Delta Air Lines Elite Status Match Challenge : The Definitive Thread
 

I am CO Elite, but it appears that I will be flying DL a lot this year. I'd like to be able to get upgrades during the many trips, rather than having to wait for ~the 15th trip to be eligible.

Does DL have any program where they will match elite/medalian status of other airlines? Who @ DL should I contact?

Thanks.

There must eb at least three threads on this in the last few months. A search will answer your questions.

Not all the time,the best you can get is their first tier which is Silver, which I got comped coming from another carrier where I did 100k+ a yr. I no longer have the general fax # out of principle I won't give out priorty #'s. I suggest you call DL @ 1-800-221-1212 ask to be transferred to Skymiles and ask them for the fax#, or try another post to see if someone knows it off-hand.

I apoligize if my request was redundant -- I searched earlier posts but must have missed them.

I also understand why you would not give out the priority phone numbers -- I wouldn't do that myself.

Thanks for the info

I also tried once to get DL to comp status. I'm 100K+ flyer, but DL would only give me SM. For me, it wasn't worth changing for that.

jAAck; the reason I went w/DL is I was fed up with my previous carrier and being based overseas and flying into Lax all i need is 3 rt's per yr to make and keep GM at a cost of under $3,000 all on 'M' fares that are uped. Remember every 20,000 miles 1 free system-wide up so since i had 100,000 in the acct i started out on ups, also by my math i should be able to end up netting 100,000 miles a yr after the ups once i'm a GM. Of cause if they change the rate structure or amount of miles needed i'd have to refigure it again. No prob there's always AA/BA,which is a great 2nd choice.

I just got comped to DL Gold last week. I wrote a letter to customer service and enclosed copies of my UA PremEx status and the flights I have taken year to date (already 30 segments). I also told them that I was a BA Gold and that I traveled 210,000 actual miles last. All of this was true and they gave me GM.

Will DL match status from another SkyTeam carrier?
 

I am AF Rouge and was wondering if DL would comp me to GM. It is an international carrier but also part of SkyTeam. I have not heard very many positive stories from people being comped on a US carrier with status on an international carrier.

I don't want to do it now but rather beginning of 2002.

Anyone have experience?

Hard to tell. I don't know exactly how much you had to fly for your AF rouge card, but to get the comp, you must have had activity that is sufficient under DL's Medallion rules.
I know that DL does comp Silver and Gold. No comps to Platinum except for those executive partners 10kster mentioned in another thread.

What are you looking for out of the comp – upgrades? I think upgrades are the only area that’s not clear about the Skyteam arrangement.

As a DL Platinum (100K miles), when travailing on say Air France I am afforded the privileges of Skyteam Super Elite – my DL PM card says so (thankfully!) This means I get lounge access, check in privileges etc. etc. But what about upgrades? When I’ve asked I sometime get an upgrade on AF, but it doesn’t seem to be a “right” as it is on DL domestic flights – if there’s a 1st class seat open.

What's this about executive partners? (I did a search and nothing showed up - except this thread!)

I actually want to move my status to AA. But I think it will be easier to go from an international SkyTeam member to a US domestic carrier. I want to avoid the Platinum challenge on AA if I can.

I have over 50,000 miles so far this year on AF (mostly DL flights) so I wanted to go for DL GM. I read a thread where SM is easy to get but not GM. SM is not is not worth it. I would rather do the PLT challenge on AA.

I know this sounds confusing and plus I am not even going to do it for another 6 months.

mikepa, see http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum21/HTML/002959.html

LA CTO sign, "We match elite status."
 

Sorry if this has been posted in the past. I was at the Beverly Hills CTO today. Delta has a sign up that says (to the effect):

"If you elite with another airline, let the agent know, and we will give you medalion status."

I didn't ask, but I wonder if they will match status, or give only medalion.

Is this new for DL to be so forward?

I have not seen this, but if they give Silver, not a big deal. If person flies a bunch they would have gotten it anyways. If they only fly once.. then no problem either.

If they get Gold, then I have a bit of an issue, but if it means that DL gets lots of business... then maybe not so bad.

If they give out PM - that stinks. We worked way to hard to get ours.

Apparently they dont always match. I sent in my AC Prestige documents for a Medallion match, and got a FOAD letter from Skymiles for my troubles.

duckman: okay, I'm stumped. What are "AC Prestige" documents?

(GG explained FOAD to me.)

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"Service" should be a noun, not a verb.
Delta Flyers' Guide

OK, I give...what is FOAD?

I bought a DL ticket last week. I was using a DL $$ voucher and had to go to a ticket office to redeem it. While there, I was asked if I was elite on another airline. I said yes and showed my AA plat card. The agent just typed something into the computer and told me that I was now gold on DL.

Futz Off And Die...

Freely Offer Another Destination?

Frankly Our Analysis Declines?

Five Other Airlines Differ?

Fooled Ordinary Aviation Devotees?

Fliers Often Appreciate Dinner?

Fueled Only Ante Departure?

Fog Over ATL Deliberations?

Nah, I like the first one best....

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"Service" should be a noun, not a verb.
Delta Flyers' Guide

[edited for obvious additional digs]

[This message has been edited by LexPassenger (edited 05-31-2002).]

