jdrtravel

For those suggesting a step type of waiver program, I just want to add my name to the list of people who would instantly drop my Delta Amex card if the waiver goes above $25K for me to maintain my GM status. In some years I spend $50K on the card to get both MQM bonuses, but not always. I would switch to only using the non-branded Amex plat, which I already have. If they want to drop a perk of the card let them drop the companion ticket. I find this much less valuable.

Halloweverybody

I will absolutely switch to AA if they make this change.

Heres my stats:
between 200,000-$300,000 spend on 2 reserve cards a year
only about 12 round trips per year
most of them paid first from ATL or MSP to HNL
about 13k in MQD per year
I live in a AA hub, not Delta hub.

I very much question if this rumor is true though. Certainly there would have to be some some negative impact on revenue. Unless they incorrectly think that people like me would spend more on Delta.

Why would DAL willfully negatively impact their revenue? for the sake of more upgrades for platinum's??? doesn't make too much sense to me.

youvesaiditall

My choice is essentially be Platinum on AA, or Diamond on Delta. First--it is a budget concern. I have a budget for flights--and AA is considerably more expensive (because it is direct).

My typical flights are CLT->ATL->Southeast. Last year--these were typically flights around $240-260. This thread had me looking at average flight cost this year--and it is up around $330. (Flights to FL have been noticeably more expensive for me.) . Still on AA these flights would be well north of $500.

Second, if I were to fly direct and budget was of no concern, I would get with AA:
Platinum Status which gets me...nothing of value.
No real upgrades (the 500 mile stickers have never really worked for me)
No Lounge Access
A bunch of LUS aircraft that do not have preferred seating of any sort
No Free SDC options (something I use ALL the time)

So for me (and for others it would be different), I don't mind the connection much. For that connection, I get lounge access, GUC's, RUC's, upgrade percentage over 90% (to first--100% to Comfort Plus).

I will say last year--I only misconnected once. This year--a whole other story that has had me reconsidering the madness

keitherson

Yes, you guys will all switch to AA, where you still cannot get status waived from a credit card. Or UA, where you still cannot either.

This needs to happen. Everyone and their dog is a Diamond on Delta these days. It's as bad as all the Virgin Australia Platinums qualifying on flybuys.

Halloweverybody

AA card gives you $6,000 MQD per year. which means I only need $6,000 for executive platinum. I spent 13k MQD last year with over 200k amex spend on 2 reserve cards.

AA will have a field day.

ElmhurstNick

I'm glad that I didn't pick up the card when I made the switch to DL this year. I can make the $9k for PLT, but in 2019 I'll have built up enough rollover to make Diamond based on my current travel patterns - but still only $9k in spend. So I was waiting until then to pick up the card, because stuff happens. Like this.

I find that program "loyalty" (e.g. fit) only lasts 3-4 years for me, and then circumstances evolve enough to reevaluate. That goes for both airlines and hotels for me. So I'm not at all surprised at this evolution.

355F1

haha! I've never even spent close to $15k in a year with DL--not even last year when I finished with 250,000 MQMs!

micstatic

Something sounds fishy here as well. You only fly 12 round trips a year. In paid first. So you are already getting first. Why are you directing all that spending to an airline card for an apparent goal of getting diamond? IF you are paid first, you are diamond every flight.

Halloweverybody

because last two years I have gone from JFK to SIN twice and used 4 GUC. I have also let 4 expire unused. I am not spending 12k on J ticket. I have also been on JFK SFO and JFK LAX which I am not paying 3k for either.

I buy ATL or MSP HNL because impossible to upgrade on those flights and worth it. I also usually find tickets for about 2,200 RT for those.

Renes Points

Agree. AA may not be able to get elites over to them operationally but Delta may drive them over with this single change. Sad!

AdamNP

Coming from an AA EXP who just did the challenge to DL PM, I consider this... a good thing.

When AA announced there wouldn't be an outright spend waiver, I was quite vocal here about how bad it was; I was wrong. I'm sure it's mentioned somewhere in this thread, but you still don't have to spend anywhere near $15,000 in actual dollars. DL fliers will just have to learn what us AA fliers have: fly a couple of premium cabin longhauls on partner airlines. DL looks to have basically the same setup as AA here, in fact some of it is even more generous.

I am at work right now and can't look for current examples, but it is not hard to find deals worth 3x and 4x the MQDs for the spend. I hit the AA EXP 12k EQDs this year by spending less than $4k in real money. It's not hard.

Also... Delta needs to do something, because from all I've read, being DM is basically worthless as far as upgrades go. As an AA EXP, I am 29/31 on upgrades this year. The only two I missed were an ORD-PHX I bought the night before, and a CLT-RDU on a 319 (who cares, the plane barely leaves the ground).

This is a good thing. Any FT mileage runner worth their salt will be able to hit the 15kMQD easily. Any legitimate high spender hits it anyway and will benefit from this. I agree it sounds terrible as a headline, but it's really a non issue, at least to FTers with a little creativity.

ty97

Commenting just on this snippet: This part is intentional by DL as a result of FCM. It's not a bug, it's a feature.

Where upgrades do exist, those paying the highest fares are already prioritized (within medallion level) so I doubt this change will have any/much impact on which DMs do/do not see upgrades.

That's not a comment on whether this change is good/bad in general, I just don't see it being a 'fix' to upgrades. The 'fix' to upgrades according to the DL forum is WFBF

kop84

It could impact PM's who are buying the YBMHQ fares getting some upgrades instead of those who are currently DM's always flying on VXT fares.

pvn

Well, some portion of those DMs won't continue being DMs under this new system; I would guess they would disagree about how much of an impact this will have.

355F1

Either way, I will cancel my DL AMEX Reserve Card if this happens. I only spend $30k/yr on it, but I can gladly move that spend over to my Chase Sapphire card.

I fly about 250,000 MQMs per year on MR-fares as I try to take at least one vacation per month internationally--usually on partners, and I split between DL and AA (I have DM and EXP).

I may just move all of my travel to One World, though, as I REALLY value the acccess to international FC lounges.