Korean Airlines

Korean Air (KE) is a SkyTeam member based at Seoul Incheon (ICN). It runs one of the best-connected hubs in Asia and is in the process of absorbing Asiana Airlines, which will make it larger still. One rule to know: Korean Air keeps First class for its own SKYPASS members, so partners should target business class, branded Prestige.

Iberia

How to search for Korean Air award space:

Step 1

The easiest partner search is on delta.com. Log in or create a free SkyMiles account, and select Shop with Miles in the flight search.

Step 2

Search routes touching Seoul Incheon (ICN), like LAX-ICN, JFK-ICN, or ICN-BKK. Delta shows Korean Air flights it can book with SkyMiles alongside its own.

Step 3

Cross-check on koreanair.com with a free SKYPASS account, which shows the fullest picture of Korean Air’s own award space, and on Air France/KLM’s Flying Blue site, another SkyTeam program that books Korean Air.

Step 4

Book with the SkyTeam program your miles live in: Delta SkyMiles, Flying Blue, or Korean’s own SKYPASS. SKYPASS often has the best award rates and is a transfer partner of major bank points programs.

Tips before you book

  • Prestige business class space to the US is workable if you are flexible. First class with partner miles is not a thing, so don’t hunt for it.
  • The Asiana merger is gradually combining the two airlines’ networks and programs, so expect schedules and award rules to keep shifting for the next couple of years.