Originally Posted by
NMS2811
frequent flier but infrequent poster... as an F/J only traveler who travels solely full fare refundable cash F/J fares, and who does not like to stand in lines, how could one remain loyal to DL vs. shifting ($200K/year) spend to AA or UA? I recognize DL revenue model does not care much about my profile vs. Amex revenue, which is fine for DL shareholders, but is there any reason I should not shift spend to AA? I don't think so. AA also slightly better performing than DL now, and AA slightly better overall premium experience/delivery vs. DL today. DL has just made the strategic choice to pivot toward mass affluent / aspirational instead of premium business / wealth, no?
Delta increasingly acts like a company that is chasing influencer clout and clicks over actually having a good product. Pretty looking SkyClubs that are always packed. "Innovative" A321NEO first class seats that are tight and poorly padded. Alcohol that is sourced based on the characteristics of the people who make it, not the quality of the product. Excellent first class meals on some routes, stale snack boxes on others. Better snacks in coach, but you can't get a coke on a flight from Atlanta to Orlando.
They went from having the best domestic product in 2019 to being mostly smoke and mirrors today. DL at its absolute best (which is rare) is better than AA, but on average I find AA to be better day to day.