Is Platinum Medallion Worth It? Or Change Airlines?
Sep 29, 2012, 2:33 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2012
Programs: Delta SkyMiles, HHonors, National Car Rental, Hyatt, Hertz, Avis, United
Posts: 10
Is Platinum Medallion Worth It? Or Change Airlines?
I have a dilemma.
I am on pace to make Platinum this year. Prior years and in the coming year, I travel about 55-60k miles a year (all local) @ 4-8 flights a month, but this year with international travel it seems I will be pushed into Plat.
Is it worth it to go to Plat? Or switch carriers for the last 3 months and get about base/silver level on another carrier.
I don't know if I will be traveling internationally as much going forward.
Thanks.
PS. I like having 5-10k miles that I can roll over at the end of the year and get Gold easily the following year.
PSS. On the routes I travel, my upgrade % is about 60 - 75%.
I am on pace to make Platinum this year. Prior years and in the coming year, I travel about 55-60k miles a year (all local) @ 4-8 flights a month, but this year with international travel it seems I will be pushed into Plat.
Is it worth it to go to Plat? Or switch carriers for the last 3 months and get about base/silver level on another carrier.
I don't know if I will be traveling internationally as much going forward.
Thanks.
PS. I like having 5-10k miles that I can roll over at the end of the year and get Gold easily the following year.
PSS. On the routes I travel, my upgrade % is about 60 - 75%.
Sep 29, 2012, 3:09 pm
#3
Join Date: Jun 2010
Programs: Whatever's Cheapest, Accruing Miles, Redeeming for Premium Cabins, Not Chasing Status Unnecessarily
Posts: 2,264
are you getting a lot of UG as GM?
if yes then don't need PM
are you planning on booking/changing/cancelling a lot of awards?
if no then don't need PM
do you find great value out of the choice benefits?
if no then don't need PM
it's not the silver status on other airlines, it's the rollover imo
if yes then don't need PM
are you planning on booking/changing/cancelling a lot of awards?
if no then don't need PM
do you find great value out of the choice benefits?
if no then don't need PM
it's not the silver status on other airlines, it's the rollover imo
Sep 29, 2012, 4:13 pm
#5
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Wherever I happen to be....
Programs: DL EOS...
Posts: 1,111
are you getting a lot of UG as GM?
if yes then don't need PM
are you planning on booking/changing/cancelling a lot of awards?
if no then don't need PM
do you find great value out of the choice benefits?
if no then don't need PM
it's not the silver status on other airlines, it's the rollover imo
if yes then don't need PM
are you planning on booking/changing/cancelling a lot of awards?
if no then don't need PM
do you find great value out of the choice benefits?
if no then don't need PM
it's not the silver status on other airlines, it's the rollover imo
Sep 29, 2012, 6:24 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,057
If you actually fly 55 - 60K a year, then you will likely get Plat at some point due to rollover. I'd say you might as well go for Plat this year if you have a shot. It's sounds you should still be able to make Gold next year without the rollover with your typical flights.
Sep 29, 2012, 6:34 pm
#7
Join Date: May 2012
Location: MSP
Programs: Delta Skymile DM, Marriott Platinum, PC Gold, Avis Chairman's Club, National EE
Posts: 728
Sep 29, 2012, 7:54 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: DL Scattered Smothered Covered Medallion, Some hotel & car stuff, Kroger Plus Card
Posts: 10,745
Save $$ and keep your MQM under 75k, so you'll have more rollover into next year.
If this is work travel and you're not concerned with cost, but you want to stop at/before 74,999 MQM to maximize rollover, you could also just not apply your SM # to some trips. But then I'm not sure if you'd have your GM benefits for those trips.
If this is work travel and you're not concerned with cost, but you want to stop at/before 74,999 MQM to maximize rollover, you could also just not apply your SM # to some trips. But then I'm not sure if you'd have your GM benefits for those trips.
Sep 29, 2012, 9:28 pm
#9
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Oklahoma
Programs: Southwest A-List Preferred/Companion Pass, Amtrak Select, Priority Club Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 453
I chose to go with another airline, rather than go for Platinum. Makes sense for me, as I have to do some flying on other airlines anyway, to markets not served by DL-So, for me, taking a status match challenge with Frontier got me Summit over there for the remainder of this year and 2013. Being DL Gold, and F9 Summit is better (in my humble opinion) than being PM on DL, and nothing on other airlines that I have to fly 6-8 times a year or so. I can easily keep Gold, and Summit on both, keep all my miles in 2 programs, and have cost options when booking. It's a win for me.
