airmotive

I've been Platinum on DAL for 3 year running. Pretty much average between 80-100K a year without any concerted effort to amass miles. This year has been a slow year for travel, and I'm sitting on only 26K flown. My travel is always last minute, so it's pretty hard to predict how much flying I will be doing in the future, but considering we're at the 1/2 way point and I might barely make Gold at this rate.... SO I started making some calls.

United offered me a Platinum Challenge.
AA has matched my Platinum status straight up. ^ ^
(I used to be Plat on AA many years ago)

So....now the delima. (Cue music by The Clash)...

*I do enjoy the frequent PM upgrades on Delta. I'd say I hit about 80% on the domestic upgrades, and ~40% on the upgrades going to/from South America. Flights over 9 hours I can buy Business tickets.
*My coworker is EP on AA, and is upgraded on every flight, including International. I think EP would be within reach next year. I don't think DM would be.
*I'm booked on JFK-LHR on Delta next week in Econ. Comfort. I'm eager to see how the new EC seats ride on long trips. If they're good, there's another plus for sticking with DAL. Not sure if AA is planning an equivelant.
*I wasn't thrilled with the effort required to book award tickets for the missus and me to China this year on DAL. Although the results were stellar, the process was a pain. I've not booked any international award flights on AA. (I've decided that spending miles on anything other than international flights in Business/First isn't good value. So that's where I'll be spending my miles: Int'l flights in the front of the plane.)
*As for service, lounges, routes and equipment...it's pretty much a wash. DAL does tend to have bigger hardware flying from my home airport of IND, and the few regionals they do use are generally the larger Bombardiers with f/c seating. So DAL get's a small bump there.

So...I'm looking at one of two scenarios:
Jumping ship and spending nearly a full year as an AA Platinum before making EP by the end of next year. Or sticking with DAL and likely dropping to Gold at the end of this year, and being stuck there until probably September/October of 2012 by which time I expect to break 75K.


What other factors am I failing to consider??

aviatorzz

Well for one, UAL/CO doesn't do challenges and AA doesn't automatically status match. You got those two flip flopped.

So, UAL/CO will match you Platinum and AA will offer you a challenge.

I am not seeing the difference. You will be at the DL Gold or AA's version of Gold (if you were to complete the challenge). The nice thing is that if you start your challenge for AA PLT on the 16th it will be good until Feb 2013 (as opposed to starting it today and only be good thru Feb 2012).

So I guess this really isn't a question until you correct the errors and try again

akonradi

One of my colleagues is Platinum with AA, also based in Indianapolis. She has struggled in recent years to get a decent upgrade rate (usually on low or mid-tier fares) on the DFW flights, and is of course always subjected to the ERJs on ORD/MIA/JFK flights.

I have contemplated this switch a few times and the deciding factor has always been the schedule. Even after the cutbacks following the merger, Delta's schedule out of IND is many times better than that of AA. Personally, I wouldn't make the switch if I had to go without being EXP for over a year. I can't justify fewer flight options for better redemptions.

I think that the new Sky Club at IND is a good indication that we won't be seeing much in service contraction.

GBadger

Wait, so you've already matched to Plat on AA, and are only asking this question now? You realize that matches like that are once in a lifetime, correct? If I were to ask for a status match, I'd first make sure that the status is something that I'm going to commit to!

I realize that this doesn't necessarily answer the questions that you posed, but hopefully it does put your status match into perspective!

airmotive

It started with a chat with the company that does our travel reservations.

They did all the status match legwork. They informed me that United would match Platinum with 17,000 miles flown in 90 days (strange number of miles, but okay). They also informed me that AA matched my Platinum.
Sitting here looking at my AAdvantage Platinum Card that arrived in the mail today. Miles flown: 0

Right now, I'm thinking a year as AA Plat with a shot at EP next year being a better situation than 7 months at Delta Gold before making it back to Platinum.

I just want to make sure I'm not overlooking any important considerations.

