The new system has definite advantages. My only disappointment is the elimination of base miles or segment qualification. I think that MQ-Miles are great if they parallel mileage earnings. That is, I would have hoped that the current base miles system would have stayed in place for earning elite on discounted fares, while those paying higher fares get an advantage. This way, it doesn't hurt anyone. This new system inevitably hurts everyone, in different ways. While it hurts PMs the most, it also hurts those who earn status by lots of little, inexpensive flights.

Two questions:

I assume that for SkyMiles purposes, each flight earns a minimum of 500 miles, before Medallion and other class-of-service bonuses are figured in. Is that correct?

Is there any "floor" for Medallion Qualification Miles?

Hope you fly enough to retain you status. Expect to earn about 60% of your current status miles by your reckoning, which will probably drop you 1 level unless you fly a ton on this short-sighted airline.

Interesting point: It says members can now use 500 mile upgrade points on companions. Following, since PMs will have unlimited 500 mile upgrade points from May 1, 2003 until Dec. 31, 2003, doesn't that mean we can upgrade a companion an unlimited amount of times between those dates?

I appreciate where you're coming from, UDH, but after reading everything, my question is: What is lifetime PM worth now? Not 4 million paid miles, that's for sure.

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Vasant

[This message has been edited by vasantn (edited 12-11-2002).]

dupe

[This message has been edited by Spiff (edited 12-11-2002).]

Probably not, but what were you going to do with all those unused NAMUs?



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Vasant

i didn't say i *want* them to match. but it really does make sense, and i think delta implemented it well. for the record, my QPoint to QMile ratio is 0.77, and it would probably be about the same under the new program, so i'm losing here too.

i'd be very happy with the new delta program on AA metal, where i can stand to fly coach. i too punted DL for AA this year, because DL wouldn't let me upgrade cheap fares. now that i'm on AA, i rarely upgrade anyway, because MRTC reduces the net value of the upgrade.

oh, and there is now a new holy grail: the involuntary reroute onto a full flight, booked into Y because the agent didn't want to take the time to have U inventory released. :-)

I didn't see anything in there about this, unless I overlooked it. What I saw:

Option to earn 5,000 SkyMiles bonus miles for every 10,000 miles flown in lieu of the four 500-Mile Upgrade points

Sounds like an either/or proposition to me, you either get upgrades or miles.

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Leadership is not about personal privilege or power.
The duty of the leader is to serve the needs of those
who are led.
-Jan Erteszek

As someone who takes a lot of 500 mile trips (from CVG and DAY) and earned SM status this year via segments, all I can say is that I wish I lived in an AA hub city. I probably won't qualify for 2004 status since my (i.e. I own it) company flies the cheapest fare class possible.

At least on AA I'd have MRTC seating.

All this does is really make me consolidate my AA travel and look for a new backup airline. MRTC is perfectly acceptable to me most of the time; I prefer to upgrade internationally or on transcons.

I have a feeling the U -> Y/F rebook is going to go away too as Delta will now pay close attention to the fare class paid and rewarded.

As a serial GM, I like it. Delta has done a good job at trying to match first class seat supply with upgrade demand. Mileage runners (and I've done a few myself) will have to think thrice before heading over to Cape Town for the weekend and barely-made-it-to-Platinums loose out on unlimited anytime upgrades. But I think everyone else gains more than they loose. Plus, if I'm reading this right, all GM & PM will be something in 2004, even if they don't fly a single mile in 2003.

Deleted.

[This message has been edited by vasantn (edited 12-11-2002).]

Overall GOOD JOB Delta !
Great way to increase revenue..and they listened to us on the U L T fares....

Is this summary accurate?

The good (more generous):

New Million-miler recognition program -- 2 million miles gets you lifetime Gold status and 4 million miles gets you lifetime Platinum Medallion status

The cheapest fares (L, U, and T booking classes) -- which were previously not upgradeable at all -- are now upgradeable by elite members on the day of departure

The ability to upgrade a companion with points

Travel on SkyTeam partners counts towards elite status

Gold members and Platinum members can give status to a friend when they reach certain mileage thresholds

50% bonus miles instead of 25% bonus miles for flying paid business class

Elites will not decrease status by more than one level in 2004 from their 2003 level


The bad (less generous):
Platinum Medallions may only confirm upgrades at purchase for M fares (nearly full fare) and higher. They used to be able to confirm on H and K fares.

No more North American Medallion Upgrades (NAMUs).

No more elite qualification by segments

The cheapest fares (L, U, and T booking classes) only count for half-credit towards elite status. If you fly on these fares exclusively, it will take you 50k, 100k, and 200k miles for Silver, Gold, and Platinum status instead of 25k, 50k, and 100k miles. (On the other hand, full fares earn 1.5x mileage towards elite status and Business Class earns double mileage towards elite status)

800-mile upgrade certificates will become 500-mile upgrade certificates in May

Price increase for purchased upgrades ($40 for 800 mile cert becomes $50 for 500 mile cert --> that's a doubling --> 5 cents/mile to 10 cents/mile)

Platinums no longer get unlimited upgrades


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More Room Throughout Coach: the Website of Free Miles and Free Markets