Delta

Flight Review: Delta B737-800 First Class, MSP-MEM

Posted on December 11, 2024 by 2btravel

Introduction: Late Summer in Scandinavia
Flight Review: American Airlines B737-800 First Class, MEM-DFW
Flight Review: Finnair A350-900 Business Class, DFW-HEL
Flight Review: Finnair E190 Business Class, HEL-CPH
Lodging Review: Fairfield by Marriott Copenhagen Nordhavn
Our Time in Copenhagen
Lodging Review: Best Western Hotel Hebron, Copenhagen
Lodging Review: Next House, Copenhagen
Lodging Review: Story Hotel Studio Malmö
Our Time in Malmö and Ystad, Sweden
Lodging Review: IKEA Hotell, Älmhult, Sweden
Our Time in Älmhult, Sweden and High-Speed Train to Stockholm
Lodging Review: Motel L Älvsjö, Stockholm
Our Time in Stockholm
Flight Review: SAS A320neo Economy Class, ARN-OSL
Lodging Review: Comfort Hotel Grand Central, Oslo
Our Time in Oslo
Lounge Review: SAS Lounge, Oslo airport
Flight Review: Lufthansa A320-200 Business Class, OSL-FRA
Flight Review: Lufthansa 787-9 Business Class, FRA-MSP
Flight Review: Delta B737-800 First Class, MSP-MEM

Why I Booked This Flight

When I look for award space for international flights, I basically just look for flights to any city which has a non-stop flight back to Memphis. I don’t even try to book all the way back to my home city because I typically book so far in advance that there are no saver-priced flights between an international hub and Memphis. This also gives me a lot more flexibility as to where I land within the US. This time I was fortunate that the flight I found got me back to Minneapolis and the connection there will get me home to Memphis earlier than any of the other connections.

How I Booked This Flight

I booked this flight using Delta Air Lines SkyMiles. I originally booked a premium economy flight for 24,500 miles and $5.60 because I didn’t have enough miles for the domestic first class seat. I later realized I could have transferred some in from my American Express Membership Rewards account. As I logged into my Delta account to see about canceling my award ticket so I could rebook it in domestic first, I received an upgrade offer. So I transferred over enough points for the upgrade for $9. (Amex charges a fee when transferring miles to US-based airline programs) I then paid an additional 14,500 miles for the domestic first class seat. Whether I flew premium economy or business class, it wasn’t much of a bargain either way. But that was not the point for this flight. It’s the tail end of my international vacation and I wanted to fly in domestic first, so I did.

Delta Boeing 737-800 credit: delta.com

DL 2713 (MSP-MEM)
Boeing 737-800
Seat 4A (Domestic First Class)
Depart: 03:15 PM (actual 03:25 PM)
Arrive: 05:16 PM (actual 05:14 PM) Continue reading →

Categories: Award Travel, Delta, Flight Review, SkyTeam, Trip Report | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

1000 Free Delta Miles (targeted)

Posted on July 20, 2016 by 2btravel

If you hold one of the co-branded Delta American Express cards, check for an email offering 1000 free Delta miles.

2016-07-20 Delta email

The email reminds you of all the perqs of the card and when you click on the link it will take you to this web page:

2016-07-20 Delta webpage

Simply enter your SkyMiles number and you have your miles! A nice way to add to your mileage stash.

Thanks, Delta!

Categories: American Express, Credit Card Promos, Delta, Delta Amex | Tags: , | Leave a comment

Need A Credit Card?

Posted on November 14, 2015 by 2btravel

I earn far more miles from credit cards than I do from flying or from hotel stays. Credit card sign-up bonuses can give a big boost to anyone’s account! While I’m not one of the big bloggers who gets a cash comission from the credit card issuers, the credit card companies will allow regular members to receive a referral fee (of points/miles) if they refer someone to the card.

Delta Gold CardI’m a little late putting this one out there, but from now through this Tuesday, November 17, 2015, if you’ll allow me to refer to to the Gold Delta Amex card, I’ll earn bonus miles if you’re approved. You’ll get 50,000 bonus miles after using the card to make $2000 in purchases within the first three months after the approval date (not the date you receive the card). If you make a Delta purchase with the first three months you’ll also get a $50 statement credit. To refer you, just send me your first name and your email address to 2btraveling@gmail.com.

NOTE: You may be able to get an offer for 60K miles + $50 statement credit. You can find instructions here. Also, it is not open to those who currently have this card or have had it in the past. I believe the $95 annual fee is waived for the first year but cannot guarantee that.

Marriott Credit Card
If you don’t need Delta SkyMiles, what about hotel points? I’m also allowed to refer folks for the Chase Marriott Visa. I value this card if only for the reason that it offers a free night stay each year that you renew the card. The free night is good at any category 1-5 Marriott, so that pays for the annual fee right there. This card does not have foreign transaction fees, making it a good one for international travel.

