New option to get to the Maldives on Korean Air!

Does KE actually have traffic rights on CMB-MLE? Don't see that option in the system.

@ AK -- I can't imagine they don't have the *rights* to do so (though I could be wrong), but rather I suspect they're just not interested in the market yet. I'd guess that once their revenue/yield management team figures out how the flight performs they may load some space between CMB and MLE. But obviously they don't want to sell seats on the short sector if that would prevent bookings for passengers on the through flight.

Or I could be wrong, and they don't have the rights at all...

Hi Ben,
I forget- does Korean Air charge fuel tax on award flights. Thanks.
levy

@ Levy Flight -- They do, though they're small compared to what's charged by European airlines. Maybe $300-350 roundtrip.

It's an exciting development in the SkyTeam world for sure. Thanks for the hat tip.

Is CMB-HKG-LAX still 67.5K one way for first class on CX?

@ romsdeals -- Yep, it sure is.

Good news for AS customers as well.. 140K miles r/t in Business. Like DL, we cannot book KE F, but that is what UR is for 😉

I'm tempted to do an LAX-ICN-MLE in KE First and CMB-HKG-LAX in CX First... too bad I already have 2 big trips planned for next year. Maybe for 2014? 🙂

DL a materially better option for J seating on non-blackout days.

what timeframe are you planning on being in ICN?

I thought this was great news until I realized it's 210k miles for F. Seems like 135k to CMB on CX plus $ on Sri Lanka or Emirates to MLE might be the better option if there is availability.

Do you know what the stopover rules are? I'd like to stop in CMB in one direction.

Are the "peak" days the same as their blackout days?

Thanks for all the great 411!

@ Jeff A -- Don't have my tickets booked just yet, unfortunately.

Now will this inspire you to write the Maldives trip report?

@ beachfan -- You're allowed a stopover on a roundtrip, though as of now Korean Air isn't selling the tag flight between Colombo and Male, so you couldn't have a stopover there. Maybe that will change.

Yes, I believe the peak dates are the same as the blackout dates.

@ Great -- Once I'm done with my current trip report, absolutely.

Why would I go to the Maldives? So many bloggers write about them so often, I've already been there!

Beachfan - I think youre right and it's better to do cx for 135K and pay $300 for Cmb-mle.

Ben, in case you forgot...

China Eastern is part of Skyteam, and (as you mentioned in this post!) flies to MLE.

China Southern also flies to MLE, and is part of Skyteam.

It'd have been nice if you could have listed the 2 easier current ways to use skymiles to get there rather than the 2 tougher ones.

Also, coach on SU wasn't to bad to find if my memory is accurate, but biz pretty much releases day of departure.

[...] so it’s quite funny that yet another airline will be offering service between Colombo and Male (in addition to Sri Lankan, China Eastern, and Emirates). [...] Hey, and don't forget BA. From 14 April 2013, they'll be flying three times a week from London Gatwick to CMB via MLE.

Here is my dilemma, I have a trip for two booked in February with CX in F from LAX to CMB for 135k miles each. We will spend one night in Hong Kong (which we have never done) and then continue on to CMB the next day. The CMB flight leaves HNG around 16:00 and arrives in CMB at 22:30, so we have to spend 1 night in the airport hotel in CMB before catching an early flight to MLE on Sri Lankan that costs $250 r/t. The return flight on CX is simple and has minimal layovers. I'm wondering if I should switch the outbound over to Korean, as it is more direct and only has a 5 hour layover in ICN before continuing on to MLE. The big downside is that it is a lot of UR points to burn for the two one way tickets that we would need. We also have way more AA miles than UR points. Anyone care to opine on what they would do?

A few questions...
1. If I'm reading things correctly (might be wrong), it appears Korean actually has two different business class options: one with true lie-flat beds, another with some sort of recliner seat. True?
2. Can either of these be booked via Delta?
3. Do they cost the same number of miles?
4. Do you have to pay a fuel surcharge if book with skymiles via Deta's website?
Thanks!

@ Zaephod --

1) Correct, they have different types of products on different aircraft.
2) Both can be booked via DElta.
3) Delta doesn't differentiate in pricing between the two products.
4) They seem to have changed the policy on this several times recently. A few months ago they started imposing fuel surcharges, then they stopped for a while, and now it looks like they're charging them again on some routes.

@Lisa - I think it says that the KE service won't start until March 9th.