PremEx

Unlimited upgrades may sound universally good because they will no longer "cost" you anything and are...well...unlimited. But has anyone considered the fulfillment side of the equation?

Will now most available upgrades go to the highest level elites, and mid and lower level elites actually end up with fewer upgrades, as there is now no limit to control a more even distribution and fulfillment of upgrades between the different elite levels?

I can see the PMs jumping for joy. But the GMs and FOs might end up sucking more hind titty than they are used to because of this.

Theoretically even some PMs might see their chances go down on some popular flights, as they will now be "competing" with all other PMs on the same flight, because there are no limits any longer.

bhatnasx

CONGRATULATIONS SAVE SKY MILES!!!

I'm not a big DL flyer, but nonetheless, I'm glad that your efforts did not go unrewarded and that your efforts and those of FTers helped for the better good of the program and your airline of choice!

Congrats!

(a NW/UA flyer)

gannet

I think I'm delighted by the changes. I'll have to try them out come January. I knew something had to be going on when Delta began giving out inflated elite status. Remember how many times Delta said they had seen no reduction in medallion levels. Somebody must have started doing the math and panicked. How do you tell the new head honcho that you have lost 10-20% or more of your most frequent flyers and still keep your job?

Carolinian

Well, half a loaf may be better than nothing, but as a mixed fare flyer, it is not enough to get me back to DL. Besides, I find NW is generally more customer focused, and its nice to have free drinks in steerage on international flights! Even if DL quit shortchanging qualifying miles on LUT's, I think it would be close but NW would still come out ahead in my book.

DLfan

Thank you Delta, thank you andymo99 for posting the news, and congratulations to SSM! Glad now that I continued to fly with DL this year in spite of the doomsday predictions (and DL's refusal to budge for so long). Nice Christmas gift!

FL-Delta-Platinum

Most upgrades go to PM now. That is as it should be as they give more revenue to the company - and it is all about revenue enhancement. The one year I was GM, I had pretty good success rate, as an FO for one year, I upgraded about 50%. I think that's pretty much how it should be. Reward top revenue flyers, and as a PM you've brought more revenue either by frequency or higher class fares.


GM & FO are much better off. As an FO & GM I had to purchas a few (not many) 800 mile MSU. Now that won't be the case. The upgrade windows are in line with the old rules - actually I think better, but it's been some time since I was FO/GM. They should have about the same % of upgrades. GM on YB fares will be better off.

They compete this way now, because there are no limits now - that was next year when we would be limited. PM's are actually a little worse off as they can only upgrade 100 hours out with HQK fares. Right now it is at time of booking. I don't think it will make a big difference though - unless Delta greatly reduces the inventory of V class seats. If they do, they'll go unsold and doled out at the gate to PM/GM/FO as currently done.

Great news... Way to go Delta...!!!

NW.BTR.Than.The.Rest

Sorry if I offend 'Save Skymiles', but I think you should thank NW Airline's unlimited upgrade program (based on availability) for the enhancement. This has been one of the main reason I have stuck with NW through thick and thin. With the integration of the programs, NW's approach luckily influenced Delta. Years ago, DL was my second choice, and I found SILVER Medallion totally useless at that time. I then dropped DL entirely in favor of CO which had aligned much more closely with NW WorldPerks. I do hope the 750 mile minimum on DL has influence on NW. Please this was not meant to slander SSM.

Happy Holidays, and Happy Flying!

jimrpa

YAY! PHL-ATL = 666 miles, ATL-DAB < 500 miles. Under the old system, on a .5LUT fare, I'd have gotten 1,000 MQMs round-trip and needed 6 upgrade points. Under the new system, I'll get 1,500 MQMs and not need to worry about earning/burning upgrade points (of course, I doubt I'll score on PHL-ATL unless I grab unpopular times, but ATL-DAB is a possibility). Any rate, for me, this equates to roughly 1/3 easier time qualifying for various medallion levels. 33 trips for GM is a lot more realistic than 50 trips (I've given up on ever hitting PM again). Of course, toss in a few non .5LUT fares and perhaps a trip to BKK on a NW WBC sale (if they have one), and life with Delta becomes much better.

sllevin

Good going SSM!

Now, here's an interesting thought...perhaps DL and NW are planning to tie up a lot closer?

After all, much of the DOJ issues were the three airlines combined on a given routing. Two of the three were okay, just not all three. Nobody said the "major" alliance partners had to be NW and CO!

Steve

ByeByeDelta

Sure is nice, but this is a little late in the game for those of us who jumped ship and qualified on other airlines. For me, I have only 2,276 MQMs. In light of these changes, I might have stayed with Delta. I flew 31,000 miles with American this year. Does Delta want me back? I guess I'll see what my status is on March 1st, 2004.

Oh, and those 31,000 miles with American have been wonderful between MRTC and excellent food in first. This past weekend I flew with someone booked on Delta at the last minute. Delta's coach made me appreciate MRTC so much more, and the first class on the 767-300s was terrible. Dirty, torn seating with carpet that wasn't even secured to the floor.

I have seen the light. Delta is going to have to have to throw more than "unlimited" upgrades and 750 MQM minimums at me to bring me back.

LexPassenger

Congrats all you guys who are still flying Delta. We have been pulling for you. Enjoy the improved world!

GG and I are VERY happy over on Northwest. Please send good thoughts to those of us whose demonstrable financial behavior in abandoning Delta helped convince them they were barking up a dead tree.

Your "best" flyers? They are not the folks who will buy higher fares in any case. They are the people who will spend more depending on status and class. Clue # 1.

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"We know you have a choice of airlines" ... the most important frequent-flyer words you heard this week.

GG

We had great flights on Continental today (NW codeshare). Fortunately, we don't have to depend on that. I've learned that I can depend on really nice flights on NW.

As I said last week, if it's really convenient to hop up to CVG, we may be on Delta metal once in a while. I don't really care what Delta does - they have lost some of us permanently as frequent flyers.

Beth Shultis is getting a thank you letter from me. Delta is too little, too late.

[This message has been edited by GG (edited Dec 18, 2003).]

jeffreyt

It took a year. That's when they announced the changes. And sadly, they lost 110,000 miles of k fare or above to AA.

JS

Well, I'm glad I didn't donate to SaveSkyMiles. Thanks, people, now I'm really screwed.

I am a Gold Medallion, flying mostly LUT fares. With a full level upgrading ahead of me and a good part of the Golds (K+ fares) upgrading ahead of me, the only flights I will be able to upgrade AT ALL* will be lightly booked flights. On lightly booked flights I do perfectly fine in coach! It's the crowded flights where an upgrade is really nice.

* obviously, dollars or miles will ensure an upgrade, but those are in short supply. An unlimited supply of useless upgrade points is just that -- useless.

I guess I'll see how my January flights turn out before I decide whether to split my loyalty.

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"The minute a Bundy has good luck he immediately starts building up an equal amount of bad luck." -- Al Bundy, Married With Children

[This message has been edited by JS (edited Dec 17, 2003).]

aceflyer2

I commend Delta for making these changes. But, it's funny how fast we forget how they treated us in the last months. With the exception of today's announcement, DL really does not seem to be deserving of our loyalty. Quite frankly, I'm finding it hard to trust them again.