Sep 29, 2012, 9:48 pm
#10
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: AUS
Programs: AA Exec Platinum/MM, DL Gold/MM, Hilton Diamond, Accor Platinum, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 6,976
Already discussed in this thread a few days ago: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...num-delta.html
My response:
Sounds like there is some room for improvement in your upgrade rate, but the free EC on international trips would be of no use.
My response:
I would ask...
What is your upgrade rate now?
If you get upgraded on most flights (80%+) and are satisfied with that rate, then there is little extra benefit from higher priority. Moreover, you can only get upgraded if you actually fly, and if you don't expect to do a lot of that in the coming year then what's the point?
Do you have a big award mileage balance that you expect to use in the coming year?
If so, the ability to change and cancel award reservations without any fee will make those miles vastly more useful.
Do you have a relative or good friend who could benefit from silver status?
Gifting my daughter silver status eliminates some headaches and baggage fees for me when she travels back and forth from college. But you have to be platinum to make the gift.
Do you travel internationally in coach?
Free EC is a nice, but somewhat overrated, benefit. Not worth getting Platinum for that
What is your upgrade rate now?
If you get upgraded on most flights (80%+) and are satisfied with that rate, then there is little extra benefit from higher priority. Moreover, you can only get upgraded if you actually fly, and if you don't expect to do a lot of that in the coming year then what's the point?
Do you have a big award mileage balance that you expect to use in the coming year?
If so, the ability to change and cancel award reservations without any fee will make those miles vastly more useful.
Do you have a relative or good friend who could benefit from silver status?
Gifting my daughter silver status eliminates some headaches and baggage fees for me when she travels back and forth from college. But you have to be platinum to make the gift.
Do you travel internationally in coach?
Free EC is a nice, but somewhat overrated, benefit. Not worth getting Platinum for that
Sep 30, 2012, 7:04 am
#12
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Wherever I happen to be....
Programs: DL EOS...
Posts: 1,111
The PM benefit that I use - award redeposit. Very useful when I'm not 100% sure if I need to travel a particular date but want to have an itinerary, just in case.
The way it works is to hopefully, grab a low tier award trip and watch the pricing game play out. If revenue fares remain low and 'still need the itinerary, PM/DM has until T72 hours to cancel and buy the seat. Otherwise, I just fly the award at a great return for the miles spent. I guess you can call it "hedging" fares? Particularly, summertime and popular travel holidays.
Dunno your route but 60-70% UG is pretty good for GM. As PM my usual NYC-JFK, mostly off peak business days, I'm just shy of 80% UG for the year. When I was Gold a few years ago it was about 50% and by now with tighter inventory, I'm sure that figure would be much lower.
The way it works is to hopefully, grab a low tier award trip and watch the pricing game play out. If revenue fares remain low and 'still need the itinerary, PM/DM has until T72 hours to cancel and buy the seat. Otherwise, I just fly the award at a great return for the miles spent. I guess you can call it "hedging" fares? Particularly, summertime and popular travel holidays.
Dunno your route but 60-70% UG is pretty good for GM. As PM my usual NYC-JFK, mostly off peak business days, I'm just shy of 80% UG for the year. When I was Gold a few years ago it was about 50% and by now with tighter inventory, I'm sure that figure would be much lower.
Sep 30, 2012, 7:11 am
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2012
Programs: Delta SkyMiles, HHonors, National Car Rental, Hyatt, Hertz, Avis, United
Posts: 10
Right now, 99.5% of my travel is on Delta or partners. They have direct flights to most of the locations I travel to. Or with 1 connection.
Sep 30, 2012, 8:27 am
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,048
I'd go for PM in this case. If Delta serves all your needs, why try and get a low status on another airline which you won't end up flying next year?
Sep 30, 2012, 11:25 am
#15
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,413
If DL flights are convenient, you could credit to AS to avoid totally losing the miles, but you don't then get any DL elite benefits, just like not having a FF number on the itinerary.
My advice would be to take the PM and enjoy it. The DL FF program could change totally in the near future and your rollover MQMs might not be so valuable for future status as they are now.
My advice would be to take the PM and enjoy it. The DL FF program could change totally in the near future and your rollover MQMs might not be so valuable for future status as they are now.