If you are looking on Delta.com, the exact scenario I described is not listed there, however, IMO the first post in this thread explains it, and it is from Jeff who heads up the Delta Customer Loyalty programs. If you don't believe him, I am not sure what else to say here. The Delta.com website does have a chart showing that for 2010, Platinum’s get 4 SWU and Diamonds get 6 SWUs. If you qualify in 2009, you can’t officially be a Diamond in February as that program won’t be implemented until later in the spring –so you will be a Platinum in February and get 4 SWUs, then when you are awarded Diamond status in the spring, you get an additional 6 for a total of 10. That assumes that you choose SWUs are an option for both Platinum and Diamond status.

Again Jeff’s post states:
“For those current Platinum Medallions who earn the new Diamond Medallion status, in addition to the four systemwide upgrades, they will receive two additional choice-benefits including the ability to have six additional systemwide upgrades for a total of 10 systemwide upgrades.”

I am not trying to be argumentative here, I am trying to help clear up the confusion. I appears I haven't been successful in that adventure, so help me understand what we need specifically to clear up the confusion or what additional information needs to be provided to finally clarify this. You don’t think I have it right? We need this scenario documented on Delta.com under FAQs? What specifically do we need to get this clarified or to make the answer official and credible? Why don't you think this is the correct answer?

The above explains how DL intends for it to work for those who are currently requalifying Platinums and will fly enough this year to be Diamond at some point in 2010.

In other words, current re-qualifying Platinums may possibly get up to 4 systemwide upgrades for use in 2010 (and/or the start of 2011) and current re-qualifying Platinums who fly enough for Diamond status may possibly get up to 10 systemwide upgrades for use in 2010 (and/or the start of 2011).

BINGO - you got it!

Thank god, then it's over.

Unless this DM could use all of his choice benefits for a total of 16 SWU.
I have asked this multiple times, including a PM to SkyMilesInsider, with no response.

Almost :eek:

OK... Let me see if I understand what you are proposing/asking. Are you asking if it is possible for 2010, to select SWU as a Platinum choice benefit and receive 4, and then select SWU TWICE as your two options for your Diamond Choice benefit and receive an additional 12 SWUs for a total of 16?

In essence, you want to know if a Diamond member can select the same choice benefit twice, instead of two unique benefits. Is that right?

My "unofficial" guess would be NO. But then again, if you could use all 16 SWU because you are flying on that many International Y, B, and M fares, I would say Delta needs more customers like you. ;)

DLInsider has also stated that DMs do not get to choose the PM benefits, and you will only get to choose both if you are a PM and THEN qualify for DM.

Additionally, it is not clear from Jeff's statement if he means people who are PM now and qualify for DM in 2009, or who will be PM on Dec 31 2009 and qualify for DM in 2010.

So it would seem to me that if you fly 125k in 2009, you start 2010 as DM and do *NOT* get to pick the PM benefits. In the very least, it's obvious to me that DL has not delivered a CONSISTENT answer to this at all.


The fundamental question:

Will those who fly 125k in 2009 get to pick PM and DM choice benefits in 2010?

But probably not so much that they would want them gifting Gold twice. Think of all the lost baggage fees!

When NW had rollover miles as one of the choices for "Elite Extra Perks" there was a footnote that you could only choose that option once, no matter how many levels you reached. It wouldn't surprise me if the "Benefit Choice" had such a footnote (maybe something like you have to choose two different benefits -- that would also handle double gifting)

And I though the OP was pretty clear that people who fly 125K+ will get to choose both one PM choice and two DM choices -- for 2010 at least. I think that is a bit of compensation for a shortened DM year.

Let's try to address these one by one:

Where is that stated? I had read the entire thread and I can't find that statement anywhere. I don't believe that is correct at all.

It will apply to BOTH! There is no difference. Everyone will enter 2010 as a PM and then qualify later for DM. The only difference is when you will be a DM. If you flew 125K MQM in 2009, then you will become a DM the moment the program is implemented. If you didn't fly 125K MQM in 2009, then as soon as you reached that level in 2010, you would become at DM. In either case, you would first select your PM options and when you qualify for DM, you will be able select two additional PM at that point.

The point I have made in many replies is that you CAN NOT start 2010 as a DM - FULL STOP. The program won't be implemented until Spring of 2010, and that is well documented even on Delta.com. The best you can start 2010 is at the PM level. Therefore you would get the PM credentials and level in February 2010, and if you qualified in 2009 or should qualify later in 2010, you will get the DM credentials and options when the program is implemented in the spring or whenever you reach the 125K MQMs level.

