I realize that this is relatively niche in terms of usefulness in the miles & points world, but I’m delighted to see that Korean Air is once again making first class award seats available.
Continue reading: Korean Air SkyPass First Class Awards Are Back!
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Just to note that a lot of the first class availability is actually 120,000 miles as that is the pricing during peak time.
It's been a long time since the last time you flew KAL first class. Hopefully you could include that to your next review trip...
Would be interesting to know some of the regulator conversations for the approval. You'd think dumping a bunch of F/J space would lessen the outstanding points held and undermine arguments re: the merger limiting use cases of those points.
Keeping a large points balance out there as part of outstanding liabilities help the rationale for a merged airline? Lower perceived yield of premium cabins on key routes, if taking out redemptions, help view consolidation needed?
Korean Air has two credit cards that U.S. folks can get to earn SkyPass miles. I occasionally get offers for these as a member of Korean Air's mileage club.
It's likely temporary, and it's political. KE is under pressure from the Korean government to find a use for the expiring miles.
If you're flying Korean Air out of ICN, please try city airport terminal at Seoul train station. It is the only way to get access to the "priority" passport control and security check which would take less than 15 minutes in total. Otherwise, you'll be stuck in the standard lane for an hour or even more.
I believe there's no review of the city airport terminal by any blogger/media from the US or the UK. It's well-known to Asians, but not to Westerners.
Even if I stay at a hotel near ICN, I'd rather travel to Seoul Station just for the city airport terminal than check-in at ICN. The non-priority passport control and security check at ICN are just painful.
FYI : https://www.koreanair.com/contents/plan-your-travel/check-in/counter-check-in/city-airport
What about using the SmartPass/App? https://www.airport.kr/ap_en/1416/subview.do
In other KE news, Korean Air has taken delivery of its first A350, and… it’s in the existing livery. One will have to be very patient to see what KE’s rebranding will look like, a couple of years more at least.
Hope we get to know more about KE’s future F plans, on the 777X and 747-8 — I’m expecting them to retain many if not most of these birds like LH!
SmartPass is better than nothing, but it only let you bypass the ID/boarding pass check, not the security screening. You'll still be stuck in the standard screening lane.
City Airport Terminal is the only way you get a fast track in everything - ID/boarding pass check, security screening and passport control.
On another note: Etihad premium cabins seem to be readily bookable via AA again. Plenty of awards to CDG this month. LHR only has one F award space though.
Get em while they last since this availability doesn't seem to be something that will come back anytime soon or will last very long. Pair w. Garuda F redemption?
Do they allow purchasing miles? I've got 72K in my account due to expire this new year
First good news regarding korean air in a while. I have some miles that will expire in the coming years because i have too many and only fly twice a year now that i live in thailand. It would take a few trips from my parents to help prevent loss. So if i can snag some first class seats, that could help me use them up. I just hope a devaluation isn't coming soon. While i have plenty of miles, double the miles will double the cost for obtaining those miles and push korean out of the economical choices for travel. With both Chase and Mariott gone, the skypass visa is pretty much the only way to get miles now. I hope that'll be the reason why they won't devalue the system anytime soon.
Just used this yesterday for my wife and I to fly F from ICN to JFK. Was originally booked on a connecting flight on United and randomly checked Korean Air 3 days ago (2 days before the flight) and saw 2 seats available. Unfortunately it is peak season so required 120k points but like others, had so many points at Korean Air that I was relieved to see the availability.
This all said, the A380 is really aging and Korean Air hasn't been really maintaining the planes so the hard product even in first is not as great as it once was. The 747 is certainly better but limited in routes.
I too get those offers occasionally, and have always ignored them. Because "activity" in your account (simply spending or earning points), including getting "new" points into the program, does NOT extend the expiration date of your existing points - your existing points (previously transferred from Chase) will still expire on the same date. Any "new" points you earn from a sign-up bonus or from spending on the card will come in with their own expiration date (yes, 10 years from the date you earn them), but this does no good for those watching the expiration timer tick down on a sack of points previously transferred in.