Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > Delta Air Lines | SkyMiles
Reload this Page >

MQM Valuation Based on Fare Paid Now Showing on Delta.com

MQM Valuation Based on Fare Paid Now Showing on Delta.com

Old Sep 5, 2012, 1:07 pm
  #166  
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Atlanta
Programs: Delta Diamond; HHonors Diamond
Posts: 654
Originally Posted by bubbashow

aubreyfromwheaton
ok dad


Thin the herd? Try the analogy of the wiping out of the great American Bison herds in the last half of the 29th century

LOL. I'm sure. When DL does this, all will follow (to a certain extent, WN is already there). Then what? All planes in America will be empty?
No, of course not. Rather, the vast majuority of passengers, other than those who work for companies that don't watch their employee's airfares, will choose flights based on price. That will favor the carriers that have the lowest cost structures. Is that Delta or Southwest in Altanta, DAL's biggest hub? So who is going to win that price war? How will that help Delta?
GatorBlues is offline  
Old Sep 5, 2012, 1:10 pm
  #167  
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Long Beach, CA
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 5,292
Originally Posted by aubreyfromwheaton
ok dad
Originally Posted by GatorBlues
No, of course not. Rather, the vast majuority of passengers, other than those who work for companies that don't watch their employee's airfares, will choose flights based on price. That will favor the carriers that have the lowest cost structures. Is that Delta or Southwest in Altanta, DAL's biggest hub? So who is going to win that price war? How will that help Delta?
Fewer elites, lower base fares, more ancillary revenue. Easy.
bubbashow is offline  
Old Sep 5, 2012, 1:12 pm
  #168  
 
Join Date: May 2008
Programs: DL AA UA
Posts: 2,359
Originally Posted by HongKonger
I usually buy M fares so I don't have much of a dog in this race. But I just don't see why DL cares if the elite ranks are "overinflated." What does it cost them? What are the benefits that elites get?

-- Complementary UGs: If DL wants to give out fewer they can FCM more aggressively, change to all BF UG or only give out early windows to higher medallions, etc.

-- No bag fees: Anyone who loses elite status can eliminate bag fees with an AMEX. AMEX pays DL so much those benefits aren't going anywhere. Will DL really get more fees this way?

-- Premium seats: Will people who lose elite status pay for the seats they used to be entitled to choose? Will it make much difference?

-- Discounted or free EC: only makes a difference international with the free alcohol. Additional cost or savings probably marginal.

-- Boarding zone: Makes no monetary difference unless they plan to offer higher zones for sale but what kind of sucker buys that unless seating is also going to be a free-for-all like WN? Anyway again AMEX offers this.

-- No mileage redeposit fees: Does it really make a huge difference? There is already T-72 so this benefit is already reduced.

I am not privy to DL's calculations I just don't see how it really makes them more money to thin the elite ranks.
Actually, bubashow is evidence, albeit small, that having elite inflation doesn't hurt DL's bottom line. bubashow wants a more elite medallion membership, but so far has not taken his business elsewhere. Instead, he chooses to stay put. A valid choice, but telling, I believe.
ADLFO is offline  
Old Sep 5, 2012, 1:13 pm
  #169  
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: DL - DM, Charter KM; Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 1,353
Originally Posted by mbwmbw
I really hope Delta does make these changes soon so Diamond will actually be worth something. I don't mind paying 25000-30000 for it.
You're at 100% for upgrades, what else do you want?
MichaelKade is offline  
Old Sep 5, 2012, 1:18 pm
  #170  
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Long Beach, CA
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 5,292
Originally Posted by ADLFO
Actually, bubashow is evidence, albeit small, that having elite inflation doesn't hurt DL's bottom line. bubashow wants a more elite medallion membership, but so far has not taken his business elsewhere. Instead, he chooses to stay put. A valid choice, but telling, I believe.
Thank you for helping to reinforce my theory that VERY few will leave. I live in Detroit. I value my time. To what carrier would I flee? DL can take me nonstop or one-stop to virtually any place I want to go. Many of you like to make 4 connections each way to show DL how valuable you are. Some of us have careers.
bubbashow is offline  
Old Sep 5, 2012, 1:18 pm
  #171  
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: West LA
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 957
So will flyers earn .25 segments on a sLUT fare?
bsagator is offline  
Old Sep 5, 2012, 1:21 pm
  #172  
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Long Beach, CA
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 5,292
Originally Posted by bsagator
So will flyers earn .25 segments on a sLUT fare?
We can only hope./

