Estimating the Diamond Medallion Population
Aug 27, 2018, 4:25 pm
#61
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 148
Like the extreme version of WN's boarding order?
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.
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, 8:56 pm
#62
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,409
What *new* MQD requirements are you talking about? DL has had MQD requirements for all elite tiers, including DM, for several years, including waiver rules for foreign addresses, although recently the DL AmEx spend requirement for the DM MQD waiver was raised significantly.
Aug 27, 2018, 9:10 pm
#63
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,409
Aug 27, 2018, 9:45 pm
#64
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, 10:10 pm
#65
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,409
Aug 27, 2018, 10:58 pm
#66
Join Date: May 2004
Location: SDF
Programs: DL:360/DM/6 MMer; Bonvoy: Lifetime Titanium 10+M pts, 3100+ nights;
Posts: 1,441
Aug 28, 2018, 1:14 am
#67
Join Date: May 2004
Location: formerly Gold now Diamond, formerly MSY, now LAX, formerly NW, now DL
Programs: Hyatt Plat, Hilton Gold, SPG Gold, Delta Diamond/1MM
Posts: 4,635
So awesome for you to do the math from the tidbits of info you get, it is interesting to a travel nerd that I am!
Yes, remember that FF programs are to make the airline $$ and the benefits are the mechanism to keep people spending.
However, Delta needs to remember, the people that can always buy J/FC, which basically negates the need for being elite. The benefits are for those that don't have that luxury but still have $$ to spend at their discretion. At some point, people will get tired of all the games (at different points for each individual). So Delta should be careful cuz once people walk, I doubt they'll come back. A quick reminder from their own marketing department:
Yes, remember that FF programs are to make the airline $$ and the benefits are the mechanism to keep people spending.
However, Delta needs to remember, the people that can always buy J/FC, which basically negates the need for being elite. The benefits are for those that don't have that luxury but still have $$ to spend at their discretion. At some point, people will get tired of all the games (at different points for each individual). So Delta should be careful cuz once people walk, I doubt they'll come back. A quick reminder from their own marketing department:
Aug 28, 2018, 8:10 am
#68
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: MA
Programs: DL DM/2MM Marriott Platinum, HH Diamond,
Posts: 8,906
I have been a DM since the tier was introduced, same with my wife. Next year, both of us will be PMs as we very frequently use PWMs to buy our tickets. So we generate plenty of MQMs with travel and credit cards, but fall short on MQDs and not spending $250K on Amex, at least DL affinity cards.
But you surviving DMs won't be upgrading to our seats because we almost always buy front cabin anyway.
I suspect that surviving DMs won't find it much easier to upgrade as I suspect a healthy proportion of demoted DMs will similar be buying front cabin seats.
But you surviving DMs won't be upgrading to our seats because we almost always buy front cabin anyway.
I suspect that surviving DMs won't find it much easier to upgrade as I suspect a healthy proportion of demoted DMs will similar be buying front cabin seats.
Aug 28, 2018, 8:26 am
#69
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: RDU
Programs: DL DM, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Platinum, etc etc etc
Posts: 2,341
I have been a DM since the tier was introduced, same with my wife. Next year, both of us will be PMs as we very frequently use PWMs to buy our tickets. So we generate plenty of MQMs with travel and credit cards, but fall short on MQDs and not spending $250K on Amex, at least DL affinity cards.
But you surviving DMs won't be upgrading to our seats because we almost always buy front cabin anyway.
I suspect that surviving DMs won't find it much easier to upgrade as I suspect a healthy proportion of demoted DMs will similar be buying front cabin seats.
But you surviving DMs won't be upgrading to our seats because we almost always buy front cabin anyway.
I suspect that surviving DMs won't find it much easier to upgrade as I suspect a healthy proportion of demoted DMs will similar be buying front cabin seats.
The email about summer travel I got the other day said I sat in the front 68% of the time, but I think their math is off
The reason I was able to hit the MQD waiver of $15k this year was expensive domestic fares at the last minute, and the op ups to F/paying for F outright. Otherwise I can see it being very difficult for people to hit $15k
Aug 28, 2018, 8:29 am
#70
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 102
I have been a DM since the tier was introduced, same with my wife. Next year, both of us will be PMs as we very frequently use PWMs to buy our tickets. So we generate plenty of MQMs with travel and credit cards, but fall short on MQDs and not spending $250K on Amex, at least DL affinity cards.
But you surviving DMs won't be upgrading to our seats because we almost always buy front cabin anyway.
I suspect that surviving DMs won't find it much easier to upgrade as I suspect a healthy proportion of demoted DMs will similar be buying front cabin seats.
But you surviving DMs won't be upgrading to our seats because we almost always buy front cabin anyway.
I suspect that surviving DMs won't find it much easier to upgrade as I suspect a healthy proportion of demoted DMs will similar be buying front cabin seats.
Aug 29, 2018, 7:18 am
#71
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,394
Imagine some of the people's desire to have their score go up if they saw they were just below a "milestone" and they just NEED to be in the top 10, 100, 1000, etc.
Aug 29, 2018, 8:09 am
#72
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Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Finally back in Boston after escaping from New York
Posts: 13,644
Aug 29, 2018, 11:16 am
#73
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: MA
Programs: DL DM/2MM Marriott Platinum, HH Diamond,
Posts: 8,906
Perhaps, I know many corporate business travelers that are not coming out of pocket every week or two to buy up. They book flights w a corporate rate and months in advance. I also wouldn’t be shocked to see people like you switch loyalties to another program or just use Chase points and WFBF. There is no scenario where having fewer diamonds makes it harder to get an upgrade than having more diamonds, ceteris paribus.
Aug 29, 2018, 1:11 pm
#74
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: DCA, LEX
Programs: DL Platinum, Marriott Platinum, Caesars Diamond, K Fund
Posts: 375
It's not an attainable tier for most FFs. $50K minimum at outstations, $100K+ at hubs. It's basically for people who buy full-fare F/J on a near-weekly basis.
It's not like the benefits are that great anyway. Super DM would come with eight GUCs, the ability to grant PM status, etc.
It's not like the benefits are that great anyway. Super DM would come with eight GUCs, the ability to grant PM status, etc.
Aug 29, 2018, 7:49 pm
#75
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: LIT
Programs: Blinged Out
Posts: 716
Maybe a bit OT, but I ran into a fellow FTer and we joked about this thread.
I told him a story about what an ambassador at the BNA SkyClub told me a few weeks ago after a newly-minted DM (segments) checked in.
She said there is a BNA based flyer in the DL family who is a 9 Million Miler, never flown outside of the US (no passport), and is obviously DM and 360 based on segments every year.
Assuming this guy is still working and is 65 or so, how is this even mathematically possible? That’s a ton of segments- especially from BNA...
Hawaii every week??
I told him a story about what an ambassador at the BNA SkyClub told me a few weeks ago after a newly-minted DM (segments) checked in.
She said there is a BNA based flyer in the DL family who is a 9 Million Miler, never flown outside of the US (no passport), and is obviously DM and 360 based on segments every year.
Assuming this guy is still working and is 65 or so, how is this even mathematically possible? That’s a ton of segments- especially from BNA...
Hawaii every week??
Last edited by SeaHawg; Aug 29, 2018 at 10:33 pm