gbearbuck

This year I've been flying roughly $300 r/t tickets netting roughly 2k miles... I fly once a week... so this will hurt me big time.

Fortunately I decided to take the cheapest flight regardless of carrier... some DL, some AA, and some WN. I'll continue to fly the cheapest carrier and not worry about status.

In the past I focused on WN and UA... this year I've had exactly 10 round trips so far and not a single flight has gone to UA even though I have "status" with them... funny how DL drops this bomb and they have picked up half my flights so far this year...

Medeski

I already have 4550 in spend this year on 16K miles earned. Under the new system I earn nearly 50K RDMs instead of the 16K earned. I'm sad that my wife wont earn status in the past but this new RDM change makes me extremely happy ... sorry guys as I normally dont like DL changes (including MQM spend) but this one actually benefits me tremendously over the old miles flown RDM system

pezzy669

ATL hub captive, short haul (<500 flight miles), 7-14 advance purchase.

2013

MQS 56 (Lowly Silver)
MQM 31,034
MQD $12,738

Redeemable Miles - 36,209

2015 -

Redeemable Miles - 89,166


No complaints here! Medallion earning is still pretty poor for short haul hub captive FFs.

doglover

<delted>

GopherMSP

I live in a fairly expensive small market, so the change is probably a net positive domestically, net negative internationally, and neutral over all. I fly almost weekly on CR2s for near-minimum mileage on $400 V fares. That will be a big boost in RDMs for the short hops. For personal travel on longer domestic trips I will buy G and A fares when it is convenient, which will likely be a loss.

I usually fly one or two TPACs a year in Y, and this is where I will likely lose 60% or more on mileage. This year I splurged and bought a (discounted) BE ticket to PVG for additional MQM and RDM, and I actually would have come out slightly ahead in the new scheme on that ticket.

In all, I think the change will benefit leisure flyers in more expensive markets and punish those in areas with more competition. It would be very nice if DL retained some sort of class of service bonus for RDMs, but I imagine that they will consider that to be built in to the price of the ticket.

Detroiter

Well, for the small amount of flying I do these days, it looks like I'll make out. December trip DTW-PVD, T fare booked 3 weeks in advance gave MQD of 393, so 1965 miles, versus actual mileage of 1228. July trip same route, T fare booked 5 weeks in advance gave 343 MQD, so 1715 miles. Trip booked for this July on a G (FCM) fare has MQD of 470, so 2350 miles, versus 1842 including the 50% F bonus.

Back in my business travel days, when most travel was booked on short notice and was either an out-and-back or at most a one-night stay, or was paid J international, I'm guessing I would have made out as well.

ROCAT

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KennyBSAT

As a family leisure miles & points collector at no one's hub, Delta's combination of few (or no) domestic seats and lack of one-ways make DL miles perfectly worthless to me. So I will continue to credit any paid DL flights to AS and see how the award chart and availability shakes out. One-way options with even slightly improved availability at the lower tier(s) would be a huge improvement for me, but there is no chance I will be buying any seats that could earn any significant miles with the new program. I suppose I would credit to AF if AS was not an option.

SFO777

How will I be affected? Not at all. I left last year.
From DM to PM and now FO (mostly rollover).
Cancelled my Amex DL Reserve.
Burned our remaining SkyPesos over New Years.

StayingHomeIsBetter

No. MQMs do not change.

But, I am not surprised that the front line folks are ill-informed at this time.

outoftown

As a Diamond, I'm mostly domestic business trips to the midwest. My YTD 2014 MQMs is 7907, MQS is 15 and MQD is $1489. Since I have been qualifying for Diamond via segments, I will probably come out ahead. I am still hedging my bets, with 16 USAIR/AA segments YTD also. If the reward availability improves, I'm OK with the changes, but I believe this change is as stated in previous posts, the rich are getting richer. I am just riding their coattails.

mwjr

If the Delta calculator is accurate I would actually gain 3700 miles on trips I've made so far this year. Forgive me if I'm stating the obvious, but it looks like long flights might actually drop in mileage value, especially if you live in a hub city. I live in Columbia, SC and to go to the bathroom you've got to connect somewhere. Additionally, my job takes me to Dayton, Ohio about 12 times a year, and it looks as if that might benefit me as well.

Does anyone knew if the mileage levels to achieve certain statuses has changed? In other words, will PM still require 75K miles/100 segments and $7500 MQDs?

I made PM via segments, and it's probably only a matter of time before they change that.

TMitch6542

I'm mostly a leisure traveler doing about 4 or 5 TATL per year with one or two business trips thrown in up or down the east coast. My TATL are a mix of Y which I will lose on and BE or combined BE over and Y or premium economy on the way back and I will gain a bit on that. My business travel, which is inconsequential, will net fewer miles. So from quick calculations I think I will be about equal on RDMs. At this point the fact that MQM isn't changing keeps me satisfied although i do want to see what the new (possible 5 tier) redemption levels will look like. What redeeming I do are also for TATL and for BE that has already increased to 125k.

troyintn

I tend to agree my West coast flights cost more 800- 1k versus 600 - 800 for my normal 2k mqm/4 mqs.

As for MQD/MQS I think in another year or two it will all be MQD.

Josephmay

Sadly for me, I'll probably go from PM to Nothing. There is no use in being loyal to a carrier that is indifferent to my type of flyer - A 100% leisure flyer. I fly enough for PM on cheaper fares. I'm going to take me and my 600K RDMs and use them this year. I'm more afraid of the new award chart than anything else.
Delta it has been death by 1000 cuts:
Award chart devaluations.
Lack of low level redemptions.
No Transcon Upgrades.
Sky Club Membership fees.
and now full revenue based earning.
I'm not sticking around for full revenue redemptions at a penny per sky mile.
So my JFK - LAS on Friday will probably be my last paid flight credited to delta this year.