Align the fare buckets with revenue (make short haul expensive midwest hops H or better), and you will let the cream rise to the top.
bubbashow is offline  
Old Sep 5, 2012, 1:22 pm
  #173  
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: MLB
Programs: DL - KM DM, DL 1.57 MM, UA - 1P, AA - EXP HH - Diamond, PC - Platinum, SPG - Gold, Hertz 5*
Posts: 887
I heard segments won't count anymore as a qualifier under the new program otherwise people will start doing segment runs instead of mileage runs.
DaChief is offline  
Old Sep 5, 2012, 1:23 pm
  #174  
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 12
Originally Posted by InVinoVeritas2012
There is no underestimating the sheer incompetance of Delta's IT department so I am not surprised that this is occuring. However, while I am not a computer type, I find it difficult to accept that a random bug that follows a perfectly logical and consistent mathamatical model (earning multipliers divisible by .25). Why not LUT = .168256? Maybe some IT types on here can speculate as the the probability of this...
Hi All,

This is my first post on this website, and I look forward to future discussions. As a little background, I am an American living in London and am a DL Silver (will be Gold this year) all on personal travel.

As I found myself booking a flight this afternoon:

LHR ATL AVL
AVL IAD
DCA JFK LHR

and it was kicking out around 4000 miles earned 2400 MQM, I was obviously a bit disconcerted. I phoned up Delta and talked to four very nice representatives. They confirmed that while there has been a mileage accrual change, BUT booking from Delta's website should not trigger the knock-down in miles. The decrease comes from Unpublished fares (more below).

To further what InVinoVeritas said, I would speculate that this is an IT error. It would seem (on September 1) that "Unpublished Fares" saw a huge reduciton in value in LUT fares. It says specifically on the DL's website, that "Unpublished Fares" do not include fares booked on DL's website or through a reservation agent.

My guess is that someone accidently applied this to all fares instead of ones primarly booked by travel agents and other bodies that get these "Unpublished Fares" rate.

Regards,

Team

Last edited by TeamInTheSky; Sep 5, 2012 at 1:29 pm
TeamInTheSky is offline  
Old Sep 5, 2012, 1:24 pm
  #175  
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: DL DM, UA 1K, AA EXP, US G, SPG P, HH D, MR G, NEXUS/GE, DL AMEX Reserve
Posts: 2,035
Originally Posted by DaChief:19259411
I heard segments won't count anymore as a qualifier under the new program otherwise people will start doing segment runs instead of mileage runs.
+1. Diamonds should only be comprised of elite spenders.
mbwmbw is offline  
Old Sep 5, 2012, 1:24 pm
  #176  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,103
Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
Why offer status matches for a group of less profitable customers who might well defect regardless of whether they obtain status matches?
AF-KL has rather recently offered status matches to just about everyone under the sun who had a clue and status elsewhere because their gutting of the AF-KL program required trying to replenish the AF-KL elite ranks. That combined with their soft-landings made them a decent status match pursuit even if not really caring about shifting flight/flight credit patterns that much.
GUWonder is offline  
Old Sep 5, 2012, 1:25 pm
  #177  
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Long Beach, CA
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 5,292
Originally Posted by mbwmbw
+1. Diamonds should only be comprised of elite spenders.
AGREED!
bubbashow is offline  
Old Sep 5, 2012, 1:26 pm
  #178  
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Long Beach, CA
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 5,292
Originally Posted by GUWonder
AF-KL has rather recently offered status matches to just about everyone under the sun who had a clue and status elsewhere because their gutting of the AF-KL program required trying to replenish the AF-KL elite ranks. That combined with their soft-landings made them a decent status match pursuit even if not really caring about shifting flight/flight credit patterns that much.
Have you seen the accrual/MQM rates at AF/KL? Flying Blue is our future at SkyMiles.
bubbashow is offline  
Old Sep 5, 2012, 1:26 pm
  #179  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,103
Originally Posted by bubbashow
We can only hope./

Align the fare buckets with revenue (make short haul expensive midwest hops H or better), and you will let the cream rise to the top.
Pipe dream to perfect that.
GUWonder is offline  
Old Sep 5, 2012, 1:26 pm
  #180  
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: DL DM, UA 1K, AA EXP, US G, SPG P, HH D, MR G, NEXUS/GE, DL AMEX Reserve
Posts: 2,035
Originally Posted by bubbashow:19259435
Originally Posted by mbwmbw
+1. Diamonds should only be comprised of elite spenders.
AGREED!
The only reason I don't spend a lot now is because I don't have to. I will only spend what I need to to maximize my Diamond status.
mbwmbw is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.