mega-frequent Platinum flyers)

IIRC, I should be paging DeltaFlyingProf, MegatopLover, Savage25, MovieMan, CGK, HUGE AL for this SOS. Sorry if I missed others in the ScaryTeam pool.

So, advice please?

[Savage25]

DL is great for accumulating miles...I've got 240k+ and only about 20K have come from actual flying....the rest from ICH, Avis, DL giveaways, delayed flights, etc...and I haven't even gotten a DL credit card. Plus you get to redeem the on SQ

They expire if there is no account activity in 2 years IIRC, but that part is easy.

You also have PM.

[jjpb3]

As always, you're a star, Savage25.

Many thanks!

[9V-JKL]

jjpb3, you do know what will happen to the value of your DL miles in the future don't you

..........sorry savage25

[CGK]

Isn't it SQ awards using DL miles are limited in routing for someone like jjpb3 who lives in the UK? I have not done my research. But I don't think there is an award for Europe/UK to Singapore/Asia for example. I remember only available North America to Asia/Singapore via JFK/EWR or visa LAX/SFO/YVR.

[MovieMan]

While biased, I would also vote for DL. As Savage25 points out, miles are relatively easy to accumulate, I've found perks to be good even for non-super-elites and the miles can be redeemed on SQ. However, it is definitely worth confirming CGK's post on the limitations of redeeming awards if flying to/from the UK--I am not too familiar with those.

BTW, I have to say Savage25 was also a big help to me when I started flying DL a year ago. Thanks again.

[Savage25]

jjpb3, you do know what will happen to the value of your DL miles in the future don't you

..........sorry savage25

Burn as fast you earn....especially if its a program I earn miles in

Isn't it SQ awards using DL miles are limited in routing for someone like jjpb3 who lives in the UK? I have not done my research. But I don't think there is an award for Europe/UK to Singapore/Asia for example. I remember only available North America to Asia/Singapore via JFK/EWR or visa LAX/SFO/YVR.

True...it works very well for me since I can get a Biz/first award US-SIN-India for the same number of miles as US-SIN. Doesn't work well if you're in the UK.

http://www.delta.com/skymiles/use_mi...s/index.jsp#SQ

[jhm]

Service and perks to low-level elites (i.e., not the mega-frequent Platinum flyers)

I'd be interested about the answer to this question for UK based flyers.

Based on the above, it seems that DL may not be a good idea if you want to redeem miles for Europe to Asia ? Leaving aside DL therefore, what other programme is it relatively easy to accumulate low level elite status ?

For example, AF/FB require 15 flights (including, for UK residents, French domestic flights) per calendar year to qualify for AF/FB silver which gives priority check-in but not lounge access.

[jjpb3]

Thanks to everyone for their advice. (Special thanks to Savage25 and SQFAN for their detailed PMs. )

For now, I've decided to experiment and bank with CO because my preferred redemption on SkyTeam would be transatlantic -- I've read over on TOF too many whinges about Flying Blue customer 'service'; DL's rates don't seem that favorable over CO's; and CO metal appears (based on third-party accounts) to offer better experiences than DL. Plus, CO allows me to earn EQMs with VS, should VS's prices prove attractive. If I'm going to spend time in Y with an airline, I'd prefer one whose Y product and service are considered above-average -- and that looks like CO, rather than DL.

I'll change my mind, of course, if my CO experiences (onboard and on the ground at their hub EWR) turn out to be very disappointing. One data point does not a trend make, so I can be convinced to reconsider.

Again, thanks.

[DeltaFlyingProf]

I haven't flown DL in Y TATL in a long time. Have totally given up on that. AF was not bad if I remember. At least you get some booze in Y, unlike the US airlines.
As for mileage earning and redemption, you may want to consider NW. I find that their arrangement with KL *seems* to give more availability on TATL than what DL gets with AF.
I say seems because it's by looking at their search tool and comparing with what DL agents on the phone would tell me was available. The KL/NW combination had better availability when I tried the comparison.
Plus with NW status, you get almost the same perks as a CO elite on CO.

[jjpb3]

Thanks, DFP. Very helpful perspective.

My issue is, NW forces Europe-address holders to register with FB. (I'd rather not muck around with addresses.)

[DeltaFlyingProf]

Maybe you should muck with address. I am sure you can register, get a match of some sort (at least to silver if you have *A gold) and then switch to UK address.
By the way, another NW advantage (though CO is the same) that might be worthwhile to you is that silver do get 50% bonus vs 25% on DL.

What I do not like on CO is their 50% EQM for low fares... unless you book on CO.com and put the miles on CO. So if you are going to fly on CO and it's going to be low fares, make sure it is booked on CO.com.

[jjpb3]

According to the NW website, NW will close your WorldPerks account if you move to Europe: http://www.nwa.com/kanaiq/nwaAAQ/ .

Thanks for the heads up about 50% EQM on CO. I hadn't paid attention to that, until now.

[flo]

got a quick question? i have some 10000 miles on my flying blue account and just registered up for the dl program. is there any way i can move my miles from the fb account to the dl account without paying?

thanks

[Savage25]

got a quick question? i have some 10000 miles on my flying blue account and just registered up for the dl program. is there any way i can move my miles from the fb account to the dl account without paying?

thanks

You can't even if you wanted to pay.