Here is my situation. I started a new job in September and began traveling a lot for work, mainly between the Boston and Salt Lake City. I currently have over $6,000 MQD and just hit 25,000 MQM. Delta recognized my new travel pattern and without asking threw me a little love with Complimentary Gold. I needed to fly two round trips in two months to retain the status… done.

I have had the status for 3 round trips now and I just keep asking myself what is the point. I book my tickets no more than two weeks in advance. I fly on Mon/Fri, so I have never been less than #20 on the upgrade list. I end up in a middle seat 50% of the time. I got an economy comfort seat once. My company has a deal with Delta and I already had access to the “premium” seats. I don’t check luggage. I wasn’t there right when “priority access” started boarding one time and had to gate check my bag, adding time on the other end.

What is the point with sticking it out for Platinum next year, for few domestic upgrade certs, when all these people with Amex cards who spend ½ of what I do on a few cheap TPAC flights are Diamond.

At least the planes are clean and the flights are on time. That is more than I got from UA or AA.

I am seriously considering switching to Southwest from MHT. The connection only adds 1 or 1.5 hours each way, and I won’t be stuck in traffic all the way home on Friday. Plus I won’t be stuck in a middle seat every time. Chicago in the winter can be a bear though.