2014 SkyMiles Program Changes
Dec 10, 2013 | 8:34 pm
#271
Join Date: Dec 2011
Programs: DL MM GM, AA Plat Pro, UA Silver, EI Silver
Posts: 2,157
Yes, but you're not stuck in steerage having bought a Y/B/M so no loss like now if you buy and waitlist a SWU. It's really a benefit to DMs. I only wish I knew about this before I cashed in for the 6 SWUS. I had no choice because I wanted to gift GM to my SO and you have to choose both DM benefits at once.
Dec 10, 2013 | 8:35 pm
#272
Join Date: Jul 2012
Programs: DL- Diamond Starwood- Gold Hilton- Gold
Posts: 4
you're right, thanks for the correction, I've never done it either.
Dec 10, 2013 | 8:38 pm
#273
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: IND
Programs: DL PM & 2MM™, Lifetime HHonors Diamond
Posts: 21,129
Dec 10, 2013 | 8:45 pm
#274
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
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Cabin might be more difficult to guess as if I am in J/F, I don't want to move back to steerage, and if I am in steerage, I don't get that much time at the front of the plane to see other PAX.
Dec 10, 2013 | 9:02 pm
#275
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: IND
Programs: DL PM & 2MM™, Lifetime HHonors Diamond
Posts: 21,129
Dec 10, 2013 | 9:11 pm
#276
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Tucson
Programs: Delta Platinum; Harrah's Diamond; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 950
You are 100% correct. I usually end the year around 105K. I find the changes to be another example of DL asking me to grab my ankles and smile. I have stayed with DL as an ex-NW frequent flyer and because a good friend of my and I like to fly together and he likes DL. Since SWUs were almost impossible to use internationally anyway, perhaps this is not a big deal. However, I plan on burning my miles in 2014 and moving to UA in 2015.
Dec 10, 2013 | 9:12 pm
#277
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: San Diego
Programs: IHG Diamond, HH Diamond, DL Diamond and 2MM
Posts: 3,637
Dec 10, 2013 | 9:15 pm
#278
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Blue Ridge, GA
Posts: 5,849
Dec 10, 2013 | 9:22 pm
#279
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Mostly living in the basement
Programs: Free Agent Level 2; MR LT(!)TE, HH SE, ALL SE, BAC Silver, DL MM, UA PS, 2V Fanboi, CBP GE
Posts: 5,358
- DL TCON BE too expensive to purchase outright, almost no viable upgrade option from March
- B6 Mint has reasonable initial pricing to consider purchasing outright, at least under some circumstances
- VX J too expensive to purchase outright, but DoD upgrades are still reasonable
- If I'm going to end up in coach, B6 EMS at 38" is comparable to domestic F, better than DL EC, and keeps me on non-stop flights
Glad to see that the DL board has managed to complain about what is, frankly, an overall positive change.
Dec 10, 2013 | 9:28 pm
#280
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: MSP Mainly
Programs: Delta Diamond & 2.5M+ Miles - Bonvoy - Lifetime Titanium - DL AMEX Reserve
Posts: 268
Are my assumptions correct here. Since my company allows full coach on international flights, I should select the 6 SWU for the coming year which would be better than the 4 SWU on other fares and provide higher priority since it will be either a B or Y fare.
Dec 10, 2013 | 9:30 pm
#281
Join Date: Mar 2008
Programs: DL DM, SPG Plat
Posts: 697
If you look at the site:
http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_...tificates.html
There are TWO very BIG changes
1. Good:
complementary Medallion upgrades are available on LAX/SFO/SEA/SLC-Hawaii
2. Bad
complementary Medallion upgrades (nor "regional" certs) are NOT available on JFK-LAX/SFO/SEA
Given how infrequently I am upgraded on the transcons anymore, I'm not sure this change really matters.
http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_...tificates.html
There are TWO very BIG changes
1. Good:
complementary Medallion upgrades are available on LAX/SFO/SEA/SLC-Hawaii
2. Bad
complementary Medallion upgrades (nor "regional" certs) are NOT available on JFK-LAX/SFO/SEA
Given how infrequently I am upgraded on the transcons anymore, I'm not sure this change really matters.
