Award Travel Changes
Nov 12, 2013, 12:08 pm
#122
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: DFW
Programs: AA 1M
Posts: 31,475
This is what happens when you're down to only three domestic programs with global reach. U.S. flyers are getting treated more and more like European ones in countries with a single dominant international airline. The thinking is becoming the same as well: with hub captives, you don't really have to try harder.
DL also has the distinction of having both the priciest awards and worst availability situation; I guess they're trying to say they need money to buy new planes rather than "by charging more miles, we give you better availability."
(unless by that you mean 2x or 3x the lowest level).
An excellent program to jump to would have been NW's old one. They were often a holdout on customer-unfriendly changes as well.
It's hard to see light at the end of this tunnel. For price-sensitive leisure travelers the next real competition might be some combination of ULCCs like Spirit and maybe something like Air Asia X for certain long hauls. (As I write this I'm in Colombia on a 10K Spirit award ticket for the "off peak" time).
As the anecdotal media accounts build of low-tier awards being very hard to get, we'll move ever closer to the tipping point where infrequent traveler Joe Sixpack decides that trying to accumulate miles for a hoped-for Hawaii trip with the missus in 5 years just isn't worth it, and then all the non-flying tie-ins will have to reassess reward options. You see the start of that with points-based programs (like Capital One, or FlexPerks) against miles-earning cards now.
DL also has the distinction of having both the priciest awards and worst availability situation; I guess they're trying to say they need money to buy new planes rather than "by charging more miles, we give you better availability."
(unless by that you mean 2x or 3x the lowest level).An excellent program to jump to would have been NW's old one. They were often a holdout on customer-unfriendly changes as well.
It's hard to see light at the end of this tunnel. For price-sensitive leisure travelers the next real competition might be some combination of ULCCs like Spirit and maybe something like Air Asia X for certain long hauls. (As I write this I'm in Colombia on a 10K Spirit award ticket for the "off peak" time).
As the anecdotal media accounts build of low-tier awards being very hard to get, we'll move ever closer to the tipping point where infrequent traveler Joe Sixpack decides that trying to accumulate miles for a hoped-for Hawaii trip with the missus in 5 years just isn't worth it, and then all the non-flying tie-ins will have to reassess reward options. You see the start of that with points-based programs (like Capital One, or FlexPerks) against miles-earning cards now.
I hope the government is noticing all this. Remind me again - how does the customer benefit from mergers? I wish UA and CO could be split up.
Nov 12, 2013, 12:26 pm
#123
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: SEA
Programs: UA Silver, BA Gold, DL Gold
Posts: 9,779
2) I don't consider one-stop options to be effective competition for my dollars, and I have not seen a reduction in non-stops.
3) I don't believe that competition is improved by having 6 weak legacy carriers vs 3 strong ones.
4) I don't believe that the status quo of overcapacity and loss-making fares would have continued in the absence of mergers.
Nov 12, 2013, 1:41 pm
#124
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Brooklyn, NY, United States
Programs: AA, BA, UA, Spirit, Delta, PC Plat, SPG Gold, HHonors Diamond, Club Carlson Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,735
Delta Smacks United
If you're getting bored the whole ordeal and want a reason to crack a smile, I wrote a little sketch on it
Nov 12, 2013, 1:48 pm
#125
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: DFW
Programs: AA 1M
Posts: 31,475
1) I can get to more places more directly now.
2) I don't consider one-stop options to be effective competition for my dollars, and I have not seen a reduction in non-stops.
3) I don't believe that competition is improved by having 6 weak legacy carriers vs 3 strong ones.
4) I don't believe that the status quo of overcapacity and loss-making fares would have continued in the absence of mergers.
2) I don't consider one-stop options to be effective competition for my dollars, and I have not seen a reduction in non-stops.
3) I don't believe that competition is improved by having 6 weak legacy carriers vs 3 strong ones.
4) I don't believe that the status quo of overcapacity and loss-making fares would have continued in the absence of mergers.
Dec 29, 2013, 2:12 pm
#126
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: San Diego
Programs: IHG Spire Amb, HH Diamond, DL Diamond and 1MM
Posts: 3,611
Changes Reprice to New Mileage Requirements?
I have SAN-OGG-SAN(stop)-SEA booked in F at the old redemption level of 75k miles for travel in May.
If I change to SAN-HNL/OGG(open jaw)-SAN, do I have to pony up another 5,000 Skymiles because of the new award chart?
(No rebooking fee for plat and diamond.)
P.S. I am aware I can add inter-island flights for 5,000 miles each way, but I am going to Molokai and HA does not fly there yet.
If I change to SAN-HNL/OGG(open jaw)-SAN, do I have to pony up another 5,000 Skymiles because of the new award chart?
(No rebooking fee for plat and diamond.)
P.S. I am aware I can add inter-island flights for 5,000 miles each way, but I am going to Molokai and HA does not fly there yet.
Jan 16, 2014, 12:12 pm
#128
Company Representative - Milez.biz
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: Aeroplan, Miles & More, Flying Blue
Posts: 69
Calculation and comparison of old and new rates
We've just added Delta SkyMiles' new award rates to our global redemption rate calculator (milez.biz). Enter any two cities to see how many miles are required for an award ticket. Old rates and new SkyMiles rates are listed side-by-side for comparison purposes.
For example Honolulu to London LHR:
http://www.milez.biz/en/list_rates.p...L&t=LHR&ffp=12
Cheers
ph
For example Honolulu to London LHR:
http://www.milez.biz/en/list_rates.p...L&t=LHR&ffp=12
Cheers
ph
Jan 16, 2014, 12:26 pm
#129
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: DFW
Programs: AA 1M
Posts: 31,475
1) I can get to more places more directly now.
2) I don't consider one-stop options to be effective competition for my dollars, and I have not seen a reduction in non-stops.
3) I don't believe that competition is improved by having 6 weak legacy carriers vs 3 strong ones.
4) I don't believe that the status quo of overcapacity and loss-making fares would have continued in the absence of mergers.
2) I don't consider one-stop options to be effective competition for my dollars, and I have not seen a reduction in non-stops.
3) I don't believe that competition is improved by having 6 weak legacy carriers vs 3 strong ones.
4) I don't believe that the status quo of overcapacity and loss-making fares would have continued in the absence of mergers.