Unexpected PM
 

Hi, I've been visiting this site for several months, but didn't really have anything to add until now, so this is my first post.

I finished last year as a GM with +/- 94K base miles (mostly international flights). Today when I logged on to check posting of last week's miles, I was pleasantly surprised to find my status changed to Platinum Medallion. I guess Delta must have applied the new qualification rules. Could it have been something else?

Congratulations. Get the most out of your elite level this year, because in 2004 it will be worthless.

NOLA: DL used to have a system when you came up just short of the next level, PM or GM, and then flew the "missing" miles in Jan or Feb they would upgrade you to the next level. Happened to me twice. Maybe it's still in place?
yknot: Those of us why make 3-4 transoceanic trips/year in B or higher are quite happy with ther new system: We easily make GM/PM on MQM's (150 or 200%) and we have enough upgrades as we earn but don't use them on international flights. Right now I have 60 8MUs and 4 NAMUs for 03/04.
All: Just flew LGA - ATL at 10 AM. Upgraded easily though F is usually not available for FOs and GMs. They even sold a few leftover F seats for $50! I guess the absence of PMs is being felt?

Me too! Hurray!

Enjoy them. Didn't Delta state that starting in 2004 all PM's will be "seeded" with 20 500 mile segemt upgrades and all others will be voided.

yknot: As I understand it as of May 1, 2003, all GMs and FOs will get 4 x 5MUs for every 10k "paid miles" flown. I guess these are the old base miles. + 4 on annual qualification.
The rules for PMs are different, and I haven't studied them. But for me I see clear sailing at least to 12/04. I might buy some 8MUs in midApril '03. They will convert to 5MUs good through '04 - I think.

I guess Delta is banking on more of this than I think they will get.

Let me understand something correctly...two flyers qualify for 2003 based on 2002 flying -- one as a PM and the other as a GM. In 2003, both fly 95,000 "paid miles" and both have so many NAMUs and 800mile upgrades earned in 2002 (earned by the platinum before he/she became platinum) that neither needs to hit MSUs earned in 2003 to upgrade. Under this scenario, the GM would have 32 500 MSUs for use in 2004 while the PM would only get 20 500 MSUs? Is this right??? How is this possibly fair? If that is the way it works, why should a PM want to fly Delta when GMs get better perks. Please tell me I have this wrong and how the scenario would really work.

There are many of us who fly transoceanic 2-4x/year, and the new system works pretty well for us, so we will stay. Many live in Europe or Asia or southern South America.
On 4/15/03 I will buy a fair amount of 8MUs for $30 or 2,500 miles each. They will convert to 5MUs at 1:1.6 good through '04. I will buy enough so that I don't use any 5MUs earned in '04 during '04. During '05 I will use 5MUs earned during '04 AND '05. At worst I'll buy a few.
'06? Who knows? Certainly a couple of major airlines will be gone. Maybe DL will change its minds? Maybe I'll have Altzheimer's? What me worry?

my post above was in response to ynot saying that all other upgrades are voided going into 2004....my apologies for the novice mistake of not explaining where my post was coming from or why relevant to the thread. I had assumed that as a platinum, if I earn more than 20 MSUs net of what I use in 2003, I get that higher number rather than being stuck with only 20 for 2004.

Well, there are really not many of you, but Biara, YOU are just the passenger that DL is looking for! Too bad for DL there are not more like you!

JSNYC: Just saw your note:
As I read it a GM gets 4 x 9 = 36 5MUs for 95K paid miles, AND 4 for requalifying, = 40 total.
A PM gets the same 36 5MUs, AND a 1-time award of 20 on 1.1.04 for a total of 56, PLUS 6 PMUs for requalifying. You are still waaay ahead.
This applies to '04: During '03 PMs still have unlimited upgrades, and GMs earn a lot of 8MUs until 4/30
Let's bring on a 12-year old math wiz.

Biara --

I hope you are right...from ynot's note, I thought everything gets killed and then PMs just get 20. thanks.

You assumed wrong. DL won't track what you earn and use in 2003*, and you'll start 2004 with 20. Enjoy them!

*unless I am wrong, because I admit this stuff is hard to track... but I am pretty sure I am right... bruceb can confirm!

If ANdymo99 is right, then Biara's calculation is wrong. It would be nice to clear this up -- if ANdymo99 is right, (which is how i took ynot's comment), then the Platinum does have the worse deal (Biara assumed that the Platinum requalifies in 2004 and gets 2004 platinum upgrades by virtue of the 95,000 "paid miles" but that might not be the case).