Estimating the Diamond Medallion Population
Aug 26, 2018, 10:35 pm
#46
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: HSV
Programs: Bellevue Lifetime Premiere Mega Elite Supreme
Posts: 1,509
Aug 27, 2018, 12:09 am
#47
Join Date: May 2004
Location: SDF
Programs: DL:360/DM/6 MMer; Bonvoy: Lifetime Titanium 10+M pts, 3100+ nights;
Posts: 1,441
I'm not sure how, in a screenshot, I can prove I only travel every other or every third week. But here are my 220K MQMs and $64K spend for 2018 to date..
Pic or it didn't happen!!
Pic or it didn't happen!!
Last edited by DL-Don; Aug 27, 2018 at 12:20 am
Aug 27, 2018, 4:13 am
#49
Join Date: Feb 2017
Programs: DL DM, UA Gold, Alaska MVP, Bonvoy (lol) Ambassador
Posts: 2,994
Sorry.. this is just frequent flyer status. What are you really looking for? Are you looking for the gate agents to blow out some confetti and have the pilot walk back and give you a cupcake because you happened to fly 250K MQM?
2) Why NOT have another tier? Once upon a time they stopped at Platinum. Who’s complaining now that there’s a new tier above Platinum?
3) Who does it hurt to have another published tier that can’t be diluted by credit card shenanigans?
Aug 27, 2018, 4:43 am
#50
Join Date: May 2004
Location: SDF
Programs: DL:360/DM/6 MMer; Bonvoy: Lifetime Titanium 10+M pts, 3100+ nights;
Posts: 1,441
Aug 27, 2018, 5:10 am
#51
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 37
I think DL is aware of the hand wringing the credit card has brought on, and with the $250k waiver made a significant move toward reestablishing the exclusivity of Diamond. Their other choice was to create another tier, which they may still do, but I think DM's will see the herd thin significantly.
Further, I'd venture to guess that a not insignificant number of people outright dropped their AMEX and went with another airline/Chase and won't even be in any status group now.
Further, I'd venture to guess that a not insignificant number of people outright dropped their AMEX and went with another airline/Chase and won't even be in any status group now.
Aug 27, 2018, 6:44 am
#52
Join Date: Feb 2017
Programs: DL DM, UA Gold, Alaska MVP, Bonvoy (lol) Ambassador
Posts: 2,994
I think DL is aware of the hand wringing the credit card has brought on, and with the $250k waiver made a significant move toward reestablishing the exclusivity of Diamond. Their other choice was to create another tier, which they may still do, but I think DM's will see the herd thin significantly.
Further, I'd venture to guess that a not insignificant number of people outright dropped their AMEX and went with another airline/Chase and won't even be in any status group now.
Further, I'd venture to guess that a not insignificant number of people outright dropped their AMEX and went with another airline/Chase and won't even be in any status group now.
People will fall into two camps:
1) Those who fly at peak times and pay a lot for airfare and will always hit their MQD metric
2) Those who fly at off times on cheap fares that get a lot of MQMs but not MQDs.
The intersection of flights where both (1) and (2) are present is - while probably not zero - not that high. But if you are, then MQD waiver Diamonds is on a lower fare class and will lose out anyways. You're not in competition with each other. The only people getting hurt are possibly Platinums.
There are some exceptions to this (e.g., those who took a break from flying but had lots of MQM rollover and then start to travel again) but I hold the above to be rather axiomatic. I say this as someone who will be 2-3x over the MQD waiver who would theoretically "benefit" from the MQD waiver.
Aug 27, 2018, 6:48 am
#53
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: RDU
Programs: DL DM, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Platinum, etc etc etc
Posts: 2,341
So I think we all need to stop thinking like Ryan Bingham. (He even had an awakening by the end of the movie 
)
ANY elite status is good for basically two things, that is better assistance in IRROPS and better ability to get someone on the phone PERIOD
BASICALLY all benefits of FO/GM/PM/DM come when you purchase an F/J ticket
Though I would think it would be pretty cool if Sam Elliott came from the cockpit to sit and talk with me so if DL can make that happen I will withdraw my statement :P
)ANY elite status is good for basically two things, that is better assistance in IRROPS and better ability to get someone on the phone PERIOD
BASICALLY all benefits of FO/GM/PM/DM come when you purchase an F/J ticket
Though I would think it would be pretty cool if Sam Elliott came from the cockpit to sit and talk with me so if DL can make that happen I will withdraw my statement :P
Aug 27, 2018, 9:15 am
#55
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: MEM
Programs: Starbucks Green Card
Posts: 5,431
Aug 27, 2018, 9:38 am
#56
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,394
So I think we all need to stop thinking like Ryan Bingham. (He even had an awakening by the end of the movie )
ANY elite status is good for basically two things, that is better assistance in IRROPS and better ability to get someone on the phone PERIOD
BASICALLY all benefits of FO/GM/PM/DM come when you purchase an F/J ticket
Though I would think it would be pretty cool if Sam Elliott came from the cockpit to sit and talk with me so if DL can make that happen I will withdraw my statement :P
)ANY elite status is good for basically two things, that is better assistance in IRROPS and better ability to get someone on the phone PERIOD
BASICALLY all benefits of FO/GM/PM/DM come when you purchase an F/J ticket
Though I would think it would be pretty cool if Sam Elliott came from the cockpit to sit and talk with me so if DL can make that happen I will withdraw my statement :P
I'm not intimately familiar with the other main programs, but is it different at UA/AA?
Aug 27, 2018, 9:42 am
#57
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,394
Or we could just go full Black Mirror and everyone is ranked by their Customer Value Score, and then treated accordingly regardless of the miles flown...that would be an interesting wake up call for many people, both those who think they're important but aren't, and those who don't think they're important but are.
Aug 27, 2018, 10:33 am
#58
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: RDU
Programs: DL DM, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Platinum, etc etc etc
Posts: 2,341
) I know I have used the redeposit option multiple times.
Aug 27, 2018, 11:57 am
#59
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: KATL
Programs: DL DM/2MM
Posts: 2,034
Who cares what the dictionary definition of "elite" is?
People on this message board use the term "elite" to describe the airline programs generically, but it doesn't matter if the programs fit yours or Merriam-Webster's or Oxford's conception of who is or is not an elite. And beyond this message board, practically no one cares about referring to the programs in general terms.
As has been pointed out in the past, despite how they spin it, the airlines don't have "rewards" programs, only "incentives" ones. There's no value in the airline rewarding customers, be they "elite," "most valued," "loyal" or otherwise, for past good behavior per se, They only care about incentivizing future behavior. And when designing these programs and their qualifications, those incentives are all that matters. The definition of elite doesn't.
People on this message board use the term "elite" to describe the airline programs generically, but it doesn't matter if the programs fit yours or Merriam-Webster's or Oxford's conception of who is or is not an elite. And beyond this message board, practically no one cares about referring to the programs in general terms.
As has been pointed out in the past, despite how they spin it, the airlines don't have "rewards" programs, only "incentives" ones. There's no value in the airline rewarding customers, be they "elite," "most valued," "loyal" or otherwise, for past good behavior per se, They only care about incentivizing future behavior. And when designing these programs and their qualifications, those incentives are all that matters. The definition of elite doesn't.