My take on DL's actions like this show that there is hope for the future as far as further 'enhancements' to the program are concerned. For those of us not trapped within CVG and ATL, DL marketing has clearly noticed a definite drop-off in elite member flying as of late - and has no doubt concluded that their 'improvements' introduced over the last two years might have something to do with the flight of former FF pax not forced to fly DL.

In response to these loses, their continuing show of give-aways in the form of extra miles and easy tier matches indicates they feel they can find new blood to replace the old. I find it hard to believe that many UA & AA elite based outside of DL hubs once they have been introduced to SGB and LUser are going to find anything in DL's elite program that would induce a substantial switch of business.

[This message has been edited by CoMooter (edited 06-01-2002).]

We are seeing more and more examples of airlines trying to poach other airlines' elite flyers - LexPax's cigarette company analogy. He and I both recently received mailings from Northwest with temporary Silver Elite cards enclosed - we surely got those based on Delta status.

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The Delta Flyers' Guide
E-mail on the Flyers' Guide site

Flying Orchids Are Departing.

My 2 cents on the status matching is that it rarely works. Continental comped me Silver and I used it once, I got the NW comp but tossed it and United comped me Premier Executive (now that DL doesn't fly LAX/SFO route) and I use them for select, short hauls only.

In the end, I don't get automatic upgrades, and what am I going to do with 10,000 miles on another carrier when I have 500,000+ on DL?

I did, however, bite at Hyatt last year when they offered me Diamond status, but I'm running into the same issue of not having enough miles to matter in their program.

CKDGM: Frequently Our Acronyms Delight! Thanks!

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"Service" should be a noun, not a verb.
Delta Flyers' Guide

I got one of those, too. I think they referenced (of all things) my HHonors account, which is the Everyman Silver (or whatever) HHonors level.

My Entry: Fly Other Airlines, Dummy.

Regards,

O/H

I've heard enough horror stories and know that Medallion doesn't mean c%$p so don't worry about me signing up. Delta used to be a wonderful airline too....sad.

Speaking of matching elite status, I just received a letter from DL which pretty much said "We missed ya, since you missed FO by 5K miles last year." (I made up that last part). However, for only $275 and only 3 segments between 06/01 and 07/15/2002, you can regain that FO status good through February 2003.

Thanks, but...no thanks.

Jamester

Don't forget the current (through 6/30/02)Amex MR/Skymiles promo where to you obtain either FO or GM status by transferring large amounts of MR points to DL. It seems that they are aware of the erosion of their "most loyal and faithful", but are either too arrogant or stubborn to admit that they have a flawed business model with their "new and improved" Skymiles program.

History has a simple rule, it repeats itself when it comes down to errors in judgement. Both Napoleon & Hitler made the same error of invading Russia and fighting a Winter campaign. Dl is not the first major corporation that has lost touch with it's customer base. Look what happened to the American auto industry when the Japanese invasion of better made and lower priced cars hit the USA years ago. It takes a great deal of courage to publicly admit that you have made a mistake and reverse course.

And Leo is not that brave.

I find it interesting that apparently cto agents can make a computer entry to make someone Gold? I would like to clarrify the agent is making the computer entry for the change, rather than say forwarding the information to say the Sky Miles center in ATL for processing? They are not making people Plat, are they? I ask since in the demonstrated example, the poster was AA Plat but AA highest eeer is Exec Plat...so I wonder what the CTO will do if pax is top teer on other carrier? I wonder if cto agents computer will technically let them make an entry to change an account to Plat? I ask as once in a while I take the shuttle, and am only FO so could use the Gold double miles. Might be fun to be Plat too though really probably wouldn't use it due luser/sgb/swu, etc.

Interestingly, one thing I hadn't thought of earlier is that on the spot agents can apparently be trusted by DL HQ to make a decisions on this matter under SGB, but can't be trusted on so many others matters involving 'no waivers, no favors'....hmmmmm.....

Was the sign hand lettered or professionally printed?

Last time I passed through the America West Club I was asked "Are you elite in Flight Fund or any other airline? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

They probably have to document your elite status with another carrier by making a photocopy of your elite card from that airline. There is no way that DL would give them this type of decision making power.

The agent did not make a photocopy of my AA card. She did ask for me to bring in a copy of my AA statement, but I told her that that was too much trouble (2 hours of driving), so she just looked at my AA plat card. She had a printed list dictating what levels from other airlines translated to on DL. All she did was type something into the computer and tell me that I would now be DL gold. I checked online that evening, and was already gold on the DL site. If this comp needed higher authorization, they sure did it fast for a Friday afternoon.

I hate coming back to this again & again, but this is such a joke...to give CTO agents this decision making power says volumes about where DL has no problem making exceptions. I am really glad I am also 1K & AA Plat when this sort of info. comes out.

If only AA would recognize DL Platinum for something? Even AA Gold would be OK. <sigh>

Delta Matching Status-Yes or No?
 

There's a long thread on this going back to last year but I need some recent current information.

Is Delta matching status earned on other airlines? At what levels? If so, how does one go about asking for Delta status?

Thanks very much.

Delta can't match status of other programs as their elite levels are no longer worth anything.

This thread was posted in MilesBuzz by B747 a while back and has grown to 4 pages. Apparently the early-birds did receive a comp. The latecomers had mixed results. Perhaps Sean can give you an update on whether DL is still matching status.