Would one-way awards help solve DL's problems?
Feb 15, 2011, 7:39 am
#46
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I know what they are, and I definitely use them - UA's 'either/or' stopover/jaw rule used to annoy me greatly. When AA made this change, I initially had the same feelings as you're expressing here. But once AA and UA went to full one way awards, the dramatic impact of that was frankly overwhelming. It just opened up all sorts of different options that made award travel so much easier.
Combining carriers for award tickets, combining awards with cheap paid legs, multi-leg trips, waiting out better routings leg by leg/carrier by carrier, etc. Booking an award is a totally different game for me today thanks to one ways, and at most it has cost me an occasional extra intra-Europe 10k award to regain a stopover.
Just don't under-estimate how liberating this change could be. I wouldn't change the AA program back for the old stopover rules. Though, hat's off to UA
. There is no reason this swap has to be an "either/or".
To be honest, the bigger problem with DL would be the fuel taxes on return legs/segments in Europe.
Combining carriers for award tickets, combining awards with cheap paid legs, multi-leg trips, waiting out better routings leg by leg/carrier by carrier, etc. Booking an award is a totally different game for me today thanks to one ways, and at most it has cost me an occasional extra intra-Europe 10k award to regain a stopover.
Just don't under-estimate how liberating this change could be. I wouldn't change the AA program back for the old stopover rules. Though, hat's off to UA
. There is no reason this swap has to be an "either/or". To be honest, the bigger problem with DL would be the fuel taxes on return legs/segments in Europe.
And I wouldn't be going to ANC next month if it weren't for DL's stopover rule. Basically can add a 'free' trip to ANC to my European award ticket. For ME, WAY better than a OW award.
Feb 15, 2011, 11:30 am
#47
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,115
If you use the DL stopover/open jaw feature to its fullest, I can't imagine you would continue to say what you do, but as usual YMMV. In fact, I already book "one way" awards with DL to a degree. I also save hundreds of dollars with the stopover provision. Example: Anchorage to King Salmon, AK costs +-$400 round trip. Add that to an MSP-ANC round trip and instantly I save $400 on one award ticket, not to mention the amount I save on the MSP-ANC round trip.
And I wouldn't be going to ANC next month if it weren't for DL's stopover rule. Basically can add a 'free' trip to ANC to my European award ticket. For ME, WAY better than a OW award.
And I wouldn't be going to ANC next month if it weren't for DL's stopover rule. Basically can add a 'free' trip to ANC to my European award ticket. For ME, WAY better than a OW award.
I was simply commenting on your initial statement that such a choice was a "no brainer". I do in fact have a brain, I just disagree
.
Feb 15, 2011, 3:42 pm
#48
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Well, when you say "to its fullest", you describe the vast, vast minority of situations... they just happen to be what you redeem. In such cases, as with anything, there are winners and losers. That is totally understandable, and those on the 'lose' side, however small the minority, would have every right to complain about such a change.
I was simply commenting on your initial statement that such a choice was a "no brainer". I do in fact have a brain, I just disagree.
I was simply commenting on your initial statement that such a choice was a "no brainer". I do in fact have a brain, I just disagree
.
Feb 15, 2011, 5:16 pm
#49
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i booked
HKG - NRT - SPN - NRT (stop) - PVG last summer.
unfortunately, i cant manage to figure out to do stopover in HKG yet because the ticket on Delta has unknown rule. agents told me that i can do stop in only NRT and ICN. this is where my problem lies as stopover in NRT (is fun) and ICN are not useful to build 1.5 trips per ticket.
i think that you like alaska, and alaska airline is a partner of DL, this is why Dl is more valuable to you. i can understand! but to say CO is not better is just not true.
last summer. i did
SZX-PEK-BKK-DPS-BKK-HKG (stop) - CTU - LXA
then i booked.
XNN - PEK - HKG (stop) - NRT - GUM - MAJ (final destination) - GUM - NGO - ICN - PEK - SZX
with 4 overnight stops. (one of them is exactly 24 hours).
i dont know if something similar can be done on Delta. i really doubt.
HKG - NRT - SPN - NRT (stop) - PVG last summer.
unfortunately, i cant manage to figure out to do stopover in HKG yet because the ticket on Delta has unknown rule. agents told me that i can do stop in only NRT and ICN. this is where my problem lies as stopover in NRT (is fun) and ICN are not useful to build 1.5 trips per ticket.
i think that you like alaska, and alaska airline is a partner of DL, this is why Dl is more valuable to you. i can understand! but to say CO is not better is just not true.
last summer. i did
SZX-PEK-BKK-DPS-BKK-HKG (stop) - CTU - LXA
then i booked.
XNN - PEK - HKG (stop) - NRT - GUM - MAJ (final destination) - GUM - NGO - ICN - PEK - SZX
with 4 overnight stops. (one of them is exactly 24 hours).
i dont know if something similar can be done on Delta. i really doubt.
Feb 18, 2011, 9:53 am
#50
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Yet, at peak times, I have often had to accept unwanted 3 connectoins or overnights in order to use DL miles (on partner airlines) for the needed dates at saver levels. Often the itinerary in one direction, but not the other, was relatively convenient. Being able to use the DL miles for the part where they work well and use AA/UA miles for the other part would have made things much better.
Feb 18, 2011, 11:02 am
#51
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I have a very good understanding of my best options with DL miles.
Yet, at peak times, I have often had to accept unwanted 3 connectoins or overnights in order to use DL miles (on partner airlines) for the needed dates at saver levels. Often the itinerary in one direction, but not the other, was relatively convenient. Being able to use the DL miles for the part where they work well and use AA/UA miles for the other part would have made things much better.
Yet, at peak times, I have often had to accept unwanted 3 connectoins or overnights in order to use DL miles (on partner airlines) for the needed dates at saver levels. Often the itinerary in one direction, but not the other, was relatively convenient. Being able to use the DL miles for the part where they work well and use AA/UA miles for the other part would have made things much better.
Feb 26, 2011, 3:17 pm
#52
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I sure could use a one way award option right now. I just don't understand why Delta doesn't do this, or allow a roundtrip ticket with award one way & buying the other way. 
Was this issue addressed with senior management in Atlanta at the last Delta Do?
Was this issue addressed with senior management in Atlanta at the last Delta Do?
Feb 26, 2011, 4:19 pm
#53
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Mar 20, 2011, 5:52 am
#54
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Continental Announces One Way Awards and United Award Chart Integration
Meanwhile, SkyMiles is _____________
Meanwhile, SkyMiles is _____________
Mar 20, 2011, 6:22 am
#55
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Continental Announces One Way Awards and United Award Chart Integration
Meanwhile, SkyMiles is _____________
Meanwhile, SkyMiles is _____________
Mar 20, 2011, 6:44 am
#56
Join Date: Sep 2010
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As a Delta partner, AF has one way awards. The only problem with AF is the taxes... but then again, i only use their Biz class 50% off awards, and i end up with a RT biz class ticket for 50k miles.