For the following year 2011, and every year after that, if you qualify for DM by reaching the 125K MQM level the previous year, then you will only get to select the 2 DM options and not 3 as in 2011.

Personally, I think Delta has been very consistent in their communication around this.

ANSWER: YES

I hope I was able to finally answer your questions/concerns. I have examined this program very carefully, I think I am 99.99% certain I have this right. If you don't feel I was credible in my responses, then you will have to wait for someone in an official capacity at Delta to reply.

Excuse me. I meant SkymilesInsider - getting my Insiders confused.

But it's totally clear, right?

Read this:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...l#post12147371

And this:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/north...l#post12243118

Which say DMs are DMs at the start of the program (program year or DM program? And if it's DM program, why use the word program when 'program year' is so common except to cause confusion?), and the second one says DMs get two choices, not three.


While I appreciate your attempts to explain what you think the answer is, what you think the answer is is only the most generous interpretation of the not-clear message they are giving.


It would be trivially easy for them to say one of the following:

"Those who fly 125k in 2009 will receive one Plat and two Diamond Choice Benefits"

or

"Those who fly 125k in 2009 will receive two Diamond Chioce Benefits"

But that would be clear communication from the same people who have a 3x promo and credit one half of their company a 2x promo and credit the other half a 2.33x promo. So forgive me if I'm a bit dubious as to whether the most obvious answer will turn out to be the actual one when history is that the answer that is best for DL is the actual one.


While they are at it, it would also be nice if they said "You can pick the same benefit twice" or "you can't pick the same benefit twice".

Let's hope that DL management reps here have the willingness to give the kind of clear message of the sort you mention. It really would be very easy for them provide the additional clarity being sought above.

That's OK... I am trying my best to help clear up the confusion. This maybe a futile attempt since I am not an official Delta poster.


OK... I think I am beginning to understand why you are confused here. First of all you have to realize that 2010 is a unique year. The program is new, and it won't be implemented on March 1st.

The first link just takes you back to this page. So I am not sure what that accomplishes, if anything.

The second link points to a SkyMiles Insider post that states:

"Those who earn at least 125,000 MQMs in 2009 will be recognized as Diamonds as soon as the program begins in spring 2010. "

Now I realize that this DOES require some interpretation. Spring 2010, doesn't officially start until March 20th, 2010. Spring officially ends June 21st, 2010. Therefore, the Diamond program will start somewhere in between those two dates. The simple reason there is not an exact date is that the have to finalize all of the full IT implementation of the program.

Based on that post, as well as information shown on Delta.com, and the fact that the program cannot start before March 20th at the earliest, I believe my statement is correct.

you CAN NOT start 2010 as a DM - FULL STOP.

So, if you fly 125K miles in 2009, you can't start 2010 as a DM, you will start out as a PM, and initially get one choice benefit. When the DM program is implemented in the "spring" you will then get two.


With all due respect, I don't think I am interpreting anything. I am just stating the facts based on what is presented. Now, with that said, I do appreciate your specific request below:

Not sure I follow your comment on the communication in the paragraph above. But I think we have a specific request now that can be addressed.

If we got the post below from Delta, would that answer it for you?:

If you fly 125,000 MQMs in 2009 - You will first be awarded Platinum status in February in 2010 and be able to choose one choice benefit. Once the Diamond program is implemented in the Spring of 2010, you will be awarded Diamond status and be able to choose two additional choice benefits for a total of three Choice Benefits in 2010. The DM choice benefit selections (do or do not) have to be unique.

I agree 100%. Furthermore, it is clear that our attempts to interpret the DL.com webpage and Insiders' posts are obviously going nowhere. How about we stop speculating and discuss the "6 or 10 PMUs" issue once we receive clarification from DL...

On a different issue, I was surprised how little discussion we had on the $-value of PMUs that was started by Flying_Duck, below (maybe it was drowned by the 6 vs. 10 PMU issue). Personally, I was surprised at how little cost/value they have to DL, and how much profit potential they can generate for DL.

What's left to discuss...seems like you two have the math pretty well figured out.

Personally, I wish Delta would let me upgrade a YBM international ticket for $50 after my 6 PMUs are depleted (which happened this year in early June). If this is how Delta values them, wouldn't it make more sense to grab the incremental revenue (cash)?