Having DL AmEx card gives favored award availability
#1
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Having DL AmEx card gives favored award availability
I was working on a booking for friends and realized that owning the DL AmEX card gives favored availability for domestic awards vs. not owning it. None of the three accounts I tried, including mine, are for anyone with any DL status.
I checked MSP-SEA for 09 July. Not logged in (or logged into an account of someone who does not have the card) only gives 40K mile awards. But once logged into the account of a DL AmEx cardholder, the "I am traveling" button appears and if checked, gives a 25K mile award on one flight that day.
You learn something new every day! One more reason to own the DL AmEx card vs. being FO
I checked MSP-SEA for 09 July. Not logged in (or logged into an account of someone who does not have the card) only gives 40K mile awards. But once logged into the account of a DL AmEx cardholder, the "I am traveling" button appears and if checked, gives a 25K mile award on one flight that day.
You learn something new every day! One more reason to own the DL AmEx card vs. being FO
#2
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Michigan
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I noticed that months ago (before becoming a FO) but figured it might just be a bug so I never told anyone about it. Another bug used to be if I didn't assign myself a seat at booking it would automatically assign me a premium seat as well, but that bug went away when they introduced EC.
#4
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An interesting question is whether having a DL credit card gives you enhanced domestic coach award availability above and beyond the enhanced domestic coach award availability for elites such as DMs. Also, I wonder whether "higher" Dl credit cards such as Reserve are better for obtaining award tickets than the less expensive DL AmEx credit cards.
#9
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PM no DL AMEX 25k MPS-SEA DL41 7:30PM one way search - "I am flying"
FO with DL AMEX 25k MPS-SEA DL41 7:30PM one way search - "I am flying"
no log-in 40k MPS-SEA DL41 7:30PM one way search
More data points would be great on this!
Last edited by Renes Points; Sep 26, 2012 at 1:16 pm
#13
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: London
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I remember reading in the Medallion literature that Medallions have access to more award seats than non-status members. Maybe that's it, and the Medallion just happens to also have a DL Amex.
#14
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Certainly in the cases I tested this is not correct. The two accounts we checked of those with the DL AmEx have absolutely no status. The DL AmEx definitely gives favored availability vs. someone not logged in or vs. someone logged in but without having the DL AmEx.
#15
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Someone at DL must be wondering now why so many customers from all over are interested in award travel on July 9 from MSP to SEA. All of those tickets will go to high if we're not careful.