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NEWBIE LOUNGE: Ask DL and Skymiles Newbie Questions Here - Flame-Free Thread

NEWBIE LOUNGE: Ask DL and Skymiles Newbie Questions Here - Flame-Free Thread

Old Nov 30, 2021, 2:00 pm
  #106  
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Originally Posted by jimaras08
Thank you for your answer! I was not aware that the companion must have a SkyMiles account entered. I'd assume that FlyingBlue would not be enough either?
I was all set to say that I didn't think a FB number would work, but I see under "How to Upgrade with Travel Companions" here:

https://www.delta.com/us/en/skymiles...llion-upgrades

"A Medallion Member and one traveling companion may both enjoy a Complimentary Upgrade when traveling on Delta and Delta Connection carriers, as long as that companion is a General SkyMiles Member, Medallion Member, or partner airline elite member*"

the asterisk is

"*Partner airline elite members are only eligible for Companion Upgrades on paid tickets and Companion Certificates."

so as long as you aren't on an award ticket, looks like the answer is "yes"
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Old Nov 30, 2021, 5:03 pm
  #107  
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Hey all.

Looks like I'll be coming to DL due to AA's changes, and I'll be trying to do a status match challenge.

Does DL do any complimentary upgrades, either to C+ or beyond (depending on config) if you buy a Y/B fare?

Thanks!
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Old Nov 30, 2021, 9:28 pm
  #108  
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Originally Posted by Superguy
Hey all.

Looks like I'll be coming to DL due to AA's changes, and I'll be trying to do a status match challenge.

Does DL do any complimentary upgrades, either to C+ or beyond (depending on config) if you buy a Y/B fare?

Thanks!
Y/B fares do not qualify for comp upgrades on their own on Delta (they ended that program a number of years ago). If you have DL Platinum status or higher, you can get comp upgrades to C+ at time of booking on any fare (except Basic Economy). Gold and Silver upgrade windows to C+ are the same as First Class upgrades (3-day and 1-day, respectively). However, Exit row seats on most Delta aircraft are not part of C+ cabin (they are only Preferred seats) and can be selected at time of booking by Gold and Silver Medallions. They have similar or more legroom than C+ (C+ seats are identical to Main Cabin seats), but they don't get comp alcohol.
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Last edited by xliioper; Dec 1, 2021 at 7:35 am
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Old Dec 1, 2021, 7:00 pm
  #109  
 
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So I got this email from Delta twice regarding my upcoming trip to the US on Saturday which contains the following:


link to attestation form (PDF)
Do I really have fill out this form the old fashion way because on United last week they let me add my details during online checkin.
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Old Dec 2, 2021, 11:22 am
  #110  
 
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Originally Posted by Marschel
So I got this email from Delta twice regarding my upcoming trip to the US on Saturday which contains the following:


link to attestation form (PDF)
Do I really have fill out this form the old fashion way because on United last week they let me add my details during online checkin.
Depends where you are flying out of...When we flew out of AMS a few weeks ago the system wouldn't let us enter the attestation on line, turned out they were handing out paper forms at the gate and collecting those at boarding. Flying out of FCO a few days ago we could complete the attestation and contact tracing (now also mandatory apparently) forms on line.
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Old Dec 2, 2021, 11:49 am
  #111  
 
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Wondering if anyone can explain why the following route cant be found on delta.

Aug 29, 2022 BOS - YYZ - CDG - ATH.

What started me down this rabbit hole was the suddenly loss of what looks like 99% of the partner award seats from the northeast USA (Boston & JFK) to ATH around that date (Last week of Aug/1st week of Sept 22). Well i found AF award seats for the 29th for YYZ-ATH via CDG so I just need to figure out this leg, BOS-YYZ. WS 3603 departs BOS @ 12:20PM lands in YYZ at 2:25PM. AF351 departs YYZ @ 635PM > CDG (1:15) > ATH @ 130PM. Yet I cant find that route anywhere I look. Not on Delta, Google or even SkyScanner. Though SkyScanner at least picked up WJ BOS-YYZ, but then combined it with either Aegean or Emirates to get to ATH instead of the AF flight. Any idea why? It cant be award seats because I was searching outside of Delta's system...

Thanks!
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Old Dec 3, 2021, 7:55 am
  #112  
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Originally Posted by Daremo999
Wondering if anyone can explain why the following route cant be found on delta.

Aug 29, 2022 BOS - YYZ - CDG - ATH.

