What is Delta's justification for the 75K RDM cap?
May 27, 2019, 7:12 am
#31
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: SLC & NYC
Programs: Diamond Medallion, Delta Million Miler, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 674
I know this has been discussed aplenty here, but I can't seem to locate a specific thread dedicated to this topic with my White Belt in Google-Fu...
I estimate we've "lost" over 100K RDMs EACH (myself and Spousal Unit-1) in the last 12-18 months specifically due to this absurd, seemingly arbitrary RDM cap on flights. It certainly feels like a penalty against DMs for buying high-dollar fares. If a DM spends $11K on a J fare, why on earth are they spanked to the tune of 50K RDMs for the privilege?
I know, I know -- I have "options" and this is a "First-World problem", blah, blah, blah. But I've been generally ecstatic with DL these last 6 months (after enduring a spate of issue during the last half of 2018).
I'd just like to know the rationale behind this, and if there's a legitimate issue at play that I'm not aware of.
I estimate we've "lost" over 100K RDMs EACH (myself and Spousal Unit-1) in the last 12-18 months specifically due to this absurd, seemingly arbitrary RDM cap on flights. It certainly feels like a penalty against DMs for buying high-dollar fares. If a DM spends $11K on a J fare, why on earth are they spanked to the tune of 50K RDMs for the privilege?
I know, I know -- I have "options" and this is a "First-World problem", blah, blah, blah. But I've been generally ecstatic with DL these last 6 months (after enduring a spate of issue during the last half of 2018).
I'd just like to know the rationale behind this, and if there's a legitimate issue at play that I'm not aware of.
May 27, 2019, 9:02 am
#32
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I've been hit by the cap on just a simple nonstop TATL D fare (even using the AmEx IAP discount) where I had no flexibility in dates. In fact, for DM hub captives, the cap bites even on many TPAC I fares, which are supposedly considered to be deeply discounted.
Whenver I've checked, doing two OWs on a TATL or TPAC trip becomes much more expensive unless one is already purchasing FULL C/J, and even then international origination fees can increase the price when it's ticketed on a OW basis (which can also cause trouble with GAs doing passport checks and somewhat less frequently immigration officials in certain countries).
Whenver I've checked, doing two OWs on a TATL or TPAC trip becomes much more expensive unless one is already purchasing FULL C/J, and even then international origination fees can increase the price when it's ticketed on a OW basis (which can also cause trouble with GAs doing passport checks and somewhat less frequently immigration officials in certain countries).
May 27, 2019, 10:32 am
#34
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: ATL
Programs: Delta PlM, 1M
Posts: 6,363
Are there any tickets that pay less due to the cap than under the old mile flown system?
I doubt many, and there will be many that pay far better under this system for these same spenders. It is those buying cheap tickets who gets "punished" under the $ based system.
As I see it, those buying expensive flights were (quite properly) having the system adjusted in their favor. But argue it should be even more so.
I doubt many, and there will be many that pay far better under this system for these same spenders. It is those buying cheap tickets who gets "punished" under the $ based system.
As I see it, those buying expensive flights were (quite properly) having the system adjusted in their favor. But argue it should be even more so.
May 27, 2019, 11:22 am
#35
Join Date: Aug 2018
Programs: DL Plat, Marriot Plat
Posts: 349
Kinda makes sense, but it would seem like a clear slap in the face of your big-ticket buyers. We're small-fry, in that this only happens 1-2 times per year (x2, since it's usually both of us flying), since we're poor and rarely buy refundable J. Perhaps this is something more keenly felt by we basement dwellers since it doesn't happen too frequently, and probably because the real Big Cheese don't think about RDMs.
Anyway, we'd sure like those 200K RDMs rather than feel like we had to give those to DL in addition to our hard-earned Benjamins to fly up front in their pretty Sky Tubes.
Anyway, we'd sure like those 200K RDMs rather than feel like we had to give those to DL in addition to our hard-earned Benjamins to fly up front in their pretty Sky Tubes.
May 27, 2019, 12:58 pm
#36
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
Fair enough, but you would have to know booking a trip (to Australia no less and basically) last minute was going cost you an arm and a leg, even in Y.
The last time I went there, Dec 2017, I flew cross country to the west coast on a separate ticket. On a single ticket from the east coast the price would have been more than 3 times as much.
The last time I went there, Dec 2017, I flew cross country to the west coast on a separate ticket. On a single ticket from the east coast the price would have been more than 3 times as much.
May 27, 2019, 1:13 pm
#37
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Are there any tickets that pay less due to the cap than under the old mile flown system?
I doubt many, and there will be many that pay far better under this system for these same spenders. It is those buying cheap tickets who gets "punished" under the $ based system.
As I see it, those buying expensive flights were (quite properly) having the system adjusted in their favor. But argue it should be even more so.
