Originally Posted by
milohoss
So... long time Delta Gold making a transition due to a move to an AA hub. I'm scared!!!
Anyway, these 500 mile certificates.
Question one: It's not possible to use any less than 2 of them because you always get the first 500mi free... right? So I can either use ZERO for a 400 mile flight or TWO for an 800 mile flight. It's not possible to use just one... is that right?
Question two: make me love these things. I'm used to being upgraded for free about 50% of the time on Delta. Paying with these certs sounds horrible. Convince me I'm wrong!
One: for the elite flyer personally, yes, it'll either be zero or two-plus 500-mile upgrades (a/k/a "stickers") to upgrade (and as someone formerly based in STL, which is 550 miles from DFW and 1592 from LAX: ugh). Non-elite companions would burn one of the sponsor's stickers for a flight <500 miles. Back in the day, non-elites on full-fare tickets could also use stickers; not sure if that's the case anymore.
Two: theoretically, the benefit of sticker upgrades is that not EVERY elite in economy will be on the upgrade list--just those >=PRO and those who care enough to burn their ammo--so if an upgrade is important to you and not to those who'd otherwise be ahead of you, your chances are improved. Having never been based at a hub, I can't say firsthand what your upgrade chances would be at PLT level, but those tend to be AA elite-heavy markets and so competition for upgrades will be stiff, stickers or no stickers.