In addition, this card earns 2x points for purchases from airlines, car rental companies and restaurants and 5x points for Marriott purchases. Plus for every $3000 in purchases, you get one credit toward elite status – that’s in addition to the 15-night credit you get each year at your account anniversary!

You’ll get 50,000 bonus points if you spend $2000 in the first three months after account approval. The annual fee is waived the first year and is only $85 after that.

If you think you’d be interested in this card, just send me an email at the address above and I’ll send you the phone number and the codes you need to get this offer.

Note that there is an alternate version offering 80K after $3K spend, but the $85 annual fee is not waived. Application Link. I won’t get bonus miles for this but it is a better offer so I wanted to be sure it was out there. Neither of these offers is available to those who currently have the card or have received the new cardmember bonus in the last 24 months.

Categories: American Express, Chase, Delta, Delta Amex, Marriott, Marriott Rewards Card | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Delta’s new 20-minute bag guarantee

Posted on February 20, 2015 by 2btravel

2015-02-20 Delta Bag GuaranteeBetween now and the end of March, Delta is guaranteeing that your bags will arrive at baggage claim no later than 20 minutes after your flight arrives – or they’ll give you 2500 SkyMiles.  Note that this applies to domestic US flights and US-Puerto Rico flights only.  (This also includes Delta Connection flights and multi-carrier flights where the last leg is operated by Delta.)  To get the miles, you must fill out this form within three days of your flight’s arrival.  If your bags on multiple flights are late, you must submit multiple forms.  You must be a member of SkyMiles and in good standing both at the time of travel and at the time of the claim.

The official clock will be maintained by Delta’s baggage tracking system.  Oversize, overweight bags (like my skis) and special items are exempt from this claim as are lost, mishandled and damaged bags.

I didn’t put a clock on how long it took me to get my bags on my last Delta flights in January but it would have been nice to have had this guarantee waiting in the wings.

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Getting back in the swing of things

Posted on January 26, 2015 by 2btravel

It’s been awhile since I posted but I went on vacation so when I returned to work last week I had to pay for taking time off.  That’s the way it always works, isn’t it?

One thing I look forward to each year is taking my ski trips. I aim for two week-long trips each year, usually one in January and the other in February. I know a lot of folks like the warmer spring skiing in March but (to a point) I don’t mind the cold and since I’m not locked into a school schedule, I like skiing when school is in session and not out for spring break.

I typically travel with a ski club which means the only thing I can use points for is my airfare. But I don’t mind. I’ve been skiing with the club for over 20 years and have made a lot of new friends this way. And no matter who is in my condo, we’ve always had a good time – and this year was no exception.

I’d used Delta miles for my flight which meant I could either route via Atlanta or Minneapolis for my trip to Colorado. While it may seem counter-intuitive to travel east to go west, in this case it made more sense to route via warm Atlanta instead of potentially snowy MSP.

One downside of skiing is that you often fly into small mountain towns with limited/seasonal service and therefore the airlines can gouge you on pricing. In this case I was flying into Hayden, Colorado which is about 45 minutes outside Steamboat Springs. I have miles on the three major airlines that fly there but none had low-level availability when I was looking for airfare this summer. American wanted something ridiculous like 80K miles for an economy seat and United wanted 50K. Delta seemed a bargain at 45K – and I’d rather save my AA & UA miles for international travel anyway. I’d originally planned to vacation from Saturday to Saturday, arriving home in the 7-8 pm hour, just in time to go into work at 11 pm Saturday night. Then Delta changed the flight such that I wouldn’t land in Memphis until just after 10 pm. Uh, no, that was not going to work.

In the end, a few days before I left for vacation I changed my flight to return on Friday. I hated to lose the day of skiing but was able to sell the last day of my lift ticket and had a much easier day on Saturday because of it and since the flight on Friday was a bit cheaper, I got back 5000 miles. That didn’t make up for the pain of the $150 change fee, since I’m not elite, but it helped a little.

Next up: a review of our slopeside lodging in Steamboat

Categories: Award Travel, Delta | Leave a comment

10,000 Delta Miles with DirecTV

Posted on August 31, 2014 by 2btravel

Now through October 1st you can get 10,000 Delta miles for subscribing to DirecTV. You must sign a 24-month service agreement but prices will be as low as $24.99 for the first 12 months.

2014-08-31 Delta DirecTV

Is this a great deal? No, but if you were planning to switch to DirecTV anyway it’s a nice bonus. Access this offer through the SkyMiles Shopping Mall.

Categories: Delta, Shopping | Leave a comment

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