ATOBTTR

It is. And DL is the only airline to offer it. I rolled over some 35K MQMs going into this year. Between the AmEx MQMs and the rollover, I'm a GM for 2020 without setting foot a plane. And my travel has been down (way down) compared to previous years but thanks to rollover, I still should be able to reach Platinum status for 2020 where as without it, I'd barely (maybe) reach Gold Medallion.

Which is also in line with AA and UA, who don't upgrade elites complimentary on long-haul flights. And US carriers are far more generous with upgrades than other carriers around the globe. And you should study AA's program. For AA Gold (equivalent to DL Silver) and AA Platinum (equivalent to DL Gold), you can only get a complimentary upgrade on flights under 500 miles. If the flight is longer than that, you'll need to buy (or accumulate) and then use "stickers". It's not until you hit Platinum Pro (equivalent to DL Platinum) that you get true complimentary upgrades on all flights that are upgrade eligible.

Based on the number of "Priority Tags" I always see coming out (and which Silver Medallions don't get), that tells me plenty of Medallions are taking advantage of the Medallion baggage allowance. Just because you don't doesn't mean others aren't. I'm now more likely to check my bag, even if it's just roll-a-board size so I can instead put my personal item in the overhead bin and have more legroom in the seat and so I don't have to lug my suitcase around the airport.

It was explained to you that at every DL airport, Silver Medallions either 1) have a dedicated Silver Medallion check-in line (usually at hubs) or 2) can use the SkyPriority check-in line if there's no dedicated Silver Medallion line.

This is one of the complaints about how DL markets this though Zone 1 still isn't "everyone else" - there are still plenty of people in later zones (those who are not Medallions and/or do not have a DL AmEx). While you may not find OH space near your seat in Zone 1, you should still be able to find space for your bag somewhere on the plane in Zone 1 and avoid the gate check.

If you don't feel the benefits are worth it, then stick to flying the lowest priced or most convenient carrier. But just because you don't value something doesn't mean others don't. One big benefit to being a Silver Medallion over a non-status that you didn't bring up is IROPS priority and rebooking assistance. Maybe you haven't had an IROPS case with your Silver status to see its benefits. But even being able to get through slightly faster on the phone line or having a higher priority on a standby list can make a big difference. Several years ago as a Silver, I was IROP'ed over Christmas when I misconnected in ATL. I was put on the "Awaiting Seat Assignment" list for the next flight and was #2 of 54 standbys for 3 seats, no doubt higher on the list with Silver status than I would have been without it. I got one of the three remaining seats and made it home for Christmas.

Old Hickory

How disappointing...

ryw

My understanding is that International First Class (e.g. flights to Canada and Mexico) are eligible for complimentary upgrades, but not International Delta One. Is this still true? (Last year I got upgrades to First on US-Canada flights, which was a nice perk!)

I will say that it seems that one of OP's big peeves is that Medallions are excluded from D1 international complimentary upgrades; even if that weren't the case, given how few domestic D1/First upgrades are available for Silvers, I don't know that there'd be much difference internationally.

My own flying patterns tend to get me enough MQMs each year for Silver/FO or more, and just about to the MQD threshold. I find enough value that I'll spend enough to make sure I hit the MQD threshold. I don't have any expectations that I'm Delta's most valued customer, but I do find a lot of benefits at the Silver level that I'm willing to pay a small price premium for DL over other airlines where I have no status.

* The most useful thing for me is that SFO & OAK are small enough stations that Silvers are able to use the Sky Priority Checkin line (as well as at a lot of other non-hubs).
* The free checked bag is also for partner airlines, while the AmEx checked bag is only for DL marketed & operated flights and doesn't apply to codeshares. Even though a lot of my flying is domestic with carry-on only, there are times when I end up checking a bag where this is a useful benefit. Ditto for international flights.
* Free access to exit row seats or aisle seats closer to the front
* True that boarding isn't super early, but it's ahead of enough people to be an ok benefit. Plus if a C+ upgrade clears you get to board before Sky Priority anyways, which makes the C+ upgrade feel like it has a little more of a tangible benefit.

I do think it depends where you're flying from. Probably less value for Silver/FO at a DL hub, but being located at a sizeable outstation, the checkin benefits are worthwhile, and there's enough Zone 2/3/Basic passengers that the boarding benefit is worthwhile too -- I'm not fighting for overhead space.

xliioper

DL "First Class" is a domestic first class product which also happens to be flown on a number of short-haul international routes which are also eligible for upgrades. These are not true "International First Class" routes as the term is traditionally used.

Medallion Members are eligible for and rewarded with Unlimited Complimentary Upgrades to Delta Comfort+® and First Class on all routes where the products are available. They are also eligible for day of departure Complimentary Upgrades to Delta One® on all U.S. 50 flights – including flights to Hawaii.