I doubt many, and there will be many that pay far better under this system for these same spenders. It is those buying cheap tickets who gets "punished" under the $ based system.
As I see it, those buying expensive flights were (quite properly) having the system adjusted in their favor. But argue it should be even more so.
My guess would be the FULL F/J premium cabin tickets that earn 200% or more on a long route. Perhaps AF something like LAX/SFO/SEA-CDG-Asia all in a fully refundable La Premiere ticket (IIRC earned at 300%) flown by a DM, but it might be difficult to earn under DL rules for that.
How about CDG-JFK-NRT-SIN RT in FULL J for something like 25,000 actual miles at 200% plus the DM bonus of IIRC 125%? Of course, if you're buying a FULL J ticket, it's unlikely to cost much more if ticketed as two OWs, so you could get 150,000 RDMs under the new rules, although the cap would probably still be binding on each ticket.
How about CDG-JFK-NRT-SIN RT in FULL J for something like 25,000 actual miles at 200% plus the DM bonus of IIRC 125%? Of course, if you're buying a FULL J ticket, it's unlikely to cost much more if ticketed as two OWs, so you could get 150,000 RDMs under the new rules, although the cap would probably still be binding on each ticket.
May 27, 2019, 3:44 pm
#38
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May 29, 2019, 7:46 am
#39
Join Date: Apr 2007
Programs: AA, DAL, blah, blah, blah...The usual.
Posts: 646
This has happened enough to me that I now 'kind of' pay attention to it. My last trip I actually split the trip with 2 different carriers as the price was a bit cheaper and it didn't hit the cap. If no cap, I probably would have paid a bit more and stayed on a delta ticket the entire way. Not worth spending a lot of time on for me, but it does give me quick pause on blind loyalty.
Like sdadept, I’ve hit that glass ceiling when booking complex TPACS. Whereas I used to book, say CVG-Almaty, Kazakhstan as a single, round trip ticket, now I generally book the round trip with Delta to Seoul, spend a night or two, and then pad another awards program with another nested r/t flight.
Pretty much whenever I’m booking a long flight, as soon as I see the 75K ceiling coming into view, I at least take a few minutes on Google Flights to see my other options.
I travel extensively for work, and my wife tolerates my absence knowing that at least every year I take her someplace we would otherwise never get to see, and we travel there in comfort we wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford. So I don’t mind the couple extra minutes it takes to maximize points earnings.
Pretty much whenever I’m booking a long flight, as soon as I see the 75K ceiling coming into view, I at least take a few minutes on Google Flights to see my other options.
I travel extensively for work, and my wife tolerates my absence knowing that at least every year I take her someplace we would otherwise never get to see, and we travel there in comfort we wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford. So I don’t mind the couple extra minutes it takes to maximize points earnings.
Jun 2, 2019, 4:16 pm
#40
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Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: HSV
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Posts: 1,509
Curse you, Delta. 
Interestingly, as you can see, the itinerary doesn’t mention BNE (DL codeshare on VA J), only the domestic
portion of the trip, which I think is odd.
Interestingly, as you can see, the itinerary doesn’t mention BNE (DL codeshare on VA J), only the domestic
portion of the trip, which I think is odd.
Jun 2, 2019, 10:15 pm
#42
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Lastly, we put $100K+ per month on our DLAX cards, so it doesn’t take long to hit the waiver. We hit it sometime in March.
Jun 3, 2019, 3:51 am
#43
Suspended
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I would agree with you had I not had a conversation with someone recently. They used to work in finance at a high end car company (Think starting prices of 6 figures and up). They mentioned that people would come in and pay cash for say a $125k car and insist on charging the purchase to their Amex Black/Platinum card so they could get the points (obviously they were not trying to float the purchase since the money is due at the end of the month from those cards). They mentioned that folks that rich still cared about getting those points.
Jun 3, 2019, 4:33 am
#44
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: NYC
Programs: DL DM; Marriott Ambasador Elite
Posts: 626
I would agree with you had I not had a conversation with someone recently. They used to work in finance at a high end car company (Think starting prices of 6 figures and up). They mentioned that people would come in and pay cash for say a $125k car and insist on charging the purchase to their Amex Black/Platinum card so they could get the points (obviously they were not trying to float the purchase since the money is due at the end of the month from those cards). They mentioned that folks that rich still cared about getting those points.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.the...i-nude-on-amex
Jun 4, 2019, 11:57 am
#45
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 3,097
I have two Reserves and give the 60K MQMs to SU1 so she can maintain her DM status, which gives us 8 GUCs between us and we don’t need to burn a CB on guest SC access, so we can spin the wheel for other benefits, not to mention two F companion certs, etc.
Lastly, we put $100K+ per month on our DLAX cards, so it doesn’t take long to hit the waiver. We hit it sometime in March.