Update (2.21.2022)

Korean Air has officially announced the discontinuation of the changes to the Korean Air SkyPass program, please check it out.

https://www.koreanair.com/kr/ko/footer/customer-support/notice/2303-newskypass

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Update (11.06.2022)

When converting Bonvoy points to Korean Air, there was an additional bonus of 5,000 miles for converting in increments of 60,000.

But it turns out that this feature is going away on December 1st.

If you were planning to transfer Bonvoy points to Korean Air, it looks like you'll have to wait until November.

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The deadline to change Korean Air Mileage Redemption is 5 months away.

The new formula will go into effect for tickets issued on April 1, 2023, with modest increases for economy and significant increases for business and first class on the Americas.

So if you've got some Korean Air miles lying around, it's probably a good idea to fill them up to the point where you can redeem them and get rid of them now.

Of course, with the Chase UR to Korean Air transfer option gone, it's not easy to earn a large number of Korean Air miles in a short amount of time.

However, there are a couple of options available, so I think you should be able to make up the shortfall in miles needed to book a business or first class ticket if you prepare now. (Of course, whether or not you have a seat is another matter.)

In today's post, I'll 1) explain the details of the Korean Air deductible change, and 2) summarize how you can make up for lost Korean Air miles.

1. Changes to Korean Air Mileage Redemption: April 1, 2023

December 13, 2019. Korean Air has announced that its mileage program, SkyPass, will be adding Announcing big changesI did.

There's quite a bit more, including the introduction of mileage bundling, adjustments to mileage earning rates, a change in elite tier segmentation and calculation to an annual requirement, and a change from region-based to distance-based mileage deductions. You can read more about this in the Cleanup from a 2019 postin the past.

Among other changes, we're introducing the Most importantly, change your mileage deduction.

The requirement was originally scheduled to be implemented on April 1, 2021, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, the implementation was postponed by two years. Therefore, it is unlikely that there will be any further postponements or changes.

So let's take a look at how exactly the deduction changes. 

Currently, redemptions are regional, so the entire U.S., including Hawaii, is lumped into one region, with 35,000 miles redemptions for economy, 62,500 miles for business, and 80,000 miles for first class one-way in peak season.

That means whether you're in LA on the west coast or NYC on the east, the mileage deduction is the same.

However, starting with tickets issued in April 2023, a distance-based system will be introduced, with a sliding scale from 1 to 10 zones for international flights based on one-way distance.

Mileage deduction tablefor example.

Based on travel to/from Incheon,

• The western parts of LA, San Fran, Seattle, and Las Vegas are in the 8th quartile (under 5,000-6,500).
• The central and eastern parts of New York, Dallas, Boston, Chicago, Atlanta, and DC would fall into Zone 9 (6,500-10,000).

Compared to today, on a one-way basis during peak periods

• For Economy, it's a 5,000 mile increase in West and a 10,000 mile increase in Central/East.
• For Business, the increase is 17,500 miles in the West and 27,500 miles in the Central/East.
• And for First Class, there will be a 40,000 mile increase in West and 55,000 mile increase in Central/East.

All of the above mileages are based on a one-way ticket, so if you're talking about a round-trip ticket, you're in for a real treat.

For example, New York-Incheon business roundtrip is currently available for 125,000 miles off-peak, but will be 180,000 miles if booked after April next year.for the trip. That's a whopping 55,000 more miles.

In other words, you can fly roundtrip from New York to Incheon in first class for 160,000 miles today, but in April 2023, you can't even fly roundtrip business.

So if you're planning a trip to South Korea in the next year or so, 2023, it's a no-brainer to start saving up your miles now and book your tickets as soon as possible (even considering the hefty fuel surcharges).

Even taking the extra 50% during peak season is sometimes better than taking the increase after April 1, so I think you should keep that as an option.

3. Korean Air partner cards issued by US Bank 

So how can you start collecting Korean Air miles now?

First, there are several Korean Air cards issued by US Bank.

The $95 annual fee Skypass Visa Signature card is the best option, with 30,000 miles for a free home offer, and the occasional 40,000, 45,000, or even 50,000 mile home offer if you're lucky.

Also, some of our members who have this card have a 45,000 refer-a-friend link. If you know someone who collects miles, chances are they have this card, so it's a win-win situation.

4. Bonvoy cards 

Of the convertible points, Marriot's Bon Voyage is practically the only one that can be converted to Korean Air miles.in the file.

Whereas other hotel points either don't convert to airline miles at all, or if they do, the conversion rate is abysmal, Bonvoy points are redeemable at a rate of 1 mile for every 3 points.  And you get a bonus of 15,000 points (=5,000 miles) for every 60,000 units. Bonvoy Points 25,000 miles for $60,000, 120,000 is 50,000 miles. (Bonuses are not displayed correctly in the Bonvoy site conversion calculator, so be aware of that.)

Bonvoy cards are currently available in three personal cards from Chase (Boundless, Bold, and Bountiful), two personal cards from Amex (Brilliant and Bevy), and one business card from Amex.

For Chase personal cards, 

• The annual fee is $95 for the first year, but the second year comes with nightly stays (up to 35,000 points) that can really bump up the annual fee. Boundless cardsin the list.
• There's a Bold card with no annual fee, but it doesn't have a high sign-up bonus and no nightly stays.
• And then there's the new Bountiful card, which has a $250 annual fee, but there's no automatic annual night award. You have to spend $15,000 in a calendar year to get a night award (which can be up to 50,000 points), so it's not a great option.

