Delta flight 200 ATL-JNB

[PHOENIX PHIL]

You could just take BA from DFW and not worry about changing airlines at Heathrow T3 to T5. I will be taking BA from IAH this summer, of course I have to drive to Houston from San Antonio, the Austin flight is just too expensive and impossible to get miles seats on. I would have loved taking the DL flight from ATL, but Business class was too expensive, so I opted for BA Premium E, The Delta E product is just not that good, even paying the extra for their idea of plus, not for that long of a flight. I also look at the Emirates flight from DFW Business and was serious considering taking it over the BA, but maybe net time.

By the way you could use those miles on QF and fly to OZ direct from Dallas, that's a very nice flight in premium E on a 380. Or head to IAH and take the direct to NZ of course no AA miles for that flight.

I took BA to London from Phoenix last summer. Didn't have to change terminals, was T5 the whole way. A bit of an inconvenience having to redo the security tour though. Biggest beef I had doing this was we flew on 747's. But if I had the air miles to use for tickets, I'd do it again. And/or if the flights were significantly less as they were when I got those tickets. There is a slight hassle with paperwork for the rifles, but not a big deal, that actually made me feel like my rifles were in better hands than just any old ordinary luggage.

 

[BWH]

You could just take BA from DFW and not worry about changing airlines at Heathrow T3 to T5. I will be taking BA from IAH this summer, of course I have to drive to Houston from San Antonio, the Austin flight is just too expensive and impossible to get miles seats on. I would have loved taking the DL flight from ATL, but Business class was too expensive, so I opted for BA Premium E, The Delta E product is just not that good, even paying the extra for their idea of plus, not for that long of a flight. I also look at the Emirates flight from DFW Business and was serious considering taking it over the BA, but maybe net time.

By the way you could use those miles on QF and fly to OZ direct from Dallas, that's a very nice flight in premium E on a 380. Or head to IAH and take the direct to NZ of course no AA miles for that flight.

Using AA miles it is virtually impossible to get on BA out of Dallas. They want to codeshare/even over lay flights. Call it a BA flight when it is actually an AA plane/crew. That was my headache. I was just short of booking, then checked & double checked. It is really a London/AA/BA thing.... decision to not be responsible for firearm exchange I guess.

 

[cpr0312]

I'd do NZ or Australia in a heartbeat.

It was a blast!! I hope to go again!

 

[BWH]

I'm guessing you hunted Stag, Chamois & Tahr?

 

[cpr0312]

Brad,

I did tahr, stag, and fallow. The only regret I have is going after fallow instead of chamois, especially since you can get them in Africa and Texas. It was a great time, I don't know how to make a link to my thread, but here is an attempt, if not at least you can search for it and take a look


NEW ZEALAND: Crate unpacking day - NZ hunt trophies with NZ Safaris

 

[Philip Glass]

My wife and I booked our flights last Dec. for this coming Sept. From Idaho Falls to SLC to Atlanta to Joburg with the cheap seats shortly we got a email from Delta and asked if we would like their Comfort Plus up grade both ways at no charge just for trying it. We jumped at the chance, they said approximately 4 more inches of leg room and seats that reclined a bit more and up graded snacks and beverages. I've always been too cheap to try it but who knows maybe it'll spoil me!

Jeff
I'm never that lucky. You may want to buy a lottery ticket!
Philip

 

[cpr0312]

Agree with Philip, look at the lottery option, I'm never that lucky either!

 

[wesheltonj]

Using AA miles it is virtually impossible to get on BA out of Dallas. They want to codeshare/even over lay flights. Call it a BA flight when it is actually an AA plane/crew. That was my headache. I was just short of booking, then checked & double checked. It is really a London/AA/BA thing.... decision to not be responsible for firearm exchange I guess.

Yes, I have never been able to fly BA metal out of DFW or AUS on miles. I have never had a problem, flying BA metal out of IAH. Except this year for my Africa Trip, because I had zero flexibility with my hunting dates, had those been flexible, the whole thing could have been Business or Premium E on miles, wife would not fly regular E that far. Seats were available in E, but using miles for BA in E is just not worth it with the surcharge.

AA lands at T3 and most but not all BA are out of T5, some are out of T3 too. Not sure they would not do the transfer, when they farm out the transfer at the outrageous rate of 100 pounds

 

[Philip Glass]

I understand trying to use miles but let me give you my horror story from November. I would not use AA/BA unless I had no choice ( flying with guns that is)
My wife and I went to Austria in Nov. with AA. I used a companion pass on AA and then connecting to Austrian to Vienna. AA flight cancelled due to "weather" and we missed he Austrian connection (separate tickets). Lost it all and had to purchase new last minute tickets! My gun was out of my possession for 16 days and finally arrived at an airport I never flew through!
From now on I'm paying for my tickets and using the most Gun friendly airlines on these hunting trips. My advice is to save your miles for taking your wife on vacation not safari trips.
Take my advice that is advice from someone who through no fault of their own was screwed to the tune of $3K from trying to use AA promotions!
Kind Regards,
Philip

 

[huntermn15]

I flew Delta flt 200 in September and was surprised at how well I survived it. Truly, it was better then my flight from Seattle to Atlanta. I'll be flying it again in 2017. I chose an isle seat so I could get up and walk around the plane without pestering my row mates and this was a good move. It was nice to stretch the legs during the trip. I did pay a little extra for comfort economy (I think that's what it was called). Be well and have a great safari!

