Who is with me on moving to AA.
Jul 20, 2015, 7:19 am
#16
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: US-Europe
Programs: DL DM Charter/2.5MM, AA EXP, Marriott AMB, LT Titanium, HH Diamond, Avis PP, National Exec-E
Posts: 529
I fly my minimum segs to keep basic status and secure a back-up airline. Made Platinum due to the combining of US and AA this year. As a Platinum, I have not yet gotten one upgrade, in fact have never been able to use the 20 that I have. I have 8 more segs with them to get me to 30 and they can't come soon enough.
Jul 20, 2015, 7:23 am
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: LAX/BOS/HKG/AMS/SFO...hmm, I need a life.
Programs: United1K, AA ExPlAAt, DL MM/Gold, Hilton Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 13,316
I am thinking about it but for different reasons. I fly DAY-MAN monthly (approx). ATL-MAN was switched to VS metal. JFK-MAN was added but it is a nightmare to get to JFK from DAY -I still have to go via ATL or DTW or even MSP. So for me it is about schedule. I actually want to be loyal to Delta.
Seriously - not even to Plat (I do not expect Exec Plat)?
Wow - if true that does make a difference.
Seriously - not even to Plat (I do not expect Exec Plat)?
Wow - if true that does make a difference.
Waiting to see "what shakes out" is giving up on a full year of old-school FF benefits away. If one believes they are all going the way of DL then one should squeeze as much value as possible now. I just got back from HKG and I have 37K points in the bank for that trip. I basically got a domestic FC ticket for anytime I want it for free. Like I said earlier: I use my points for domestic FC and I am 100% at finding low anytime I want it....that is a fact. INT is a little tougher but relative to DL it is a walk in the park.
My hope is that AA recognizes by not changing they could be locking up a valuable asset for when things turn bad.....the LOYALTY of a large group of customers who DO fly all the time, good times and bad. Let DL and UA scramble to throw carrots out there when it happens.
Jul 20, 2015, 7:28 am
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2008
Location: CHA, MAN;
Programs: Delta DM 1 MM; Hz PC
Posts: 11,169
They are doing challenges not matches. The Plat challenge cost $200 and requires 10K EQP (points) in 3 months. It is a cake walk. They also give you gold for the challenge period. The EXP challenge I got was like $300 and 20K EQP...also easy-peasy. Just google "AA elite challenge" and call the number.
September DAY-PHL-MAN-PHL-DAY + some busines travel
October DAY-ORD-MAN-ORD-DAY + some business + some leisure
November DAY-SNN and return + some business + some leisure
I make that approx 40K EQP ^^^
Jul 20, 2015, 7:40 am
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: LAX/BOS/HKG/AMS/SFO...hmm, I need a life.
Programs: United1K, AA ExPlAAt, DL MM/Gold, Hilton Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 13,316
Not logged in so anyone can go look at FC availability at Low. And unlike DL when it says low it means low...
Jul 20, 2015, 7:46 am
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: LAX/BOS/HKG/AMS/SFO...hmm, I need a life.
Programs: United1K, AA ExPlAAt, DL MM/Gold, Hilton Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 13,316
Jul 20, 2015, 8:07 am
#22
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: BOS
Programs: DL PM, HH DM, MR Gold, SPG Gold, Amtrak SP
Posts: 158
I switched my travel at the start of the year. But not to just AA. I've gone independent and now just book on price/convenience. So far that's yielded me a total of 1 DL round trip this year. I've flown a little on AA, UA, B6, and even WN. Since I'm a lowly PM it's not like I've missed a lot of upgrades anyway and actually found that I don't really mind the other carriers (love B6, AA has been good, WN is surprisingly ok once I got past the awful boarding process, UA seems hit or miss).
I've still got the DL Amex but will cancel that after a family trip this December where the free checked bag will save me more than the annual fee. Now I've just got to find a way to burn over 500k pesos without having the time to take a decent vacation. I'm officially a free agent and don't see that changing unless my travel pattern or frequency changes in the next few years.
I've still got the DL Amex but will cancel that after a family trip this December where the free checked bag will save me more than the annual fee. Now I've just got to find a way to burn over 500k pesos without having the time to take a decent vacation. I'm officially a free agent and don't see that changing unless my travel pattern or frequency changes in the next few years.
Jul 20, 2015, 8:26 am
#23
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: DL 3 MM/DM, Marriott Titanium Elite, Hyatt Globalist, National Exec Elite
Posts: 4,003
The big question is whether AA, once the merger is completely done and the two programs/carriers totally integrated, will align with DL/UA or try to remain with its traditional program (that right now looks far superior).
