Originally Posted by
exwannabe
If one has little to no status, then they should go with what airline gives them the best value on a per flight basis. Selecting a carrier in order to make a low status is likely a losing strategy. Only exception would be if one knows one's miles will be on a significant growth curve.
It depends on what one values out of low-level status. Any time I fly an airline with no status (particularly island hopping on HA), I'm reminded how miserable it is flying without status. Even low-level status is enough to take flying from "miserable" to "tolerable/bearable". FO status on DL gets one access to exit rows - a big perk (I think AA and UA label them as MCE and E+ so UA Silver and AA GLD don't get immediate access, I believe). DL FOs either get dedicated check-in lines at main hubs or can use the SkyPriority check-in line at other outstations. IROPS handling/priority is also a big one. And the occasional upgrade. While it's quite a step down from what DMs & PMs may be used to, even low-level status is a decent and significant step-up from no-status.
Originally Posted by
Jaimito Cartero
Delta does upgrade medallions on some international flights. I’ve been upgraded to Canada, Mexico, and Costa Rica to name just a few. It doesn’t as a rule upgrade on widebody international flights.
You certainly should have researched the real benefits before jumping in.
Int'l upgrades depend on whether the flight is marketed as "Delta One". Int'l flights to Canada/Mexico/the Caribbean/Central and northern South America where the premium cabin is marketed as "Business" are eligible for complimentary upgrades. Flights to deep South America and TATL/TPAC are marketed as "Delta One" (or for the couple of TATLs with 75Ds, where the domestic FC cabin is marketed as "Premium Select"), there are no complimentary upgrades, to either Delta One or Premium Select.
I do believe DL does do complimentary upgrades on domestic flights marketed as Delta One (including Hawaii) though one should have pretty low expectations of clearning a complimentary upgrade on any domestic D1 routes.