MSPeconomist

Whenever I tried to buy a RT ticket on this route using both NW and CO, it caused the price to be much higher. Apparently the cheapest RT fares were NW only or CO only.

DrivingRain

Yes, apparently.

Look, I have written elsewhere that Escape MSP food was disorganized and sloppy...and I meant it. So I am/was with you to an extent.

But it has improved markedly since PP went bye-bye. As much as I'd like you and others to avoid the lounge to prevent a return of torrential over-crowding, at this point I feel confident in correcting my past criticisms. While still not as good as BDL imho, the MSP Escape food has vastly improved and is leagues ahead of the SC. Again, I sort of hope others disagree-- but Im not sure how SC's bags of frozen chicken strips out for all to see can be put on any kind of pedestal vs the decent/good food that Escape is making.

jamesteroh

If the escape lounge was anything like what the Skyclub C lounge is right now I understand the complaints.

This place is a zoo right now. I was lucky enough to grab a work cubicle and that was only because I was lucky enough to get here as someone was leaving. There are literally more people here than seats. I asked the agent if the G club would be better since I'm leaving out of G and sher said to wait because that was even more crowded right now. They are out of Thai soup and Bailey's

I don't have an issue not being able to use the Escape lounge and using the Skyclub but the Skyclub needs to stop allowing Am Ex swipes when the lounges are this crowded and do what Alaska does and only allow members (and international J and diamonds or at least do what American and United does and only allow a Delta reserve card and not the Am Ex platinum). There were four people in line in front of me and three of the four were Am Ex swipes. This reminds me of the Detroit skyclub days when AM Ex holders could guest hordes of people in on their card.

What would make a lot of sense is for the hubs with multiple clubs to have a dedicated business class/diamond lounge for international flyers.

I am really looking forward to usng the lounge on my return trip (virgin clubhouse) that is a real relaxing lounge experience without the masses

KDCAflyer

MSP and SLC both have completely inadequate SkyClubs. SLC is getting a new terminal soon, but no such hope for MSP.

jamesteroh

Same with ORD Club if there is Irops. When the Skyclub are this crowded they need to tell Am Ex cardholders that the Skyclub entries are subject to capacity control the way the boardrooms do with PP to keep the crowds down. It's absurd as a Skyclub member and a diamond on a business class international flight that I have an issue finding a seat. Either put in bigger clubs and the staff to keep up with the crowds or limit admittance. And there aren't any good views in here either.

They should have a decimated skyclub for international J and diamond flyers at all the hubs. It would be easy enough to do at Atlanta with the F club since a lot of international flights still go out of E.

KDCAflyer

Problem is that F still sees domestic flights. My RJ to BTR is departing from there now.

I wouldn't mind a roped-off section at every hub SC. International J only though. Too many DM SC memberships floating around out there.

jamesteroh

I agree they should stop giving out diamond memberships and stop allowing Am Ex plat swipes and limit entrance to paid Skyclub members, and international flyers in J and who are diamonds and that would cut down on the overcrowding a lot.

As a diamond I would rather pay for a membership if they cut out the am ex swipes and giving all skypriority international flyers access like the competition does and get more SWU's that are easier to use like American and United does. The value of a SWU for me is worth a lot more than a Skyclub membership

I wish the MSP Skyclub had showers though. I would have loved to have used the treadmill for an hour but no place to shower. The C club dod die down

pvn

maybe they should stop allowing diamonds in during peak hours.

pvn

If the amex partnership goes away, enjoy the return to the days of gordon's gin.

DiamondInTheRough

Lol, decimating a sky club will definitely address your concerns.

jamesteroh

I'm just wondering why people think PP holders should be banned from the Escape lounge due to capacity issues but don't have a problem with Am Ex swipes being allowed at the Skyclub when the lounge is at capacity.

I'm sure most diamonds wouldn't have an issue paying for their skyclub membership like American EP's do if we got the same SWU benefits. Two extra SWU's would be a lot more valuable than a sky club membership. Delta used to give all PLatiniums membership when they required 100K miles and didn't have diamond.

