What keeps you on Delta?
Aug 17, 2017, 3:16 pm
#31
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 794
I would add the little things that add up for me..... Delta has outlets on all of their larger equipment. Took a three hour aa flight last week no way to charge which annoys me. Delta has bottles of water on the seats. A little thing but when you are running and just make a flight it is nice to have. The new overheads on the a321 means I am never worried about overhead space. Delta does not gave many horrible pieces of equipment in the system which is more than I can say for others. Delta terminals tend to be better kept and more user friendly.
Aug 17, 2017, 3:27 pm
#33
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 6
Pretty simple one for me, there is 1 option for getting anywhere in the U.S. that I need to go from Berlin, and it is twice the price of what I can usually get outta the Delta/AF/KLM combo... It still blows my mind that after 4 years of living here the offerings are so poor from a city as large as Berlin to America (and apparently about to get a lot worse).
Aug 17, 2017, 3:29 pm
#34
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: SEA once more (previously CDG and NRT)
Programs: Former DL DM and UA 1k, now a J class free agent (UA Gold, AS MVP Gold)
Posts: 2,450
DL has a hub in my hometown / Corporate HQ of my employer (SEA)
DL has a JV partner with a hub where I live (CDG)
DL is the only carrier with nonstop service on the route between them.
I'm actually not terribly loyal to DL in the US, as they don't fly where I need them to, and I don't do much US flying. I've only flown Delta 58 times in total in my life - 8 domestic flights in the Western US and 50 trans-Atlantic flights.
DL has a JV partner with a hub where I live (CDG)
DL is the only carrier with nonstop service on the route between them.
I'm actually not terribly loyal to DL in the US, as they don't fly where I need them to, and I don't do much US flying. I've only flown Delta 58 times in total in my life - 8 domestic flights in the Western US and 50 trans-Atlantic flights.
Aug 17, 2017, 4:08 pm
#35
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Tahoe
Programs: Delta DM for now
Posts: 474
I guess I'll add a bit of a rookie perspective as to why I chose Delta as my airline this year. In May I started a job that is entirely travel based, so I had to make a decision as to which airline I was going to commit to. Flying out of RNO, I could choose from DL, AA, UA, WN, or AS but I quickly narrowed it down to DL or UA.
Delta ultimately earned my business for a number of reasons, despite the frequent complaints about the SkyMiles program.
1. My limited previous experience with them was overwhelmingly positive, and sites like this and travel blogs seem in pretty good consensus that they have the best customer service of the legacy airlines.
2. I find their economy seats to be comfortable enough, and most planes seem to have power and IFE at every seat.
3. Despite having only one route offered on a daily basis from RNO to their SLC hub, it's offered several times a day and it's a short flight. SLC is pretty easy to navigate and since most of my travels are in a generally eastward direction, I'm at least moving in the right direction. This is opposed to all of the UA flights from RNO to SFO, AA flights to LAX, or AS flights up to SEA.
4. Partnerships with VA and VS give me some options. My company is HQ'ed in the UK and works down in Australia as well so having those Virgin airlines as an option when I travel there gives me some flexibility. My co-workers who fly UA don't seem to have as much choice in their flights for those destinations.
5. Reliability. I just hit silver after 2.5 months on the job, and with 30-ish segments flown, I've only had one delay due to a pilot absence. At some point I will encounter a frustrating IRROPs situation, but everything I've seen so far leads me to believe that Delta will take care of me.
6. I rarely need to buy food in the airports with whats offered at many SkyClubs. At lot more than just snack towers usually.
Delta is far from perfect. At times, I do wish they have better coverage in the western US, or offered their RNO to ATL route year round but that's what I get for choosing to live in the mountains of CA and not close to a big city.
Delta ultimately earned my business for a number of reasons, despite the frequent complaints about the SkyMiles program.
1. My limited previous experience with them was overwhelmingly positive, and sites like this and travel blogs seem in pretty good consensus that they have the best customer service of the legacy airlines.
2. I find their economy seats to be comfortable enough, and most planes seem to have power and IFE at every seat.
3. Despite having only one route offered on a daily basis from RNO to their SLC hub, it's offered several times a day and it's a short flight. SLC is pretty easy to navigate and since most of my travels are in a generally eastward direction, I'm at least moving in the right direction. This is opposed to all of the UA flights from RNO to SFO, AA flights to LAX, or AS flights up to SEA.
4. Partnerships with VA and VS give me some options. My company is HQ'ed in the UK and works down in Australia as well so having those Virgin airlines as an option when I travel there gives me some flexibility. My co-workers who fly UA don't seem to have as much choice in their flights for those destinations.
5. Reliability. I just hit silver after 2.5 months on the job, and with 30-ish segments flown, I've only had one delay due to a pilot absence. At some point I will encounter a frustrating IRROPs situation, but everything I've seen so far leads me to believe that Delta will take care of me.
6. I rarely need to buy food in the airports with whats offered at many SkyClubs. At lot more than just snack towers usually.
Delta is far from perfect. At times, I do wish they have better coverage in the western US, or offered their RNO to ATL route year round but that's what I get for choosing to live in the mountains of CA and not close to a big city.
