No More MQM/MQD/MQS/RDM For Basic Economy Tickets
Dec 9, 2021, 2:20 pm
#31
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Minneapolis
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 2,235
Dec 9, 2021, 2:27 pm
#32
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,056
Last edited by xliioper; Dec 9, 2021 at 2:44 pm
Dec 9, 2021, 4:44 pm
#33
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: UA Premier Platinum, DL Platinum
Posts: 597
Delta has done that several times.
They did it just a little over a month ago with GUC's.and waited until almost the end of the year instead of telling us on 1/1/22 or even doing the announcement for effective 1/23 that GUC's will have a lot shorter life if we wait to chose them and expire 1/31 of the year instead of 12 months after being selected and also having to purchase PS if we want to clear into D1 immediately and if we don't buy PS we only get put into PS and won't clear into D1 until no sooner than t-24 hours.
What Delta did with the GUC's was a lot more unfair than this change seeing the GUC's apply to their most loyal customers and people who already have BE tickets still have the old rules apply to them
They did it just a little over a month ago with GUC's.and waited until almost the end of the year instead of telling us on 1/1/22 or even doing the announcement for effective 1/23 that GUC's will have a lot shorter life if we wait to chose them and expire 1/31 of the year instead of 12 months after being selected and also having to purchase PS if we want to clear into D1 immediately and if we don't buy PS we only get put into PS and won't clear into D1 until no sooner than t-24 hours.
What Delta did with the GUC's was a lot more unfair than this change seeing the GUC's apply to their most loyal customers and people who already have BE tickets still have the old rules apply to them
United, for all of its faults, has given its customers decent notice before making big, harmful changes to its program. It conveys basic respect for customers.
And before anyone tells me that they have the legal right to do so, please note I'm not offering a legal opinion. (I also reject the idea that a business's fiduciary duties to shareholders require it to screw customers militantly.)
Dec 9, 2021, 5:16 pm
#35
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York suburbs
Posts: 4,210
How many employers require the lowest available fare, even if it means Basic Economy? How many have a contract with Delta that requires such? If so, you might be forced to buy it anyway, even without getting the miles and other benefits.
Dec 9, 2021, 5:21 pm
#36
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: WAS
Programs: Free Agent
Posts: 1,757
*Compared to the price of a new ticket. Sometimes.
Dec 9, 2021, 6:08 pm
#37
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,389
That’s the thing, it’s not always Ma and Pa Kettle making purchase choices. I’m sure Delta knows what works and what won’t work for them; I’m not lobbying for a change or sitting on a throne commanding the tide to go out. But I do have choices…
Last edited by eponymous_coward; Dec 9, 2021 at 6:13 pm
Dec 9, 2021, 6:25 pm
#38
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Back in Reds Country (DAY/CVG). Previously: SEA & SAT.
Programs: DL PM 1MM, AA PLAT, UA Silver, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 10,348
My company has “must buy lowest fare” rules to go along with “can’t use your own card, use the card we issued you” rules for corporate travel. I can tell you right now I will be buying zero DL BE fares if I can buy fares on airlines that give me full or even partial earning.
That’s the thing, it’s not always Ma and Pa Kettle making purchase choices. I’m sure Delta knows what works and what won’t work for them; I’m not lobbying for a change or sitting on a throne commanding the tide to go out. But I do have choices…
That’s the thing, it’s not always Ma and Pa Kettle making purchase choices. I’m sure Delta knows what works and what won’t work for them; I’m not lobbying for a change or sitting on a throne commanding the tide to go out. But I do have choices…
ETA: even if you do have some flexibility while still actually being forced to buy BE for business travel, again, as I said I think DL is either banking on or concluded that you are the exception, not the rule, and the vast majority of passengers buying BE fares either don’t care about miles or pursuing status to begin with or have zero flexibility anyway if they’re required to buy the lowest fare and that’s DL or they have a contract with DL and have to go with DL.
Last edited by ATOBTTR; Dec 9, 2021 at 7:12 pm
Dec 9, 2021, 6:32 pm
#39
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 5,184
My company has “must buy lowest fare” rules to go along with “can’t use your own card, use the card we issued you” rules for corporate travel. I can tell you right now I will be buying zero DL BE fares if I can buy fares on airlines that give me full or even partial earning.
That’s the thing, it’s not always Ma and Pa Kettle making purchase choices. I’m sure Delta knows what works and what won’t work for them; I’m not lobbying for a change or sitting on a throne commanding the tide to go out. But I do have choices…
That’s the thing, it’s not always Ma and Pa Kettle making purchase choices. I’m sure Delta knows what works and what won’t work for them; I’m not lobbying for a change or sitting on a throne commanding the tide to go out. But I do have choices…
Dec 9, 2021, 6:36 pm
#40
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Boston, MA
Programs: Delta Platinum, Marriott Titanium, United Silver
Posts: 20
I can definitely see how this is not a good thing for those required to purchase the lowest fare, but as a PM who never buys BE fares even with many of the limitations not relevant to me (like checked bags or lounge access with multiple Delta Reserve cards and Platinum charge cards) this does at least make me feel better about paying the Medallion Tax that I've always paid just for upgrades on Main Cabin flights.
And with MQM rollover happening once again, hopefully it'll at least help settle the glut of Medallions after next year. It does kind of boggle the mind that I'll still be losing upgrades to DMs who may not have flown since early 2019 all the way into January of 2023.
And with MQM rollover happening once again, hopefully it'll at least help settle the glut of Medallions after next year. It does kind of boggle the mind that I'll still be losing upgrades to DMs who may not have flown since early 2019 all the way into January of 2023.
Dec 9, 2021, 7:08 pm
#41
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
It only applies to tickets purchased today and onward. If you bought a BE ticket before today, your ticket will fall under the rules which applied when it was purchased (I would recommend one keep receipts to show proof for the date of purchase proof and save a screenshot or printout of the link announcement should the miles not post correctly and one has to go apply for mileage credit after the fact and then has to go back-and-forth with DL)
AFAICT there's no change to MQS and MQD earnings on BE tickets, right?
Dec 9, 2021, 7:19 pm
#42
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: NYC/LA
Programs: DL Plat, AA Plat Pro, Marriott Titanium, IHG Diamond Amb
Posts: 7,487
”Basic Economy tickets purchased on or after December 9, 2021 for flights departing on or after January 1, 2022, will no longer be eligible to earn miles in the SkyMiles Program or earn towards Medallion Status (meaning not eligible for MQM, MQS or MQD earn).”
Dec 9, 2021, 7:22 pm
#43
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
They won’t qualify for elite status under any metric:
”Basic Economy tickets purchased on or after December 9, 2021 for flights departing on or after January 1, 2022, will no longer be eligible to earn miles in the SkyMiles Program or earn towards Medallion Status (meaning not eligible for MQM, MQS or MQD earn).”
”Basic Economy tickets purchased on or after December 9, 2021 for flights departing on or after January 1, 2022, will no longer be eligible to earn miles in the SkyMiles Program or earn towards Medallion Status (meaning not eligible for MQM, MQS or MQD earn).”
Dec 9, 2021, 7:33 pm
#44
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: RDU
Programs: DL DM+(segs)/MM, UA Ag, Hilton DM, Marriott Ti (life Pt), TSA Opt-out Platinum
Posts: 3,227
Dec 9, 2021, 7:37 pm
#45
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 5,184