To summarize, The Boundless card is one of the better Chase cards in many waysin the future.

The good news is that as of this writing, the Boundless card promotion is ongoing, and as a welcome bonus, you can get a 100,000 points after 3 months of $3000 spendin the file.

With a spending requirement of $3,000 and 2 points per dollar if you're not in a bonus category, you'll earn at least 106,000 points after spending, including the welcome bonus.

Don't just hand it over, you need to make it to 120,000 and then transfer it to Korean Air to get 50,000 Korean Air miles. As I explained above, you need to transfer Bonvoy points in increments of 60,000 to get the extra 5,000 miles.

For Amex cards, 

• For personal cards, the The newly renewed Brilliant cardfor example. The card has a $650 annual fee for the first year, but it comes with a $300 dining credit for $25 a month for a year. You'll get one 8.5 night card per year upon renewal, and the dining credit automatically comes with Bonvoy flat status, so it's not a bad option if you're a frequent Bonvoy stayer.
• The Bevy card is a newer product that has a $250 annual fee for the first year, but it doesn't come with an automatic annual stay, and you have to spend $15,000 in a calendar year to earn a stay (which can be up to 50,000 points), so it's not a great option.
• Finally, the Business cardsThis business card has an annual fee of $125 for the first year, but you get one 35,000 night card every year upon renewal, so the annual fee is easily covered.

Both of these cards are currently on promotion.

• Brilliant card is 3 months $50,000 $150,000 Points
• Bevy Card for $4,000 for 3 months and 12.5k points
• The Business Card has a welcome bonus of $4,000 and 100,000 points for 3 months.

For the Brilliant card, you'll earn a minimum of 160,000 Bonvoy points after you've met your spending and earned the full welcome bonus. If you transfer to Korean Air as is, you'll get about 6.3k miles. If you fill up to 180,000 points, you'll get 7.5K Korean Air miles.

There are a few things to keep in mind when applying for a Bonvoy card. 

This is because holding a particular card, even if the issuing card company is different, prevents you from applying for and being issued (and in some cases receiving bonuses) other cards.

For example, the Chase Boundless card has the following ineligibility reasons

• First, if you currently have an Old-Marriott, New-Marriott Personal, or Marriott Bonvoy Bold card issued by Chase, or have received a sign-up bonus within the past 24 months, you will not be approved for the card (Marriott Bonvoy® Premier credit card, Marriott Bonvoy® Premier credit card, Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® credit card, Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus credit card, Marriott Bonvoy Bold® credit card).

In addition, if you meet any of the following three conditions, your card may be approved, but you will not receive the sign-up bonus (The new cardmember bonus is not available to you).

• Currently hold or have held an old Amex-SPG Personal Card within the last 30 days (you currently have or had any of the following cards within the last 30 days: Marriott Bonvoy® American Express® Card, The Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express);
• you applied and were approved for any of the following cards within the last 90 days: the old Amex-SPG Business Card (now the Amex Bonvoy Business Card), the old Amex-SPG Luxury Card (now the Amex Bonvoy Brilliant) Card, or the Amex Bevy Card: Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card, Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, Starwood Preferred Guest® American Express Luxury Card, Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card.)
• received a new cardmember bonus or upgrade bonus for any of the following cards within the last 24 months

That's why I've put together a checklist of questions you should ask before applying for a card (at your own risk, of course).

• Chase Boundless Card Application Requirements Checklist
• Amex Business Card Application Requirements Checklist
• Amex Brilliant Card Application Requirements Checklist

5. Last option - Hyatt points to Korean Air miles 

The last option is kind of a last resort.

The answer is simple: convert Hyatt points to Korean Air miles.

Hyatt site description5,000 points converts to 2,000 airline miles, and if you transfer 50,000 points, you'll get a 5,000-mile bonus, meaning that if you transfer 50,000 points to Korean Air, you'll get 25,000 miles.

However, as we just mentioned, this is really a last resort option and should be avoided at all costs.

40,000 Hyatt points are 16,000 Korean Air miles, so if you have 40,000 Hyatt points, you can get a $1,000 per night Park Hyatt New York (Just in case anyone is confused, you can't transfer Korean Air miles to Hyatt. It's only one-way, from Hyatt to Korean Air, not both ways).

You know how to earn Hyatt points, right?

1) First, you'll need a Hyatt Affiliate Card (Personal cardsand Business cards) can be earned through signup bonuses.

2) Sharp cardsOr, if you've earned enough UR points through the Chase Ink Business Card, you can transfer your UR points 1:1.

In this case, the calculation is 50,000 UR points = 50,000 Hyatt points = 2.5K Korean Air miles.

As I mentioned, it's never a good deal, but if you're really, really in a hurry, it might be worth it to transfer the UR to Korean Air when you need it rather than holding onto it.

Let's wrap up today's post.

While it's never good news to see a mileage redemption increase, I have to say that the nearly three-year grace period is a relief compared to US airlines, which often implement mileage redemption increases without much warning.

If you're planning to book Korean Air Business or First Class tickets for filial piety trips, you'd better be prepared to use up your miles by March 2023.

It's a war for seats, as not only the US-based wizards but also those in Korea are planning to steal miles at this time, but if you don't have miles right now, it's recommended to place a waitlist for several days, as it can be difficult to get a seat.