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I love our airline. We all know it is totally and utterly crazy, but I love them. I love their “IT”. Do I love it because it works like a perfect & well oiled machine? NO! We all know that is not true. I love it just because it is so silly that you can, with some work ( & another 3 hours of my life ) get anything done if you get the right rep.
Ready for this ride? I ask you please keep your arms and legs inside the car at all times for your own safety! 🙂
I am now booked:
AZO-DTW-YUL-CDG-AMS-GOT
outbound and the same on the return summer 2013!
Here is where the ride gets a bit bumpy. I attempted to do what I did in June by holding lots of one way segments all in low level. The AZO-DTW-YUL were coach as they are all CRJ 50 seaters! Found 25k coach seats. Then found one way YUL-CDG-AMS-GOT held that and the same on the return 100k low level biz. Then the YUL-DTW-AZO part back again in coach 25k no space in 1st on the CRJ-700 in that segment. Should price out at 100,000K right?
When I called the 1st rep, who was a bit confused about what I wanted to do, some of my work backfired. The international return part was now gone due to my hold. Rats! But she found the same flights next day. Fine, let’s do it. But, it was pricing 125,000K each. Where was the problem? For some reason the domestic part was pricing as a separate ticket. The rep said it was a “steal” at 125,000 points. (yeah right – not!). So I asked her to just hold it and thanks for the work.
So I wait for an hour. Call back, tell the rep I need to speak directly to international reissue. If you have never talked to these people, they are just the best. I do not know how they do what they do, but they sure do it. The rep gets it done for 100,000k each! SWEET! So how did she do that? She said, well I see that you have the Delta Reserve card and both you and your wife are medallion’s after all and she felt that if business class seats had been available on the CRJ’s it would have priced properly so that was not my fault and she convinced the Skymiles desk of that! (uhhh, ok, thank you?!) If you are giggling over that, I was too and I’m still smiling now.
What to take from this. I opened with the fact that I LOVE the Delta “IT”. When a computer system is as totally and hopelessly broken as the current Delta one is you can, with work, always find someone to do anything if they are just in the mood to do it for you!
BTW, I have ZERO intention of flying the insane above route even though I really do want to have a chance to test out the Air France business class product. But, since I am 10+ months out, I will wait for, yes, say it with me class, the mighty schedule change to happen and then pick the perfect flights I always fly! – René
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I have been trying to book Air France or any 100k Biz reward from LAX to CPH on June 19th. I have flexibility on returning on July 1st through 5th. Best I can find is 150k points. U think I will find the 100k if I wait longer?
@Sil – I see lots of low level seats at 100k YUL-CPH on the 19th + 45k 1st LAX-YUL (should price as 100k that part), return on the 2nd is WIDE open the same way (you may have to overnight in YUL maybe). Hold all them all as one way segments and call Delta like I did! Clear?
how do you handle the re-booking after the schedule change? do the trained monkeys at the call center know how to handle this? is it just as simple as asking?
@CF – once the schedule change shows up, DO NOT CLICK ANYTHING on Delta.dumb! You look for what YOU WANT to fly (on Delta Metal) and then you just call them and say I have a schedule change that will not work can I please switch to these flights and you then read them to them. – Rene
Delta- LAX to YUL will be delta airlines. Don’t they charge more. I could come back from CPH to CDG to LAX on Airfrance for 100k.
@sil – no, you can fly any skyteam partner. The key is getting LOW LEVEL on all the segments. – Rene
sorry forgot to add if connection at MSP to YUL for 58 minutes is enough time. Is it?
@Sil – no that is not enough time (smile) again (smile big) but if you can book it, you can then call back say next week and say gosh I am sure that will result in a missed flight, can I not change to (what ever Delta flights you want and have looked at before you call) 😉
airfrance has international surcharge now…try to book cdg to lax and it shows a total fee of $434. Is this a mistake?
@SIL – YOU DO NOT BOOK! You HOLD. HOLD HOLD HOLD! Then, once you have all the segment HELD, you call and let Delta create one single NEW itinerary for you (then tax will go away – almost – down to about $150-ish each). You are doing the work for the reps who DO NOT KNOW their jobs. They will not take the time to search this way. So you you do, HOLD and then tell them: I WANT THIS! Go do it for me. – Rene
I just love your stories, so inspiring! Lol “The Mighty Schedule Change”! I am doing 3 mileage runs to PIT (as you posted a few weeks ago) and will reach Silver status this year. I know it’s nothing but at least I’m on the upgrade lists and have a slightly better phone call experience. We will end up with over 100k miles by January and will likely be going overseas for vacation next year – so these posts are really good to read!
sorry, i mean to put on “hold”. I have on hold one round trip ticket with the air france portion without the $434 tax fuel fee additional charge.(LAX-JFK- CPH on Delta and CPH-CDG, then CDG to LAX on Airfrance) which i have on hold and expires tonight. Can Delta CSR take the return trip portion of air france an add my LAX to YUL to CPH for June 18th for 100k ?
@Sil – Delta can not ADD or merge any PNR’s. But, they can look at what you have, and what you want, and as long as there are seats low level they can make a NEW PNR all at 100k for you. It may take work like mine, but then have the HOLD the new total one and call as I did. – Rene
Great post – I’m trying to go lax-CDG oct 2-3 returning oct 8-9. How would you put together a biz 100k round trip for those dates?
@Michael – well I am not a booking service (I know I know but you helped this other reader – like a blizzard, I only have room for one). I do know a very good one, here is the link to it! ;-0 Rene
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PS from this post and the other ones HERE you should be able to find low level seats with some work!
Sorry that this is off topic. Are companion certificates no longer offered as benefits on new Gold/Platinum AMEX applications? I do not see it listed on your link. I recently got a Gold AMEX and do not see a certificate. Again, sorry if you covered this earlier. thanks
@Francisco – they are still a “core benefit” of the card. But you do not get it until your re-up next year so you must keep the card to get it. Or at least wait till the cert shows up next year!
Why have a blog if you are unwilling to help your readers?
I’m not asking you to book my ticket but to just walk me through how you could do a booking from LAX-CDG. I have to go those certain dates so pick different dates so I won’t be able to use your help, if that will make you feel any better.
I came over to your blog because I thought here was someone who could help me navigate through a real redemption of skypesos, but instead you said ‘why should I help you.’
I only hope you are never in the position of needing help and receive a similar response.
@Michael – OK you shamed me into it. I sent you an email. Contact me and i will do all I can directly. – Rene
@DP
This post, and especially the comments follow-up, is great! It will clearify how things (not) work in Deltaworld for lots of folks. I never needed over 100K for TRA BC flight, BUT you have to do your homework. Once a good rep senses that you did her/his work they usually are happy to accomodate you.
Anyway DP, thanks for this great post! It’s the best clarification on this topic by far 🙂
HI Rene, Recently found your blog and it has helped me a lot. I just booked 5 business class reward seats from our midwest town to Athens for next summer (100K each!).
@Michael Did you want some cheese with that whine?