romadaro

Thank you, Continental! Delta Elites, you can have my upgrades cause I'm outta here!!! Delta has ruined Northwest, which is the only reason I was elite anyway-from flying NW, NOT Delta and I've hated it ever since the conversion. Now I don't have to and can retain my elite status. Plus, I can now use my miles in an Alliance that appreciates it's customers with far more saver award availability and lots more choices due to the larger network. Thank you again, CONTINENTAL!!!

pbarnette

I think it depends upon what you need. It doesn't help for earning mileage and I think the lounges are overrated (OW has the best, IMO), but I think the 20kg extra luggage is key if you fly a lot of flights that originate outside the US and like to bring a lot of luggage. When we travel to Asia, for instance, we like to bring back a lot of shopping and the extra 20kg is key. with AF, this would be something like EUR 600.

With CO, I believe it is actually once every 5 years. But, I agree, save it until you are going to use it. But I wouldn't put too long of a time horizon on it. I mean, do you believe CO Plat in 2013 will be more valuable than CO Plat in 2010? You might get more value now, even if you don't fly enough to requalify than you will later.

Thank you. Much appreciated.

I'm not sure that is true for all markets. IIRC, SkyTeam will still have the most extensive TATL network.

haricharan

Apparently, right now CO will match any elite level of any other airline program (not just NW/DL). (this was just read off by a CO phone rep). But right now, she is still figuring out how to do it. Maybe I should just email CO

Wildman

CO called today to confirm flights for Wednesday (five of us flying,) the CO rep says I want to let you know that your flights will qualify / recognize you as NW elite. However, as of the end of October CO will no longer be part of Skyteam. She comp'ed both my wife and me to Gold through Feb 2011. Based on our milage YTD on NW. I like the fact that CO was interested in us. I am starting to regret that lifetime WC membership now!

What are they doing for those with LT WC?

denCSA

Got a call today from CO Sales in Houston verifying my upcoming trip for Saturday, asking if I was aware about the change to *A end of October and offered to comp CO Gold until 2011. Told him I appreciated the offer (and that I was indeed dumping NW/DL due to the horrendous service since the merger) but I'm already *G so having it wouldn't be much additional benefit to me. Very proactive approach by CO, I must say I'm impressed!

Kentski

Just got status matched to Gold last week so decided to give CO a try this week from SAN to TPA. I'm currently at the President's Club in the E Concourse in IAH and was upgraded on both legs home.

All I can say so far is ... wow (with the exception of the incredibly rude TA in SAN ... worse than anyone I've experienced in DL in years).

The "light lunch" was better than any meal I've ever had on DL domestic, save maybe the short ribs which I haven't seen in a while. The plane actually looked new and the service was efficient -- and even perhaps a bit more professional than I'm accustomed to. But this Presidents Club blows any Sky Club out of the water. Since I'll be transiting through IAH (most of my travels are from TPA to SAN/SNA/LAS), this might be a deal breaker.

I'm loving CO so far ... but this is just based on one trip. Still, its enough to sway me over so far.

fttc

Sorry if it's already answered somewhere.

I suppose CO will award status bonus on flights flown on UA and vice versa after this month? Can somebody confirm?

pbarnette

Nobody can offer you confirmation, because CO has not yet published earnings charts for partners. However, you should bear in mind that the standard practice within *A is that you DON'T earn elite bonuses, except on your home airline.

However, I would suspect that you will earn CO elite bonuses on the following:

- CO flights
- UA flights

And I suspect you stand at least a 50/50 chance of getting elite bonuses on the following:

- US flights
- TATL flights on other carriers that are part of the immunized JV

For everything else, I would think you will only earn your base miles. I wouldn't count on getting elite bonuses when flying SQ, for instance, or on your LH add-on segments. My best guess as to the earning rates by fare code on partners would be that it will be very similar to UA's earnings chart.

Uncle Lars

As an SLC Delta captive, thank you for this thread. Since I'll finish up with about 105K MQMs, I'll be able to check out how CO vs. DL works as a Plat for the next year, with the option to decide "where to go" for future travel by mid-next-year.

Delta is "trying" in some ways to keep their Elites, but they seem to be overwhelmed administratively/otherwise, likely by the merger (examples: waiving direct booking fee for Plats: have to collect it first, and then maybe in the future I will see a refund. complained about booking award at dl.com: immediate friendly responses, told me I will get 10K miles, but will take several months to post...). I doubt if I will really be able to change carriers, but will be interesting to see what's over the fence. Thanks again.

raehl311

Just left the CO lounge at LAS; figured I'd stop in before the reciprocal arrangement ended. I wasn't sure if it was done on Oct 1 or Oct 24, so I asked upon arrival if they still let NW rejects in. I was promptly handed a flyer offering to match my NW/DL status over to CO, and another flyer offering me (but no guests) admission to CO President's Clubs through 1/31 and, if I wanted, a CO President's club membership with the $50 initiation fee waived AND at the price level that corresponds to my DL elite level (so, as a Plat, I would get the same price CO plats get).

What I found especially intersting, on top of the availability of real cheese and the presence of a toaster for bagels (although no bagels since it was post 11 AM) and a healthy selection of chips and other snacks was CO's answer to lounge revenue generation - the availability of premium alcohol for a fee. (They still had complimentary alcohol as well.) So instead of taking DL's approach of stripping out value, they found a way to ADD value that people might pay for. They even tied it into their CC program - $3 off the premium drinks with the CO-branded CC.

See that DL? Generate more money out of your lounge program by providing MORE value, not LESS value.

DP-340

Interesting... Can you give us some examples of what they consider complimentary vs. premium?

pbarnette

Premium is described as wines like these (on the CO site): "Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, Far Niente, Duckhorn and Rombauer". All good quality, mid-level wines. The complimentary stuff is pretty much standard airline jug wine. I think the actual labels depend upon what they can get a deal on.

There are no premium spirits, just the normal stuff (which I think is a step below the DL stuff). IIRC, the beer selection is pretty lousy, dominated by the likes of Heineken.

Myself, while I welcome the addition of good wine, I think the quality of the CO lounges is kind of overrated and not noticeably better than what you get at a DL lounge. They are still decent lounges, but not the be-all-and-end-all that some want to make them out to be. Then again, I don't understand all the whining about trading ranch dressing for hummus (seems like picking flies out of...), so perhaps I don't get excited about such things.

If any domestic club were offering real food - good sandwiches, maybe some stir-fry, perhaps sushi, then I might get excited. I'm talking something like you see at a good international lounge. Until then, as long as they have wi-fi and a decent beer, wine, or whiskey, I can't really tell the difference between them.

AndyTLe

I was in IAH recently and wanted a decent glass of wine so I paid for the Stags Leap. The bartender took his time and got out the "good" wine glass (a real Cabernet stemware versus the standard wine glass), he washed and used a coffee filter to dry the glass to make sure it had no spots. Then, since there wasn't an already opened bottle, opened a new bottle and poured a good amount. It was about 1/4 of a bottle which is more than what I would consider standard, 1/5. IIRC it was $12.

It went well with the bags of Lay's Potato Chips in the CO PC.

cielak

I thought that we could still bring a guest is with us until 1/31. Is is members only?

Mr. Bean

really? that's interesting - I'm contemplating matching from AA EXP.