How are you impacted by the 2015 change?
Feb 27, 2014, 8:52 pm
#181
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 514
If not then American might. It's simple math really and all comes down to price. If United can fill planes with a more friendly FFP, then maybe the increased fares and higher load rate will mean they can afford to give more miles back?
It also depends on what the economy does. I think things are looking very bubbly as of late but these things can go on much longer than they should. If that were to happen then it changes the dynamics especially if it causes a loss in demand for fuel, passenger which means fuel prices go down and ticket prices follow.
Feb 27, 2014, 9:00 pm
#182
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Winter Garden, FL
Programs: Delta DM-3MM United Gold-MM Marriott Lifetime Titanium Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 13,498
I find it extremely hard to believe that marginal changes in airline passenger loads could possibly have a measurable effect on jet-fuel prices, which are closely tied to the price of crude oil. Airline usage of crude oil is certainly negligible compared to the total market.
Bruce
Bruce
Feb 27, 2014, 9:56 pm
#183
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: 30 West
Programs: AA Plat, UA 1K, Ex-DL Plat, SPG Plat, IC Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 266
I was also shocked to find out I cannot spend my Skypesos to buy merchandise after I dropped fro Plat to a basic member.
Burn em if you get em
Feb 27, 2014, 10:04 pm
#184
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: South Florida
Programs: DL GM, SPG GOLD, UA DIRT, AA PLAT, US (RIP), Hilton HHonors
Posts: 705
I'm reading the tea leaves but am assuming UA and AA will both be transitioning to this system (eventually, later if not sooner). What it means for me is I'll just drop loyalty altogether and focus earning on hotel programs (where it's already $$$ based anyway), and buy tickets based on price. I've got some international trips this year and already have spread out among multiple alliances (r/t to Europe on Virgin, to Australia on Hawaiian and to EZE on AA). Not worth the effort unless you are really a high value business traveler.
Feb 27, 2014, 10:07 pm
#185
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: South Florida
Programs: DL GM, SPG GOLD, UA DIRT, AA PLAT, US (RIP), Hilton HHonors
Posts: 705
Feb 27, 2014, 10:38 pm
#186
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 514
I find it extremely hard to believe that marginal changes in airline passenger loads could possibly have a measurable effect on jet-fuel prices, which are closely tied to the price of crude oil. Airline usage of crude oil is certainly negligible compared to the total market.
Bruce
Bruce
Feb 27, 2014, 11:00 pm
#187
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: MSP
Programs: Delta PM, Marriott Plat, Hertz Pres
Posts: 3,649
I don't think you're calculating the Amex 2 more miles per dollar correctly. You're currently getting that today, it just comes as a Amex $ spend bonus, it doesn't show in your Flight activity on your Skymiles page.
So you don't get 9 miles per dollar as a PM and then 11 miles per dollar if you're a PM with a Delta Amex.
The 2 miles per dollar comes on your Amex statement where you spent $5,000 in a month and you get $1,000 of it was on Delta flights you get 1 mile per dollar for the $4,000 non Delta spend and 2 miles per dollar on the $1,000 Delta.
So you don't get 9 miles per dollar as a PM and then 11 miles per dollar if you're a PM with a Delta Amex.
The 2 miles per dollar comes on your Amex statement where you spent $5,000 in a month and you get $1,000 of it was on Delta flights you get 1 mile per dollar for the $4,000 non Delta spend and 2 miles per dollar on the $1,000 Delta.
Feb 28, 2014, 6:10 am
#188
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Nashville: Delta DM
Programs: Delta DM, Marriott PP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 130
changing award miles
So is it correct to use the MQDs showing now as what will be used to determine award miles earned for a flight? If so, a flight I just took as a diamond, the "new" calculation using either plat or diamond multiplier yields less miles than the current calculation. If so, this is lowering the bar not raising it.
Feb 28, 2014, 7:09 am
#189
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: DL PM, 1MM, DL SC, Kimpton Inner Circle
Posts: 2,416
So is it correct to use the MQDs showing now as what will be used to determine award miles earned for a flight? If so, a flight I just took as a diamond, the "new" calculation using either plat or diamond multiplier yields less miles than the current calculation. If so, this is lowering the bar not raising it.
Feb 28, 2014, 8:04 am
#190
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Boca Raton, FL
Programs: DL MM, DL DM, Marriott PP
Posts: 561
That is not a correct assumption. RDM calculation is based on a ticket price
†Ticket price used to calculate miles earned includes base fare and carrier-imposed surcharges, and excludes government-imposed taxes and fees. Tickets purchased in a foreign currency will be converted to USD at time of ticketing based on the IATA 5-day rate.
MQD is only on fare price.
There is another little problem with the calculator. It is only good for non-stop flights. As it say " *Calculations are accurate for nonstop, round-trip flights only. "
†Ticket price used to calculate miles earned includes base fare and carrier-imposed surcharges, and excludes government-imposed taxes and fees. Tickets purchased in a foreign currency will be converted to USD at time of ticketing based on the IATA 5-day rate.
MQD is only on fare price.
There is another little problem with the calculator. It is only good for non-stop flights. As it say " *Calculations are accurate for nonstop, round-trip flights only. "
Feb 28, 2014, 1:58 pm
#191
Join Date: May 2012
Location: CT
Programs: Delta SM, 1MM; Alaska Gold 100K
Posts: 52
Trying to Maintain a Sense of Humor
Disclaimer: Not a hub captive or business flyer. Pay myself for all travel. Flew 99 Delta flights in 2012, 66 in 2013 and 17 so far in 2014. MQDs have probably already killed it for me although a few days ago I booked a transcon via ATL and went for the A fare. First time ever, when I clicked purchase, delta.com said the fare had decreased by $50!
