Award Fees: Effective 6/2, they be changin'
Jun 2, 2010, 5:09 pm
#61
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Jun 2, 2010, 5:13 pm
#62
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: SFO
Programs: DL DM/MM; UA Premier 1K; AA EXP; ICH Plat Ambassador
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I'm crossing my fingers that new United program will look a lot like the current United program. Then I'd drop the woefully uncompetitive Diamond Medallion like a bad habit.
Jun 2, 2010, 5:21 pm
#63
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That was implied with the context of the post that I quoted which was a quote from Delta.com regarding the implementation of award upgrades for GM+ elite members to begin this fall. Once that is implemented the award upgrade policy will be inline with what NW offered.
Jun 2, 2010, 5:27 pm
#64
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: RDU
Programs: Bonvoy Plat
Posts: 219
It sucks how good news can make me feel sick to my stomach. Less than 24 hours ago I redeemed skymiles for a flight my wife is on right now to go to a funeral. I had troubles with the computer getting the mid-tier flights so I had to call and pay an extra $20 for direct ticketing. Anybody else want $170 of my student loan money at an 8.5% interest rate. (I am very happy right now.)
Jun 2, 2010, 5:30 pm
#65
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Are you sure that it will be in line with what NW offered? I doubt it unless DL reworks things that go beyond even just that NW policy of yesteryear.
Jun 2, 2010, 6:20 pm
#66
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: AUS
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Now the only reference on delta.com states "Economy Award reservations will be upgraded to First Class beginning 24 hours prior to departure based on availability." So they may indeed reprise NW's policy. We'll see.
In the good ol' NW days as a Plat I often found my award tickets upgraded well in advance of T-24. I doubt we'll see that with DL.
Jun 2, 2010, 6:36 pm
#67
Join Date: Apr 2005
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Perkchoice is listed on the DL website (posted above) as returning in .... 2011.
While that is a long way away, it is on the radar.
Additionally, I saw that the regular flight booking screen added two new options:
1. Check nearby airports. ^
2. I am flexible for weekends.
And it remembered my airports and dates when I went back. ^
Almost a functional dl.com. Amazing.
While that is a long way away, it is on the radar.
Additionally, I saw that the regular flight booking screen added two new options:
1. Check nearby airports. ^
2. I am flexible for weekends.
And it remembered my airports and dates when I went back. ^
Almost a functional dl.com. Amazing.
This is especially bad considering it covers all changes of any type(many types of changes involving the same destination are free with their competitor's award tickets.)
Jun 2, 2010, 6:47 pm
#68
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Inland Empire!
Programs: NW Plat (formerly), UA 1K, Hilton Silver, Hyatt Plat
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What NW Perkchoice was
For those who are unfamiliar with PerkChoice:
Pay one direction of your trip and use miles for the other direction. You could mix and match award levels and classes along with seeing your options for the revenue flight and award at the same time, so you could pick the best choice for you.
AND if you were Gold or Plat Elite your awards were eligible for upgrades. Plus you got all miles for the revenue flights including fare bonuses.
Way, Way better than this silly Pay with Miles where you lose your miles and are not eligible for upgrades.
Pay one direction of your trip and use miles for the other direction. You could mix and match award levels and classes along with seeing your options for the revenue flight and award at the same time, so you could pick the best choice for you.
AND if you were Gold or Plat Elite your awards were eligible for upgrades. Plus you got all miles for the revenue flights including fare bonuses.
Way, Way better than this silly Pay with Miles where you lose your miles and are not eligible for upgrades.
)
Jun 2, 2010, 7:40 pm
#70
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Possibly. Previous announcements stated clearly that no award tickets would be upgraded until all Silver Medallions on paid fares were upgraded. That was a clear step backward from NW's policy, which didn't open the window for award upgrades until T-24 but once the window opened you assumed your normal priority by status. So a Plat or Gold award would trump any Silver, paid or not.
Now the only reference on delta.com states "Economy Award reservations will be upgraded to First Class beginning 24 hours prior to departure based on availability." So they may indeed reprise NW's policy. We'll see.
In the good ol' NW days as a Plat I often found my award tickets upgraded well in advance of T-24. I doubt we'll see that with DL.
Now the only reference on delta.com states "Economy Award reservations will be upgraded to First Class beginning 24 hours prior to departure based on availability." So they may indeed reprise NW's policy. We'll see.
In the good ol' NW days as a Plat I often found my award tickets upgraded well in advance of T-24. I doubt we'll see that with DL.
Jun 2, 2010, 7:43 pm
#71
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: San Francisco
Programs: United 1K, Marriott: Titanium
Posts: 227
This is great news! I really hope its the start of a more positive wave of changes to come. Maybe lower M fares or at least allowing SWUs on an additional class of international service be next?
Jun 2, 2010, 8:56 pm
#73
Join Date: Mar 2004
Programs: DL PM, DL MM, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, SPG
Posts: 804
On another note, I'm surprised no one has suggested this yet:
A sliding scale of Award redeposit/reissue fees based on the level of award ticket you have. If you're booked in low you pay $150. If you're booked in mid you pay $75. If you're booked in high you pay $0. Sure, it would be hell for Delta to try and implement that but they created this ridiculous award structure in the first place; they should have a sliding scale for fees, too.
Sure, there's a lot of what-if's to go with this. For example, what do you charge if the ticket is a mix of low & mid, etc. etc. You could come up with a solution though.
-RM
For general members I suspect the elimination of close-in ticketing fees more than offsets the change fees.
Jun 2, 2010, 10:56 pm
#75
Join Date: Jun 2007
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How? People who have status higher than FO, and who would have been upgraded before you will still be upgraded before you, so how is that a downgrade?