I'm just glad they eliminated guesting, I think that's where a lot of the problems are with any lounge overcrowding. It stinks when I'm travelling with a non-member and they have to pay $29 if they want to enter. Most of them don't mind now that delta has made the change to upgrades like American where the companion doesn't go to the bottom of the upgrade list, since when I'm travelling with a companion now they usually get upgraded, they'd rather have the first class upgrade than sky club entrance. People that are upset about that change should look at the positive of the upgrade change since their companion has a lot better shot of an upgrade now, that's worth a lot more than a half hour in the skyclub

DCFinanceinFlight

I don't often agree with PVN on this forum, but here, 100% accurate. FT members want to see the best benefit for themselves and it is the only suggestion they offer(BTW benefiting #1 is human nature, no hate there).

1 can simply not boast about the new premium offerings in the SC while also saying that the AXP members should be disallowed swipes. The fact of the matter is the 3 people in front of you paid for access via AMEX just like a FT member for it via a membership. The difference is, with the AXP partnership, there are people flying DL who would potentially not due to the SC access. Do not be foolish enough to think DL doesn't know this.

If DL takes away AXP swipes, I would be inclined to believe that many GM-PM Members may swing over to AA or UA depending on their home base in order to use CL. Pure speculation on my point.

SPLICERSZEBRA

The quality of the MSP Escape lounge has gone downhill fast and not sure if it's due to the Priority Pass entries or not. I haven't been in the lounge since they made the change. I agree with you about the congestion at some Skyclubs and Delta needs to address that issue.

I would love to see Delta have clubs like the Virgin and Quantas international lounges but it will never happen.

Regarding diamond memberships, I saw a cut in that benefit when they introduced the exectuive membership. Seeing I have a Delta Reserve card and an American Express Platinum card for entry I was going to select an executive membership for my 2018 third choice. The problem is as soon as I executed it the clock starts ticking on my Global Upgrades and I may be better off just paying the extra $150 to get my wife a Delta Reserve card and taking the $200 Delta voucher.

+1 on the upgrading being worth more than the Skyclub entry. Whilst my wife wasn't happy with the changes in Skyclub membership she was very happy when Delta made the companion changes. A couple we are friends with (he is also diamond and both our wives are Gold due to the gifting benefit) and my wife and I travel to Vegas a few times a year. My friend and I would always get upgraded on MSP/LAS and they would end up in Comfort Plus (actually my friend and I would, we had to give them our upgrades to stay out of the dog house LOL) but we have flown two times since the change was made to Vegas and both times all four of us were upgraded and my wife and I were upgraded together for MSP/LAX and last month for MSP/SFO both ways which never happened before so Delta is definitely making some improvements to the diamond benefits, you have to take the good with the bad.

pvn

You realize those are probably two distinct groups of people, right?

jamesteroh

That was the point I was making people want benefits them. Am Ex Plat cardholders are complaining about PP cardholders causing crowding in the Escape lounge (which I'm not arguing with) yet don't feel that Plat Am Ex swipes should be stopped at the Skyclub which contributes to overcrowding

UA used to allow PP swipes in their lounges until a couple years ago (which is included with an Am Ex Plat card) and I don't recall any of their frequent flyers saying they were moving over to Delta. I would think a GM or PM would have less incentive to switch to AA since they would have to go with the stickers to get upgraded and those only occur at the gate. American only does complimentary upgrades for EP where Delta does it for all levels and doesn't make them wait until the gate and use stickers. I'd think an upgrade would be a bigger value than Skyclub access. I know if I would get more SWU's like American's EP's do I'd take it in a heartbeat over a skyclub membership and most diamonds would. I'd gladly pay for a skyclub member (which I did before I was diamond) like AA EP's do if Delta would duplicate AA's program of giving out more SWU's and giving free upgrades on the JFK to LAX and SFO routes.