Originally Posted by
bocastephen
So I'm trying to understand what Delta did differently than AA and UA that caused such an uproar and a new possibly revised response from Delta vs the middle finger AA and UA customers received from those airlines when there was a similar, albeit less broadly passionate blowback with their similar program changes.
So unless I'm missing something, the only significant differences I can tell between UA and DL now are the much higher spend requirement for Diamond vs 1K - but watch for the UA number to swoop upward in the next couple months - and the restrictions on lounge access for credit card holders, which I'm sure UA is gauging reaction to see if they can copy something similar.
Given these changes are on par with Delta's long term strategy of focusing on product not program, and their stated objective to remove a good portion of the elite rolls so they can prepare nicer benefits for those who pay up, I'm genuinely curious 1. why the disproportionate uproar here vs what happened at UA/AA, and 2. what do you want Delta to roll back?
I think a few things Delta did are actually more "punitive" than anything AA or UA has announced
1) Removing unlimited SkyClub access from the Reserve/Amex Platinum cards - SkyClubs access, for better or worse, is a huge draw to the overall program for many, ranging from casual flyers to 100 segment road warriors.
2) The removal of MQM - most Delta flyers are used to MQM, particularly when it comes to things like the card status boost and extra MQM for business/first class tickets. Other programs have gotten beyond mileage, but Delta clinged on to it. I get annoyed when I book a business class ticket on American only to get the value of the ticket back as "loyalty points" when I am used to getting more having booked J.
3) The change in the MQD waiver to MQM boost. Someone spending $30,000 on a Delta reserve used to get 15,000 MQD, 20% of the way to Platinum, and an MQD waiver. Now, that same $30,000 gets you 3,000 MQD, with is 17% towards the new MQD requirement for Platinum. IMO, that is a devaluation, but not necessarily a sea change - but for whatever reason, the Delta Reserve "MQD boost" isn't resonating with people.
4) The elimination of rollover is stinging a lot of people who built up big balances - rollover wasn't a factor in any other program
The Delta program appeared complicated to some, but in reality it was very simple - you spend $30,000 on a Delta Reserve, you fly 60,000 miles... At that point, you are a Platinum elite with unlimited SkyClub access, SkyPriority globally, etc. If Delta just kept this system in place, but maybe increased requirements / thresholds, it would have likely landed a bit better. But they really do need to do something with the rollover balances