Better FF program - CO or DL?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2010
Programs: United, Delta
Posts: 15
Better FF program - CO or DL?
I have an upcoming opportunity to make several business class flights to the western Pacific on either Delta or Continental, and anticipate using the FF miles for reward travel within the CONUS and/or Hawaii. Which airline should I "invest" in, since it only seems to make sense to put all those miles in one account. Appreciate any insight on why I would choose one over the other. As of today, have a few more miles in DL than in my CO account. Thanks.
#2
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: SAT / MAA / BOM
Programs: CO Plat; UA 1K; EK Gold
Posts: 5,110
Redeeming CO miles for awards is apparently easier than trying to redeem DL miles (if you read the DL board, you will see the difficulties folks are having redeeming miles).
#3
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: WAS
Programs: AA EXP2M, DL 1MM DM ext, UA PP <=> HH G/Marr PE/Hyatt G/IHG P FT RA ( Recovering Addict)
Posts: 4,596
Delta for domestic travel and free upgrades (even on awards!). CO for *A and easier intl and domestic awards.
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA Plat 2MM; AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 35,068
Since you'll be paying for Business, upgrades will be of little use to you. Try to bank up on CO miles since they're much easier to redeem.
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: MN
Programs: Lots of programs, dirt on all of them!
Posts: 11,938
DL also allows a free stopover on award tickets, which is huge. Just that you have to expect to pay 40K or more miles for a round trip domestic award ticket. Very hard to find 25K awards for DL domestic flights. In fact, nearly impossible unless you are extremely flexible with dates/routings/even O/D.
#6
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: eastern Europe & NC
Posts: 4,527
As a NW/DL refugee, still with miles there that I am desperately trying to burn, this question is a no-brainer. Sorta like, where should I go to the beach, Hawaii or Wyoming? DL redemptions are horrible. Avoid that airline like the plague.
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,602
However, if your goal is domestic upgrades, I echo ffI and channa. There is simply no better NA airline for consistent upgrades, at or before window.
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Brooklyn, NY, USA
Programs: DL SM Plat, B6 TrueBlue, UA MP, AAdvantage
Posts: 10,008
DL Redemption
I have read many of the horror stories regarding DL ff redemtpions so I was surprised when I recently needed to acquire a reward ticket NYC-SIN that the easiest redemption was on DL.
In this case, the travel needed to be booked only about 10 days in advance, and I realize this is not a lot of leadtime for award travel
I researched a number of airlines, including ANA, JL, AF, and SQ. None of these had any availability. Only SQ could put me on a waiting list, and only at their highest redemption tier of 240,000 pts roundtrip (this is for coach).
I tried CO, not expecting much since CO clearly doesn't fly to SIN, but I was surprised to find no *A options made available.
DL was really a final, desperate attempt. After fiddling with the dates slightly, I was able to redeem a roundtrip JFK-SIN (via NRT) for 105,000 miles, not the cheapest, but, in my mind, a good value given the short leadtime.
Although only one example, I think this episode demonstrates that even an apparently unloved system can have its pluses.
In this case, the travel needed to be booked only about 10 days in advance, and I realize this is not a lot of leadtime for award travel
I researched a number of airlines, including ANA, JL, AF, and SQ. None of these had any availability. Only SQ could put me on a waiting list, and only at their highest redemption tier of 240,000 pts roundtrip (this is for coach).
I tried CO, not expecting much since CO clearly doesn't fly to SIN, but I was surprised to find no *A options made available.
DL was really a final, desperate attempt. After fiddling with the dates slightly, I was able to redeem a roundtrip JFK-SIN (via NRT) for 105,000 miles, not the cheapest, but, in my mind, a good value given the short leadtime.
Although only one example, I think this episode demonstrates that even an apparently unloved system can have its pluses.
#9
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Southern CT & Phoenix, AZ
Programs: UA Premier Gold, Hyatt Plat, Hilton Silver, Marriott Gold
Posts: 237
Have been a CO Elite for many years and was status matched to Gold this year on DL.
I am in agreement with other posters on the pluses and minuses of each. DL has definitely been superior for me in terms of complimentary domestic upgrades. I have actually been upgraded on 100% of my domestic flights with them this year, 10 legs I believe. CO upgrades have been extremely hard to come by, on the other hand.
I have always had good luck with redemptions on CO, but have limited experience with DL. It does seem from the experience of others (and some online searches I have done) that the DL miles are "worth less" (not worthless) so you just need to keep that in mind going in.
I am in agreement with other posters on the pluses and minuses of each. DL has definitely been superior for me in terms of complimentary domestic upgrades. I have actually been upgraded on 100% of my domestic flights with them this year, 10 legs I believe. CO upgrades have been extremely hard to come by, on the other hand.
I have always had good luck with redemptions on CO, but have limited experience with DL. It does seem from the experience of others (and some online searches I have done) that the DL miles are "worth less" (not worthless) so you just need to keep that in mind going in.
#10
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: SAT / MAA / BOM
Programs: CO Plat; UA 1K; EK Gold
Posts: 5,110
Have been a CO Elite for many years and was status matched to Gold this year on DL.
I am in agreement with other posters on the pluses and minuses of each. DL has definitely been superior for me in terms of complimentary domestic upgrades. I have actually been upgraded on 100% of my domestic flights with them this year, 10 legs I believe. CO upgrades have been extremely hard to come by, on the other hand.
I have always had good luck with redemptions on CO, but have limited experience with DL. It does seem from the experience of others (and some online searches I have done) that the DL miles are "worth less" (not worthless) so you just need to keep that in mind going in.
I am in agreement with other posters on the pluses and minuses of each. DL has definitely been superior for me in terms of complimentary domestic upgrades. I have actually been upgraded on 100% of my domestic flights with them this year, 10 legs I believe. CO upgrades have been extremely hard to come by, on the other hand.
I have always had good luck with redemptions on CO, but have limited experience with DL. It does seem from the experience of others (and some online searches I have done) that the DL miles are "worth less" (not worthless) so you just need to keep that in mind going in.
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: The best state in the USA - Florida!
Programs: Marriott Titanium/LT Plat, AS MVP75K, AA PlatPro, UA Premier, Disney AP
Posts: 14,497
I have read many of the horror stories regarding DL ff redemtpions so I was surprised when I recently needed to acquire a reward ticket NYC-SIN that the easiest redemption was on DL.
In this case, the travel needed to be booked only about 10 days in advance, and I realize this is not a lot of leadtime for award travel
In this case, the travel needed to be booked only about 10 days in advance, and I realize this is not a lot of leadtime for award travel
#12
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: DCA
Programs: UA LT 1K, AA EXP, Bonvoy LT Titan, Avis PC, Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,658
#13
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Houston (IAH,HOU) / Kāʻanapali (JHM,OGG)
Programs: UA GS 2MM, AA P 2MM, DL PM, US P, VS G, SPG LT P, HH D, HYATT P, PC P, AVIS PC, HERTZ PLAT
Posts: 970
I have read many of the horror stories regarding DL ff redemtpions so I was surprised when I recently needed to acquire a reward ticket NYC-SIN that the easiest redemption was on DL.
In this case, the travel needed to be booked only about 10 days in advance, and I realize this is not a lot of leadtime for award travel
In this case, the travel needed to be booked only about 10 days in advance, and I realize this is not a lot of leadtime for award travel
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,602
#15
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Mishawaka, IN
Programs: Hilton Silver, Best West Gold, United Gold
Posts: 310
I was lucky enough to fly first to HNL via UA but I tell you what. I don't think anything beats NWA now DL A330 Out of places like ATL. A true first class experience to HNL if you want to use your miles.