# Korean Air SKYPASS Program Deep Dive 2026: The post-2018 Chase partnership end

Source: https://pointifytravels.com/blog/korean-air-skypass-deep-dive-2026
Author: Pointify Research Team
Published: 2026-05-01

> Korean Air SKYPASS 2026 deep dive: Post-Chase + Marriott departures, current transfer paths, Kosmo Suite First Class redemption framework.

Korean Air SKYPASS lost its Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partnership in August 2018 and Marriott Bonvoy partnership in June 2024. The program is now reachable only from a few non-major paths (Bilt Rewards, Korean Air co-brand cards, paid Korean Air flights). For the iconic Korean Air First Class (Kosmo Suite) on the 747-8, the redemption window is closing.

## The historical partnership ends

- **August 2018:** Chase Ultimate Rewards ended transfer partnership with Korean Air SKYPASS. Most points blogs still reference this as a transfer option — outdated.
- **June 17, 2024:** Marriott Bonvoy ended SKYPASS transfer partnership. The 5,000-mile bonus per 60,000 transferred had been removed earlier (December 1, 2022).

If you're reading 2025 or 2026 content recommending Marriott or Chase transfers to Korean Air, that content is meaningfully out of date. Verify current partner lists before transferring.

## The current transfer paths to SKYPASS

| Bank-points currency | Transfer ratio to SKYPASS |
| --- | --- |
| Bilt Rewards | 1:1 |
| Amex Membership Rewards | No direct transfer |
| Chase Ultimate Rewards | No direct transfer (ended 2018) |
| Capital One Miles | No direct transfer |
| Citi ThankYou Points | No direct transfer |
| Marriott Bonvoy | No transfer (ended June 2024) |

For most travelers, SKYPASS is now unreachable directly. Bilt Rewards is the only flexible-points-anchored path. The alternative: pay cash for Korean Air flights to earn SKYPASS miles directly.

## The Kosmo Suite First Class

Korean Air First Class on the 747-8 (Kosmo Suite) is the aspirational redemption:

- **Routes:** ICN-LAX, ICN-JFK, ICN-IAD on the 747-8
- **Cabin:** 1-1-1 fully enclosed cabin with sliding doors
- **Bed:** Full-flat 6'9" with separate seat
- **Service:** Caviar + premium champagne + multi-course service

SKYPASS rate for Korean Air First Class US-Korea: ~140,000 miles each way (round-trip required). The 747-8 fleet retirement is approaching — the redemption window is closing.

## The Korean Air alternatives

For travelers wanting to fly Korean Air without SKYPASS:

- **Delta SkyMiles via dynamic pricing:** Korean Air is a SkyTeam partner. Delta Sky team awards on Korean metal can work but are dynamically priced and expensive.
- **Air France-KLM Flying Blue:** Same SkyTeam access. Promo Reward calendar occasionally features Korean Air routes.
- **Buy SKYPASS miles:** SKYPASS occasionally sells miles. The math may work for First Class on the 747-8.

## The strategic framework

1. **Don't build SKYPASS miles speculatively:** Multiple major partnerships have ended; the program may continue contracting.
2. **For Korean Air specifically:** Use Bilt Rewards (1:1) if you have Bilt; otherwise pay cash and earn SKYPASS directly.
3. **For SkyTeam Asia routes more broadly:** Use Flying Blue Promo Reward at 75-90k miles each way + ~$310 cash YQ on Delta-KLM-Air France metal. Better than SKYPASS for most travelers.
4. **For aspirational Korean First (Kosmo Suite):** Plan around the 747-8 retirement timeline. Cash retail for Korean First is ~\$15,000+ each way; SKYPASS at 140,000 miles produces ~10¢/mile cents-per-point if you can get the redemption.

## Bottom line

Korean Air SKYPASS lost its Chase partnership in August 2018 and Marriott in June 2024. The program is now reachable only from Bilt Rewards (1:1) among major flexible-points currencies. For most travelers, SKYPASS is no longer a strategic anchor — use Flying Blue or Delta SkyMiles for SkyTeam Korean Air routes instead. For aspirational Korean First Class on the 747-8 specifically, Bilt is the only direct path, and the 747-8 retirement window is closing.

[Compare Korean Air alternatives on Pointify →](https://pointifytravels.com/points/transfer)

*Last verified by the Pointify research team on May 1, 2026, against current Korean Air SKYPASS partner list and historical partnership timeline. Korean Air partnership terminations may continue; verify before transferring miles.*

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Published by Pointify Travels (https://pointifytravels.com). Compare cash fares and points prices for any route at https://pointifytravels.com/search.