My thoughts:
Thank you, Delta, for curing my obsession
Used to be mileage running (I am confessing)
Chasing status with multiple connections
All for that alluring Diamond reflection
Now Delta says that’s not right
Got to pay more for it outright
Just like in Vegas, high rollers gonna rule
And get first dibs at Sky Club gruel
Lots of spend, lots of earn
More miles to try and burn
You’re going to sit at the head of the table
As long as you spend all that you’re able
The award calendar will sort of be fixed
You might even get a one-way tix
It’s a for-profit business; he’s got our back
So no more free-loading gamers or T fare riff-raff
WFBF, that’s where it’s going
Mull it over on your next no-IFE Boeing
We’re a high-class airline with bedding, pillows, lie-flat seats
So no more complaining, we’re the one to beat
If you buy lower than Q(?), you’ll sit in the back
Well maybe an upgrade will slip through the crack
Better buy refundable Y, maybe A or P, or best of all, J, C or D
No more sitting up front almost for free
So another big thank-you, Orville, Wilbur and Amelia
Delta don’t care how these enhancements make you feel-a
My thoughts:
Thank you, Delta, for curing my obsession
Used to be mileage running (I am confessing)
Chasing status with multiple connections
All for that alluring Diamond reflection
Now Delta says that’s not right
Got to pay more for it outright
Just like in Vegas, high rollers gonna rule
And get first dibs at Sky Club gruel
Lots of spend, lots of earn
More miles to try and burn
You’re going to sit at the head of the table
As long as you spend all that you’re able
The award calendar will sort of be fixed
You might even get a one-way tix
It’s a for-profit business; he’s got our back
So no more free-loading gamers or T fare riff-raff
WFBF, that’s where it’s going
Mull it over on your next no-IFE Boeing
We’re a high-class airline with bedding, pillows, lie-flat seats
So no more complaining, we’re the one to beat
If you buy lower than Q(?), you’ll sit in the back
Well maybe an upgrade will slip through the crack
Better buy refundable Y, maybe A or P, or best of all, J, C or D
No more sitting up front almost for free
So another big thank-you, Orville, Wilbur and Amelia
Delta don’t care how these enhancements make you feel-a
Mar 1, 2014, 6:57 pm
#192
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: ATL
Programs: AA GLD Skymiles DM MM, a+ rewards lifetime elite, AS, Marriott plat, PC plat, HH gold
Posts: 1,275
I screwed up royally. As an FO, I decided to roll over 20K+ MQMs in order to get GM in 2015 when MQDs thin the herd. Now GM gets the worst of the new program. It would have been nice to get the 100% RDM bonus this year.
I am glad I have gone AA/BA recently about 50% of the time.
I am glad I have gone AA/BA recently about 50% of the time.
Mar 1, 2014, 9:57 pm
#194
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Minneapolis, formerly the shores of Lake Minnetonka
Programs: DL PM (and KM)
Posts: 394
An interesting thought today about my travel and how this affects it. One of the routes I fly often is MSP-DEN which has lots of competition with WN and F9 both flying this route direct. It keeps prices way down, it can easily be had for under $200 during ski season. It's about a 690 mile trip so I pick up almost 2800 RDMs as a Gold currently. Next year that trip might only get me 1000 miles. That's a pretty significant decrease.
I've been loyal to DL and always flown them, but they don't have the best schedule for the flight home so now I'm not going to be as worried about flying DL and if I can save a little money and get a better schedule I won't hesitate.
I would imagine there's some other routes like this that have big competition from the LCCs that keep fares down where elite travelers are going to take big hits on RDMs. I wonder how those flyers will respond since there's clearly other options for them.
I know people will say DL is probably not making any money on me if I'm only paying $150 for that flight, and these changes are aimed to fix that. But they're still flying the plane from MSP-DEN and the marginal revenue they get from me is better than flying the plane with those seats empty.
I've been loyal to DL and always flown them, but they don't have the best schedule for the flight home so now I'm not going to be as worried about flying DL and if I can save a little money and get a better schedule I won't hesitate.
I would imagine there's some other routes like this that have big competition from the LCCs that keep fares down where elite travelers are going to take big hits on RDMs. I wonder how those flyers will respond since there's clearly other options for them.
I know people will say DL is probably not making any money on me if I'm only paying $150 for that flight, and these changes are aimed to fix that. But they're still flying the plane from MSP-DEN and the marginal revenue they get from me is better than flying the plane with those seats empty.
Mar 1, 2014, 10:27 pm
#195
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: 45° North
Programs: DL DM MM, HH Diamond
Posts: 10,196
†Ticket price used to calculate miles earned includes base fare and carrier-imposed surcharges, and excludes government-imposed taxes and fees. Tickets purchased in a foreign currency will be converted to USD at time of ticketing based on the IATA 5-day rate.
MQD is only on fare price.
MQD is only on fare price.
...you’ll receive MQDs for the ticket’s base fare and carrier-imposed surcharges, but not for taxes or fees.
Difference is MQDs are earned on preferred/EC seat purchase as well. Doesn't sound like new RDMs are accrued that way.