Originally Posted by
krazykanuck
Based off my purely anecdotal evidence of when I'm checking in, most people seem to get in simply with a scan of a boarding pass, implying a SC membership or Reserve card.
Also purely anecdotal - at least in ATL I see lots of BP-only scans during the week (Reserve, membership, Intl premium pax). But I see way, way more DL Amex scans (and slower lines) on weekends. There are tons of ATL people carrying around Gold/Plat DL Amexes because they are casual travelers only and jump at the $29 entry as a treat when on vacation. These are folks who aren't about to pay $450 for a Reserve or $550 for a unbranded Plat, but they'll absolutely pay $95 for free bags (there's a reason this is a popular benefit) or $195 for free bags and a companion ticket, and then pop SC entries on top when they want it.
I think DL/Amex actually make a killing off those $29 swipes.