smachiz

Without beating a dead horse on this - the "loyalty" they want is not adding 2 stops on to maximize MQMs so that they fly you further for the same price, the loyalty they want is that you fly their most direct route often, instead of other carriers, and hopefully at a premium to other carriers.

MQDs basically restrict the ability to "game" the loyalty system - which is obviously diametrically opposed to what most of FT does and lives for - it's a cat and mouse game.

Oakshadow

Got to agree with the OP. Probably will only re-qualify for FO next year as I just won't have the strong motivation to fly DL in 2014 since my company and I aren't willing to spend $500+ for LAX-JFK instead of a $300 available fare just so I can keep my Gold status which wasn't worth that much anyway - I got upgraded more as an FO in 2009 than as a Gold in 2012. But I will have FO status next year in case DL has a good fare and routing and will be able to have at least some benefits. After March of 2015 I will be a DL kettle and DL will just be another transportation company. Sad really.

As someone mentioned above, rollover inflated the Medallion ranks. I would've been happy if rollover was done away with as I truly do fly 50k BIS per year. The inflated Medallion ranks was a monster they created and now they're over-reacting to correct the problem.

motytrah

I'm in the same boat, and I found the same thing about Y/B/M, but I look at it a little differently. I never considered myself loyal to an airline. Loyalty to a corporate entity is a fruitless endeavor. What I did see is points and status as a specific bankable "investment". As long as the numbers worked out in the end for my goals then the cost/benefit analysis I could justify paying a little more here and there to stay within the FFP.

Post NW merger it didn't take me long to see that that anything involving Y/B/M was going to be a losing proposition compared to just buying the cheapest J fare on whoever. Moreover it was obvious that the redemption of scrip on DL.Com was purposely difficult. After all the changes they have made to the website you still can't do a millage/SWU upgrade at time of booking. So I ended up flying a lot of CO TATL and a lot of AA Latin America with a hint of DL when the Moon and Stars align on price.

In the end, if you're a premium traveler, and it's your money, I just can't see a point to going all-in with DL.

xliioper

Why would one give "up" on DL when they constantly are "upping" their "up"? When there is only one way to go, and that is "up", "up", "up". (Sorry, I've been listening to too much Donald Sutherland lately. Does anyone else start thinking "up yours" when they listen to his spiel?).

Readynow

I am ready to make the same pledge. I fly mainly ATL to SAN and SEA and I am lucky to get in the top 10 as a PM. Haven't been upgraded yet except on the red eye.

I used to enjoy the skyclub, but I walked in and immediately left the club in B Concourse at ATL yesterday. It was easier to find a quiet spot in the main terminal.

airline loyalty programs.....RIP.....I'll soon pay for the service I want - not seeing the value in loyalty anymore....voting with my wallet......

ethanwa

For me I always just buy full fare First class non-stop direct, which has all of the benefits of high end status. You basically just pay for it upfront with your ticket.

I know most people can't afford to do that (I can't do it on every single flight myself) but I would rather do that then chase status all day. And if I do get status from flying, it's just a bonus on top (if I end up using it at all).

Just fly and be as comfortable as you can or want to be.

GatorBlues

This is an interesting thread. By contrast to the hyperbole and anger often exhibited in the Medallion Qualification Update thread, this one seems very matter of fact with posters providing a more clinical description of how they are responding to the changes and why. It's actually a bit refreshing to see such a reasoned approach on a message board for a change.

I'm sure Delta knew it would lose the loyalty of some through its changes to the program. Has Delta underestimated how many will stop overpaying, or stop taking flights at inconvenient times, simply to stay on Delta and make status? Time will tell, and I'm very interested to see how it turns out.

As for me, I take enougn short hops that my MQDs will be fine for my high Gold/low Plat status that I achieve most years. Plus, as a hub captive, I already have a skymiles AMEX and hit the spend threshold easily thanks to reimbursed business expenses. I am curious to see if upgrades appear to be more common after the program changes have taken effect. I had thought not enough people would be forced out or would drop out to make any noticeable difference in upgrade success, but after reading this thread, I realize my assumption may be wrong.

Dieuwer

My guess is that it will mostly be the Silver and Gold Medallions that will stop playing the game. As a result, there would be a minimal influence on upgrade probabilities as you still would be in competition with Plats and Diamonds.

florin

Depending on your flying patterns, I think this makes sense. In the end the status you get is not free - sometimes you end up paying more to fly your favorite airline (or alliance) and you subject yourself to additional inconvenience (connecting vs. non-stop, creative connections and so on).

I've been booking mostly based on price/convenience and I can't really say that I miss the status (I travel almost exclusively int'l so domestic UGs are pretty useless to me). I'm still Silver, but we all know how useful that is.

CJKatl

Amen to this and your earlier post.

FTs seem to break down into two groups: those who are looking to maximize benefits based on the flying they do and those that are looking to fly to the top of the benefits heap. You and I seem to fall into the first group. I have to spend enough time on planes as is, I couldn't imagine adding additional legs or choosing specific flights for the sake of getting status. My time is worth more than that.

lovecabo

I've given up on upgrades for the most part, and with my PM status mainly enjoy getting on the plane relatively early to find a place for my bag. I'm not like one of the other posters who said they're happy to check it. I hate waiting for the bag. What I really want is just to get my 100,000+ plus MM miles and get to 2MM, then as a semi-permanent GM I can get what I need from Delta. But I won't be flying them all the time if they're way off the map in price. I am a MM with AA also, so once they merge with US I'll have one third of the major domestic airlines covered for early boarding.

hazelrah

Another one sees the light, and if you really want or need First just buy one of the new discount first fares.

mrredskin

Several years ago, I'd disagree. Now, with credit cards giving you somewhat of a "bronze" status, you can still get a few perks to keep extra costs down.

I'll probably be down to no status in '14. I'll have a companion pass and a wife by then, however. It will make traveling more affordable and not having to worry about how to qualify for more low-ball status the following year.

stonecrd

I would add that there is a third group who fly a lot are not hub located and want to maximize benefits by sticking with a single airline.

Flying out of FLL there are just not a lot of options unless I take indirect routes. I fly TATL or TPAC aorund 4-6 times a year and if I focus on one airline I can make upper tiers. However, as stated in the OP I spend a lot more of my time wasted when flying domestically if I try to focus. I was willing to do this for consolodating miles and benefits for a number of years. But now DL is putting so many barriers in the way it is no longer worth the effort.

Winkdaddy

Yup. As people start to realize that FO benefits are not really that special there will be less and less people trying to acheive minimum status and just booking the airline that has the lowest cost. This shift of marginal elites towards buying on cost alone will only accelerate as Delta makes status harder to achieve and award bookings even harder to come by at reasonable levels.