As for the SkyClub at IND, I was soo excited about its opening...however I find that I use it less than I expected. IND is very much a show up, drop your bag and board your plane airport. Not much hanging out, waiting on a plane. I might grab a coffee in the morning, but the Club is generally closed when I get home in the evening, when a beer would be really nice.

Lastly...yeah, I know a status match is a one-off event. If I'm ever going to pull the trigger, it needs to be now. My lack of travel this year was a fluke, not the norm. I expect to be back in the usual grind of 100k/year starting....well, actually starting two weeks ago.

aviatorzz

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/11822023-post4.html --must be in one of those "certain companies"

Since you already got AA PLT, it sounds like you have already made your mind up. Just keep in mind that status matches are basically a once in a lifetime kind of deal. Good luck with your decision!

res1968

As you probably know, getting low mileage international business award tickets on AA is incredibly easy if you plan far enough in advance. Their website is also far superior to Delta's for finding awards as well as buying a regular ticket. Those two factors alone have really started to temp me to jump ship to AA from DL, even though I am ATL based.

Alex_I

- Usually, the top tier (100 EQM or EQP or 100 segments/per year) on AA is referred as EXP. My upgrade success rate is above 95%. The only problem you may have if you are buying a hub-to-hub ticket at the very last moment. This way you will be competing with many EXPs who purchased their tickets earlier (and have higher priority). Also, trying to upgrade DFW-LHR with the SWU (system-wide upgrades) would be difficult if you buy your ticket in 2-3 weeks before departure.
The AA advantage vs. DL that any fares on AA metal (perhaps, except O to South America) are upgradable with SWUs.

- not sure about AA plans either. However, I do not worry about this since I get 8 SWU's per year and this is enough for upgrading 4 international roundtrips.

- much easier with AA. You can also exchange and return award tickets at no fees if the miles are coming from the EXP account.

NYBanker

I've been a PM/GM on DL since 1999. Back in 2006, I started flying ow more and more (I found consistently better service, better on the ground experience (JFK) and schedules that better fit my needs).

I have had top status on at least one ow carrier since 2006 - and have been very pleased. First I did BA miles, but now with the ati, I accrue on AA (and am EXP). Beyond the essentially 100% domestic upgrade success, AA's SWUs are valid on any international fare (except o to latam), which is far superior to DL's program. AA also offers three cabin flights to key business locations - so if your company will pay j, you can bump up to f with miles or an swu if you'd like. For example, when AA w offering ~$500 fares to japan earlier this year, you could have bot those tickets and upgraded them at time of purchase (subject to upgrade capacity availability) to business. Not feasible on DL anywhere near that price point.

While I still have DL status, it's mainly from various roll overs, transfer mqm bonuses and card-based mqms. I think my status will fade with them over the next two years as I fly them less and less.

The biggest thing in selecting a carrier is their routes, IMHO. For me, dl and aa have decent overlap of routes (that I fly). While some might be willing to connect when a non-stop is available, I'm not one of them. Being in NY, I have a lot of choices. I suspect as a Hoosier, you're used to connecting...whether it's msp or ord, it probably doesn't matter so much.

dd1612

[QUOTE=airmotive;16513436]
AA has matched my Platinum status straight up. ^

So....now the delima. (Cue music by The Clash)...
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Should be no dilemma: Go with AA.
You will be happier and achieve status enough to get you automatic upgrades on International which will never happen on DL.

Good Luck!

A dilemma (Greek: δί-λημμα "double proposition") is a problem offering at least two possibilities, neither of which is practically acceptable. One in this position has been traditionally described as "being on the horns of a dilemma", neither horn being comfortable, "between Scylla and Charybdis"; or "being between a rock and a hard place", since both objects or metaphorical choices are rough.

