Thanks, Michael.

Let me understand...I would ask for the FF ticket to Bangkok. And buy separate a RT Seoul-Shanghai ticket.

Then fly to BKK, so the trip, and then fly back to Seoul. And from there, use the RT Seoul-Shanghai ticket....
Can I break my journey long enough to allow me to do this? In other words, to break the return journey from Bangkok to JFK long enough to allow for a RT to Shanghai?

This FF thing is so complicated! Many thanks for helping me understand..

I want to leave New York on 2/24/10 if possible. This allows me time to get to Rangoon and have a rest before the Pandaw cruise..and then after the cruise, we will go to InleLake and then on to Shanghai...(just to give you the whole picture, as it stands now..)

Yes (and this all depends on availability of tickets) you can generally get as long a layover as you'd like, so you can fly from JFK (via Seoul) to Bangkok. You'd then make your own arrangements to visit Myanmar. Then fly back from Bangkok to Seoul, and you can spend as much time as you'd like in Seoul. And while you are in Seoul you would make a roundtrip to Shanghai. Then fly back to Seoul and on to JFK.

Brilliant! I do not want any time in Seoul (I spent more than a week there in 2007) but I might be able to fly in and out same day, or with an overnight...my deepest thanks for helping me with this.

Will book Burma flights on my own...

I will call AF/Flying Blue to determine the date when I can try to book the FF flights.

You can also try China Southern -- they are also a member of SkyTeam and have flights to Bangkok and Shanghai. They may only fly from LAX, but you can fly DL to LAX. Guangzhou is not a bad place for a day or so, especially if you have already been to Seoul.

Thanks again. So I need to wait until the correct day and phone them and suggest these various options, right? I will certainly stay up and phone at 12:01--I hope they (Flying Blue) are open 24/7!!

I phoned Flying Blue. FF Tickets can be booked 10 months before departure date. I cannot fly to Bangkok and fly home from Shanghai because they are in "different zones." Can fly home from Hong Kong, however.

Here is a complicated bonus question which the FB person could not answer:

I will be in Italy on the designated date. (I will not have a computer but I will try to use one in our hotel). They are about 7 hours ahead of Eastern time. So can I book at the first possible minute in the Italian time zone by calling or by going on-line, even though I want to originate in the US? So complicated..I am reduced to a wreck thinking about getting these flights. I am grateful for any and all advice.

Since Flying Blue is the KLM program, maybe they start their clock on European time. It can't hurt to call at midnight European time. If not, you can call early in the morning. But, at least for me, I have never had to call at the exact time -- usually that day, and even a couple of days after, is OK.

I did book a trip using United miles to Australia for this December, and booked it the first day it became available. Out of curiosity, I monitored it on the UA website, and the flights were available for two or so days after I booked, but were quickly gobbled up.

There are some major changes to the FB program going into effect on April 1st. I noted this "The number of Award Miles required for a Classic Award in Economy Class remains unchanged and serves as the basis for calculating the amount of Award Miles needed for other award tickets. So, a Classic Award in Business Class requires twice the amount of Award Miles of a Classic Award in Economy." That sounds to me like a North America to Asia 2 (which covers BKK & HKG) business award will cost 160,000 miles (vs 120,000 currently) as the coach award is 80,000 miles. Similarly the North America to Asia 1 (China, Korea, Japan & Siberia) business award will go up to 120,000 (from 90,000). You may want to confirm this with FB and possibly move your trip dates earlier to take advantage of the lower mileage requirement.

Patty:

Thanks for posting this. I have never used FF points and already they are being taken away from me!

Unfortunately the dates cannot be moved up. This will be a month-long Asian trip with a cruise in Burma that has set dates..I am very nervous about trying to get these seats. I am going to call at midnight European time but if Europe FB is the same as the US,they are not open 24/7. Can anyone confirm this?

Thanks for helping me out here and not making fun of my obsessive thoughts/behavior!

I did a quick search on the KL and AF sites and couldn't find FB call center hours listed. Did you ask if you can also book your return flight when you call 10 months prior to your departure?

FB offices in NA open at 7am and close at 8pm EST.

FB Europe will be able to help you out even if you are an American resident, i've booked FF tickets for people that are outside the NA market zone.

But do we know the hours of the FlyingBlue Europe offices? (I will be in Italy)

Patty: I did not ask them about the return flight; I thought that these could not be booked until 10 months out, meaning another phone all a few weeks later. But I will ask them when I phone.

Thanks so much for all of the help!

I just wanted to report back and thank all here who patiently gave me advice.

The 300th-day out arrived and I was in Italy, with no cell phone and unable to phone the FB Italian number from the B&B. Major anxiety! The website showed no availability!

Arrived home 5 days later, phoned FB and guess what--I got the tickets! Not only was I able to book the outgoing to Bangkok (Korean, which is what I requested) but the agent took me by surprise when he asked about my return date, which was more than 300 days out. I took a wild guess and booked the return, from Hong Kong. Connection time on Korean is at Incheon is about 8 hours.

Once I have my trip planned in more detail, I may want to change the dates of the return flight, which I can do for $75.

Question: What would be the favored carrier from Hong Kong to JFK? Skyteam options other than Korean/Delta with great business class and maybe quicker connections?

Again, many thanks for indulging all of the questions from this novice FF-er!

..sorry: I know that Continental flies this route--how does their business class compare with Korean?

Continental currently has almost lie-flat business class seats on their 777. But later this year, they will start installing flat beds. Your chance of getting one by next April is perhaps 50%.

Congrats! How many miles did it end up costing and what's your current return routing, Korean HKG-ICN-JFK?

Return on KE from HKG is often brutal. An extremely short red-eye HKG-ICN, and then all morning in Seoul before connection back to the US.

Continental is dropping out of SkyTeam in late October, so you won't be able to grab the HKG-EWR flight.

Actually, one can still get the CO flight as long as it's booked by 10/24/09, and travel completed by 10/24/10.

That's great news -- I may use my DL miles to to try to get to Micronesia next May or August (the months I try to get away), since Micronesia is only serviced by CO. That really is helpful news -- much appreciated.