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Book Korean Air Awards Now on Delta.com

Oct. 15, 2012
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3 min read
Book Korean Air Awards Now on Delta.com
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Until now, the best way to search for award availability aboard Korean Air was to search the airline’s own web site or to search for particular kinds of awards on ExpertFlyer. Even so, Korean Air has tons of blackout dates and very limited business class award fares, so finding open award seats was kind of like taking a shot in the dark.

But now, in a huge development for SkyTeam flyers – since Korean Air is pretty much the program’s premier Asia-based carrier – you can find Korean Air award availability on Delta.com.

I normally rail against Delta.com’s shoddy search engine, but at least they’re making improvements like displaying Virgin Australia and now Korean Air awards.

In the US and Canada, Korean Air flies to Los Angeles and New York JFK with its A380, and San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver, Las Vegas, Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta, Toronto and Washington DC.

Just to get a feel for it, I searched flights from Los Angeles to Seoul and found lots of different dates with business class availability, including this itinerary in November for a non-stop on the outbound and a direct flight via Narita on the inbound, all for 120,000 SkyMiles and $66.40 in business class roundtrip.

And then just to make things interesting, I found an itinerary from LAX to Sao Paolo – an off-label route that only Korean flies non-stop - for 100,000 miles and $58 roundtrip in business class roundtrip.

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Despite the new search functionality, availability is still tight on many routes it seems, like the JFK-ICN and the ORD-ICN ones, but play around with it and see what you can find. At least the intra-Asian Korean Air flights now show, like on this sample itinerary from SFO-ICN in January where the trans-Pacific route is on Delta, but the connecting flight is on Korean - all in business class for 120,00 miles and $91 in business.

Remember, unfortunately you can’t redeem your Delta SkyMiles for Korean Air first class, and the airline imposes tons of blackout dates, but this is still an improvement on trying to book in the past, because if Delta shows award availability, you can snag those seats. Plus, since Korean Air award space has historically been difficult to search, it appears like there is a lot more out there than anyone realized, which is exciting because it is one of the few really standout ways to redeem Delta SkyMiles.

Hat tip: Points to Point B

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

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  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.