DL App : From a longtime UA flyer perspective
May 24, 2018, 12:26 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Programs: UA PM, DL PM, Bonvoy Titanium, HH Gold
Posts: 1,293
DL App : From a longtime UA flyer perspective
Longtime United 1K who just recently (this year) switched to Delta and am currently Platinum Medallion. All things being equal, I think Delta is a much better airline. The planes are cleaner. It's not the end of the world if you end up in coach in the back for a domestic flight. The GAs and FAs are, across the board, way friendlier than with United. And the Sky Clubs are so much better than United's Clubs that it isn't even funny.
The one area where United is much better on than Delta is their app. On the United app you can:
* Same Day Change for available flights. This is so much easier than calling/tweeting to get an SDC done.
* Check Standby/Upgrade lists for all flights within 72 hours. If this can be done on Delta app, I can't find it. Very helpful when planning an SDC or even booking a flight.
* See where flight is coming in from for your departure. I find this hit or miss with Delta's app. Sometimes you can find it and sometimes you can't.
Don't get me wrong. I absolutely am thrilled with the overall Delta service compared to United. Just wanted to share a few areas where improvement could make Delta even better.
'
The one area where United is much better on than Delta is their app. On the United app you can:
* Same Day Change for available flights. This is so much easier than calling/tweeting to get an SDC done.
* Check Standby/Upgrade lists for all flights within 72 hours. If this can be done on Delta app, I can't find it. Very helpful when planning an SDC or even booking a flight.
* See where flight is coming in from for your departure. I find this hit or miss with Delta's app. Sometimes you can find it and sometimes you can't.
Don't get me wrong. I absolutely am thrilled with the overall Delta service compared to United. Just wanted to share a few areas where improvement could make Delta even better.
'
May 24, 2018, 12:32 pm
#2
Join Date: Feb 2017
Programs: DL DM, UA Gold, Alaska MVP, Bonvoy (lol) Ambassador
Posts: 2,994
Agree 100%. SDC and inbound flight tracking is sorely missed in the Delta app. I can at least somewhat understand the argument (even if I disagree with it) why Delta doesn't want to do inbound tracking (they plane swap more aggressively than United does to keep schedules on time) but the lack of SDC in the app is embarrassing.
Also - I'm not sure what makes Delta's customer service so special. As a 1K, I never had to wait on the phone - with Delta, I regularly have 3-10 minute wait times as a Diamond (even without major IRROPs or AF strikes).
Also - I'm not sure what makes Delta's customer service so special. As a 1K, I never had to wait on the phone - with Delta, I regularly have 3-10 minute wait times as a Diamond (even without major IRROPs or AF strikes).
May 24, 2018, 12:49 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Programs: UA PM, DL PM, Bonvoy Titanium, HH Gold
Posts: 1,293
It's not there for all flights. I have found many flights over the past two weeks where the link to check on it just isn't there in the app. Sometimes it is. Sometimes it isn't.
May 24, 2018, 1:02 pm
#5
formerly jackvogt
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: Delta SkyMiles,
Posts: 822
I've noticed this too! Its very hit or miss for me. Additionally it doesn't allow you to see WHY there was a delay like the UA app and you can only see the standby lists on flights you are booked on.
May 24, 2018, 1:06 pm
#6
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: SE USA
Programs: DL DM/MM , IHG Plat, MR Titanium, HH Gold, EK Frequent Kettle, UA Silver, AA Hater
Posts: 2,020
Bottom line - DL is a much better airline than UA but all things IT related stink. The app is the child of dysfunctional parents (delta.com)
May 24, 2018, 2:30 pm
#7
Join Date: Feb 2017
Programs: DL DM, UA Gold, Alaska MVP, Bonvoy (lol) Ambassador
Posts: 2,994
"Much better" is a pretty strong comparison.. what makes Delta so much better? Their ontime percentages are a bit better (although a lot of that is driven by their hub locations - which is only partially controllable due to path dependencies and gate ownership contracts).. and what else?
May 24, 2018, 4:06 pm
#9
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,461
The UA app is amazing. The SDC functionality is particularly magical. DL's is decent but as already noted lacks some key functionality.
I've also noted the inbound aircraft info has been missing from my flights recently.
I've also noted the inbound aircraft info has been missing from my flights recently.
May 24, 2018, 8:14 pm
#10
Moderator: Hyatt; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: WAS
Programs: :rolleyes:, DL DM, Mlife Plat, Caesars Diam, Marriott Tit, UA Gold, Hyatt Glob, invol FT beta tester
Posts: 18,932
I like that UA enables fingerprint auth for parts of the app that require a login.
May 25, 2018, 5:53 am
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Floating around
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Posts: 10,345
-RM
May 25, 2018, 6:28 am
#12
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Look up - On a ✈ DELTA ✈ jet NOW!
Programs: Blogger & Delta Diamond Medallion Million Miler
Posts: 4,174
May 25, 2018, 6:44 am
#13
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 1,620
United added that in the last 6 months. However, baggage tracking in the DL app is still better because DL doesn't remove the reservation from your device the second you have boarded the last segment of your itinerary. The UA app does so you can't easily track any bags tied to that reservation without some manual data entry.
-RM
-RM
The UNITED app is not my favorite design, but it is more functional than the DELTA app in general.
May 25, 2018, 7:14 am
#14
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,115
Just remember that showing the inbound flight can be a bit of a convoluted process if you are doing this from your actual itinerary screen via the “Today” screen. You have to tap “flight details” on the main itin screen, then unintuitively tap on the flight status itself (ie tap the “on time” / “delayed” / “boarding” indicator) from that screen to get to the more detail*, then select “view (yes even) more” at the bottom and you can see the inbound flight. Oh, and it doesn’t work on express flights. And you can only track one flight back. And that is why the UA app is the best
.* I have no idea why there are two “levels” deep to the flight status like this, it’s easy to get to the first level and not see the inbound flight info and think it’s not available... If you go through the app manually to search for “flight status”, this does not happen. But this weird “feature” could be why people sometimes think the information is not avaialble.
United added that in the last 6 months. However, baggage tracking in the DL app is still better because DL doesn't remove the reservation from your device the second you have boarded the last segment of your itinerary. The UA app does so you can't easily track any bags tied to that reservation without some manual data entry.
-RM
-RM
Last edited by HeadInTheClouds; May 25, 2018 at 7:19 am
May 25, 2018, 8:15 am
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Programs: UA PM, DL PM, Bonvoy Titanium, HH Gold
Posts: 1,293
One other thing I just thought of that is fantastic with the DL app is the ability to tell me when the flight is boarding. As soon as I know it is boarding, ie starting with people who need help, I can leave the club and easily make it to my gate before Premium has even started to board. That is a HUGE plus.