B747-437B

This was a question I asked myself too. With the current promos going on, I have the option of either concentrating ALL my travel for the rest of the year on Delta and topping up with a coast-to-coast mileage run to make PM, or splitting my time with mid status on multiple carriers (DL and NW/CO).

I decided to go with the latter. I already find it hard enough to spend upgrades as fast as I earn them (since most of my leisure travel is L and U fares) and the $275 CRC fee for a GM is offset by the cost of the mileage run and the benefits of getting status on the other carrier.

So hfly, you won't have competition here! But when you get rerouted to a CO/NW flight, thats me you will pass on your way to coach

hfly

If I'm rerouted on CO/NW, that will be my lifeless body swinging from the ceiling on your way to the plane!!

squinn

Other than the CRC access, domestic and Intl upgrades, and better odds of upgrading/award seats, a few other benefits:

• priority standby (can be very helpful getting on a full flight or the last seat in F)
• international lounge access (nice if you travel Intl in Y)
• first in line for operational upgrades (AF will even bump you J to F)
• possible extra service inflight (ie, bottle of wine in BE)
  {*]free connection to DL inflight

That being said, it might not be worth thousands of dollars but the extras help.

belle3388

if you travel ONLY on U and L fare, then no, not worth it if you have to pay more than the cost of one year's CR membership to get PM
but if just once or twice per year you do purchase M fare (especially international), then yes, the upgrade to BizElite is well worth it

Spiff

Not on those LUser fares will Tango be snagging any upgrades. Delta will happily put even Platinum Medallions in the back and let those F and BE seats fly empty instead. Tango, concentrate on AA if you fly on cheap fares. AA has a much better policy when it comes to upgrading EXP on any fare than DL does its PM, despite DL having more ways for PMs to upgrade. The answer is always a smug "no" when it comes to LUser fares.



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"Sire, it is not a revolt. It is a Revolution!"

DL Platinum

Worth it? For LUser fares no. There is no benefit other than the crown room access and with the closings, that "benefit" is diminished. Add to that the increased usage of the CRJ, upgrading becomes meaningless.

hfly

I guess that PMU's mean nothing to you guys.

JRF

PMU's - no, they are useless as well in L and U. Bottom line, if you fly mainly in L and U, then PM does just about nothing for you. Sure it is nice to have, top of the waitlist. However, you are not getting moved up front and there is more leg room and cheaper tickets in WN then DL.

Those of you who want to keep defending DL, go ahead, I will keep laughing as I have more leg room and more money in the bank at the end of the year.

Spiff

Those international M/B/Y fares are just too expensive. I'll be using my PMUs donestically, if at all.

lonman

does a crc membership also get you int'l lounge access for skymiles partners? if so, i may do that. the one thing i do find is that l and u int'l tickets from europe tend to be around the same price as from the us, but sometimes m/k/y fares are a lot less. the only transatlantic flights i've upgraded in the past year were on tickets originating in europe. if you travel there regularly, do reverse ticketing. then you can actually use your miles for something of value.

[This message has been edited by lonman (edited 10-23-2001).]

fannin

PriorityPass with lounge access around the world might be a better investment, especially since the CRC lounge closings. In ATL the only really comfortable CRC now is in the E concourse, where PriorityPass is accepted. Plenty of seating, good crew.
Yes, some LUser tickets get upgrades if coach is full and your PM status wins you a higher slot. But overall your odds of upgrading are against you in multiples too high to reckon.

jwhite4

NO. The only way to get into Skyteam lounges internationally is either to be Platinum, or else to be flying on a FC or BE ticket.

Jeff

[This message has been edited by jwhite4 (edited 10-23-2001).]

Occupationalhazard

Or a Diners Club card. Mine got me into the business lounge at SVO last time I flew coach to Russia....which will be the last time I fly coach to Russia

Fee is $80/year. They are great internationally with club access, but only have two (EWR, MIA) in the US.

Also, if you join the IAPA, as a gold member for $299--$4 more than a priority pass presige membership--you get priority pass, gratis, in addition to IAPA member benefits.


Regards,

O/H


[This message has been edited by Occupationalhazard (edited 10-24-2001).]

Occupationalhazard

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Occupationalhazard:
[B] Or a Diners Club card. Mine got me into the business lounge at SVO last time I flew coach to Russia....which will be the last time I fly coach to Russia

Fee is $80/year. They are great internationally with club access, but only have two (EWR, MIA) in the US.

Also, if you join the IAPA, as a gold member for $299--$4 more than a priority pass prestige membership--you get priority pass, gratis, in addition to IAPA member benefits.

Regards,

O/H

Engines turn

I'm going to break Gold and probably get to 80k base miles this year due to a well timed LAX<->BRU x JFK trip (39k base miles!).

And now (too late for current double miles promo) I found a $945 M fare with availability for 18,668 base miles.

The catch: the trip is GRU-ATL-ZRH and back, so upgrading is going to take 80k miles (then there's the six day min stay, so this isn't much of a mileage run, which is why I didn't post it there).

I fly a weird mix of shuttle, northeast to Florida, transcon and overseas flights but probably no more than twenty trips a year, of which probably half are non-upgradable (shuttle or LUser).

I know about the Crown Room thing but are the upgrades much better for the Plats vs. the Golds? Other key benefits?

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...or passengers swim.