What started me down this rabbit hole was the suddenly loss of what looks like 99% of the partner award seats from the northeast USA (Boston & JFK) to ATH around that date (Last week of Aug/1st week of Sept 22). Well i found AF award seats for the 29th for YYZ-ATH via CDG so I just need to figure out this leg, BOS-YYZ. WS 3603 departs BOS @ 12:20PM lands in YYZ at 2:25PM. AF351 departs YYZ @ 635PM > CDG (1:15) > ATH @ 130PM. Yet I cant find that route anywhere I look. Not on Delta, Google or even SkyScanner. Though SkyScanner at least picked up WJ BOS-YYZ, but then combined it with either Aegean or Emirates to get to ATH instead of the AF flight. Any idea why? It cant be award seats because I was searching outside of Delta's system...

Thanks!
I was able to build the itinerary in Expert Flyer as a revenue fare putting in the specific airline's flight numbers: WS3603, AF351, and AF1832. When I tried with the DL codeshare flights for the same flights, ITA Matrix returned nothing. This must mean that DL does not have this as a published/possible routing for BOS-ATH.




If you can build it with ITA Matrix, you can then use "Book with Matrix." https://bookwithmatrix.com/

That said, I think you're trying to build it all through DL as awards or revenue, which when I tried on DL.com, even trying to book BOS-YYZ/YYZ-CDG-ATH as a multi-city, it errored out.

Your other option, if this is the routing you want, is you can book the WS segment for BOS-YYZ and the AF segments for YYZ-CDG-ATH on separate tickets, of course understanding the risks both in advance and day-of. This far out, even in normal times, there are likely to be schedule changes. COVID further compounds the possibility that schedule changes could throw things through a loop. Of course one sort-of work around for this is to book YYZ-CDG-ATH now with miles and then just book BOS-YYZ closer in once schedules are likely to be more firm, since I imagine a BOS-YYZ fare, even if unavailable with miles at that point, isn't going to be too expensive, at least compared to what the TATL leg would be in J if you were unable to book with miles there and had to pay cash.

There are also day-of risks. My understanding with regards to AF is that they are usually pretty merciless if you no show for a flight not on the same ticket. So if you have issues getting to YYZ on the WS flight and "misconnect", AF may tell you to go pound sand and rebook. The other issue is checked luggage, if you will have any. Not sure what the agreements are between WS and AF when on separate tickets so you may find you'd have to arrive in YYZ, claim bags, and re-check with AF.

Last edited by ATOBTTR; Dec 3, 2021 at 8:01 am
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Old Dec 3, 2021, 9:32 am
  #113  
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The fare you are quoting above is an AF MHPJ09M2 fare. DL has an equivalent fare filing, but the Flight Application rules are different. The AF fare permits WS flights, while the DL fare equivalent does not.

You cannot force routings on a single fare component with multi-city search on delta.com like you can on ITA Matrix. Delta has configured their multi-city search to force every break to be on a separate fare component. This means layovers must be at least 4 hours on domestic flights and 24 hours on international for each break. The only way to get it to work with multi-city is to have an overnight layover at YYZ or LGA (to create the fare break) and book the award as two separate fares. In the case below, FSL295 for BOS-YYZ award and a CMSH1200 partner award for YYZ-ATH (29.5K + 120K = 149.5K miles). The award fare construction is broken down at the "Fare Rules" link at the bottom of the flight listings.

The cheapest solution is to simply to book two separate award tickets and don't bother with multi-city search. One for BOS-YYZ on WS non-stop in Economy (WS does not have business on this route) at 12.5K + a separate award in business on YYZ-ATH for 120K for a total of 132.5K. You also don't have to have an overnight layover if you book as two tickets.


Last edited by xliioper; Dec 3, 2021 at 10:03 am
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Old Dec 3, 2021, 10:02 am
  #114  
 
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Thanks, that was very helpful!
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Old Dec 4, 2021, 12:02 am
  #115  
 
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Originally Posted by paul_from_losangeles
Thank you to El Boocho for the reply at post #79.

