Skymiles rules changes for 2013 are here (at delta.com updates, details inside)
Jan 16, 2013, 12:41 pm
#121
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Somewhere above the Mason-Dixon
Programs: DL Ham Samich
Posts: 1,661
For those of us hub-captives, especially MSP and DTW, most of our fares are already over 10 cents per MQM...
Jan 16, 2013, 12:42 pm
#122
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2008
Programs: Formaldehyde Medallion DL DieMiles
Posts: 12,646
Jan 16, 2013, 12:42 pm
#123
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Long Beach, CA
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 5,292
The type of consumer that doesn't see the change as negative. I think SOMETHING needs to be done to thin the "elite" herd.
Jan 16, 2013, 12:42 pm
#124
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS
Posts: 15,027
I do not have a DL AMEX for the simple reason that the Skymiles earned are not worth my credit card spend. How would the new program provide an incentive to change that??
Jan 16, 2013, 12:43 pm
#125
Used to be 'flymanbeast'
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: Delta silver/marriot platinum
Posts: 2,795
I am israeli so can i just say i live in israel to avoid some of the changes?
Jan 16, 2013, 12:43 pm
#126
Join Date: Oct 2011
Programs: DL PM, Marriott Platinum,Hertz Pres Circle
Posts: 215
time to start looking for another airline
I made GM last year and will make it again this year easily but once I reach the MQS and mileage threshold, there is no incentive for me to fly DL.
My international flights will easily total the 5K--once I reach 5K and 50K miles--off to another airline for status. First thing though is to achieve the highest status I can THIS year and status match
My international flights will easily total the 5K--once I reach 5K and 50K miles--off to another airline for status. First thing though is to achieve the highest status I can THIS year and status match
Jan 16, 2013, 12:43 pm
#127
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: SFO
Posts: 329
This is a step in the right direction but not enough - I'm all for status earned on the basis of revenue dollars and miles accrued/redeemed on the current non-revenue-linked basis. My problem is that if I buy five transcons in C for business (they average 3-3.5k each) and spend 15k but only fly 25k miles and earn 37.5k (with CoS MQM bonus) MQM, DL will still only give me silver. Meanwhile some kid or blogger with too much time on their hands will do 10 transcon MRs at $250/pop ($2.5k total) and earn Gold. Which customer is more valuable to the airline? Yet who is Gold and who is Silver? If airlines were smart, they'd change the status calculation or at least make the qualification based on miles flown OR dollars instead of AND.
Jan 16, 2013, 12:48 pm
#128
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Long Beach, CA
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 5,292
So then did Delta think of what flyers like me will do who currently fly enough to earn at least 125K but who's spend threshold is low? If I know that I will only qualify for GM, or PM based on my MDS, then I will stop flying DL once I reach my MQM level and my MDS for that level and fly another airline. What inscentive do I have to stick with Delta between MDS levels if I know I will fall short of making DM?
Jan 16, 2013, 12:51 pm
#129
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: OKC
Programs: DL DM/2.768MM, Global Entry, Titanium_Marriott, GHertz
Posts: 6,752
Guess I'm not seeing the part where SWUs would be more valuable. You need an M fare to use them, and now the 50% mqm bonus is gone. If they make M fares cheaper but make the SWU usable only on B+, then that only makes them even less valuable. B fares are quite a bit more than an M fare.
In terms of the AMEX, I have a personal DL PL AMEX but airline tickets go on my office Corporate PL AMEX so do I need to change that to a DL reserve card?
Jan 16, 2013, 12:52 pm
#130
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: SFO
Posts: 329
How this works with partners is the big wildcard here. I spent over 5k on tickets credited to DL last year, but much of that was not on DL. A lot of that was AF/KL to Europe with an onward connection. If I would have to spend the money on DL that would mean taking an extra US connection to get where I'm going for a total of two stops.
Jan 16, 2013, 12:52 pm
#131
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: DL DM 2MM, Marriott LT Titanium, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 15,202
Not just those, but ALL low-spend elites. I wouldn't be surprised if the current population of FOs and GM are casual flyers who buy cheap tickets for vacation/leisure travel mixed with some light travel for work. They'll be losing out big time too.
Jan 16, 2013, 12:52 pm
#132
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Finally back in Boston after escaping from New York
Posts: 13,644
Mike
Jan 16, 2013, 12:54 pm
#133
Join Date: Jul 2004
Programs: DL; AA; UA; CO; LHLX; NZ; QR; EK; BA
Posts: 7,408
My problem is that if I buy five transcons in C for business (they average 3-3.5k each) and spend 15k but only fly 25k miles and earn 37.5k (with CoS MQM bonus) MQM, DL will still only give me silver. Meanwhile some kid or blogger with too much time on their hands will do 10 transcon MRs at $250/pop ($2.5k total) and earn Gold. .
Originally Posted by DL2SXM
So then did Delta think of what flyers like me will do who currently fly enough to earn at least 125K but who's spend threshold is low?.
Originally Posted by amolkold
Spend is the new loyalty..
Jan 16, 2013, 12:57 pm
#134
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Likely being followed...
Programs: DYKWIA Extraordinaire. TrollSlayer Mega Diamond. [insert esoteric sounding status level(s) here]
Posts: 5,240
Yes, actually they thought precisely of people like you..no offense, but seriously, getting to DM with a $5K spend??? That's like someone taking two deeply discounted S fares from JFK to Europe a year, and qualifying for Diamond? Sorry, but a DM who only spends $5K a year probably costs Delta more money than Delta makes from that DM!
Jan 16, 2013, 1:02 pm
#135
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Long Beach, CA
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 5,292
I think the midwest segment flyers that spend $1K a week on 1000 MQM will be the one's that will benefit under this program. I think if someone can show a $25,000 spend on only 25,000 mqms, there will be leeway and a judgement call that can be made to put them into a higher-level.
Hopefully so....they are the folks keeping DL going....not the jacka$$ flying RT 12 times to Istanbul on a $520 fare.
Hopefully so....they are the folks keeping DL going....not the jacka$$ flying RT 12 times to Istanbul on a $520 fare.