bennos

So where exactly is it officially documented that you can't select the same option twice? I see no mention of it here:

http://www.delta.com/skymiles/about_...fits/index.jsp

Sure, it's been discussed on FT, but not everybody reads every thread on FT.

Xeno

I tried to get extra SWUs - making the same choice twice when I needed them but the DL web would never do this. I may have tried this with the new GUCs but again if I did it did not go through.

I think the rule applies to any of the options one can select as a DM.

dilbertsdaddy

So in the past you could get 10 - 4 for PM and 6 for DM. But they were only on M/B international. I usually did not use all of them but it is always good to have them at the ready should you need them.

4 is not many....but in my experience it is hard to use them both directions so instead of the 4 being equal to two trips, it is more like 4 one ways and purchase Z the other direction. Since I do 4-6 a year, I think this will be enough for me. We'll see.

To me, gifting the wife GM and having 4 GUC's is still quite a benefit. Plus another misc selection for PM. Oh, and free SC. Not too shabby IMO.

MSPeconomist

I don't think it's explicitly written in the rules but is a bit implicit. The real evidence is that delta.dumb won't let you do it and choice benefits must be selected on line, so you can't call the DM line to have them do it for you.

JBJ2435

I think it's pretty clear when you click on the Upgrade Certificates and it says this (highlights are mine):

•Diamond Medallion members may choose either four (4) Global Upgrades or eight (8) Regional Upgrades.

MSPeconomist

I think the question was about where this is stated as a rule for choice benefits. IIRC when choice benefits were first introduced, there were FAQs posted. I vaguely think the rule was in a FAQ but this is very vague. Does anyone remember?

flyerUSA

Well, I find the RUC's to be of negligible value - especially as a Diamond (and I knew I would make it to Diamond earlier in the year), and especially as transcon JFK flights are disqualified.

As a Diamond, the odds of getting upgraded on RUC-eligible flights are already quite good. The RUCs seemed like something I would get for free anyway. Maybe I will live to regret that next year, we'll see.

It would be nice if the RUC's did not expire -- that way, they might be valuable to me down the road, when I am no longer qualifying for Diamond, as I'm sure the Diamond status, for me, is probably just for the next year or two and not sustainable in the long term.

(So, at my Platinum milestone, I took the $200 instead.)

flyerUSA

Ok, to be clear, the rule that is NOT stated anywhere (publicly on Delta.com) is this: When Diamonds earn 2 "choice" benefits, they cannot choose TWO of the same "choice".

I know that you could choose one benefit when becoming Platinum and another (perhaps the same) benefit upon Diamond, but that's not really what I was referring to.

The specific page that I find unclear on this rule is at
http://www.delta.com/skymiles/about_...oice_benefits/

The only relevant text says "Remember, you may choose one gift when you qualify for Platinum Medallion status; you may select two gifts when you qualify for Diamond Medallion status.".

It does not say "two different gifts" or "you cannot choose 2 of the same gift" etc.

The only way I learned this was on the REDEMPTION page, which is only accessible after you have already qualified for the status, wherein the form is laid out in such a way as to allow only one of each selection.

flyerUSA

What is a Z fare? I see it listed on the Delta site as a Business class fare...
http://www.delta.com/components/help...fare_class.jsp

...is it just the cheapest possible biz ticket?

cfischer

why do folks always have to whine about things? For many years Delta had nothing and now 4 SWUs are not enough? At least on Delta you can use them, compared to e.g. United. As others noted it is spelled out very clearly what you get at PM and DM; if the OP failed to read the fine print that's hardly Delta's fault.

flyerUSA

didn't you mean to say, "Get off my lawn!"

Btw if you are going to be like that about it, I challenge you to click the link above and point out exactly where it is - on that page, or anywhere else on delta.com - spelled out very clearly. Because the fine point i speak of is NOT. I can read. Read post 23 carefully.

bgriff

Two things to consider about RUCs if you hit PM again in 2015:

1. You can wait until late in your elite period to select them, and potentially then use them after your status expires, which would be useful if you don't expect to re-qualify the next year. For example if you make Plat in 2015 but don't fly at all in 2016, you would have until 1/31/2017 to select your Plat choice, and could select it on 1/30/17 and then use RUCs on flights in 2017 even though you'd no longer have any status. (You don't have to select your PM benefit before your DM benefit--you can have multiple choices outstanding.)

2. While you are correct that a DM is going to be high on the upgrade list anyway, if you travel with a lower-status companion they drag your priority down. So that is an ideal situation in which to use RUCs to give both of you higher upgrade priority.

JPCAG

I disagree about the RUC's. I use them when I want to have my family in FC for sure, rather than hoping for upgrades to clear. I only use them when I can confirm inventory at the time of booking. All in all they are very useful. Just my two cents. And dont forget that you can use your GUC's for the domestic portions of your flights also.

JBJ2435

Again it is pretty clear on the choice benefits page (I'm not logged in or choosing benefits...)

http://www.delta.com/skymiles/about_...fits/index.jsp

Just to add, I know the website is inconsistent and not clear, but it is there, not sure there needs to be a "rule"?

MSPeconomist

Do you mean the words "8 Regional or 4 Global" in the column for DM? That just seems to echo what happens when you make the selection, but it's still not stated as an explicit rule.