 

[sierraone]

I understand trying to use miles but let me give you my horror story from November. I would not use AA/BA unless I had no choice ( flying with guns that is)
My wife and I went to Austria in Nov. with AA. I used a companion pass on AA and then connecting to Austrian to Vienna. AA flight cancelled due to "weather" and we missed he Austrian connection (separate tickets). Lost it all and had to purchase new last minute tickets! My gun was out of my possession for 16 days and finally arrived at an airport I never flew through!
From now on I'm paying for my tickets and using the most Gun friendly airlines on these hunting trips. My advice is to save your miles for taking your wife on vacation not safari trips.
Take my advice that is advice from someone who through no fault of their own was screwed to the tune of $3K from trying to use AA promotions!
Kind Regards,
Philip

Probably the best advice on this thread. Use miles for trips to places that you are not carrying guns!

 

[Philip Glass]

Probably the best advice on this thread. Use miles for trips to places that you are not carrying guns!

That is exactly what I learned from the school of hard knocks!!!
Regards,
Philip

 

[lcq]

Heath Row AKA Thief Row is not an airport you want to bring guns through. If there are any problems you must hire a licensed person to transport the gun for you and it costs the earth.

Heath Row and JFK 2 of the worst. Atlanta a cakewalk

 

[spike.t]

Heath Row AKA Thief Row is not an airport you want to bring guns through. If there are any problems you must hire a licensed person to transport the gun for you and it costs the earth.

Heath Row and JFK 2 of the worst. Atlanta a cakewalk

i have to disagree with you about heathrow. if you are transiting using BA its probably one of the easiest routes to take. the "thief-row" was way in the past as now your firearms are collected , stored and put back on the plane by security company personnel , so if anything did go amiss it would show on their records exactly who had messed up. this is why BA charge you when travelling with firearms as it covers the security company fee.

 

[CAustin]

I understand trying to use miles but let me give you my horror story from November. I would not use AA/BA unless I had no choice ( flying with guns that is)
My wife and I went to Austria in Nov. with AA. I used a companion pass on AA and then connecting to Austrian to Vienna. AA flight cancelled due to "weather" and we missed he Austrian connection (separate tickets). Lost it all and had to purchase new last minute tickets! My gun was out of my possession for 16 days and finally arrived at an airport I never flew through!
From now on I'm paying for my tickets and using the most Gun friendly airlines on these hunting trips. My advice is to save your miles for taking your wife on vacation not safari trips.
Take my advice that is advice from someone who through no fault of their own was screwed to the tune of $3K from trying to use AA promotions!
Kind Regards,
Philip

Philip I'm sorry this happened to you! I think I would have lost my mind if guns were missing for 16 days.

 

[CAustin]

But speaking of guns and using miles..... every trip I've taken to africa has been using miles and AMX points. So with the trip I'm about to take that makes six tickets with Delta that I've used with either straight miles or with some AMX points , which convert one point to one mile. By checking my guns with Delta at point of departure, Kansas City, they go straight through to OR Tambo. Knock on wood no problems yet! N switching airlines.

This guy, Vince, is a 30 plus year employee of Delta Airlines. He has checked my guns in for me on every trip.....one time he even saw me out at the curb and came to carry the guns inside for me. Amazing service. He showed me what to do on the first trip and he keeps me straight when I present the guns.

So I usually leave Kansas City at about 10:00 am arriving in Atlanta about 1:00 and flight 200 departs at 7:00 PM. Seat 3A is my good luck seat! Couple of drinks dinner watch two movies and go to sleep. Wake up and I'm about two and half hours out of Joberg. Have breakfast land and the fun really begins. This last trip I used RiflePermits.com and they met me at the gate, took me to the front of the passport control line and then helped get my bags too! Well worth what you pay! Then it was off to the SAP office and the guns were with me in five minutes!

So for me the service and experience I have received from Delta and the fact that I have the miles to use on the trip makes me a fan and a return customer. Four flights this past week and four coming up this week!

 

[enysse]

That is amazing CAustin, congrats!

 

[BWH]

@CAustin i really like 7A.... Same deal though.... Dinner/drinks/movie X 2..... Sleep for 6-7hours. Wake up over Africa. I may have had morning wood!!!!

 

[Custom]

@CAustin , if you don't mind my asking, how many miles/AMX points does it take to upgrade? I am beginning to plan my next trip in 2017. I have flown flight 200 both of my previous safaris in economy plus. I have thought of getting a Delta card just to try to upgrade to business class. I do have about 40,000 straight Delta miles accumulated.

 

[CAustin]

Custom the whole ticket peak season round trip was 400,000 miles this year! Last year it was 350,000. This was a straight miles purchase with my diamond status. The trouble with points/miles upgrades is that they have only so many per flight. When you try to pay a mixture of cash and miles this feature comes into play. Log into your Delta account and play around with dates first to see if any tickets are available! The more flexible you are with departure times and dates the more luck you will have combining cash and miles. Then start looking at cash miles options. If you have AMX points they convert to Sky Miles one to one! You will most likely need to transfer some AMX points over to Delta as I don't think 40,000 will be enough.