indufan

This is a load of malarkey. I am not "fiscally irresponsible" in the least. Last year, I paid >$500 to fly to ATL non stop from IND at least a dozen times. Why? Because it was the cheapest available on the dates and times needed, regardless of the carrier. Tell me how the new system doesn't benefit me and tell me how I am being fiscally irresponsible.

I am HARDLY a "super high spender"...I had about 17,000 MQDs last year and I would have been about 20% better off. This year, I am probably only about 5% better off so far. But I am still better off.

There IS evidence in the record that availability got better on Jan 1. No, it isn't scientific. There is NO evidence in the record that availability got worse, scientific or not.

yohanson

Are you referring to RDMs earned when you talk about being better off? A DM has to have $25,568 MQDs to earn the same number of RDMs they would have earned prior to 2014, assuming they earned exactly 125,000 MQMs. I had $18,4xx MQDs last year and I earned about 25% fewer RDMs.

RealHJ

Good for Delta! You are just the type of customer that Delta wants to hang onto, and who the new program is obviously designed to reward more vs. the average customer. It seems, based on extrapolation that I've done, that the new program is designed so that, in terms of earn, extremely profitable customers earn slightly more than before, very profitable ones (warning: subjective terminology used) earn about the same or a bit more, while everyone else earns less. So if one falls into the very profitable criteria (again, it's subjective guess based on $ per mile of distance fares, presuming costs are roughly the same for all routes and tied to the distance generally), then one will earn about the same as before or a bit more. The average or close to average customer will surely earn less, as we've all seen. Of course, the value of those SkyMiles is another matter..

If you close your eyes and ignore the facts, then sure. But the evidence is overwhelming - on the routes that I searched -, that availability, or rather the award price, is now more than twice higher than it was until Dec 31. Super easy to do, and compare to how it was before Jan 1. As a general practice, there used to be one seat at normal in both classes on all flights from 331 days out until it was booked. Now so is no longer the case, and average bus class price is 2.2x higher vs before, even at 331 days out (or close in, or anywhere inbetween), while average Y about 1.6x higher, and consistently so. Just compare dec 31 search to jan 1 search for same route and dates, or searches now to same route, same time out last year searches. But, to do that you would need to have saved last year searches, or remember it well.

Now that is for routes that I have searched. It may - and likely does - differ for other routes. Who knows, may be its even better for some. So I won't rule out that some may be better off. But as a general rule, with no stopovers, and higher normal level pricing, and more than ever seats only at the higher levels, and even more additive pricing, etc., the vast majority are worse off.

jer

As a fellow academic, and a consultant in the field of international development, I am also wondering about my loyalty to Delta. I am probably flying between 75 and 100 K miles per year in Y on contracts, and another 20 to 30 K on personal. I have control of about half of my contract tickets, and whenever possible steer that business to Delta if the cost is reasonably close to the market. I steer all of my personal travel to Delta, and often pay significantly above market and even purchase first class (domestic) when traveling with my wife. So I am normally a platinum, and occasionally make the equivalent of silver on some other airline if the stars align in a given year.

I will say that the first time I hit platinum about seven years ago I was amazed at the different travel experience. The combination of economy comfort and the overall better treatment really makes flying much better, especially when headed off to remoter parts of Africa. I am 6'4 and of stocky build. I still think the perks of platinum are nice, but the devaluations, combined with recently reduced upgrades, are making me wonder about my loyalty. I just can't ever seem to find reasonable award tix, and am now earning about 25% less miles under the new system

I am probably not a priority customer for Delta. My annual spend is between 20 to 30k. But I can't imagine that all those Y Delta tickets, especially when they cost more than another carrier, have not been a net positive for the airline. Had I been purchasing tickets solely on cost and convenience, probably no more than 2 to 5K would have gone to Delta.

I am not giving up yet. I once had the horrible experience of flying LHR-Dubai on an emirates 777 10 abreast that I would prefer not to repeat. However I have several flights to book in the next couple of weeks, and I am considering exploring other options. Now that you can buy economy comfort type products and enhanced boarding on many carriers, I am wondeing if the extra money to make platinum is worth it.

longing4piedmont

Yes you are but one of about 80,000,000 SM members.

And I am way better off this year and I pay for everyone of my tickets. I also buy the cheapest I can find that get me where I have to go and when.

So your fiscally irresponsible comment is off base and offensive.

KitKestrel

I hope someone can help me to understand how MQMs are calculated. I've worked part of it out, but the MQMs have me stumped. I've included data from 3 trips I took earlier this year, with all numbers coming from My Trips or Receipts. I am Gold level and don't use a Delta AmEx.

