dilbertsdaddy

He said he does not need any RUC's so miles are really the only option for PM.

GUC's are good on AF only on Transatlantic, not beyond. I go to DXB so they are useless for me on AF.

Maybe one day I will be able to use them on KLM all the way but I am not holding my breath.

nldogbert

Hi,
I am actually in the exact situation as the OP, but I am based in Europe. My travels are quite random, though based on last year's travel, still expect to do more TATL this year with the occasional trips to Asia. For my TATL, it is mainly with AF in PEY.
Since this is my 1st time of (accidentally) becoming Diamond Medallion (I tried to not become one as I prefer to rollover my miles and maintain Platinum, but due to the silly DL system @ ATL that prevented me from changing my FF# after travels and there was no AF system available, I was pushed up to Diamond and I could not get them to downgrade me), I am not very familiar with choice benefits since normally I will pick the 200 USD voucher (which is much more valuable to me).

Now as a Diamond, I don't have the option to just pick more than 1 200USD voucher and to maximize the options I am stuck like the OP. Reading through the posts, it looks like the best option for me are the
- 4 GUC
-Miles
- 200 USD voucher

Would this be the best option for me? since I understand the 4 GUC can only be used for the TATL portion on AF (is this only valid from Y--> PEY and PEY-J)?
Any other better suggestions to maximize this?

Cheers and thanks in advance!

FBplatinum

sydneyracquelle and MrAndy1369 is correct.
My first language is French, English 90% (I think is not bad). I also know/understand a little Spanish (15%), Russian (10%) and Chinese (5%).

FBplatinum

nldogbert
If I understand correctly the Skymiles program.
We can choice 2 x (even 3x) the same choice benefice (except the GUC).
As Diamond you can choice: 4 x GUC, and 2 x 25K miles (total 50,000 miles).
My plan with the GUC is I occasionally fly Delta (10%).
I will try to find a low cost flight from YUL (Montreal) to PVG (Shanghai) with Delta where I can use the GUC.
Also from my understanding. If the flight is a Delta (006) but operate by KLM, the GUC can be use.
In this case I will call Delta to have a YUL-AMS-PVG. and try to use the GUC on this flight (anyone have try this).

ncwillett

Yes. You used to have to choose all 3 at the same time, but it appears that has changed.
https://www.delta.com/content/www/en...-benefits.html

MSPeconomist

My practice has always been to take a $200 DL giftcard as the PM choice benefit and 25,000 miles at the DM level (versus a $200 giftcard, just like PM) since for PM, you only get 20,000 miles.

Of course, the precise comparison depends on whether you have a DL AmEx card and can therefore use pay with miles as well as the fact that gift cards expire but miles currently do not.

nldogbert

Thanks for the suggestions. Most probably this will be what I will do, take the 4x GUC and 2x 25k miles (although useless for me since I have tons of miles which are sitting in my account).
On the GUC usage, I believe that it should be possible on non-006 ticket right? Cause all my tickets are normally 074 stock (KLM - can't get it to be issued on 006 stock since most of my travels are arrange by my company) and flying mainly on Air France. If not I will have to find a cheap Y-ticket with DL and upgrade for my own personal trip.
Good to know that I can choose the different choices at different time.

Cheers!

moxielady

Why do you feel miles are useless? And, if you have a ton of miles, why don't you use them to fly business class instead of the often difficult task of trying to find a flight where you can actually use a GUC?

I will never have too many miles....

MSPeconomist

GUCs and upgrades with miles, at least on DL, come from the same inventory of upgrade seats. If you mean using the miles for business class award tickets, most people wouldn't do this for business trips.

kitkat77

I choose the miles over the vouchers as miles do not expire and vouchers do. My travel is 99% work and leisure travel is few and far between at this point, so there's no guarantee that a voucher won't expire before I can use it.

There are also those of us who have 100% domestic work (and therefore reimbursed) travel, mostly low-mileage segments. If you could apply a GUC to award or PWM travel, I would imagine that the number of us who would want them would go WAY up. However, if I have to pay $500-1500+ of my own money per ticket just to have the chance to apply the GUC, I'd rather look at using miles for the entire trip and confirm it in FC.

I have 4 that are about to expire (chosen due to a rare intl work trip that fell through), and would love the ability to gift them to someone who could use them.

moxielady

Because he said this: If not I will have to find a cheap Y-ticket with DL and upgrade for my own personal trip.

And for that reason, I would rather use miles to get a guaranteed business class ticket than pay for a ticket that I hope I can apply a GUC. Especially if I have tons of miles.

Powers106

Kind of a rant.

I think the GUC are worth it, but yeah, how many times have I been alternate, #2 or #3 and failed to clear... but even then, sometimes I've cleared a GUC but then missed the Domestic portion (as a Diamond) and well, these things are useless between Asia and Thailand (I need to search why Thailand has banned USA-based airlines, must be due to the low FAA ratings etc).

I agree, wait until you need them...then go for it. I've had better luck on United "GPU" or whatever they are called, but United business is not as good unless Polaris. *but nothing can ever match upstairs Delta 747, long gone, well, other than the 1st Emirates with the shower and so forth lol.

That said, now for 2017 Plat and Diamond choice benefits they are expiring on January 31st, 2018 so have to lock them in by then if you've been waiting....

OroroT

I too am in the same boat on the choice benefits. My question is the following, related to timing on the GUCs:

I am DM for 2018, but I suspect I may only make PM for 2019 (my tix are paid by US gov't, so no biz class). If I select the GUCs this year, and carryover them over into part of 2019, do the chances of them clearing while I am a PM diminish, relative to someone who is using them as a DM? Hope that is not too confusing.

iflyalexair

Your status has no bearing on the use of the certificate if you can confirm the space in advance. You may redeem them, assuming they are still valid, even if you are a PM.

I don't know if anyone has anecdotal evidence as to a gate waitlist if a current DM would be ahead of a PM? Or is it based on the time of request?

Powers106