Originally Posted by
DiamondSM
I disagree with you.
I will more compare SM Platinum with FB Platinum (each have different advantage, SM Plat have 1 choice benefit (FB Plat. did not have). But FB Plat. have access to Delta lounge (what their own Plat. did not have access).
Diamond are more to compare with Ulti (SM Diamond have 3 choices benefits (one of this choice is 4 upgrade voucher) plus the one they "win when reach Plat.)). Even Ulti did not have this type of level of choice benefit.
They also have differents (each of them) other "advantage". Some will answer me "yeah, but Diamond did not have access to Delta lounge in economy". On what I will answer -> But Delta will upgrade you at the gate with available seat in J for domestic flight (depending your status). I did not remember have see AF or KL doing this "automatically" ...
In my eyes, Both Plat are equal (but with both different + & -). Same for Diamond vs Ulti. Each have + & -.
But at the end, you can reach Diamond with ALL Styteam flight. Where the Ulti is highly restricted to AF/KL flyers (even very, very hard (not impossible, but near) to reach if you are not base in Europe), I give as example: I am Diamond with Delta & Plat. with FB, even I put ALL of THEM TOGETHER, I can not reach Ulti... Quite "weird" in my eyes.
To be honest... If AF/KL will apply to the Ulti. the same "package" than Delta have for Diamond, I think this will make Ulti more happy (I will take Diamonds benefits first over FB Ulti anytime).
You're still sort of demonstrating my point that each FFP is designed by the airline for what suits it's own goals. Comparing Ulti to Diamond might seem comparable, but the two programs aren't directly comparable anyway. Upgrades at gate in the US are somewhat expected for ages. Not so much in Europe, though Ultis do get these more often at the gate or on board. Delta has credit cards that can be used to meet their spend requirements. AFKL don't have spend requirements. Different markets, different customers, different strokes.
The programs are just different, for different markets. Living in the US and using FB as your primary program is likely to not so you any favors unless you travel transatlantic a lot. You'd be stuck with low XPs for transcontinental flights.
Every airline decides what they value with their programs, just as we choose where we credit and earn status based on what suits our travel patterns.
In any case this is start to diverge from the topic of the thread. Towards that, yes, I fully agree that Plat needs to be differentiated more from Gold. Choice benefits would make a lot of sense, as would, in my opinion, the adjustment of lounge guests, re-evaluation of Skyteam Elite status and so on would make sense. Plat needs to be elevated for sure. But I can also see logic in AFKL restricting choice benefits or more, based on UXP so that they don't hand these out to someone who flies 90% MU, for example, because then the revenue to reward ratio just wouldn't make sense. This sort of restriction would also cause PFLs to contribute UXPs.
Until then, personally, whether I'm Plat or Ulti, I can't see anything to complain about that Ultis get more than Plat. At the moment the gap isn't that big anyway. But even if it was, the spend gap is big enough to justify it. AFKL are primarily a business.