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Fare Class No Longer a Factor in Upgrade Priority

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Old Jan 9, 2024 | 8:11 pm
  #136  
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Originally Posted by xliioper
Once again, that is old language (it has been there for over a year) that has not been updated. It was there before DL moved MM status up above Reserve card in the rankings. Most likely, someone did not actually review all the old T&Cs when they updated that page.
Well, the "old" language is mixed right in with the "new" language FWIW. The "new" language has not been there for over a year.
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Old Jan 9, 2024 | 8:25 pm
  #137  
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Originally Posted by emma dog
And its still technically correct. They do have higher priority versus someone without a card.
Well, this is at the crux of the question: Does a Diamond with a card have higher priority over a Diamond without a card, regardless of other variables? Using the newly-published ranking, one would think no if the Diamond bought Comfort+ or is a MM (since the card is 4th on the ranking algorithm), but as I have quoted above, the verbiage below the Priority ranking chart says that those with the magic card will have a higher ranking "within their Medallion group." Interpreted strictly, it means Diamonds (aka "Medallion group") with a card have higher priority than those without, because that part of the verbiage has no nuances to address higher cabin purchased or higher MM status.

Once again, I think it is just sloppy writing, but it is far from clear or definitive.
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Old Jan 9, 2024 | 10:27 pm
  #138  
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Originally Posted by Robert Leach
Well, the "old" language is mixed right in with the "new" language FWIW. The "new" language has not been there for over a year.
Is it really that surprising that they may not have updated all the old language when the added the new language and some of it is not consistent?
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Old Jan 9, 2024 | 10:52 pm
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Id guess the number of DLAX cardholders outnumbers MMers (ignoring overlap, for the moment) by at least 50:1.

Normally, I would think from a purely business perspective that DL would prioritize DLAX cardholders above MMers in the UG heirarchy, but there is relatively little practical impact and gobs of loyalty impact by doing it this way, especially once you consider 50% of MMers are probably DLAX holders as well.

I wonder what the drop-rate is for cardholders. I dumped my 4 DLAX cards at the end of the year, opting to make the CSR card my primary.
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Old Jan 20, 2024 | 6:40 pm
  #140  
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Has there been any whisperings on whether 2MMs are ahead of 1MM, etc? Or do you just need to get to 1MM then as far as the upgrade list goes, you're maxed out?
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Old Jan 20, 2024 | 6:47 pm
  #141  
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Originally Posted by krypttohk
Has there been any whisperings on whether 2MMs are ahead of 1MM, etc? Or do you just need to get to 1MM then as far as the upgrade list goes, you're maxed out?
If only....that specific question had been addressed right on the Medallion Upgrades page on the Delta website!

Whoops, my bad! It is!

https://www.delta.com/us/en/skymiles...20first.%C2%A0
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Old Jan 20, 2024 | 6:50 pm
  #142  
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Originally Posted by krypttohk
Has there been any whisperings on whether 2MMs are ahead of 1MM, etc? Or do you just need to get to 1MM then as far as the upgrade list goes, you're maxed out?
I've always wondered this too.. but as far as I can tell (have heard) it seems ALL 1MM and above are treated equally for UG purposes? But I'd love to hear otherwise..
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Old Jan 20, 2024 | 6:52 pm
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Originally Posted by resolute
I've always wondered this too.. but as far as I can tell (have heard) it seems ALL 1MM and above are treated equally for UG purposes? But I'd love to hear otherwise..
The answer is literally at the link that I just posted 5 minutes ago.
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Old Jan 20, 2024 | 7:46 pm
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Originally Posted by resolute
I've always wondered this too.. but as far as I can tell (have heard) it seems ALL 1MM and above are treated equally for UG purposes? But I'd love to hear otherwise..
​​​
Million milers within a given Medallion/purchased cabin group are prioritized in order of lifetime miles. Reserve/corporate flyer and calendar year MQD only come in to break a tie between million milers when they have the same lifetime mile total.