I deserted DL back in the reign of Leo Mullin and went to AA, making EXP. AA Management then treated EXP customers very well. Frontline people were indifferent except in the Admirals Club. Flight attendants were hit or miss, mostly miss.
The bottom line is that it was a royal pain to fly AA out of ATL. That extra stop to a number of places might seem trivial at first blush, but when you do it over and over and over again it gets a bit old. So, eventually I migrated back to DL. Mullin left and things got better.
The one thing that is different now, compared to then, is that AA is flying ATL-LAX nonstop, which might be the game changer if you do a lot of west coast travel. Adding ATL-CLT makes a difference as well for east coast stuff from ATL on AA.
I am still not prepared to make any changes again because the Delta service lately has been really good. The airline is operationally worlds ahead of where it was ten years ago and I really, really enjoy flying DL. I am willing to pay a bit of a premium and suffer some benefit cuts because the carrier is so much better than it had been. But this thing on the horizon of 120,000 or 160,000 miles to upgrade a ticket to Europe, if it sticks, will be very hard to swallow.
I will say that all of the negative program changes lately are making me think hard about this.
I deserted DL back in the reign of Leo Mullin and went to AA, making EXP. AA Management then treated EXP customers very well. Frontline people were indifferent except in the Admirals Club. Flight attendants were hit or miss, mostly miss.
The bottom line is that it was a royal pain to fly AA out of ATL. That extra stop to a number of places might seem trivial at first blush, but when you do it over and over and over again it gets a bit old. So, eventually I migrated back to DL. Mullin left and things got better.
The one thing that is different now, compared to then, is that AA is flying ATL-LAX nonstop, which might be the game changer if you do a lot of west coast travel. Adding ATL-CLT makes a difference as well for east coast stuff from ATL on AA.
I am still not prepared to make any changes again because the Delta service lately has been really good. The airline is operationally worlds ahead of where it was ten years ago and I really, really enjoy flying DL. I am willing to pay a bit of a premium and suffer some benefit cuts because the carrier is so much better than it had been. But this thing on the horizon of 120,000 or 160,000 miles to upgrade a ticket to Europe, if it sticks, will be very hard to swallow.
I will say that all of the negative program changes lately are making me think hard about this.
Last edited by Robert Leach; Jul 20, 2015 at 8:36 am
Jul 20, 2015, 9:00 am
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2008
Location: CHA, MAN;
Programs: Delta DM 1 MM; Hz PC
Posts: 11,169
I am still not prepared to make any changes YET because the Delta service lately has been really good. The airline is operationally worlds ahead of where it was ten years ago and I really, really enjoy flying DL. I am willing to pay a bit of a premium and suffer some benefit cuts because the carrier is so much better than it had been.
Jul 20, 2015, 9:12 am
#26
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: MSP
Posts: 13
I was forced to move to AA or UA last year when I switched jobs. DL from MSP is way too expensive to be within policy on a regular basis. I have been very happy with UA. They don't handle irrops as well as DL, and there seem to be a few more of them, but the phone support is superior with every call I make. It isn't dependent on lucky on call centers. I get as many upgrades as gold on UA that I did as Platinum on DL. One of the best benefits I've come to realize is the partner network. Having Star Gold while travelling international means access to great lounges. That is important to me. UA is slowly getting their act together, by copying DL on a lot of things. Hopefully they don't copy the horrible "partner network" that is SkyTeam.
All that said, I say go to AA. I've heard some rumblings from AA elites, but you get that from any airline. Don't worry about being "hub captive". I say that is a term that only applies if you are too lazy for an extra flight and thus fewer elite miles.
All that said, I say go to AA. I've heard some rumblings from AA elites, but you get that from any airline. Don't worry about being "hub captive". I say that is a term that only applies if you are too lazy for an extra flight and thus fewer elite miles.
Jul 20, 2015, 9:13 am
#27
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Northern California
Programs: I want to be free! Free!
Posts: 3,455
Regardless, I'd wait until the PSS's get merged this fall even if you want to take on the program-change risk.
Jul 20, 2015, 9:25 am
#29
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 385
We are gone.
I am ready to move with my wallet and not just with my posts.Who is up for moving their loyalty to AA from delta. This is my thought. I am a diamond with delta. I am willing to status challenge to AA to platinum level.
I think if we can get enough diamonds to transfer to AA we may be able to negotiate a better deal. Discuss....
I think if we can get enough diamonds to transfer to AA we may be able to negotiate a better deal. Discuss....
"Whatever it look like....it definitely ain't that." Former Florida Senator George Smathers
Jul 20, 2015, 9:35 am
#30
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: ATL
Programs: Delta DM/1.3MM, Marriott PP/LTP, Natl EE, Etihad Guest, FT FNG
Posts: 662