Dec 10, 2013 | 9:35 pm
#282
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: 102,617
If your company buys M+ fares anyway, 6 SWUs are better than 4 GUs because 6 > 4. However, we don't know what will determine the priority for upgrades from a waitlist or standby list at the airport. In fact, has it been stated that the new GUs and RUs can clear at the gate? I think so, but I'm not sure.
Dec 10, 2013 | 9:48 pm
#283
Join Date: Mar 2008
Programs: DL DM, SPG Plat
Posts: 697
My current situation:
--I flew about 20 transcon segments (NYC-LAX/SFO/SEA) this year. All but one of them were upgraded, of course only last-minute at the gate after everyone had a chance to buy the seats. (So what is Delta really giving up?)
--Most companies, including mine, don't allow the purchase of business-class tickets on domestic routes, but they don't care what fare of economy I buy.
--I'd often wait until the last minute to buy transcon tickets, which benefited Delta quite a bit because I was paying on average ~$1,000 r/t. With a higher fare class, I was more likely to be upgraded with complementary upgrades or I could use one of the 10 SWUs granted every year.
New situation:
--No more complimentary upgrades NYC - LAX/SFO/SEA.
--New "Regional Upgrade" certificates not usable on this route either (!!!), despite it being domestic.
--Only new "Global Upgrades" usable on this route. Diamonds are to be granted only four per year.
Does Delta really think Diamonds like me are going to want to take 20 transcons per year and only have a shot at getting upgraded on four of them? Does Delta expect me as a busy person to waste time connecting in Salt Lake City or Atlanta on my transcons to have a shot?
These changes are a huge win for bargain-basement Diamonds who don't fly transcons frequently: Current SWUs that require very high fare classes are being replaced by (a small number of) Global Upgrades that are really usable.
For me the outcome is as follows:
--Will evaluate other options including AA (unlimited upgrades on this route for top tier) and UA (gives top tier a total of 12 certs usable on this route)
--When I do fly Delta, I no longer have an incentive to buy a K+ ticket. Will buy tickets where possible earlier and at far lower prices
--Will fly far fewer transcons PERIOD, because for people like me who take 80+ flights per year, spending 5 to 6 hours in coach twice a week is disaster.
--When I fly international, I will be out of Global Upgrades so probably won't fly Delta as much anymore even on my ~$4,000 coach tickets. Previously I had enough SWUs to upgrade these.
--I flew about 20 transcon segments (NYC-LAX/SFO/SEA) this year. All but one of them were upgraded, of course only last-minute at the gate after everyone had a chance to buy the seats. (So what is Delta really giving up?)
--Most companies, including mine, don't allow the purchase of business-class tickets on domestic routes, but they don't care what fare of economy I buy.
--I'd often wait until the last minute to buy transcon tickets, which benefited Delta quite a bit because I was paying on average ~$1,000 r/t. With a higher fare class, I was more likely to be upgraded with complementary upgrades or I could use one of the 10 SWUs granted every year.
New situation:
--No more complimentary upgrades NYC - LAX/SFO/SEA.
--New "Regional Upgrade" certificates not usable on this route either (!!!), despite it being domestic.
--Only new "Global Upgrades" usable on this route. Diamonds are to be granted only four per year.
Does Delta really think Diamonds like me are going to want to take 20 transcons per year and only have a shot at getting upgraded on four of them? Does Delta expect me as a busy person to waste time connecting in Salt Lake City or Atlanta on my transcons to have a shot?
These changes are a huge win for bargain-basement Diamonds who don't fly transcons frequently: Current SWUs that require very high fare classes are being replaced by (a small number of) Global Upgrades that are really usable.
