Business travel started to ramp up nationwide in April - did yours?
May 8, 2022, 1:51 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
Programs: Delta Platinum, American Gold, JetBlue Mosaic 4, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 4,888
Business travel started to ramp up nationwide in April - did yours?
How are people looking in terms of flights, reaching status again, etc?
Do we expect Delta to extend status for another year? I think no
Do we expect Delta to extend status for another year? I think no
May 8, 2022, 2:43 pm
#3
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Tahoe
Programs: Delta DM for now
Posts: 474
No way DL extends status again. If people haven't returned to the skies at this point, that's on them and/or their employer. Chances are they will never return to previous travel levels. Those who have resumed business travel are flush with MQMs and with no change in MQDs or waivers, requalifying is easier than it's ever been. Plus, award flights count towards status now too.
May 8, 2022, 5:02 pm
#4
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: PDX
Programs: DL Plat, UA Plat 1MM, AS MVP, Hyatt Discoverist, Avis Presidents Club, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 3,938
I took my first business trip in 2.5 years in April, as did a number of my colleagues. But that was just a single trip; I will do a few more as it ramps up this year but it won't be back to pre-pandemic levels ever.
May 8, 2022, 5:41 pm
#6
Join Date: May 2019
Location: RTW
Programs: Delta PM, AA PlatPro
Posts: 406
Never stopped normal business travel myself.
Never stopped traveling for fun, either.
40+ countries visited in 2020/2021.
Currently doing 2x international paid F int'l trips a month for work.
Everyone at work is traveling as much as possible.
Got to make up for wasted time last two years. Gotta get face time, get in front of vendors and customers.
So vital, everyone is sick of video calls - so wildly ineffective compared to shaking hands and building real relationships.
Never stopped traveling for fun, either.
40+ countries visited in 2020/2021.
Currently doing 2x international paid F int'l trips a month for work.
Everyone at work is traveling as much as possible.
Got to make up for wasted time last two years. Gotta get face time, get in front of vendors and customers.
So vital, everyone is sick of video calls - so wildly ineffective compared to shaking hands and building real relationships.
May 8, 2022, 6:00 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 10,965
A few weeks ago I told work that I would resume travel IF the COVID numbers stay low. Well, the numbers are going up again. So, I told them no. My whole team is still going to make the trip (domestic) and sharing a rental car! Definitely no!
I think if I were younger and had to "go through the grind" to prove myself, I might consider doing it. I am about to retire, have life time statues with UA and Marriott and the company really does not make us feel valued. Why subject myself to the risk? If not travelling gets me onto the next layoff list, it is perfect
I think if I were younger and had to "go through the grind" to prove myself, I might consider doing it. I am about to retire, have life time statues with UA and Marriott and the company really does not make us feel valued. Why subject myself to the risk? If not travelling gets me onto the next layoff list, it is perfect
May 8, 2022, 7:13 pm
#8
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: SEA
Programs: DL DM, Marriott Amb./LTP
Posts: 287
And this is why the rest of us have had to suffer with this seemingly never-ending pandemic for the past two years. Absolutely foolish and irresponsible behavior.
May 8, 2022, 7:25 pm
#9
Join Date: Jun 2013
Programs: DL Diamond, UA Premier Gold
Posts: 2,929
Unless everyone was going to stay in their homes 100% for a month there was no stopping this virus from spreading everywhere, as we now know.
Last edited by DLASflyer; May 8, 2022 at 8:30 pm
May 8, 2022, 7:46 pm
#10
Join Date: Apr 2022
Location: JFK, GRU, IST, ORD, LGA
Programs: DL DM, TK Classic Plus, HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Accor Silver
Posts: 30
Resumed business travel in March 2022, but only domestic. Resuming international business travel later this month. Glad to hit the road again even if it's nowhere near what it was like before.
Edited to add: Tons of personal travel since vaccination means I'll have no trouble renewing status. I hope for no extension because that could also mean DM++, DM+, DM; it's confusing enough as it is!
Edited to add: Tons of personal travel since vaccination means I'll have no trouble renewing status. I hope for no extension because that could also mean DM++, DM+, DM; it's confusing enough as it is!
Last edited by latexlegend; May 8, 2022 at 8:01 pm
May 8, 2022, 8:02 pm
#11
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: West of CLE
Programs: Delta DM/3 MM; Hertz PC; National EE; Amtrak GR; Bonvoy Silver; Via Rail Préférence
Posts: 5,378
I did four Delta round trips in April, but now I don't have any firm plans involving air travel until Labor Day weekend
I am going to make my first foreign trip in 2-1/2 years by driving to western Ontario for the opening of the harness racing season there; I'm going to harness tracks in Sarnia, Clinton and Dresden May 21-23, and spend two nights in Goderich on Lake Huron, where the locals claim that Queen Elizabeth II called their town the loveliest small city in Canada, even though she never visited there. It is 207 highway miles from my home to the Blue Water Bridge, and the Sarnia track is only about 4 miles east of there.
I am going to make my first foreign trip in 2-1/2 years by driving to western Ontario for the opening of the harness racing season there; I'm going to harness tracks in Sarnia, Clinton and Dresden May 21-23, and spend two nights in Goderich on Lake Huron, where the locals claim that Queen Elizabeth II called their town the loveliest small city in Canada, even though she never visited there. It is 207 highway miles from my home to the Blue Water Bridge, and the Sarnia track is only about 4 miles east of there.
May 8, 2022, 9:35 pm
#13
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: The Indo Jungle
Programs: AA EXP, IHG Spire
Posts: 1,319
Silly comment. Some business cannot be done from home.
May 9, 2022, 3:16 am
#14
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 797
I qualified natively for 1k and diamond every year since 2019.
I am already requalified 1k this year, and diamond will be reached by June 30. Maybe I will try American too. Or switch all my flying back to UA and try for global services.
In any event, those people that are worried about people having fun probably need to stay home and hide.
I am already requalified 1k this year, and diamond will be reached by June 30. Maybe I will try American too. Or switch all my flying back to UA and try for global services.
In any event, those people that are worried about people having fun probably need to stay home and hide.
May 9, 2022, 7:04 am
#15
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: IND PHL SLC
Programs: Delta Diamond, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Explorist, Marriott Silver, Hertz PC, Avis PC, CLEAR
Posts: 107
Business travel is back in full swing for me. Every week in May booked and first half of June as well. Customers are practically salivating to book in person visits.
Just got back from an Industry Conference in Paris for my first International in +2 years and it felt great. Vax make it possible though, and I did mask up in Europe a bit, numbers there and in the states are not the lowest right now.
Just got back from an Industry Conference in Paris for my first International in +2 years and it felt great. Vax make it possible though, and I did mask up in Europe a bit, numbers there and in the states are not the lowest right now.