In A Beginner’s Guide to Delta SkyMiles and Basics of Airline Miles Redeeming, we mentioned that Delta has the problem of Blackout Dates when exchanging airline partners: Delta chooses some of the dates and directly block them in its own system when searching and exchanging award ticket of air partners. So we have to understand clearly which days are Blackout dates, and it is quite helpful for exchanging free flight ticket by using DL Miles.
According to Delta’s latest information, it has Blackout Dates to Korean Air (KE) and China Southern (CZ), and these two airlines have some transport capacity in Trans-Pacific airline. As you can see that blackout dates have taken up much time in summer and winter vacations, and we feel cheated in some way. Now, KE also limits the exchangeable two-class award ticket to airline partners: 1 first class and 2 economic class in every flight. Plus DL block…so you just take a look at the DL blackout dates to CZ.
Here are Blackout dates from official website, and we also marked them on the calendar.
China Southern Airlines (CZ)
From China to North America: January 2~ January 15, January 29~February 9, June 24~August 31, September 1~ September 4, September 27~October 2
From North America to China: February 12~ February24, May 12~June 30, July 25~ August 31, October 4~ October 14, September 8~ September 23
From China to Europe: January 2~ January 15, March 27~April 10, July 25~ August 31, October 4~ October 14, September 8~ September 23
From Europe to China: March 18~ March 26, April 13~ April 23, June 25~ August 30, October 4~ October 23, September 8~ September 23
From China to Oceania: January 1~March 2, July 10~August 10, September 27~ October 5
From Oceania to China: January 1~ January 5, February 11~ February 22, June 19~ June 27, November 29~December 31
Korean Air (KE)
Korean Domestic Flight:January 1~ January 3, February 5~ February 11, February 27~March 1, May 5~May 8, June 3~ June 6, July 22~August 21, September 13~ September 19, September 30~October 3, December 31~January 7, 2017
Departure from North & South America: May 13~June 30, December 5~ December 25
Other Flights: January 1~ January 3, February 5~ February 10, July15~ August21, September 13~ September 19, December 21~ December 31