bzn

I'm sure there have been other threads on this topic. I had a cursory look -- please direct me to them if there are informative ones.

I think I'm at the end of my rope with chasing SkyMiles.

I'm a DM and have been since the inception of that tier. I'm flying nearly 350K a year, about 250K of that on Delta. I will round out 2014 with 275K miles. That will qualify me as Diamond for 2015 AND 2016 with rollover miles. I will of course easily reach the MQD threshold. I'm 100K shy of 2 MM.

I routinely pay more on Delta and deal with their typically awful itineraries just because of the benefits that had been afforded to me as a Diamond.

But I'm increasingly irritated by the continual erosion of benefits. My upgrade frequency has been dropping. My redundant sky club access is unnecessary and the clubs themselves are a bit of a joke: loud, crowded with weak offerings. And today I logged on to discover that the RTW mileage award is going away now too.

I know better than to expect TAT and TPAC upgrades on occasions when I'm not flying BE. I don't den bother asking anymore, I'm such a little sheep. But other carriers have been extending that benefit to me recently and it's irksome that Delta won't.

It really was the small things that were keeping me in the game. But I'm not sure two SWUs, a $200 voucher, a metal ego tag and some drink coupons cut it anymore. Priority boarding on a red carpet? Yeah.

2015 might just be the year I say "done" and start the big burn of my mileage balance. It would truly be refreshing to buy the best itinerary at the best price, opting with my wallet instead of my loyalty. No more filling out post-flight surveys, no more "job well done" coupons.

VegasJosh

who is giving you the TPAC upgrades? My wife and I will jump ship with you.....I am gonna milage burn a million miles in 15 and status match or go with lowest fare options.
I wish I had a reason to give you but I am searching as well.

fti

Why people accept worse routings and higher prices on a regular basis just to maintain status on an airline is beyond me.

I think it is probably well past your time to find an airline or alliance that better fits your needs. Doesn't mean you never fly DL again, but find an airline that is a better fit. Pretty simple.

RealHJ

Other than strongly suggesting you to burn your miles now before 2014 is over - before the 2015 higher redemption rates at more tiers (which means, less flights than ever at the normal tier), and likely/possible loss of stop-overs and open-jaws on award travel (a major erosion and cost increase, if it so happens - as is likely, since 2015 award travel rules are still not published) and likely increase in SkyTeam award redemption cost (again, as it's not said anywhere that it'll continue to be at the normal level vs. at one of the four SkyHigh ones: assume the worst with DL, as always) - and to plan your 2015 award travel now in 2014, I say Go for it!

I stopped flying mostly DL some two years ago. It has been so refreshing to fly the best airline in terms of service and schedule and price vs. on DL. To experience far better service level, esp. service recovery, on UA as a no-status pax (e.g. award flight cancellation due to MX aircraft results in UA buying me a full-fare J ticket for the very last seat on the direct lie-flat DL flight (vs. connecting UA as I had booked) just because I - a nobody - asked for it, vs. putting me on one of the 50+ comparable re-routing options available on UA that day) and the same on AA and other airlines.

It's like taking a big jump off the deep end (a bit scary to do it), but once you do it, you will feel so much better and will regret that you didn't do so earlier. It's such a liberating feeling! Save money, save time (i.e. value your own time and comfort more), and experience (at least, if your experience is similar to mine) superior Customer Service and Service Recovery on UA and AA as a no-status flyer, where you are generally treated better (even if you are on award travel) than DL treats its DMs on revenue F/J fares.

SuperG1955

If I were in your shoes I'd fly DL a sufficient amount in 2015 to make the DM MQD and make the 2MM. I'd do it with the most meaningless flights from the standpoint of upgrades and that should also give you enough rollover at the end of 2015 to cover the as yet unknown DM MQM requirement for 2017. After 1 to 2 years of seeing what the realities are on the other side of the fence for the remainder of your flying, you can make a meaningful decision for your situation.

The only thing that we do know is that more changes are coming. What I see happening is DL and UA racing to the bottom and AA evolving into a high $ reward for EXP with the kinds of benefits you'e looking for.

My wife and I are going to wait to see what happens in 2015 before we make a move but our situation is very different from yours.

bzn

I may have mis-spoke. Have had upgrades on Etihad and Emirates to destinations that are normally TPAC on Delta. Via much different routing for other reasons. But still!

Point taken but there aren't many choices in my market.

