Fly comair or others get the same benefits as last year:
http://www.delta.com/skymiles/skymil...tion/index.jsp

Delta Connection®
American Eagle
Atlantic Coast Airlines
Atlantic Southeast Airlines (ASA)
Comair
SkyWest Airlines

500miles regardless of class level.

So I am better off flying on these airlines when traveling if buyin L T or U fares.

Strategies Revealed by Program Changes:

1. Over time, PMs, GMs, and SMs will run out of upgrade points. There will be more purchases of upgrade points. = hence more revenue to DL.

2. Stand-by gate upgrades for $XXX will probably disappear -- assuming that paid upgrades fall behind in priority to PMs, GMs, and SMs attempting to upgrade on LUT fares on day of departure. First will definitely be full on every meal flight...during May through December 2003 as there will be a huge number of 500 mile upgrade points converted from 800 MSUs that can be used on LUT fares!

3. Medallions will use up or run out of their points, hence there will be decreased frustration that a benefit was taken away unused each year. Unused NAMUs will also become a thing of the past.

4. Interesting that International upgrade policies were left alone. I think this overall change reflects a longer term strategy of DL doing away with domestic first class ala Low Cost Carrier. This program begins to wean medallions from upgrades as a privilege. Premium classes on international flights will continue to be offered, as there is a lot of revenue generated from international BE. I would expect DL to continue to restrict 500 mile upgrade certs in future years as more and more first class seats are removed from the DL fleet -- as they are converted to LCC flying. (Assuming LCC is successful).

5. I assume that some sort of pre-negotiation went on with CO and NW regarding this program. This program may be a logical compromise between the programs for domestic upgrades, should their new alliance be approved.

6. DL will probably institute an automated system for upgrades, so that customers do not have to constantly look at their watches to remember to upgrade. Just add your name to the list, and have the system automatically upgrade you per your status/fare at the proper window.

7. I suspect that we will see Gold and Silver Memberships available on ebay after 2003 being sold by 75,000+ Qpoint Golds and 125,000+ Qpoint Platinums. What should the going rate be? That could be worth $250 for Silver... Maybe up-to $500-$700 for Gold... What do you think? It's amazing how many "friends" you can find on E-Bay!

8. The transition for PMs and GMs seems acceptable. It probably will not run-off too many folks in 2003...unless they absolutely hate the new program and just comp & earn on another airline for 2004 elite qualification. MRTC remains a very attractive competitive alternative!

9. Going back to even more same-day stand-by gate upgrades proves that the taking away same-day upgrades to get on an earlier flight had nothing to do with cost or time to process.... it was simply a revenue move to encourage people to book full fare for schedule flexibility.

10. It would be interesting to see the cost/benefit analysis of these changes. Right now, it seems like the program appears to be more things to all people...but over time, having enough upgrade points will become an issue. Die-hard first class flyers...will be getting out their credit cards more often to buy those points!"

I'll look forward to everyone elses comments. How many pages will this post have by the time we get tired? Any guesses?

And to think that just last night I was thinking that I made the right move and continued my affair with DL instead of UAL the last three months. I had hoped that the DL mods would be in addition to the existing program, and that anything too farr stretched would be phased in to the system so we could test the waters before defecting. After reading the outlined changes, what I cherished most of my PM privvies are now gone.

No more upgrade at time of booking! I book tickets 3+ months in advance so I can flip a day back/forth to get confirmed upgrades. Now I won't know until 100 hours out.

Unlimited upgrades for PM are gone, and replaced with 500 mile certs. At best I will be able to upgrade 30K of my domestic flying this year, and the remaining 70K will be in an overstuffed coach seat

What this means to me is that I will probably rekindle my comped affair with UAL and hope that they have the smarts to see these changes as a HUGE opportunity to attract DL top elites. Since the programs will be nearly identical, this fat butt will most likely be sitting in the more comfortable seat next year.

Thanks guys, it was a great ride while it lasted. Unfortunately, this train has just pulled into the station and it's time to disembark for my other connection. Happy trains all y'all ...

GMF

p.s. Andymo - if I've lost it, talk some sense into me puh-lease!

p.p.s. What about the comp CRC for PM's - is this still a benny?

I was under the impression that the multiplier was only for elite qualification and not for mileage accrual. This calculation, using that logic seems incorrect. You're adding "multiplied" base and bonus. What does that total mean, if anything? Please correct me if I'm wrong.

your earned base miles will *not* increase. you'll earn the same number of skymiles as you did before. the MQM's are an independent counter, and the MQM's you earn on a flight do not affect the number of skymiles you earn for the flight.

you'll still get the same 25,000 miles for your flight in D, but your elite qualification will be accelerated by the increased MQM's.

Poor Jane Costello. I feel sorry for her having to cover this story.

Boy, looks like folks will be burning the midnight oil to upgrade their LUT fares now. Folks will be signing on at midnight to try and upgrade. The SMS folks are dreading working that shift each night!