Denolloyd

Not entirely correct. Via various corporate travel programs, matches for these carriers are available. AA allows employees at my company to match to the Plat level, no challenge necessary. Same for UA to the 1P level.

avidflyer

I have been highest tier with DL/NW for about 10 years. I just moved to AA this past January and I agree with most of the comments in this thread. The "meat" of the deal is:

1. I am 100% upgraded domestically so far and have limited my RJ exposure to 2/71 segments so far. I heard about bad domestic upgrade rates at AA but that appears to be hype/bad info because I am doing better than at DL and for 25k less MQMs (go figure).

2. I am currently in Hong Kong. I got here via NRT and rode in J for an all-in price of $720.00. That is not remotely possible on DL.

3. I DO fly 150-200k a year consistently. The reason I mention that is that for me roll-over is meaningless because I do not need it. if I were going over 125K only every other year that would be a different story.

4. The SWU's ROCK! I got my 8 and will use them all easily. The DL SWUs are ok domestically but for INT trips the $$ required make them worth very little to me. I have thrown away dozens of them over the years.

5. There are plenty of people who will love the DL program (and rightfully so). I question if those folks are the type DL wants to retain long term but whatever...anyone who really flies 100K a year really needs to look closely at the AA program. I was blinded by my loyalty and fear of change for a while...In the end I made a great choice...though as I have said all along DL is my number 2 airline and will get Plat level MQMs out of me just based on schedule and routes.

Also the fact that AA only requires 100K for the EXP level is incredible. I have to believe that is going up soon so if you have a good head start now my advise is: go for it.

skchin

I'd jump if I was in your shoes.

dickinson

I think you have already made up your mind and posted mainly seeking validation for your decision, but I agree that you made absolutely the right choice, and will have no regrets.

Stripe

I don't think I would recommend the OP jump ship, although if he's already gotten the one-time status match it may be now or never. Should have asked the question before getting all the matches.

First, lets keep the terms straight: AA Plat is equivalent to DL Gold. Both are 50K EQM levels. AA does not have a 75K level.

The OP will have a very different domestic upgrade experience on AA. A DL Gold or Plat gets complimentary upgrades that are automatically requested and fairly frequent. On AA, a Plat must pay for upgrades with "stickers", each good for 500 miles. An 1,100 mile segment requires three stickers to upgrade. You get four free after flying 10,000 miles, otherwise they are about $35 each. The OP starts out with a balance of zero. One must request upgrades for specific flights in advance. Your fare class is irrelevant (except for full Y). Elite level and time of upgrade request rule the day, and if the OP primarily buys last minute tickets that may work against him.

Any AA Plat with a 100% upgrade rate is (1) very lucky, and (2) paying a fair amount of cash for most of those upgrades.

AA offers companion upgrades, but you must use stickers for those too, even if you're an EXP. AA Plats can use miles to upgrade international flights, but there will be a co-pay. Except for op-ups in oversold situations, an AA Plat will get no complimentary upgrades on international flights. At least there is a chance with a DL SWU. AA has no plans for an Economy Comfort equivalent.

So overall, for a mid-tier flyer DL wins the upgrade contest by a mile. Other factors to consider:

• DL award redemption sucks. AA's availability has tightened considerably but is nothing like DL's mess.
• A DL Plat gets a "Choice Benefit" selection. An AA Plat does not.
• AA allows SDCs within a 12 hour window but everyone pays $50. DL has free SDCs within a 3 hour window. Both have free standby for elites.
• DL has a better lounge product, and an outpost in his home airport. I renewed my SC membership even though I have more flights on AA now.

Other benefits as an AA Plat are pretty equivalent to the DL Plat (and Gold). 100% mileage bonus, free bags, priority boarding, exit row and "premium" seats, international lounge access, etc.

EXP is an entirely different world. 8 of the best SWUs in the business, complimentary upgrades on almost every domestic flight, free drinks and food if traveling in Y, excellent IROPs handling, and superb phone service. If the OP really thinks he can hit 100K EQM in 2012 then it may be a good idea to switch. But he'll be taking a lot of trips in Y before he gets there.