I'm sure some of you saw the announcement from Delta today regarding changes to the skymiles program.
http://www.delta.com/skymiles/about/medallion_updates/index.jsp
Their previous chances were what sent me to US in the first place.

I hate to say it, but these appear to be quite positive. The only downside I see is that it practically eliminates the difference between the levels.

Does anyone think US will follow suite?

-N

US' program is still much more desirable than DL's even with the recently announced change that allows unlimited upgrades for DL elites, so I hope they just leave it as is.

(Post removed because I haven't had enough coffee to make any sense after two tries http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif )

[This message has been edited by jcooke (edited Dec 18, 2003).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by SpaceBass:
Does anyone think US will follow...?
</font>


I think this bring DL's program closer to the generousity of the US program. The real test will be upgrade percentages at the various levels. "Unlimited" domestic upgrades are great but if there are no seats left at your window they are not worth a hill of beans.

In my mind, the best enhancement to the DM program would be to elimintae the 500-mile domestic upgrade bank. Why have it at all? Few people understand how those banked upgrades are earned and even fewer understand how to track their use. I also don't think having unlimited upgrades for all levels of Preferreds would hurt the upgrade percentages at the various levels. That is to say that with proper inventory management (which I think US is very good at) there will always be a seat or two available for that last minute full-fare Preferred member (any level) who buys their ticket inside the 3 and 1 day windows of the GP and SP's trying to upgrade discount fares. This won't change the upgrade percentages for GP and SP members on the discounted fares, it just means that a higher percentage of those upgrades will occur at the gate rather than in advance. JMHO.



[This message has been edited by geo1005 (edited Dec 18, 2003).]

I don't see unlimited upgrades as significant problem. The main effect ought to be to reduce costs by eliminating an inordinately complex process that takes a lot of time and energy to maintain.

A secondary effect would be to have F full more often -- you'd see a lot fewer flights leaving with empty F seats because someone lacked e-upgrades in their bank but so what? A couple of bags of pretzels and a few mini bottles of vodka aren't going to break the bank. It's not like it costs them $1,000 to seat someone up there...

DL's new companion upgrade policy sucks, you either book on separate records and upgrade based on each person's status or if you're on the same record, the lower status dictates when the upgrade will clear.

I like the US program just fine, even when I drop back down to Gold ... one positive aspect of the DL program does not make up for all the negative aspects and the US program is still far superior in my opinion.

I'm not seeing anything in the Delta Medallion link which indicates the qualification criteria are changing. The way I'm reading it, the program is enhanced once you reach Medallion status, but achieving Medallion status is no different or easier than the current program.

So even though US has the administrative burden of maintaining e-upgrade accounts for US2's and US3's, it is much easier to achieve US2 & US3 status than it is to achieve Medallion status on DL. How many of us would achieve the equivalent status level if we moved our US business to DL? No, thanks. I'll take my chances with draining my e-upgrade bank on US.

As someone who just completed the Chairmans Challenge and has no plans to fly DL any more on paid flights, I sincerely hope that US does not try to mimic DL's program.

DL still has their lousy MQM calculation that makes it hard to qualify on cheap fares. The unlimited upgrades for CP vs. limited upgrades for US2 and US3 is an important distinction between the levels. Also, upgrading internationally on DL is very expensive due to minimum fare requirements to use miles or PMUs. US is very reasonable when it comes to international upgrades and even gives international upgrades to its lowest elite levels.

US, please don't follow DL down the road to perdition. The current program is just fine.

"US, please don't follow DL down the road to perdition. The current program is just fine."

Amen to that!

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by SpaceBass:
Does anyone think US will follow suite?
-N</font>

I boldly predict that, yes, US will follow the unlimitied upgrades feature of DL's new program&lt;g&gt;

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by CPRich:
I boldly predict that, yes, US will follow the unlimitied upgrades feature of DL's new program&lt;g&gt;</font>

Heh heh...That's a bold statement. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

(Note date and time of CPRich's post)

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif