Confirmed: Delta Offering Soft Landings to Select Medallions
Jan 13, 2017, 7:41 am
#16
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Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
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The example is not a soft landing, it is upgrading status because someone is close, the subject of many year end ft posts!
I think this is BS. Not fair to those who made it. Even more unfair for people who did MR at the last minute to make it.
And what if the person was holding short?
I think this is BS. Not fair to those who made it. Even more unfair for people who did MR at the last minute to make it.
And what if the person was holding short?
Jan 13, 2017, 8:06 am
#17
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Huntsville, AL
Programs: DL DM 1.929MM, Hilton Lifetime Diamond, IHG Platinum, Avis CHM, Marriott Titanium (lifetime gold)
Posts: 7,860
Jan 13, 2017, 9:37 am
#20
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Platinum, AA Plat Pro, Bonvoy Lifetime Platinum, JetBlue Mosaic 3, Amtrak Select
Posts: 966
My co worker based in canada (no MQD requirement) missed platinum by 300 miles... and received a soft landing... and he's pissed.
His travel is going to be heavily cut in 2017 (due to relocation to the states to be closer to his main clients) so he was planning to roll over 24k miles so he could lock up gold for 2018 by the time his travel stops
His travel is going to be heavily cut in 2017 (due to relocation to the states to be closer to his main clients) so he was planning to roll over 24k miles so he could lock up gold for 2018 by the time his travel stops
Jan 13, 2017, 9:53 am
#21
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: DL Diamond 1.7MM, Starlux Insighter, Bonvoy Titanium, Hilton Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 3,947
Other airlines do this too, so Delta is certainly not unique. I missed reaualifying for Alaska status by 175 miles because I rescheduled a trip into 2017 due to illness. I called to ask about buying the remaining MQM I needed and they immediately comped me the extra miles I needed for status instead.
I suspect Delta is using their internal customer value score to determine these exemptions. Publishing qualification thresholds by profitability isn't really feasible, but you can certainly use that data to determine who you gift enhanced status.
I suspect Delta is using their internal customer value score to determine these exemptions. Publishing qualification thresholds by profitability isn't really feasible, but you can certainly use that data to determine who you gift enhanced status.
Jan 13, 2017, 10:21 am
#22
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,053
My co worker based in canada (no MQD requirement) missed platinum by 300 miles... and received a soft landing... and he's pissed.
His travel is going to be heavily cut in 2017 (due to relocation to the states to be closer to his main clients) so he was planning to roll over 24k miles so he could lock up gold for 2018 by the time his travel stops
His travel is going to be heavily cut in 2017 (due to relocation to the states to be closer to his main clients) so he was planning to roll over 24k miles so he could lock up gold for 2018 by the time his travel stops
Jan 13, 2017, 2:15 pm
#23
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The logic, from a Va Ave perspective, is clear.
Jan 13, 2017, 3:56 pm
#25
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My co worker based in canada (no MQD requirement) missed platinum by 300 miles... and received a soft landing... and he's pissed.
His travel is going to be heavily cut in 2017 (due to relocation to the states to be closer to his main clients) so he was planning to roll over 24k miles so he could lock up gold for 2018 by the time his travel stops
His travel is going to be heavily cut in 2017 (due to relocation to the states to be closer to his main clients) so he was planning to roll over 24k miles so he could lock up gold for 2018 by the time his travel stops
Terms & Conditions - We've increased your 2016 MQMs balance in order to grant your complimentary Status. If you would prefer to not receive this complimentary Status and instead allow your original 2016 MQMs balance to rollover, please contact a SkyMiles representative at 1-800-323-2323. Promo code: 171001
Now. Since we have the Promo code, does that mean if you ARE a few thousand short (or MQSs or MQDs short) you could call and beg with the code to get the UG if you wanted it? Humm... @:-)
Jan 14, 2017, 10:29 am
#26
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: IHG Spire
Posts: 163
Wow. Mileage run from hell @ -20f with *every* segment IRROPS all because I needed what ended up being 91 miles to make Gold.
This will probably cost DL in the long run. I'm certainly not inclined to pay for a mileage run in the future.
I did get a Tommy's Mega that trip, so I got that going for me.
This will probably cost DL in the long run. I'm certainly not inclined to pay for a mileage run in the future.
I did get a Tommy's Mega that trip, so I got that going for me.
Jan 14, 2017, 10:54 am
#27
Join Date: Oct 2014
Programs: DL GM through 1/2018, Hyatt Platinum through 1/2018
Posts: 19
This doesn't make me too happy. I purposely bought a few more expensive fares than i would have for trips in December in order to ensure I maintained Gold this year (This is my fifth consecutive year of status - Silver, Gold, Platinum, Gold, and now Gold again). Without those fares, I would have been about $500 MQDs short. With my elite history, I think it is more than likely that I would have gotten the soft landing. I followed the rules, and paid more out of pocket to get the status, but now it seems like I could have gotten it for free. Guess I'll never know.
Jan 14, 2017, 3:09 pm
#28
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The airline is guesstimating the future value of the customer and gambling on the payback. That is the airline's prerogative.
Delta has been giving soft landings (in the proper usage of the term) for years. I received one for 2010.
Jan 16, 2017, 1:48 pm
#30
Join Date: Jan 2014
Programs: Delta Gold, Marriott & Starwood Platinum, Hilton Gold, United Silver
Posts: 102
Just gave this a shot.
I have been GM for past 5 years, missed GM MQDs by $500 and rolled over 46k MQMs because I dropped to a Silver.
Got a friendly representative, I asked about the soft landing program, even gave her the Promo code listed in the e-mail. She referred me to the 'Elevate Your Status' to buy MQDs. She didn't see a program which an elite who missed the MQDs to get a soft landing.
Anyone hear of success in a soft landing when you met/exceeded the MQDs, but missed the MQMs?
At least I will make Platinum easily for 2018!
I have been GM for past 5 years, missed GM MQDs by $500 and rolled over 46k MQMs because I dropped to a Silver.
Got a friendly representative, I asked about the soft landing program, even gave her the Promo code listed in the e-mail. She referred me to the 'Elevate Your Status' to buy MQDs. She didn't see a program which an elite who missed the MQDs to get a soft landing.
Anyone hear of success in a soft landing when you met/exceeded the MQDs, but missed the MQMs?
At least I will make Platinum easily for 2018!