mnredfox

I feel like we hash this out yearly but it falls on deaf ears. Well then, here goes another year's wish list. Of course title says one but...

1. Improve award lows as promised by JR. Stop blacking out TPAC J awards for months at a time
2. Fix award calendar, and bring back partner searches NWA had
3. Get rid of the silly 72 hour rule. I'm ok with no cancellations within 72 hours, but allow changes
3. Make SWU's real SWU's, applicable on more fares (why AF and KL would be nice too). Then you can keep your M unaffordable for most

Those are the big three, other nice true enhancements:
- OW awards
- Get rid of all MQM promos, including Amex MQM handouts (I know, not going to happen)
- Bring back no limits on using ECV
- If you get rid of MQM handouts, then elite ranks will be culled. Then you can bring back the 1K mile no UG guarantee for DM's
- Regular communication on FT

gooselee

Yes! Or the alternative, stop MQM rollover. If we're going to have two qualifying methods, at least make the requalification possibilities the same for both.

metoo

18. The ability to book award travel on partner airlines directly from delta.com

30. More low level award availability


My top two I hope will be my Xmas gift from Delta.

MSPeconomist

I usually have one or two RTs to Asia in business class late in the year. If rollover beyond DM ends, those flights will not go to DL unless I still need lots of MQMs, which hasn't happened yet. Rather than wasting the status miles, I could enjoy SQ, CX, OZ, etc. for these trips, get a lot of good redeemable miles in other alliances, and even do my first MR if needed to make up any small shortfall in MQMs for DM.

amolkold

There could be a limit on how many MQMs you can rollover (limit of 125K so no more than double diamond). That way you can still fly DL to hit 150K (and rollover 25K), and can stop at 245K to rollover 120K if you want to switch to other carriers for a while.

Of course, that would be tough for those with >125K rollover right now, because they would have to be exempt from this (or else they wouldn't fly DL at all).

mikepa

MM should start at 25k each year, not zero. 2MM starts at 50K etc. Rewards long term customers.

marlib

Book partner flights online!

And not strictly an enhancement, but re-allow award wallet access!

From what I recall of delta's excuse, if I were to buy part of an award wallet server it would be my computer and therefore allowed to access the delta site?

Stefan Sip

Let me do my George Carlin bit on reducing the Ten Commandments down to a couple. Here we go on SM.

What Delta does on its top line MQM/redemption miles is their business. They see financial gains to be had with promotions, credit cards, partnerships, etc. Sure, Delta is liberal on giving away miles. As consumers, we can game the system by participating in these promotions. It's a level playing field, and it is our choice to earn these miles or not. I would even claim that if Delta did not reduce MQM on LUT fares, eliminate MQM-earning AMEX cards or do away with roll-over MQM, very few members would leave. Other airlines allow similar earning potentials.

The problem with SM is the application of these miles.
- Incredibly difficult low-award availability. We are asked to be flexible. School holidays are a finite and well-defined time window. We can be flexible +/- 2 weeks, but not 2 months.
- YBM fares to have a chance to International J upgrade. This is simply not competitive against other major airlines in the US.

Since I am a frequent flyer with both UA and Delta, award and upgrade availability is the major reason why I have shifted my loyalty.

Sez_Who

Trying to understand this but keep coming back to the same question. Why?

Don't see how this helps Diamonds who fly, say, 200K+/yr, don't see how this helps DL (which is hardly the point of this thread anyway). Sorry, I am missing the "enhancement" here.

ADLFO

Allow SWUs for international travel @ 1 SWU for M+, OR two SWUs for K+, with the caveat that a K+ SWU could only be used once a year for the medallion and one companion. I don't think it would break the DL bank to allow the DMs and PMs (and a companion) one RT K+ upgrade once a year.

itsaboutthejourney

Bring back NW's PerkChoice... as they promised.

Stop the AMEXification of SkyPriority - it should not be for sale.

anbhc

Allow current Diamond Lifetime SkyClub members to choose an alternate to free SkyClub access for Diamond members as a Diamond benefit

hnewman

Just fix the award calendar. The amount of goodwill will be amazing.

Bicostal

The DM rollover allowance which currently is unlimited constitutes a "savings" account for retirement. This makes loyalty beyond 125k realistic. If I wanted to be top tier in more than one alliance, given my flying, it is quite achievable. With my Medallion savings account at Delta, I tend to stick to Delta after hitting 125k.

The impact to Delta is nominal with regard to the number of DMs affected, but much greater economically in that achieving Double Diamond usually requires significant (profitable) overseas travel in (expensive) BE.

My top wish is SDC at T - 24 for travel plus/minus 24 hours, not T-3 for same day (for top tier medallions). There has been more than on occasion when I could have left the night before or needed to stay to the next morning but was faced with the change fee and fare difference in the hundreds of dollars. Meanwhile, a flight went out with empty seats while Delta is asking for volunteers on my flight.

pointy

Honesty.
That's the only enhancement I'd like.