The Seats: Delta’s best international Business Class seat—a 78-inch-long, 22-inch-wide flatbed—is on its B777-200LRs, which also fly the Los Angeles-Atlanta route. The next best option is Northwest’s A330, which offers a 20-inch wide seat that reclines 176 degrees. Delta offers a 160-degree recline on its B767s, and both offer a 150-degree recline on their B757s.
Return on Miles: On the Atlanta-Honolulu route, Delta uses an A330. This route offers a great return on miles. Fares are usually high—a First Class ticket easily costs $2,700—and although the flight time is one hour longer than Atlanta-London, it costs 25,000 fewer miles. (We surveyed the route over the next 11 months and found availability scattered in both directions now through December, and plentiful in both directions January though June (with the exception of March).
Buying/Transferring Miles: Don’t buy them from Delta or Northwest, which charge 2.8¢ per mile. At 2.5¢ per mile, American Express Membership Rewards (transferable to Delta) is a better deal. A good point transfer partner is Starwood, because of the 25% transfer bonus for every 20,000 miles. Delta currently offers a 40% transfer bonus. For details: Delta SkyMiles Transfer Promotion
[table_opt style="gray-header" id="1516" width="" alignment="center" responsive="all" heading="thcenter" rows="tdcenter"]