mapsgl

I am a DTW hub captive GM that needs to do a same day turn around for an 11:00 -12:00 business meeting in Midtown June 15.

I like Delta, hope to maximize my MQM's, but loyalty has a breaking point.

non stop Tickets on my dates on DL are 1,159.40 (B) fare. I ended up buy tickets on NK for 220. This price included their Big Front Seat, to LGA and exit row back to DTW.

I have factored in all of the problemsI expect on a NK flight, but I can't pull the trigger on an $900 difference.

I am willing to pay more in DL. Probably double ln this case, but four times!!!

I am curious where people draw the line.

Maps

sm0421

Domestic for me it's usually $150.
International up to $300.

Buccaneeratheart

I mean this literally, and so do my 3 clients at DTW:

$0

None of us, all former DM's, fly DL anymore.

Delta is worth nothing more, even if hub captive and falling for the imagined benefit of non-stop flights.

mapsgl

Wow. That's a pretty strong opinion.

The ability to SDC and the relative reliability vs NK are worth something to me. On this itinerary my worst case scenario I could purchase the full trip or a one way for about the same total damage if necessary.

exwannabe

Obviously $900 is a non starter. I would rather walk.

After thinking a bit, I would set my bar at $100 + 2cpm for domestic. International would be case by case.

That said, I rarely see a domestic ticket out of ATL that runs even close to this much more than the cheapest (I am certain many can flood us with with counter-examples, but not on my flights).

<3vacations

Well, normally DL offers the lest expensive flights to where I am going (usually DCA & MLB) . Just happens to work out that way. Since I fly out of Huntsville, even if I fly international it makes it VERY hard to choose some one else. However, I have been waiting 3 months for the price to go down on a trip to Denver in July. The price was hovering around $360 went up to 450, and came back down to $380, I happened to have a Cert so I ended up going with the $380 but I REALLY did not want to pay over about $250 RT. If someone else had a lower fare... (cheapest I saw was $360) prob at least $100 lower, I would have just booked with them.

goodandclassy

Great question, and one I keep asking myself often

Prior to wide-spread FCM, I would have no problem paying $100-$150 extra for a personal domestic round trip. I figured I am paying extra for the nearly-guaranteed upgrade and status miles.

After a few Q fares gone bad, this is under review...and knowing that coach is a likely outcome of the upgrade game, the last instance of a $100 difference brought me to AS instead of DL

When traveling for work, i apply a reasonableness test - if the fare is up to 30-40% more than the lowest fare of the day and within the parameters of the trip (Arrival and departure times, connections, etc), I go for DL. If another airline has compatible flights and is more than like $50 cheaper, I go that route.

For international, I compare the cost of J, when allowed by policy, to DL's M cost + Z availability. Win-win, unless IROPS occur

Yosef

First thing is to figure out actual difference; for example luggage, if any, miles etc.
Second is the alternative-if its WN or NK, I barely look at the other option, but if its UA or AA, I strongly consider.

Ximian

Exactly this, most of the time. I also consider direct flight or not, along with departure\arrival times. Well-timed flights have higher preference than airline loyalty, even if DL is cheaper.

WN flights are automatically ignored and FL only if there are no other options.

remyontheroad

Good discussion.

I think the first $100 is a no-brainer because of luggage, shorter lines, better irops handling, etc.

After that it depends on the length of the route, etc, but probably stops around $300 for me.

Just a suggestion to the OP - Is it pricing into B because that's all that's available, or because you're doing a same day turn?

Can you do at least OW on DL and the other on NK? At least that way you get half the benefit/credit instead of none.

skyvanman

25-30% price difference over Southwest and I'll got DL. Basically with other airlines I hate them so much I'll fly DL no matter the price unless all/in for F/C on another carrier (UA/CO/US/AA) is still less than DL coach.

Seat1A

on a recent DFW-BOS one way i was looking at $1100 for DL Y or $530 for FL J. that was an easy choice, and i was pleased that my prepaid gogo passes worked on airtran, too.....

on a short trip (up to about 600 miles), i won't pay much in premium, and in fact, i might pay a premium to a nonstop carrier where i have less status. for longer trips, if DL is vaguely reasonable, i don't even shop around.

pbarnette

I will only spend more in those instances where I can receive something of measurable value to me. For example, if I have to check a bag, and the option is paying $xx on one carrier, and $0 on DL, then DL can charge me $xx more than the other carrier. I will also pay for an exit row and will soon be willing to pay for an economy comfort seat, depending upon the distance. I will pay some premium if I can be relatively assured of an upgrade, but will not pay any premium if I assess the likelihood to be low.

I value the bonus miles from airlines with which I have elite status and will pay up to my assessed value for those miles - this primarily comes into play when the choice is between an airline where I will earn usable miles and when the alternative is somewhere that doesn't earn miles or where the miles will be orphaned.

I will pay for lounge access for international flights, but not very much, maybe $10 or so per visit. Most other at-airport amenities don't mean terribly much to me, so I will not pay much for things like priority check-in or boarding, but it would be enough to make up a couple of stray dollars.

All of those items are weighed against the convenience factor, and I am not predisposed to pay more AND to fly out of my way to do it.

mapsgl

EF shows 9 in all fare classes. my guess is that it's a combination of hub captive and same day turn. One way fares are 593, just about half. Still too much if I blended....

My general priorities are flight times, cost, flexibility, upgrade chances, and duration

I make a DTW - NYC trip seven to ten times a year, This route often has non-competitive pricing from DL. I have frequently paid the premium. The spread is getting too great.


I should be more diligent about the total cost

OHDL1

Hmmm...interesting that you waste your time commenting on an airline you, and your clients don't even fly.