Aug 17, 2017, 4:33 pm
#36
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: DL PM, Hilton Gold
Posts: 122
From here in ATL, my reasons are:
1. They fly non-stop to everywhere, literally everywhere.
2. They operate something like 80% of flights in ATL and always run a smooth operation here.
3. They have best choice of departure times in ATL, and wide selection at that.
4. I'm Gold Medallion which has some decent perks, although not too many F upgrades here.
DL is definitely more expensive than everyone else in ATL, but only Southwest flies non stop to a few destinations, but only at one time slot per day typically. The other Airlines (United, American, ULCCs, etc) all require connections from here.
1. They fly non-stop to everywhere, literally everywhere.
2. They operate something like 80% of flights in ATL and always run a smooth operation here.
3. They have best choice of departure times in ATL, and wide selection at that.
4. I'm Gold Medallion which has some decent perks, although not too many F upgrades here.
DL is definitely more expensive than everyone else in ATL, but only Southwest flies non stop to a few destinations, but only at one time slot per day typically. The other Airlines (United, American, ULCCs, etc) all require connections from here.
Aug 17, 2017, 5:19 pm
#37
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Houston
Programs: UA 1K and Million Miler, *A Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hertz Five Star,
Posts: 1,301
Just curious what keeps people flying Delta? It seems like pricing for their routes is the most expensive to basically any city I am trying to fly to, and its getting harder and harder to justify flying them. Especially for who their target is (business travelers) since 99% of people have rules in place that they cant book the most expensive flights just because they like DL.
Some disclaimers for the DL Loyalists/haters:
- I am referring to ALL airlines not just Allegiant, Spirit, Frontier, etc being cheaper.
- This is not supposed to be some cheap shot at DL about pricing
- This is only in cases where I am booking, it very well could be true other places are cheaper
- United, AA, etc. are often cheaper then DL
- I am only referring to non stop routes where other airlines are non stop too
- Please leave the bitter or snide remarks out of this so this thread does not get locked, I am honestly curious what it is that keeps people flying them (service, experience, loyalty, etc.)
Some disclaimers for the DL Loyalists/haters:
- I am referring to ALL airlines not just Allegiant, Spirit, Frontier, etc being cheaper.
- This is not supposed to be some cheap shot at DL about pricing
- This is only in cases where I am booking, it very well could be true other places are cheaper
- United, AA, etc. are often cheaper then DL
- I am only referring to non stop routes where other airlines are non stop too
- Please leave the bitter or snide remarks out of this so this thread does not get locked, I am honestly curious what it is that keeps people flying them (service, experience, loyalty, etc.)
Aug 17, 2017, 5:21 pm
#38
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Houston
Programs: UA 1K and Million Miler, *A Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hertz Five Star,
Posts: 1,301
Aug 17, 2017, 6:16 pm
#40
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Juneau, AK
Programs: Marrtiot, Delta
Posts: 22
Because I have the Delta credit card through AMEX. I figured it would be better to stick to one airline and the companion pass certainly helps since my wife and I usually go up to Detroit once a year to see family. Also being in the military they seem to like Delta so that helps too.
Aug 17, 2017, 6:19 pm
#41
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Raleigh NC
Programs: AA P DL MR UA
Posts: 81
I fly out of RDU and just recently acted on seeing Delta offering multiple flights at good price points and then scrolling down to see a few AA flights at a higher price. I've been AA for years but the disillusion has been coming. I'm on a GM match challenge with Delta as of yesterday so I'll see how that goes. I've never had a bad experience on Delta that jumps out, and I'll find out in a couple weeks if the Comfort+ feels at all like MCE.
The RDU Skyclub has great staff--the AAngels nudged me over to that side when I had an issue with a Delta flight and they didn't shoo me off to a GA.
Of course now that I'm on a challenge it feels like all the best flights I need are AA, but I'm hoping that's just new to DL jitters.
The RDU Skyclub has great staff--the AAngels nudged me over to that side when I had an issue with a Delta flight and they didn't shoo me off to a GA.
Of course now that I'm on a challenge it feels like all the best flights I need are AA, but I'm hoping that's just new to DL jitters.
Aug 17, 2017, 6:21 pm
#42
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,857
In no particular order:
- It's the partner airline (Velocity and Flying Blue)
- Being bicoastal they had the convenient schedule our of NYC and operate out of the three main airports with options to LAX, SFO and SNA.
- As others have said IRROPS
- I've always found pricing to be pretty similar to the non-legacies from where I fly although AL is getting competitive.
- It's the partner airline (Velocity and Flying Blue)
- Being bicoastal they had the convenient schedule our of NYC and operate out of the three main airports with options to LAX, SFO and SNA.
- As others have said IRROPS
- I've always found pricing to be pretty similar to the non-legacies from where I fly although AL is getting competitive.
Aug 17, 2017, 6:52 pm
#43
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: LIT
Programs: Blinged Out
Posts: 716
-They offer mainline service out of my home airport as opposed to the execrable Barbie jets U and AA still fly
-AMEX partnership/SkyClub access even before I was DM
-Staff has always been great from the crew to the phone reps to the SkyClub Ambassadors- They make it easy to give them business.
Things can always change, but the big D has been great so far.
-AMEX partnership/SkyClub access even before I was DM
-Staff has always been great from the crew to the phone reps to the SkyClub Ambassadors- They make it easy to give them business.
Things can always change, but the big D has been great so far.
Aug 17, 2017, 6:58 pm
#44
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 258
Jet blue coach might be cheaper than delta. The night flights mco - slc leave within a few minutes of each other. My youngest kid is 19 btw.
Flights are late May and delta coach RT right now is just under 600 a seat.
Flights are late May and delta coach RT right now is just under 600 a seat.