How to Book Cheap Domestic Awards – SkyTeam Alliance

In this three-part series, we are looking at the basics of the cheapest domestic awards. This encompasses frequent flyer programs spanning all three alliances:

Oneworld – British Airways, Iberia, and American Airlines

Star Alliance – Avianca, Turkish Airlines, and United

SkyTeam – Air France/KLM and Delta (this post)

SkyTeam is one of the smaller airline alliances but that doesn't mean there aren't good options to book domestic awards.

In this article, we'll look at how we can use Air France/KLM Flying Blue and Korean Air SKYPASS programs to book domestic award flights on SkyTeam's U.S.

Maximizing Ultimate Rewards: Korean Skypass #2 (on SkyTeam Partners)

This post is part five of a series about how to maximize value when transferring your Chase Ultimate Rewards to loyalty program partners. 
Maximizing Your Ultimate Rewards Series Index

Maximizing Ultimate Rewards: United MileagePlus
Maximizing Ultimate Rewards: Singapore Krisflyer #1
Maximizing Ultimate Rewards: Singapore Krisflyer #2 
Maximizing Ultimate Rewards: Korean SkyPass #1
Maximizing Ultimate Rewards: Korean Skypass #2 (this post)
Maximizing Ultimate Rewards: Korean Skypass #3 (future post)
Maximizing Ultimate Rewards: British Airways Avios (future post)
Maximizing Ultimate Rewards: Flying Blue (future post)
Maximizing Ultimate Rewards: Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Sweetspots with Korean SkyPass Miles #2: SkyTeam Partner Awards for Way Too Cheap

Korean Air has multiple award charts when redeeming its SkyPass miles. There is one award chart to fly Korean, one award chart to fly SkyTeam partners, and award charts to fly Alaska, Hawaiian, Gol, and Emirates (click logos). Each award chart has sweetspots, so I will run through all the sweetspots in three posts. The post on Korean Air sweetspots is here. You are reading the second post on sweetspots on the SkyTeam chart.This third post on sweetspots when flying Korean's non-alliance partners is here.

Korean SkyPass miles should have your attention.

The Coolest Thing You Can Do with 12.5k to 92.5k Delta SkyMiles

Updated 5/14/15 with current prices and routing rules. Screen shots show old prices.

Delta SkyMiles get a bad rap--very deservedly so--for the lack of Saver (Level 1) award availability that Delta releases, the fuel surcharges Delta charges on awards, the inability to add stopovers on awards, and the fact that Delta deleted its chart from the internet.

But it does not follow that Delta miles are worthless.

How to Use Delta Miles to Book an Open Jaw Across Regions

Delta allows one open jaw per roundtrip award that you can use to see more cities on a single award and to unlock free one ways.

A simple, valid open jaw routing on Delta. The open jaw is between Amsterdam and Paris.

Delta allows an open jaw to straddle two regions, so that your outbound can go to Bangkok in Southeast Asia and your return can start from Sydney, Australia.

Work Arounds to Delta’s Recent SkyClub Devaluation

Per the email below that I received late last week and this FlyerTalk thread, Delta has just announced some dreaded SkyClub "enhancements."

As of May 1st, The Platinum Card® from American Express cardholders will no longer be granted complimentary guest access. Previously the cardholder and up to two guests would be allowed admission to Delta SkyClubs provided they were flying Delta the same day.

Free First Class Next Month: Airline Hubs and Alliances

Hey! You're reading an outdated Free First Class Next Month series. Check out the latest version published in April of 2015 here.

This is the eighteenth post in a monthlong series that started here. Each post will take about two minutes to read and may include an action item that takes the reader another two minutes to complete. I am writing this for an audience of people who know nothing about frequent flier miles, and my goal is that by the end, you know enough to fly for free anywhere you want to go.