Summary
- Delta SkyMiles members can continue to earn miles on 747 and A380 flights when flying with Korean Air.
- Korean Air operates 747s and A380s to U.S. gateways and offers Delta flyers the opportunity to earn SkyMiles.
- The partnership between Delta and Korean Air allows members to earn miles on transpacific routes and enjoy consistent flight experiences.
Although 
Delta Air Lines Although Air Canada flew its last Boeing 747 service in 2017, members of its SkyMiles frequent flyer program can continue to earn miles this year on flights operated by the iconic Boeing 747 and Airbus A380.
Twice as beautiful
Delta Air Lines has operated the 747 twice. The airline received its first Boeing 747s in 1970, the year of its debut with Pan Am. It operated a small fleet of 747s throughout the 1970s before retiring them all before the end of the decade. Thirty years later, the airline was back in possession of a 747 fleet thanks to its merger with Northwest Airlines.
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The airline reinstated the jumbo jets on flights from Atlanta (ATL) to Honolulu (HNL) and Tokyo Narita (NRT) before operating a total of 40 routes with the type during its revival in the 2000s. Delta retired the last Boeing 747 400 for good in 2017, marking the Queen’s last passenger flight by a US airline.
Photo: Soos Jozsef
Like the other US airlines, Delta has never flown with the Airbus A380 and has now handed over control of the 747 flights to Korean Air, which is also part of the SkyTeam alliance.
The Queen’s last husband
Today, three airlines offer 747 flights to and from the United States: Air China, Lufthansa and Korean Air. For Delta Air Lines frequent flyers, the key to flying on the queen of the skies is Korean airline . South Korea’s national carrier operates a fleet of eight Boeing 747-8s to a handful of destinations in the U.S. and Asia, and offers numerous SkyMiles redemption opportunities to fly on this iconic aircraft.
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From its hub in Seoul Incheon International Airport Korean Air will operate daily flights to three U.S. gateways this fall, plus a few select additional flights. There are a few flights left to Honolulu (HNL) this month before the airline moves the aircraft to another route. At San Francisco International Airport (SFO), a 747 will be used on September 13 and 20, according to data from Cirium.
The next destination served by a regular 747 flight is Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), a major hub on the West Coast. Daily service will begin on October 27 and continue for the rest of the winter season. The SkyTeam Alliance airline uses the type daily on its service to Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Delta Air Lines’ largest hub in the country.
Photo: Ryan Fletcher | Shutterstock
The last airport to welcome the 747 daily is New York’s JFK Airport, which will soon house a spacious Korean Air Lounge.
Everyone pays homage to the king
Korean Air is one of the few airlines in the world that operates both double-decker passenger aircraft. The airline has a fleet of Boeing 737-800 five of which are currently listed as active. The superjumbos are designed for 407 passengers each, with a daily flight corresponding to over 12,000 seats per month and direction.
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The airline flies all of its A380s to the US, with multiple flights to two gateways. A double daily service to LAX will run until October, when the second daily rotation will switch to a Boeing 747, as mentioned above. The remaining A380s will be used daily to New York JFK, giving passengers at both airports a choice of two double-deckers this year.
Photo: A Periam Photography | Shutterstock
Fortunately, booking flights is easy for anyone, and so Delta Air Lines SkyMiles members and other SkyTeam frequent flyers have the opportunity to take another flight with the disappearing icons.
How to earn SkyMiles on flights with the 747 and A380.
The Delta Air Lines SkyMiles The frequent flyer program is one of the largest in the world and offers earning opportunities on a number of airlines, including Korean Air. The two airlines launched a joint venture partnership on transpacific routes on May 1, 2018, and work closely together to develop a consistent experience and convenient flight schedules. Members of Korean Air’s SKYPASS and Delta’s SkyMiles can earn miles when traveling on flights to more than 290 destinations in the Americas and over 80 destinations in Asia in 44 countries.
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Delta has established numerous joint ventures in the Atlantic and Pacific, including partnerships with airlines such as Virgin Atlantic in the UK.
To book flights on any of Korean Air’s double-decker routes, passengers can log into their SkyMiles account and enter destinations across Asia through Korean Air. Flights can easily be booked using cash on Delta’s website, however the ability to book with miles is not currently available on Korean Air flights.
The flight booking matrix shows under “Details” which aircraft is operating the selected flight. This makes it easy to see whether the connecting flight is operated by a Delta aircraft, Korean Air Jumbo or another partner aircraft. In the coming months, passengers traveling through JFK or LAX will be able to fly on a 747 one way and an A380 on the return journey.
A sample flight from New York to Seoul in November, departing on a 747 and returning on an A380, cost just over $1,500 and earned 7,175 miles and 1,435 Medalian Qualifying Dollars. Additional miles and MQDs were earned for all other destinations across Korean Air’s extensive network.
But what about Saudi Arabia?
Special mention goes to the member of the SkyTeam alliance Saudi Arabia which also operates the Boeing 747. The airline has leased two 747-400s from Air Atlanta Europe in addition to the aircraft intended for Saudi Royal Flight’s fleet. According to timetable reports, there will be no more scheduled flights for this type with Saudia this month after a few flights to Kuala Lumpur.
Photo: Ditto Ardiyanto | Shutterstock
However, flight tracking data from Flightradar24 shows that 747 number 9H-AZB was used on a flight to Addis Ababa (ADD), from where it returns on August 24. Meanwhile, 9H-AZA was used on flights to Cairo and flies to Dhaka (DAC) tomorrow.