Excellent post, only partially quoted here. I suspect that's how I'll feel as well. It will be discombobulating to upset all my travel rituals and expectations but that could be refreshing too.

Another great post, thanks. My wife is also a DM. The rollover MQMs I think are one of the key factors in my favor at the moment. I could stop flying today and be DM through 2016. Of course, I've already got 6 or 7 more DL itineraries coming up...

VegasJosh

good luck I know its hard to make the choice, I have been wanting to for a while just have not been able to pull the trigger yet, although I think this last email how they are making things better cause we asked for it might be it. I just want to know who was it that asked the RTW should be eliminated? haha

Transpacificflyer

Once you do the math, it should be quite evident that airline FF programs have been so gutted and devalued over the past five years, that they offer little to no value for most flyers. Do a cost benefit analysis. If you fly long haul business class, you already qualify for baggage benefits, lounge access, priority check-in, call center treatment and boarding. It is unlikely that you will be able to use your points/miles to book a long haul with a convenient itinerary in a premium class. There isn't any benefit left to having all those points unless you actually fly on unpopular routes in economy.

I did the math and I save enough money to be able to purchase a decent long haul providing more convenience than a reward ticket. I have recently purchased business longhauls on AF & KLM on routes such as YYZ- BKK.(I used to prefer *A because of my former gold status). The saving per ticket was approx. $2500, I'll take that savings over FF status or points.

VegasJosh

do you mind if I ask what did you pay for that ticket as I fly y,b,m on a similar routing to bkk 6 times a year...and what airline? (feel free not to answer)

bzn

Excellent idea. I'm game.

indufan

I am trying to figure out exactly what I have been gutted with. Maybe a little lower domestic upgrade rate but I am PM right now when I was DM before. People have .....ed about award availability ever since I have been here. And yet, I have pretty good luck with it.

bzn

The RTW de facto elimination really did it for me.

But there are other things also. Here are two gripes

1. Delta used to automatically book DMs into EC seats. No longer. I learned this the hard way recently. I stupidly didn't check my seats on a recent itinerary and was completely hosed, stuck way in the back of the plane. Nice change to the seating algorithm.

2. DL (and probably all airlines) are way, way WAY sneakier with fare classes. I recently purchased a very expensive TAT - in coach no less. X class, thus completely hosed on upgrades. Great. I just don't feel like I have the time or interest any more to waste my time trying to avoid being gamed by the system.

Supersonic Swinger

I struggle to understand why you would wait until next year to start. Loyalty programs have been devalued to the point that they are specifically designed to make you opt at the expense of your wallet.

Delta and United are just playing the game all the others are. Qantas is ahead of them by a few years and convinced me about three years ago to stick with the best fare and most convenient routing I can get on any airline. My flying experience hasn't really taken much of a hit, to the benefit of my wallet.

ElPresidente

I had a biz flyer tell me "I'm glad gamers like you will be knocked out of the system by rising MQD so BIS medallions like me get better shot at upgrades."

I don't think he gets it.

Delta's long-term plan here is to keep turning the screws. Keep tightening the schedule and the inventory. Load factor was 83.8% last year. I'm sure somewhere there is a PHB lashing peons chained to basement desks, trying to work out a way to get that to 99.8%.

If they can manage to keep the illusion of a slim shot at upgrades, to keep some big spenders on board great. Cherry on top of the ice cream sundae.

But the goal is to eliminate complimentary upgrades if at all possible, and not let those seats go at coach prices. So you might get a blip with new MQD where in March you think "woohoo upgrading more!". Only to see that percentage erode later in the year, and get worse in subsequent.

Time to get off the treadmill. There are lots of other airlines out there, and loyalty is just a word marketing uses devoid of obligation. Like a dancer batting her eyes and smiling, they are only interested in what's in your pants.... your wallet.

dd1612

Many of us do have to travel for/on work, whether it is domestic within USA or whether it is International TATL or TPAC, it does not matter.

The side effect of travel used to be the added benefits from a Frequent Flyer Mileage program to retain loyalty to one FF program.

We all have travel budgets & expense limits that have to followed strictly.

Like it is happening to hotels, and rental cars it is going to happen with Airline Frequent Flyer programs.

The Loyalty game is over!

It is show me time .... Delta as the seller/ provider wants us as the buyer/ consumer to show them whether we will pay more, and we as travelers/ buyers/ consumers want Delta to show us and shower us with benefits.

Equilibrium will be established after some churning ... till then get ready for a wild ride.