• Delta Comfort+ is typically offered on domestic and select international flights
• First Class is typically offered in North America and nearby destinations like the Caribbean and Central America
• Delta One is generally available on long-haul international flights and certain cross-country domestic flights

MSPeconomist

dilbertsdaddy

Interesting to read all the detailed analysis, but I am a high-level guy, so here is my take:

FO is kettle +

As DM/MM I am treated like a king and have no issues. Any this is from someone who is sitting at a bar till tomorrow due to cancelled flight.

Sorry to be so blunt.

Peace and enjoy!

xolinlevh

TL;DR OP didnt bother to research anything before switching airlines. Now starts a thread to cry over his own idiocy. Close thread.

ncwillett

And yet, silver gets you the ability to choose better seats at no cost, a free checked bag, some level of priority check in, boarding ahead of the general public (so less likelihood of having to gate check a bag), and roll over miles.

Silver DOES come with tangible benefits. See my reply above. And you do get priority boarding. Sure, there are folks with even higher priority boarding, but silver boards with Zone 1, ahead of Zones 2 and 3.

No, your assertion about who checks bags is just not accurate. If "nearly everyone" carried on, why is the baggage carousel full of bags after every flight?

Also, Zone 1 is NOT "everyone else." That would be Zones 2 and 3. If you are Zone 1, you shouldn't have a problem finding overhead space.

Lastly, you apparently read what you wanted to read. Did you really think unlimited complimentary upgrades meant you could book a cheap economy ticket and fly business class to Europe any time you wanted? I'm sure you know the old adage, "If it sounds too good to be true...." Any reasonable person would have said, "Hmm, let me see what that actually means."

You seem to want all the benefits for the least investment, and completely ignore the benefits you DO get at even the lowest level of medallion status.

Alltainer

jdallas.nelson

Silver DOES come with tangible benefits. See my reply above. And you do get priority boarding. Sure, there are folks with even higher priority boarding, but silver boards with Zone 1, ahead of Zones 2 and 3.

You're completely off on this. My first flight as SM from LGA to ATL i assumed "Priority Boarding" meant "Sky Priority". I sat in the lounge until I got the notification boarding had begun. I then made my way to gate when I realized I didn't have the red Sky Priority logo on my ticket. I found a mob crowding the gate. I took a spot in the back of the Zone 1. Before I got to the counter they began checking bags. Sure, there is 2 & 3. Having flown standby a number of times have noticed how many people are in zone 3? Half of them don't even make the flight. Not to mention in most cases half way through zone 1 the agents stop paying attention to what zone you're in. Again, the term "Priority Boarding" is an intentionally misleading statement.

As for the carousel being full.... Think that through. You realize when bags are gate checked after overhead is full the bags are then returned to carousel, right? Have you not paid attention to the casual travelers who brings 8 bags for a 3 day trip?

Bubbashow- you're right. SM is worthless and nothing more than a carrot on a stick for Delta to lure some semi-frequent travelers into the program. To go back to someone point made earlier, having this low tier with little benefits seems to dilute the other levels.

strickerj

garykung

I beg to differ.

So far, OP showed us how OP's expectation was different from the reality. The problem is the reality, that OP has faced, is not only well-known, but also published in many places.

When OP has not been misled, I hardly see that OP was here for a conversation, but instead ranting.

MikeNYC1

Priority Boarding isn't misleading. You have higher priority over non-status passengers. That's pretty clear. If they meant SkyPriority, they would have said exactly that.

Regarding "You realize when bags are gate checked after overhead is full the bags are then returned to carousel, right?"...

Gate Checked bags (pink tagged) are returned to you upon landing, at the jetway. They don't go to the carousel. Through-checked bags do go to the carousel, but you said gate checked.

Zorak

I think it's *slightly* misleading, just like their marketing of "Zone 1 boarding!" to credit card customers is misleading, since it's actually like the 5th zone behind pre-board, premium, C+ and Sky or whatever the order these days. However I also think someone claiming to be an experienced traveler should know the games that airlines play and be a bit more alert to these sorts of shenanigans. Or, anyone who's familiar with how advertising works

Gotta disagree with you on this one too. IMO people commonly use "gate check" to mean, when the GAs say "this is an extremely full flight and all the overhead space will be used, anyone who would like to check their bag to their final destination for free yada yada yada".

Pink tagging, which indeed is returned to you on the jetway, is also checked at the gate, but I think that's called "valet check".

WillBarrett_68

I think you could have figured out what he meant from context there. Most people use "gate check" in this situation and in fact GAs will often use that term when telling passengers what they're doing.