Itin: DTW - MSP - AUS - MSP - DTW
Class flown: L all legs
Base spend: $618
Total miles: 4944 (618*8)
Base miles: 3090 (618*5)
Bonus miles: 1854 (618*3)
Geographic miles: 3132 (per WebFlyer)
MQM: 3126 (I can't work out the relationship of this to anything else)

Itin: DTW - ATL - RDU - ATL - DTW
Class flown: T all legs
Base spend: $430
Total miles: 3440 (430*8)
Base miles: 2150 (430*5)
Bonus miles: 2190 (430*3)
Geographic miles: 1904
MQM: 2190 (is it coincidence that it's the same as the bonus miles?)

Itin: DTW - BWI - DTW
Class flown: T all legs
Base spend: $158
Total miles: 1264 (158*8)
Base miles: 790 (158*5)
Bonus miles: 459 (158*3)
Geographic miles: 816
MQM: 1000 (minimum still 1000? what has to top 500 to change it?)

Color me confused

Many thanks for any and all help.

KitKestrel.

Ben and Jerry

Putting those 2 days up as a comparison is like comparing apples to toaster ovens....

Ben and Jerry

First off: your MQM's have NOTHING to do with your spend, so you can forget about that part.

MQM's are based on the actual miles you have flown. typically you find this information when you book a flight. There is sometimes a small difference in the numbers used but this is +/-30 miles or so.

What does matter is the fare class that you booked (the letter). Based on this you will earn 100/150/200% MQM's based on the miles flown.

Info on rates here:
https://www.delta.com/content/www/en...t-diamond.html

More info: your gold status does nothing for the amount of MQM's you earned, it is only related to the RDM's you earn (the bonus miles you received, based on the $$ you spent on the ticket).

Amex really is only relevant with regards to obtaining/maintaining your Gold status. you earn gold by meeting 2 criteria:
1. earning 50,000 MQM's OR flying 60 segments (MQS) in 2015
2. spending at least $6,000 on Delta (=MQD's). Money for taxes and government fees do NOT count towards this.

Item 2 can be disregarded as soon as you spend $25,000 on a delta gold/platinum or reserve card (basically any spend on this card).

Hope this helped.

RealHJ

Good analogy. ^

I almost threw up as I was searching, while being in a rather long hour+ taxi ride, for the new pricing and availability when it was Jan 1st morning in the US. And since then, it's only gotten worse. At first was about 2x the price (same for OW as was for RT). Now it's about 2.5x so.

But again, for some other routes and travel patterns the results may be different. I can only speak from the routes I've searched, where I know the historic availability, pricing, and all the quirks very well.

DaveH

I am a Seattle-based flyer who often needs the AS non-stops.

I'd already booked at least 6 paid 2015 flights on AS metal. I've credited skymiles, soley for the MQM bump. Naturally, the first of these flights departs April 3. While a couple are in M, the rest are devalued by this new "minor adjustment".

My objection isn't to the devaluation itself. It is to giving me all of three weeks notice before it takes effect, as opposed to having it take effect Jan 1 2016. Had I known, I would have chosen a different strategy for my non-refundable bookings.

Does anyone have suggestions as to the most effective method for contacting Delta about this? It would seem reasonable to ask that they honor the posted MQM rate for bookings paid for prior to this March 9 announcement--and that's all I would ask for. TIA.

sethb

I can, and do, easily deny that. The program is significantly worse than it used to be.

I earn fewer redeemable (sort-of) miles, and it takes a lot more of them to get a ticket. Delta won't even publish how many, which is a sign that they know their customers would react poorly to the facts.

luv2ctheworld

I think for those who continue to think the improvements are in their favor, good for them.

But just remember that the trend DL is going on, those who currently feel it benefits them will, at some point in the future, be thrown out in the cold, one way or another.

Because as DL has consistently shown, if they can make money off you without giving anything back, they will. The FFP in DL's eyes are nothing more than a liability. If they could get rid of it, they would (as would every other airline).

The difference here is DL is much more proactive in tweaking the program to their advantage and blatantly in your face about it.

RealHJ

+1. Well said and right on.

gooselee

You should post on your own behalf and advocate for your opinions as your own. That doesn't mean that your experience or resulting opinion is the same as everyone else's.

This. And the 500 mile minimum explains the larger differences between MQM and geographical mileage on OP's second two itineraries. Relationship to bonus miles or anything else is just coincidental.

flymonthly

Did you have a typo in the Bonus miles? 430*3 = 1290 (rather than 2190), so the MQMs are not the same.