Why does Delta have your loyalty?
Oct 20, 2015, 5:38 pm
#46
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: PBI/FLL/MIA
Programs: DL DM/2MM, MR Ambassador, National EE
Posts: 1,614
Oct 20, 2015, 5:46 pm
#47
Join Date: Jul 2014
Programs: Delta Gold
Posts: 210
At XNA we only have three options. AA, DL, UA. Have had too many bad experiences on AA, though it definitely controls the market from number of flights offered and has the most FF traffic. Not interested in flying on UA's E135/145s everywhere and have heard too many questionable customer service experiences. DL is a nice balance in flight/fleet options and I've never had a bad experience. May seem like too easy of rationale, but it is what it is for me!
Oct 20, 2015, 8:03 pm
#48
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2014
Programs: Top Tier with all 3 alliances
Posts: 11,641
It sounds like hub captivity, with a side of rationalization and denial...
The DL 763 TATL J is worse than coach, has anyone being able to sleep in that coffin? Just atrocious...
The DL 763 TATL J is worse than coach, has anyone being able to sleep in that coffin? Just atrocious...
Oct 20, 2015, 8:23 pm
#49
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Northern California
Programs: I want to be free! Free!
Posts: 3,453
That said, everything is relative, and United's inconsistency on wifi is atrocious - sometimes the performance is quite good, but they have four different systems (and pay portals) and my experience is it is operational maybe 60% of the time. MAYBE. Coincidentally their July on-time rate....
Oct 20, 2015, 8:25 pm
#50
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: DTW
Programs: DL PM, Natl-Exec Elite, Hertz-President Circle, Marriot/Starwood-Gold, HHonors-Gold
Posts: 678
Like many others, I am not loyal as much as I'm hub-flight schedule captive. My only option is most connections through ORD and not really interested in testing my luck with that.
Oct 20, 2015, 9:08 pm
#51
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: RIC
Programs: DL-DM/2MM, MR-Plat, HH-Gold, Hertz-Prezi Club, Marriott-Gold, MHC
Posts: 131
Why does Delta have your loyalty?
Used to be ATL based up until 2004, then moved to RIC...easy for me on the loyalty side, I have 1.6million miles on delta and for some crazy reason I'm trying to get to 2MM. May take me another 3 years but my uncle was a Delta pilot, father in law was a Delta pilot, and good friend of mine was DL pilot prior to 9-11 layoffs. Family connections and it feels like home. Great Irrops support, friendly FA, excellent routing choices from RIC (ATL in winter, DTW in summer). Pricing always competitive, and bottom line, I just don't like flying other airlines, fees like I'm being disloyal to my bride or something. Weird I know, but Delta has solid product and even with hiccups now and then, I realize it's commercial air travel and it's not always awesome. Now if I could just get our client to agree to a Delta private jets card, I'd be set for a while! Speaking of which, where the heck is my delta private jet emails offering $300 upgrade to G6 instead of that awesome mad dog service RIC-ATL!
Oct 20, 2015, 9:27 pm
#52
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Indianapolis, IN USA
Posts: 2,065
1. On-time operations
2. Staff seems happy
3. IND: ATL, BOS, DTW, JFK, LAX, LGA, MSP, RDU non-stops
4. As a silver (for 2016 already at miles for gold but not yet $$) free exit row seats.
5. Flew out of EWR during storms a few months and witnessed UA.
2. Staff seems happy
3. IND: ATL, BOS, DTW, JFK, LAX, LGA, MSP, RDU non-stops
4. As a silver (for 2016 already at miles for gold but not yet $$) free exit row seats.
5. Flew out of EWR during storms a few months and witnessed UA.
Oct 20, 2015, 9:27 pm
#53
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: MCI
Programs: DL FO
Posts: 280
For now, they have it. I fly DL mainly from MCI to LAX and I like having the nonstop flight on the Compass E-175. If I cannot do the nonstop, SLC is an easier hub to connect in. I prefer it over DEN with UA or DFW with AA. I would consider WN, and have used them in the past, but there is no first class. I like what AS has to offer, but I hate their expensive prices from MCI. Out of everyone, they are the most expensive.
Oct 20, 2015, 10:44 pm
#55
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: MSP
Programs: Delta PM, United Silver, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, National Exec Elite
Posts: 303
Hub captive and refugee from PMNW.
DL seems to work for me with good operations and decent IROPs handling. I've been doing fine so far with the FF program, upgrades, G A P fares, SWUs and GUCs, etc. but I realize that I'm paying high fares out of MSP for the convenience of nonstops.
Now if DL just would give MSP some decent aircraft and stop ripping out FC/BE/D1 seats.....and undo the redo of the F/G SC to bring back the cubicles, plus give me some cheese and cracker options consistently.
