rocket2247

Hello,

I fly out of Pittsburgh and have always flown USairways, now American. I am a Platinum member with American. I fly anywhere from 15-20 times a year. Typical places I travel are LAS, PHX, DFW, LAX, DTW, MSP, MCO, plus a few others. I am mainly interested in the complimentary upgrades. Before the merger, USair always had complimentary upgrades but now with American, it is different with having to use 500 mile segments to request an upgrade.

Anyway, I had 2 questions:

1. Does Delta offer any programs where they would match status if I were to switch?
2. Can you think of reasons why it would be a bad idea for me to switch?

I'd appreciate any advice. Thanks.

Mwenenzi

Your question has been asked before. But more seem to leave DL for AA, than AA to DL
20 flights a year is not a lot.

The grass in not always greener on the other side

Look (post 3) and ask here http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/infor...help-here.html

paterwdb

Depends on which tier you would qualify for. If you're PM and not DM, your chances of regular upgrades on business routes and times are not likely. With DM it is a little better, but not by any means an "almost every time" situation.

Plus, PIT is not the most DL friendly city.

Honestly, I'd stick with AA and see how often you are able to cash in stickers and get the upgrade for a year, then consider switching.

On the con-Dl side as well, remember that DL has MQDollars as well as MQM, and that you earn fewer miles with DL (unless you're buying a lot of last minutes high fare tickets) and that DL miles are much harder to spend and require many more miles to redeem.

On the pro-DL side, service and (generally) the fleet are much better.

davie355

AA Plat = DL Gold. Delta will match your status for free for 90 days.

http://www.delta.com/contactus/pages...atch/index.jsp

kishkash

I can't speak to the status match, but I'm PIT-based and might be able to offer a little perspective on the actual experience of flying DL versus AA here.

First off, the gate agents and ground staff for DL at PIT have been far friendlier and willing to help. A lot of the staff for US/AA really can't be bothered and will let you know. Just yesterday, I was flying US/AA to PHL and had a 4-hour mechanical delay. Agents didn't proactively offer vouchers for food/beverage (I had to ask at hour 3.5), and an agent at the neighboring gate told an individual she didn't know what was going on for the Boston flight and didn't bother looking up from her terminal. I did find a friendly soul to help me after speaking to 3 other people, so I don't mean to paint everyone with the surly brush.

Conversely, DL ground staff has brought out beverage carts and snacks for much shorter delays. Truthfully, though, I've been delayed out of PIT only a handful of times in the past 3 years out of PIT, but I've seen the carts in action for other flights. Overall, they're more approachable and certainly less mean or aloof. I'll note that this also stands for landslide staff at check-in areas.

AA is losing STL and BDL from PIT, and DL has lost CVG recently. On either airline, you're going to do some connecting, but DL has, for me, a significant advantage with the seasonal CDG flight and a far more reliable operation out of their hubs through which you'll connect. The minus for me is the lack of a club and west coast option on DL. That said, I know the new airport chair is pushing hard for SLC and SEA. It may not pan out, but I'll try to keep a little optimism going.

As for upgrades, I haven't missed a single one to/from PIT on DL as a DM in 2+ years. I do, however, tend to travel a little off-peak in terms of days and times of day. There are flights where I don't even see anyone on the UG list after all medallions have cleared, too, although that tends to be the LGA and JFK routes.

Oh, and bags on DL tend to come out way, way faster.

rocket2247

I appreciate all the responses. My remaining flights are already booked for remainder of 2015, so I might wait until 2016 to do the status match. I am currently at 45 segments and 40k miles for the year and with remaining flights will get to around 54 segments and over 50k miles so I would be Platinum again for AA in 2016. I don't mind connections and I agree that flying out of PIT might get me more upgrades as it's not a key hub for Delta.

In your opinion, if I do make the switch, what would my options be on how to utilize my lifetime miles with American. It's close to 250k miles.

MSPeconomist

Calling davetravels. He's based at PIT and uses DL.

Mannix

I'd stick with AA, simply because their frequent flier program is still based on miles and not dollars. Easier to make status, and quicker to accumulate miles.

In fact, I'm thinking about switching to AA myself. I wonder if they have a status match program also.

As far as customer service goes, it means little to me. I rarely interact with the gate agents unless they page me for some reason.

Zorak

They had one, but it's probably no longer possible to enroll (there is speculation whether it will return in some modified form in 2016):

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...ec-2015-a.html

indufan

Do you have any real evidence of this?
Delta's status is not based upon dollars. Me and others are earning more miles under the dollars plan than the distance plan.

And then there are the operational realities, you have a much better chance of arriving and on time on Delta.

I doubt I would change but you got to look at all of it and use facts.

Zorak

I suspect Mannix was referring to the MQD requirement, although that's pretty easy to get around with the AMEX waiver.

davetravels

Why, thanx, for the vote of confidence!!

I pretty much agree with what Kish says . . . .

The PIT staff is superb! Extremely friendly and eager to do whatever it takes!! Many of the gate and baggage staff know me by name, and I get truly AMAZING service from them! They take care of me very well!

I can't give a recent US experience, as I haven't stepped foot on a US plane in years and YEARS! They frequently seemed to have a "Better than thou" attitude. I could cite a number of stories, but this really isn't the place! . . . . I guess this is still the case, as evidenced by this:

I'm probably at 98 or 99% for upgrades, with the rare miss usually due to a last minute same day flight change. I travel all for pleasure, so, maybe my flights are more likely off peak. A few weeks ago, flying ATL/SAN on the last flight out on a Thursday nite, which I know is a peak flight, I would have missed the UG by 2 or 3 seats. I took a $500 VDB and was rebooked on the first flight Friday morning, and easily cleared the UG in the AM.

Not just out of PIT, but, DL overall, compared to what I've read here, seems to be way ahead of the curve with on time flights, plus, when something does go awry, they bend over backwards to get you where you hafto go! REALLY, and I'm certain that DM status makes a huge difference! I've read the UA horror stories here!

As I have mentioned before, I own a limo company, and, the #1 pet peeve of my drivers with US has always been baggage wait times. It's HORRENDOUS! With DL, my big, heavy bags from shopping in Asia were out in 13 minutes the other nite! It's usually 15 or 16 minutes from gate arrival time!

As to connecting, only the OP will hafto try'n figure out if his/her flying patters will be well serviced by DL's route structure. I make it work for me, but, I'm rarely in a hurry!



What else do ya' wanna know?

HDQDD

Of course not. This is the internets. You can make grandiose claims without data.

xliioper

Note this is a challenge, not just a simple status match. You have to meet the challenge terms to extend the status beyond the initial 90 days --

http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_...challenge.html

SuperG1955

50K MQM will give you GM. You also need the MQD or AMEX MQD Waiver. GM UGs are not as easy as DM UGs.

You could try a match in January and see how you do. Worst case is that you have to do an MR on AA to keep your status there if you decide to stick with them.