Bretteee

DELTA's frequent flyer program is a JOOOOOOKE.

1. Try using a 60,000 mile award in the summer to Europe. IMPOSSIBLE unless you dish out 120,000 miles. On CO / UA I can somehow get a seat by being flexible at 55,000 miles. On AA at 60,000 miles.
2. One way awards are a FRAUUUUUD. I was told they had OW Awards. They told me I needed 120,000 miles in NOVEMBER for a OW Award from Geneva to New York.
3. Money magazine just had an article that showed a 19% success rate on obtaining a DELTA award vs. 55% on AA / UA / CO etc.
4. The Delta AMX card is a joke. Huge fees and in Europe many don't take it. In the US I also hadproblems.
5. When they increased European Awards to 60,000 miles from 50,000 they did not announce it. So I got stuck. Luckily I had AA miles.
6. I have 59,000 miles at DELTA. At 60,000 I will use an Award and scram.
7. No Award Chart on their website for AWARDS FROM EUROPE.
8. Agents USELESS. To look for an Award availability they must look DAY BY DAY. I was told ....."we don't have the time to check every day." Other airlines can see availability for the whole month.

RobOnLI

Yet another one of these threads. Sorry, these come up all the time and there's nothing new in them. Post your gripes in an existing complaint thread about the FF program.

-RM

Bretteee

Really? Did the MONEY magazine article come out too.

I don't hang around here everyday as I don't have the time. And there are zillionnnns of threads. Makes me pretty giddy.

apolloms

so um.....don't fly delta

fti

It is unfortunate but nothing new. Until Delta stops their schemes, we will continue to see these threads over and over again. It is what it is.

I am finding that the main benefit of Delta miles is the free domestic stopover that they allow on award tickets. And if I book early and and very flexible with dates, I can usually find low award availability.

But the freq flyer program pretty much stinks.

Bretteee

Um ......... I don't fly Delta anymore.

Just waiting to get my additional 1,000 miles to get to 60,000 miles. Will have to try for an AF award from Geneva to Mauritius or whatever as it's practically impossible to get a 60,000 mile award from the US to Europe unless one flys between February 6 and 7th.

If they change their rules I may but I can live without.

apolloms

i think they will be okay without you...just a hunch

jredknapp11

For what it's worth to once shed some positive news on an otherwise unpopular topic, I've hit 60k to Europe from PBI on numerous occassions. You have to be willing to book in advance but I've had some good luck with the 60-70k range. I do like the super savers with CO & * for 55k but I'll budge an extra 5-15k for DL, SkyMiles are given out like candy compared to others so for me that justifies the difference in miles needed.

It also seems that a lot of people tend to gun for the same cities when trying to cash in Skymiles. When I don't see a mileage amount that's acceptable to me for Europe or Asia, I'll look for another city that's close by and offer's cheap airfare from A to B. With so many discount airlines being out and about in Europe/Asia, you can end up getting something cheap that keeps your total $ spent to be 150 or so and that's including the DL fee for booking an award tix.

All in all, flexability and patience go's along way with DL. Also don't be affraid to take your miles to another SkyTeam member. SU is a sleeping giant that offers a great product and good value for miles.

buck hunter

I tbink a couple posts here are a little too critical of Brettee's complaint regarding the sky miles program. I too have had difficulties in snaring a trip without the "top" miles needed --- Some reactions here i.e. go elsewhere to complain -- is rude and unjust.

fti

True. But when someone posts something negative about the airline, the loyalists come out of the woodwork, rather than clicking the Back button and not posting.

PMMMDL

Did you try booking the PIT-CDG flight or KL from IAD, or AF from MIA. Try looking at AF and KL flights from non DL hubs.

okamsrazor

check alternate daaaates and different roooooutings.

Remember just because it isn't available nooooooooow doesn't mean that it wont be available eveeeeer.

Italy98

Would have been more interesting if the OP posted something new instead of what has been discussed ad nauseam.

fti

And posts such as this in response are even more frequent

FlyAO2

OP is also being a little over the top


"2. One way awards are a FRAUUUUUD. I was told they had OW Awards. They told me I needed 120,000 miles in NOVEMBER for a OW Award from Geneva to New York."

Who told you that DL had one-way awards??


"4. The Delta AMX card is a joke. Huge fees and in Europe many don't take it. In the US I also hadproblems."

AMEX card is accepted in most places (even in Europe) - not that big of a deal. Fees aren't great, but not anymore than other airline cards.


"5. When they increased European Awards to 60,000 miles from 50,000 they did not announce it. So I got stuck. Luckily I had AA miles."

Did you expect them to call you, send you an email when this happened, or have someone come knock on your door?