I have now captured another Delta fare reduction to a future ticketed flight, and I now have 6 eCredits in my Skymiles profile.
I had a conversation yesterday with a phone agent who seemed in the know and indicated that at least for the time-being during the covid era, they have a lot of flexibility regarding the number of credits that can be applied to a booking.
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Old Dec 4, 2021, 9:59 am
  #116  
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My dl amex was free first year (60k mileage signup) and now is $99/year. Will amex waive the annual fee when I call to cancel? Is it still best to cancel by phone or should I cancel on the amex app?
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Old Dec 4, 2021, 11:31 am
  #117  
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Originally Posted by gaobest
My dl amex was free first year (60k mileage signup) and now is $99/year. Will amex waive the annual fee when I call to cancel? Is it still best to cancel by phone or should I cancel on the amex app?
You should call or chat and see if they'll give you a retention offer: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...on-offers.html
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Old Dec 5, 2021, 6:05 pm
  #118  
 
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Hi all, I'm a long time flyer, but I've never needed to consider airline status since I mostly flew short haul 3-4 times per year. Now with a job offer and moving across the country, I would easily be able to hit at least Delta Silver with where and how frequently I would be flying. I'm curious what everyone's opinions are on it. I'm also am considering AA Gold, seeing as Delta and AA have the largest and same level of presence at my future home base (JAX). I'd have similar access to lounges, similar flight and layover times, etc., so what I'm really wondering about is people's opinions and experiences with their status and if it was even worth it going for base level status. Main reason why I might consider Delta over AA is future scalability and that I'm pretty invested in the Amex ecosystem, even though I prefer Oneworld and AA's partnership with B6. Thanks!
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Old Dec 5, 2021, 7:38 pm
  #119  
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Originally Posted by RivarCat
Hi all, I'm a long time flyer, but I've never needed to consider airline status since I mostly flew short haul 3-4 times per year. Now with a job offer and moving across the country, I would easily be able to hit at least Delta Silver with where and how frequently I would be flying. I'm curious what everyone's opinions are on it. I'm also am considering AA Gold, seeing as Delta and AA have the largest and same level of presence at my future home base (JAX). I'd have similar access to lounges, similar flight and layover times, etc., so what I'm really wondering about is people's opinions and experiences with their status and if it was even worth it going for base level status. Main reason why I might consider Delta over AA is future scalability and that I'm pretty invested in the Amex ecosystem, even though I prefer Oneworld and AA's partnership with B6. Thanks!
Which program would be better depends on what you would value out of status and how youd obtain it.

Qualifying:
AA is moving to a new system that is all spend based, with the ability to gain status via CC spend and/or spend on tickets. If you can put $30K on a qualifying AA credit card, you can be AA Gold without even setting foot on an AA plane. Conversely DL still has MQM/MQS requirements along with the spend requirement (MQDs) or youll need to get the MQD waiver, which will require $25K in spend on a qualifying DL-co branded AmEx. If you put $25K on a DL Platinum AmEx, youd also get 10K MQMs and would only need an additional 15K MQMs from flying to hit Silver.

In terms of benefits with status, I think DL Silver is more worthwhile than AA Gold. As an AA Gold, you wont get upgraded complimentary on any flight over 500 miles. Youd have to buy upgrade stickers. On DL, even if rare, depending on your routes and travel days, you could still get upgraded complimentary as a Silver. An additional pro fo DL is that unlike AA, the exit rows on many DL aircraft are Preferred seats, not Comfort Plus, which you can select at booking. On AA, the exit rows are part of Main Cabin Extra, which requires AA PLAT to be able to get at booking.

If youd fly/spend enough or be able to put enough spend on an AA Credit Card to hit AA PLAT, the calculus starts to change. AA PLAT gets MCE at booking while DL Gold doesnt get Comfort Plus at booking. You only get complimentary access beginning 72 hours out on DL as a Gold. But as an AA PLAT, you still fall under the 500 mile limit for complimentary upgrades and have to buy and use stickers for longer flights while DL would give you complimentary upgrades. Both AA PLAT and DL Gold would at least have an elevated level with partners if youd do any international travel.

For JAX specifically: one plus to DL is DL serves ATL-JAX with very high frequency which will be great for schedules. JAX also has a DL SkyClub while AA does not have an Admirals Club at JAX. My guess is CLT is AAs most served destination in terms of frequency from JAX.
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Old Dec 6, 2021, 8:56 am
  #120  
 
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Originally Posted by ATOBTTR

For JAX specifically: one plus to DL is DL serves ATL-JAX with very high frequency which will be great for schedules. JAX also has a DL SkyClub while AA does not have an Admirals Club at JAX. My guess is CLT is AAs most served destination in terms of frequency from JAX.
Adding to your phenomenal break down: I think MIA equally served as CLT from JAX. But you are right that JAX -ATL is served very frequently. My home airport is JAX but I consider ATL my second home airport because of I always connect through ATL lol . I do prefer ATL over MIA too.
Also, Silver won't get OP access to the lounge unless he has the Delta Reserve. The other lounge in JAX is a priority pass lounge which OP can get through a CC.

Last edited by Synapseturquoise; Dec 6, 2021 at 9:04 am
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