Way too long. Nobody is going to pay attention to an email like that. Got some good points there but also errors.

1. Miles expiration isn't 36 months anymore at DL/NW. Hasn't been that at DL for ages; in fact DL and NWers both are livid about a badly-handled changeover where DL miles expired early this year when people got emails saying they were safe through end-2009. Right now it's back to 24 months.

2. I've heard plenty of stories of people getting their 500s back after the Intl leg cleared with an SWU, by calling 1K1Call to extend the SWU to the domestic leg. E500s don't actually get pulled until you check-in, and don't really get pulled until you actually board, so I don't get the problem. What is a problem is applying an e500 to something like RDU-IAD-EZE and finding that only 224 miles on a CR7 fake-F cleared, with an SWU pulled. I've always gotten the SWU back with a call.

6. Be aware that DL changed the NW PDX-NRT flight from an NW 330 to an older DL 767. Until those get interior and IFE updates it's not as good a hard product as the NW 333/332 aircraft.

9. Those same types of fees are waived for UA's top tier. Granted it takes 25K more for 1K than it does for DL Plat, but 1K has more value especially to the international traveler. And 1Ks still get unlimited award change/redeposit, while DL changed DL/NW programs to give only 2 changes per year free to Plats, with $50 fee afterwards.

14. Yes, RCCs suck. But DL SkyClubs ain't that great either. Overall DL has downgraded the clubs from the old NW WorldClub catering. In some locations (TBIT at LAX comes to mind), *G lounges include very nice lounges like the *A lounge there, the *A lounge in LHR, etc. with all kinds of food. Not to mention the AC MLLs. Those out-do KLM and AF lounges in my experience.

Look, I bailed from UA too. I've got only 3K EQM this year, with zero from flying UA and only 500 flown on BD; the rest is last year's Choices EQM carryover. DL/NW may definitely make sense for your primary program, just as it makes sense for me as my secondary program (CO as my primary). But it's not as rosy as you make it out, and UA isn't as dismal (well not quite) as you make it out.

I'd think long and hard about this. Reasonably-usable SWUs and a stronger Asia network may be of more benefit to you than what DL can offer.

(not that I can't be longwinded too! )