Questions about FF Miles

[BWVPam]

This is a strange question, but here it is. We have Delta FF miles and also many American Express miles. When I transfer the AMEX miles into our Delta accounts, we will have enough for four ticket to orlando for our trip next May. However, Delta has cut back flights from our city and I would really rather fly on Continental. They have a flight that we could get there at 2 in the afternoon. My question is, does Delta have any partners that you can transfer your Delta miles to and then that partner allow you to transfer miles to Continental. I know Continental takes AMEX miles but not sure on the other. Also, would you be required to fly at least one flight on Continental before being able to use the FF miles. Hope this all makes sense. Thanks for any responses to my off the wall questions.

Pam

 

[travelcoupons]

You cannot transfer miles between airlines, even if they are partners. For example, you can use your Delta miles for a FF ticket on United, because they are partners. You CANNOT transfer your miles to a United FF account.

There is one way to do it, but you would lose a ton of miles in the process. You can convert your Delta miles to Hilton HHonors points and then convert them back to Continental miles. Like I said, you will lose a lot in the transfer process...

For Example:

25,000 Delta miles converted to Hilton Points = 50,000 Hhonors points

Convert those points back to miles results in:

50,000 Hhonors points converted to Continental miles = 12,000 Continental miles.

see: http://www.hilton.com/en/hhonors/rewards/exchange_2.jhtml
http://www.hilton.com/en/hhonors/rewards/exchange_1.jhtml
for conversion charts.


You could then take your American Express membership rewards points and convert them directly to Continental miles. (Link to American Express point conversion page = http://home3.americanexpress.com/rewards/explore/search_results.asp?page=1&search=category )

All this converting will take some time to process, so do it well ahead of your travel dates.



Also, you need never have flown on Continental to use a FF award.

 

[seashoreCM]

The catch is that you cannot mix miles from two different accounts, even in the same name, to buy one award. Check with the airline.

Some shopping clubs let you accumulate points good on several airlines. BUt usually you have to accumulate enough points to buy the ticket without adding miles from your existing frequent flyer account with the airline.

Other Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/travel.htm

 

[ducklite]

travelcoupons hit the nail on the head with that one. Hilton offers a great opportunity in that respect, although you do lose a substantial value.

I'd also like to point out that there might not be four ff seats available on the flight you want. Or there might be two in coach and two in B/FC.

On the most popular routes, FF seats go really quickly, especially the coach seats.

Delta doesn't have any codeshare partners for domestic awards that I am aware of. CO codeshares with NW, and US used to have the very best program ever with AA. Not only could you use miles from one to fly on the other, you could "pool" miles from your AA and US accounts to fly one or the other. Of course Untied screwed that one up.

Anne