I'm really confused by hfly's post:
Bonus Skymiles from being Medallion (in 2003) _do_ or _do not_ count toward MQMs?

I comped with NW and stopped flying Delta because of the LUT upgrade policy, had I not done that back in October, I definitely would of done it now. I guess I can understand the logic of these changes from Delta's perspective, and the possibility that other airlines may emulate these changes. However, as a lowest fare, 100% leisure traveler, I can't see giving my business to the airline that may of just changed the "system" for all the airlines FF programs.

Let's review DL's behavior toward elites vis-a-vis fares and benefits over the last few years.

DL attempts to discourage purchase of its lowest fare class (L at the time) by making it non-upgradable. Over the next few years, DL adds two more non-upgradable fare classes (U, then T), yet slowly rachets up the cost of upgradable seats. IMO, this was an attempt to lure the frequent flyer into paying more money for fares, since everyone wants to sit in F/J, right?

At the end of 2000, DL eliminates SWUs and introduces PMUs and NAMUs. GM and SM members now have no choice but to pay for international J, pay M+ fares and burn miles, or use miles for an outright purchase international J. IMO, this is a further attempt to lure FFs into paying more for fares.

During this time, DL refuses to allow same-day international upgrades. Translation: if you haven't ensured your upgrade in advance by paying the appropriate freight, please be seated in the back, Mr. Platinum Medallion. This is the stick with which DL hopes to force/encourage more frequent purchase of higher fares.

In 2002, DL slaps elites again by offering to upgrade anyone -- even non-status flyers -- upon payment at the gate. Another revenue-grab from Delta, IMO, but one aimed at infrequent flyers who might not know any better. I suspect that DL was beginning to realize that elite SM members weren't interested in playing DL's game, and so DL decided to go to work on non-elite flyers.

In 2002, DL also begins to openly advertise comps to any flyer who can demonstrate that they are an elite on another airline (and have a pulse). Another slap to DL elites who worked for their recognition.

Now DL says that all fares aren't created equal, and that those of us who are value-conscious (or who work for employers who are) simply aren't worth rewarding. Those of us who regularly fly on deeply-discounted fares are going to have to manage as much as 200,000 miles of flight next year in order to acheive PM status. This is the greatest slap of all; to devalue our business and loyalty to the point where AirTran actually starts to look good.

Read closely, DL: Elite benefits are worthless if they aren't realistically attainable.

Obviously, SkyMiles is not a loyalty program; more accurately, it is a comp program, akin to free rooms, limos and hookers for high rollers at Vegas casinos. Spend enough on DL, and DL will reward you. After all, it's not the loyalty that matters, right? It's just the money.

Come on, DL. Be honest about it. Just tell us how much we're supposed to spend each year to get SM, GM or PM, and please drop this pretense of "Medallion Qualifying Miles." Tell us we can write a check, like AA is now telling its elites. Why should it matter if the check is written for fares or just for the purpose of getting status?

The fact of the matter is that DL has been trying to discourage the purchase of discounted coach fares for several years now, and the customers aren't going for it. Since DL's carrot-and-stick approach hasn't worked, DL's now going for the stick-and-stick approach, with the promise of a possible carrot sniff later, if pax promise to shell out enough cash for it.

Times are tough for DL, but times are tough all over. In my industry, there's no more 60% margin like there was during the dot-com era. Now, 30% is considered good, and 25% is still acceptable. We're not jacking our clients simply because the economy went south. But DL isn't going that route. Rather than encouraging more flight (like the double base miles promo did), DL's now encouraging more expensive flight and devaluing business that doesn't meet their definition.

What do you honestly expect, Delta? Do you think that businesses suddenly decided to band together and screw you by requiring their traveling employees to purchase cheap coach fares? Or do you think that business travelers are just going to suddenly loosen their purse strings in order to buy the fares you want them to?

Well, it hasn't happened yet, DL. And I daresay it's not likely to happen any time soon.

I thought it was only able to be done at the airport?

The thing that really rubs me the wrong way is that PM's & GM's get the same number of segments as FO's. Give me a break!

Wow, go to Bermuda for a few days and look what happens!

I typically buy K fares months in advance -- I already have half a dozen Delta itineraries for 2003 -- and upgrade them immediately. K fares will continue to earn 1 for 1, so I'll stay even there, but I'll lose the immediate upgrades eventually (2004?). Even worse, I can't earn enough 500-milers to upgrade all the time, so I'll have to sit in Delta's miserable coach seats too much!

As a long-time 2 Million Miler, I'm already lifetime GM. Maybe I'll just be satisfied with that and not try to earn PM anymore. The differences aren't that great anyway. I threw away all 6 PMUs this year (they expired 11/23!).

Bruce

That was funny!

I'm only shopping for a new backup airline; AA will continue to get my prefered business.

To me this is the best move DL has made so far. Why should PMs be given F seats carte blanche?