Have looked through the forums for a bit and hadn't seen this specific comparison made, so thought I'd at least ask. Background:
- Long time JetBlue regular
- Live in Maine and fly out of both Portland and Boston regularly
- Common destinations: AUS, LAS, NYC, PDX, SFO
- Generally happy with JetBlue, as the people are nice, the aircraft are reasonably new and I'm generally treated well as a Mosaic member
- Annual mileage last two years ~65K (down from ~100-110K)
Apart from the fact that I get to board first and (occasionally) the fee-free itinerary changes, however, Mosaic doesn't get me much. Main complaints:
- No lounge access
- No upgrades of any kind
- Many benefits (e.g. free checked bags) are irrelevant because I never check.
Which is why I'm looking at Delta. I tried to switch to Virgin America via a status match a few years ago, but their routes were just too limited. Having looked at the Delta routes and fares, they seem pretty comparable, and Delta would apparently status match me at least to Silver. My mileage is down the last two years (~65K miles or so on JetBlue from 100-110K), so I'm not sure what level I'd end up at Delta. My impression from having asked around is that Silver and Gold are upgraded infrequently, and that you have to hit Platinum at least to see that benefit.
My primary concern with Delta is legroom. I'm 6' 2", and even in base economy, I have just enough seat pitch on JetBlue to be comfortable(ish). My understanding is that Delta's base economy seats are significantly shorter.
My question to those of you who've switched from JetBlue or simply those who like SkyMiles, do you think it's worth a switch? What tier seems reasonably attainable given that travel load, and what tier would I have to achieve to get upgraded regularly - bearing in mind that even infrequent upgrades are more than I get now? Lounge access I already have via the AMEX Platinum, and that's a bonus even absent status because JetBlue has no lounges of its own.
If I decide to proceed, it probably wouldn't be until early 2019 because I'm a few flights away from hitting Mosaic for 2018, which I'd then use for a status match.
Anyway, any thoughts/impressions of SkyMiles - for or against - would be much appreciated. Lot of variables to consider if/when I jump ship.