Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan - Alaska MVP or Delta SkyMiles

I will be flying DL more frequently for cities not covered by AS. Is it worthwhile to credit DL segments to my Alaska Mileage account OR should I open a Delta SkyMiles account? I would open the Delta SkyMiles primarily for the upgrades. Supposedly, MVP/GMVP will have comp upgrades on DL but I am not sure what the timeframe is hence my question to open a Delta SkyMiles account? Thank you for your insight.

I will be flying DL more frequently for cities not covered by AS. Is it worthwhile to credit DL segments to my Alaska Mileage account OR should I open a Delta SkyMiles account? I would open the Delta SkyMiles primarily for the upgrades. Supposedly, MVP/GMVP will have comp upgrades on DL but I am not sure what the timeframe is hence my question to open a Delta SkyMiles account? Thank you for your insight.

There isn't really any reason to be Silver on Delta, unless there's a chance you'll hit Gold. Silver Medallion has no advantage over Alaska MVP that I can see--MVPs get almost exactly the same benefits on Delta as their own Silvers, but MVPs get +50% mileage bonus on Delta and Alaska versus +25% for Delta Silvers. The one benefit for silvers is upgrades, which (1) are difficult to get as FO unless you're flying a select few elite-light routes at just the right times; and (2) are coming (in theory) for AS elites sometime soon.

I will be flying DL more frequently for cities not covered by AS. Is it worthwhile to credit DL segments to my Alaska Mileage account OR should I open a Delta SkyMiles account? I would open the Delta SkyMiles primarily for the upgrades. Supposedly, MVP/GMVP will have comp upgrades on DL but I am not sure what the timeframe is hence my question to open a Delta SkyMiles account? Thank you for your insight.

How much flying will you be doing on DL? I presume you'll qualify for at least GM for you to post this question. If not--you'll be flying only enough to hit FO--of course I would continue crediting your DL miles to AS. You'll get mostly the same benefits (if upgrades ever happen) along with a more generous mileage bonus and better redemption opportunities with your miles. If you will be flying DL enough to qualify for GM, or PM, then at this point, it probably would be worth opening a DL account. You'll get better benefits on DL--even if AS elites ever get upgrades, DL elites will likely have a higher waitlist priority, and you'll get one huge one that AS elites don't get: access to the elite phone line with DL and priority handling in the event of IRROPS.

Do be aware, though, that if you plan on redeeming awards internationally, DL's program hasn't earned the nicknames of SkyPesos or SkyPiles for nothing. AS's redemption opportunities are FAR better.

SteadyASshegoes and jackal pretty much nailed it. There is no point in being a DL FO if you can be MVP instead. Yes you stand a small chance at upgrades that MVP doesn't yet have but the penalty is having to accumulate 25k hard to redeem Skymiles over Alaska miles.

Even as a DL hub captive, the choice was clear. The denied upgrades are not too bad either, I have gotten my own boarding call (zone 2) and empty middle seats in the preferred portion of the cabin. A side effect of sticking with Alaska is that American became much more attractive as an alternate option where Alaska doesn't go and Delta is not attractive.

Thank you everyone for your insight. I will continue with my AS mileage program with the DL segments credited to AS.

Additional comments/insights are welcomed.

Go over to the Delta forum and you'll see a lot of unhappy campers....I'm a GM and it's almost useless. The nickname skypeso's says it all.