Hope someone can help me with this question.

Does the SkySaver / SkyChoice thing apply to Delta's various categories of partner airlines? For example, the charts say a trip from the US to southern Africa on South African Airways would cost 80,000 skymiles. Is there a chance I would have to use SkyChoice and use up 160,000 skymiles?

Or does SkyChoice not apply to airlines like South African Airways or China Southern?

I'm sure that you can't escape capacity controls by using partner airlines. You should be able to look for availability and the mileage cost of your ticket on the Delta website. If you can't, then call to check out your planned itinerary: 800-325-3999. (I noted in the award charts that if ANY segment of your trip is on Continental or Northwest, the mileage cost is 90K.)

Skychoice applies to Delta operated flights only. There's no option to waive capacity controls on partner airlines. Also note that award redemption on South African Airways is ending this month (but Delta will start their own ATL-JNB service in December).

Flyboy and Patty, Thanks for your replies.

Patty, do I understand you correctly, you can't improve your odds of getting the partner airline ticket you want by paying double Skymiles?

Partner airline flights to northern South America will be 35,000 and never 70,000? I suppose in one sense that is good news to me, assuming I can find a flight I want and can get a Skymiles reservation on it.

Thanks again for posting.

That's correct. Also make sure you read the fine print at the bottom of the mileage redemption chart. As Flyboy pointed out, sometimes there are increased restrictions/mileage requirements if one of your flights is booked on Continental or Northwest.

We tried for years to use our DAL skymiles unsuccessfully.
Finally got Business seats on Avianca MEX-EZE and AeromMexico SCL-MEX for late Fall.
I would think 180K skymiles would be easy to "spend". Not on DAL.
M (SMdA, Gto.)