For me the outcome is as follows:
--Will evaluate other options including AA (unlimited upgrades on this route for top tier) and UA (gives top tier a total of 12 certs usable on this route)
--When I do fly Delta, I no longer have an incentive to buy a K+ ticket. Will buy tickets where possible earlier and at far lower prices
--Will fly far fewer transcons PERIOD, because for people like me who take 80+ flights per year, spending 5 to 6 hours in coach twice a week is disaster.
--When I fly international, I will be out of Global Upgrades so probably won't fly Delta as much anymore even on my ~$4,000 coach tickets. Previously I had enough SWUs to upgrade these.
My routings next year will probably include a lot of JFK-SFO/LAX. I have a couple of other common routes that AA works for. Looks like AA will get their act together and EXP might be better overall than DM on Delta now, at least when you're JFK-based.
Upgrades on JFK-transcons were already hard to find. Do they really think they were leaving a lot of $$ on the table giving upgrades to DM's on these?
The 76W I'm on now had 9 upgrades, and 100+ empty seats in back. Does Delta win by putting DM's in the back on this flight? They had until the last minute to sell the 9 seats up front. With this new policy, there would be 6+ DM's and maybe 3PM's in the back and a bunch of nonrevs in the front. Alternatively, they will lost a lot of "MQDs" as people re-evaluate their options.
So, the score for me so far this year:
- Traveled a lot more and earned DM.
- SDC changes have meant that DL sends flights out empty and I see my family less because of silly fare class rules.
- Fewer upgrades on routes that are important to me (JFK transcons) so I either sit in coach or take connections that cost DL more.
- Maybe AA is better now...
Dec 10, 2013 | 9:51 pm
#284
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend, In Memoriam
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Yiron, Israel
Programs: Bates Motel Plat
Posts: 69,201
I am a PM who chose SWUs as my choice benefit.
Earlier this year, I forked out for an M fare to be upgraded TLV-LAS-TLV.
On Saturday, I will be flying on a B fare on the same route.
I will never make DM, and with SWUs no longer being given to PMs, what is the point of my paying for M or B fares in the future? A sLUT fare will give me the same Economy seat.
Of course, as the big draw for me was being able to sleep in the 747's lie-flat beds across the pond. Now, unless there is a remarkably low-priced I fare available, that is no longer a possibility. Instead, I am much better off taking a European carrier, breaking up my flight with a night in Italy, Spain, or some other country in the far west of Europe, leaving me with a much shorter flight to the States.
Earlier this year, I forked out for an M fare to be upgraded TLV-LAS-TLV.
On Saturday, I will be flying on a B fare on the same route.
I will never make DM, and with SWUs no longer being given to PMs, what is the point of my paying for M or B fares in the future? A sLUT fare will give me the same Economy seat.
Of course, as the big draw for me was being able to sleep in the 747's lie-flat beds across the pond. Now, unless there is a remarkably low-priced I fare available, that is no longer a possibility. Instead, I am much better off taking a European carrier, breaking up my flight with a night in Italy, Spain, or some other country in the far west of Europe, leaving me with a much shorter flight to the States.
Dec 10, 2013 | 9:56 pm
#285
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: DL PM/MM, Hilton Silver, SPG+, Hertz PC
Posts: 7,911
That's great! More enhancements coming our way.
One less month of medallion year and now not even a PM can get a transcon upgrade.
I envy all the cheerleaders celebrating the new Hawaii upgrade: until retirement my SFO-JFK trips will be much more frequent than SFO-HNL
They didn't touch the MM program, though, which is worst in industry.
One less month of medallion year and now not even a PM can get a transcon upgrade.
I envy all the cheerleaders celebrating the new Hawaii upgrade: until retirement my SFO-JFK trips will be much more frequent than SFO-HNL
They didn't touch the MM program, though, which is worst in industry.