DM 1MM paid C+ comes before
DM paid C+ (Reserve) comes before
DM 3MM bought Main comes before
DM 2MM bought Main (Reserve) comes before
DM bought Main (Reserve, 8k CY MQD) comes before
DM bought Main (10k CY MQD) comes before
DM bought Main (6k CY MQD) comes before
PM 2MM paid C+...
​​​​​​
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Old Jan 20, 2024 | 10:42 pm
  #145  
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Originally Posted by hhdl
​​​
Million milers within a given Medallion/purchased cabin group are prioritized in order of lifetime miles. Reserve/corporate flyer and calendar year MQD only come in to break a tie between million milers when they have the same lifetime mile total.

DM 1MM paid C+ comes before
DM paid C+ (Reserve) comes before
DM 3MM bought Main comes before
DM 2MM bought Main (Reserve) comes before
DM bought Main (Reserve, 8k CY MQD) comes before
DM bought Main (10k CY MQD) comes before
DM bought Main (6k CY MQD) comes before
PM 2MM paid C+...
​​​​​​
But you left out the corporate travelers in your comparison (who come before MQD YTD)
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Old Jan 21, 2024 | 9:57 am
  #146  
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Originally Posted by Qwkynuf
If only....that specific question had been addressed right on the Medallion Upgrades page on the Delta website!

Whoops, my bad! It is!

https://www.delta.com/us/en/skymiles...20first.%C2%A0
It's buried, but it's there:

All other things being equal, Members who have Million Miler Status will clear before Members that do not hold Million Miler Status. For Members who hold Million Miler Status, the Member with the higher number of lifetime flight miles will clear first.
It's not based on MM tier, but rather lifetime miles within the MM ranks. So, it's not so much that 2MM status clears before 1MM status, but rather that both 1MM status and 2MM status have the same upgrade priority, and 2,000,001 miles will clear before 2,000,000 miles, will clear before 1,999,999 miles.
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Old Jan 23, 2024 | 1:52 pm
  #147  
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Originally Posted by Qwkynuf
If only....that specific question had been addressed right on the Medallion Upgrades page on the Delta website!

Whoops, my bad! It is!

https://www.delta.com/us/en/skymiles...20first.%C2%A0
Thanks! Looks like they're actually trying to make the process more transparent this time around. The whole fare class groupings things was never officially explained as far as I could tell.
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Old Jan 31, 2024 | 10:30 am
  #148  
 
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This is wrong. The actual lifetime miles is not the differentiating factor. It is the threshold. If it gets to this tiebreaker, all 2MM are treated equally. It does not go to the actual mile. 2MM are ahead of 1MM; and 3MM are ahead of 2MM.

-Someone in the know
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Old Jan 31, 2024 | 10:51 am
  #149  
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Originally Posted by CapnBoBoFly
This is wrong. The actual lifetime miles is not the differentiating factor. It is the threshold. If it gets to this tiebreaker, all 2MM are treated equally. It does not go to the actual mile. 2MM are ahead of 1MM; and 3MM are ahead of 2MM.

-Someone in the know
Thanks for the clarification. That's interesting, though, because the way it is worded doesn't align - at least, it didn't when last I read it. (And since I won't even be 1MM until at least this year, it honestly has next to no impact on me right now.)
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Old Feb 12, 2024 | 5:38 pm
  #150  
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Originally Posted by Robert Leach
Just spent some time looking through the wording regarding upgrade priority, including the newly-published wording.

In the original published new upgrade priority months ago, it established a clear rank:

Priority 1: Medallion Status
Priority 2: Cabin purchased
Priority 3: Million Miler Status
Priority 4: Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
etc.
I can confirm they are looking at MM by the number of miles at least whole numbers, IE 1MM, 2 MM etc. Dumb luck the last two flights I was on this week, I was #1 on the list with 2 seats open and the open seat was next to me. I started talking to both people on these flights one was a 2 MM and the other leg was a 1MM. Unsure how much detail they are looking at with MM, but assume it is whole numbers versus trying to keep a running tally, but I have no proof of that.
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