PV_Premier

my suggestion was that AS elites (generically) could bolt to Delta. in fact, i'm in the process of doing it myself.

keitherson

You're right. And since it's the AS board and DL is their biggest competitor, they are a reasonable alternative for most people, especially since SEA is a hub for both of them.

But it seems you want this to be a board about YOU.

Terminator8

If someone happens to be an elite on AS and an elite on DL, go for it. Very few are. And those that aren't, aren't going to give up all their hard work on AS so they can begin again on DL, which has an inferior product and worthless miles that they will eventually let you redeem for free haircuts.

haddon90

i have status on both AS and UA, which is great for me. i'll never do DL. skypesos are so worthless.

eponymous_coward

Most AS elites aren't hyper-aware FT posters who are freaking out because they are ultra-clued into the program and OMG VX ELITES GOT FREE BAGS AND A STATUS MATCH PLUS 10,000 MILES AND I GOT NOTHING EXCEPT PRIORITY BOARDING ON VX AND THIS CRUMMY T-SHIRT. IT'S TIME FOR SKYPESOS RIGHT NOW.

The odds that VX elites are gonna route SFO/LAX-SEA-XXX instead of SFO/LAX-XXX and take my upgrades away are minimal (save for SEA-SFO/LAX, and there's eleventy billion of THOSE flights). And the freaks of nature who DO route that way and spend a lot of extra time in the aluminum tube to take my upgrades away (or, say, from SMF ), God bless 'em.

(If anything is going to hurt AS in SEA, it's losing DL longhaul. That's an ouch right there. If you do a lot of longhaul travel out of SEA and credit the DL flights to AS, it's going to be very tempting to just go to DL.)

PDXPremier

For the record, I never got my crummy tshirt.

PV_Premier

status matches are a FF's friend @:-)

For the record, when I connect in SEA on AS metal it's typically because I either can get upgraded on a transcon with a GGU, or the instant upgrade fare is competitive with whatever other airlines are charging.

The second point is spot on. About 50% of the crediting I do to AS program to maintain MVPG is Y or J flying on DL on SLC/SEA-AMS/LHR/CDG. I like the afternoon departure for ease of sleeping on the plane, and I refuse to drive to SFO to take KL or AF unless no other option exists or the fare is too cheap to pass up. Connecting in LAX works, but it's much more of a hassle than SEA (though far better now than in the past with the TBIT connector).

Eastbay1K

Disagree (partially). It isn't giving up "hard work" if the airline and or FFP no longer works for you. AS still works for me quite well. But I will likely need a bank for the occasional DL flight, and who knows what is going on with AM. I will probably end up with an AM or AR account, given that my most likely redemptions with any limited accrual will be intra-South America and/or to/from Mexico.

tth6133

If by long haul you mean transpacific flights out of SEA, there're plenty of competition to DL: JL, HU, KE, NH, MU, MF, BR, CI with the first three being AS partners.

eponymous_coward

But JL doesn't fly out of SEA, so now what was SEA-XXX is SEA-SFO/LAX/YVR-NRT-XXX for a number of routes, or SEA-PEK/ICN-XXX.

Not to mention that DL also flies to AMS and CDG, so now you're flying FI (not great J product) or BA (not great hub if you're connecting), or you're back to adding a connection to YVR/SFO/LAX to hop on AF/KL. I'm not just talking TPAC, TATL counts too.

Whereas if you stick with DL and just credit everything to them (and stick with DL on SEA domestic) you still get a bunch of DL nonstops... oh, and KE/CI as partners too.

This is getting way way way WAY off topic though...

keitherson

Are you sure you're not confusing Seattle with Vancouver? LOL

Terminator8

But what weight do you give to the metal you're flying? Since JL >>>>> DL

keitherson

JAL does not fly to SEA, and 99% of people are not going to connect elsewhere just to fly an airline for a better product, all else being equal. Flyertalkers may be an exception to this, but the overwhelmingly large majority of frequent fliers do not add extra travel time just to experience a better airline.

Mauibaby2008

this is not ok. Sometimes you win sometimes you don't that's just the way it is ...

knnryerye

Well that escalated quickly!

Back to the theme of this thread. I have had both vx and as accounts for several years. No bonus 10k for me. No email about linking. Contacted AS via twitter and was told I would get an email by tomorrow to link accounts.