Wow- never thought about booking through a partner airline. Thats great!!
We have flights to Nairobi this summer, changing to KLM in Schiphol (and return is the same- KLM to Schiphol, then Delta home). Its all booked on Delta, but it didn’t occur to me to look at booking on KLM.
We always shop flights in a private/incognito browser first. I didn’t know about Google Flights. I always want the fewest stops.
I’ve read that private/incognito doesn’t really work. 
I just try not to look directly on the Delta site until later in the process, or if I do, I don’t log in.
Google flights will alert you to fare changes.
a problem I have run into with the Delta/KLM partnership is that free luggage (through Delta Amex in my case) perk is not honored when the first flight is on KLM. It was an unpleasant surprise as we were three people. So all was good going from US to Europe, as first flight was with Delta (changing to KLM at Schiphol), returning though, first flight was on KLM with no Delta presence at that airport, so no free luggage (even though all was booked through Delta).
Ohhhh…I am oozing with jealously. I dont know anyone who’s been. Can’t wait to hear about your trip.
Anniversary safari!
That happened to us with Hawaiian airlines . Delta gave us the equivalent cost in courtesy miles in our account . Our choices to partner were Air France, KLM or Kenya Airways.
Don’t know if private browser works or not, but did get the less expensive deal through the partner airline when I actually booked. (Checked both ways.) We have another trip in June and did the same thing. I have seen airfares go up while logged in to the airline’s website.
Google Flights is a good tool to use. Payment was wonky, ended up paying through AA, and got the same deal talking to a representative. Should have enough to fly on miles next time.
Google flights finds the fares, but I believe when you are ready to book it sends you to the airline’s website. That’s how it works for the delta flights
Maybe that’s why my payment was wonky. Worked out in the end! H usually books the flights, I’m doing the March one on my own.
You’re correct. Live and learn – good to know. And clearing cookies doesn’t help either. Such is the fickle world of airfare fluctuations!
A friend’s daughter does data analytics for Delta. I have a feeling the airlines know the traffic on google, kayak, hopper, etc, and their sites.
Searching incognito may not make any difference regarding flight costs, but it does prevent Southwest from sending reminders to book the particular flight I was researching. Do other airlines do this as well?
Yes they do send reminders.
I don’t recall getting any reminders.
We had a Delta flight Heathrow to Boston that was covered by a Virgin Atlantic codeshare. Wow. We would definitely fly VA again—a little more legroom in coach, it seemed, food and drinks were ample and often. The treat was ‘mile high afternoon tea’: a little box with a scone (with jelly and clotted cream!) a finger sandwich, and a sweet pastry. With coffee or tea, of course. What a pleasant surprise!
Our primary carrier is United, so we have a ton of miles with them. But, I must say that many non-US airlines are just superior. We have an upcoming trip where we are using United from San Francisco to Tokyo (and back) business class (Polaris - gots to have laydown pods for long flights). But once there we have several flights (to Vietnam and Singapore) where we are using Singapore airlines business class pods as well. Singapore air has already contacted us regards meals, snacks, and favorite beverages with choices that are so far from what United has it’s embarrassing.
I looked at doing our africa safari flights with delta → Virgin Atlantic but the latter is no longer flying into Nairobi.
This isn’t good.