DL seems to work for me with good operations and decent IROPs handling. I've been doing fine so far with the FF program, upgrades, G A P fares, SWUs and GUCs, etc. but I realize that I'm paying high fares out of MSP for the convenience of nonstops.
Now if DL just would give MSP some decent aircraft and stop ripping out FC/BE/D1 seats.....and undo the redo of the F/G SC to bring back the cubicles, plus give me some cheese and cracker options consistently.
However I go to PDX, SEA, BIS, OMA and FAR frequently. Unless I want connections DL is my only option.
I will say after getting moved to a UA flight, DL has better CS. I am not for cattle herding so SW is out(Plus not a fan MSP Term 2). In my short three years of flying I have only had to do connections to one destination PSP as no DL directs.
I have been lucky on getting a fare number of UG being GM and even as FO. I my tickets are usually two weeks or less thus getting high fare class.
Oct 21, 2015, 1:46 am
#56
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 2,881
Available in a couple years.
Oct 21, 2015, 2:01 am
#57
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Seattle, 98155
Programs: Now MGM/Hyatt/IHG Gold Previously: DL DM, DL Reserve, Hyatt Diamond, SPG PLAT, M Life PLAT, IHG PLAT
Posts: 649
the best of Big 3 in terms of customer service with frontline
From Hong Kong living in Seattle, Skyteam is a good choice for me with DL used to fly HKG-NRT-SEA and now HKG-SEA
Love paris and amsterdam so both AF and KL is nice.
Always on time mostly and treat elite pretty okay in irops IMO
but lack of GUC the only problem for DM
and that's the thing for Elite Programs, once you start have silver is already hard to go to another airlines because if you check just 1 bag is better fly with the one that you get status even if DL is $50 more expensive.
I used to not realize that but it is a big plus being able to use Skypriority check-in the regular....
From Hong Kong living in Seattle, Skyteam is a good choice for me with DL used to fly HKG-NRT-SEA and now HKG-SEA
Love paris and amsterdam so both AF and KL is nice.
Always on time mostly and treat elite pretty okay in irops IMO
but lack of GUC the only problem for DM
and that's the thing for Elite Programs, once you start have silver is already hard to go to another airlines because if you check just 1 bag is better fly with the one that you get status even if DL is $50 more expensive.
I used to not realize that but it is a big plus being able to use Skypriority check-in the regular....
Oct 21, 2015, 5:21 am
#58
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Chattanooga, TN
Programs: DL Diamond Million Miler, AA Ex-Plat, IHG RA, Marriott PLAT, HERTZ Pres Circle
Posts: 1,220
I'm sort of a hub captive being in CHA. DL is my primary choice because when there is trouble I can always take the bus home from ATL. I can't do that from CLT or DFW or ORD. Usually, I switch over to AA and get status over there after I'm at top status with DL. That way, no matter who I choose I get the bonuses and nice treatment. The DL staff at CHA is great and that makes a difference. The treatment on the plane is better with AA, i.e. upgrades, free snacks, etc. I've been flying on AA the past two months after making DM on Delta back in late July. Now that we're getting into the winter I'll have to watch the weather and make my choices based on that, somewhat.
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Oct 21, 2015, 5:26 am
#59
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Connecticut
Programs: Delta, IHG
Posts: 7
Wouldn't consider myself loyal, but all in all, Delta tends to work best for the routes I need. I'm in the NYC metro area and fly to ELP, MEX, and (soon, thanks to family moving) BTV fairly frequently. The JFK-MEX (sometimes on Delta's partner Aeroméxico, who offers red-eye flights) and LGA-BTV nonstops are nice.
There are lots of options with ELP, since there are no nonstops, but HPN-ATL-ELP works perfectly fine most of the time.
There are lots of options with ELP, since there are no nonstops, but HPN-ATL-ELP works perfectly fine most of the time.
Oct 21, 2015, 7:24 am
#60
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: ORF
Programs: Delta Diamond Charter Member/1.8MM, IHG Spire Elite
Posts: 876
Overall, Delta has been good to me. I fly mostly international and been successful getting upgrades on long haul 10-15 hr flights as well as 95%+ domestic out of Norfolk. Disappointed that JFK option out of Norfolk was discontinued this year leaving only Atlanta and Detroit to connect to international flights. Maybe it's me but I've noticed a bit of indifference in the tone of the Diamond line customer service reps. Seems as Delta becomes more successful at increasing profits, CS, which was for me a plus in the past is in a decline. Like I said overall I'm happy but Delta cutting service to JFK out of ORF makes not a lot of sense since all flights I've been on have been packed. For flights to JFK, I'm now flying AA.
