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New upgrade rules effective Jan 1, 2004... Happy Holidays from DL!

New upgrade rules effective Jan 1, 2004... Happy Holidays from DL!

 
Old Dec 17, 2003, 3:12 pm
  #1  
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Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SEA - DL DM/2MM, *A Gold, SPG Lifetime Plat, some other car and hotel stuff
Posts: 5,649
New upgrade rules effective Jan 1, 2004... Happy Holidays from DL!

While I was waiting to pick up a friend at the airport today, a little birdie let me in on some of the details from a DL memo circulated by Patrice Miles today.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">All Medallion members will receive unlimited, complimentary Upgrades effective Jan. 1, 2004, subject to availability when traveling within or between the U.S. (excluding Hawaii) and Bermuda, Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico. This means Medallion members booking published fares of Y, B, M, H, Q, K, L, U or T will be upgraded based on fare and Medallion status (see upgrade window chart below). Upgrades will no longer be earned or deducted from Medallion members accounts. This change makes the SkyMiles Medallion program one of the most generous upgrade programs in the industry. (Note: this new upgrade benefit will not apply to flights to/from Hawaii.)</font>
I imagine this will be posted to Delta.com soon.

Happy travels to all!
andymo99 is offline  
Old Dec 17, 2003, 3:18 pm
  #2  
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Join Date: Aug 2001
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Posts: 5,649
Here is another change specifically for mikey1003:

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Miles used to calculate the Medallion Qualification formula now will be based on a 750-mile minimum or actual miles flown, whichever is greater. Delta previously had a 500-mile minimum. This change should help predominately short-haul/segment flyers maintain or move up in Medallion status.</font>
Congratulations for saveskymiles.

Paging avek00. Paging avek00.
andymo99 is offline  
Old Dec 17, 2003, 3:21 pm
  #3  
Moderator: Hilton Honors forums
 
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Location: Marietta, Georgia, United States
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Excellent news, andymo99!

Thank you for sharing with us.
Canarsie is offline  
Old Dec 17, 2003, 3:33 pm
  #4  
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: PNS
Programs: DL PM / 1MM "Enhancee" (Frequent Flyer) Since 1990
Posts: 1,156
Is this for real????????????????????

If so, WOW. Big news. Not everyone will be happy, but this is a definite turnaround on DL's part.. maybe SSM, all the surveys and general backlash had an effect!

I guess all those SSM boarding cards I sprinkled may have helped..

[This message has been edited by heckler (edited Dec 17, 2003).]
heckler is offline  
Old Dec 17, 2003, 3:34 pm
  #5  
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Sunny Charleston, SC
Programs: DL: Diamond
Posts: 215
yeah right.

Can you share the chart that shows how they will upgrade by status.

Lots of unanswered questions on this end.
mtiffee is offline  
Old Dec 17, 2003, 3:38 pm
  #6  
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Posts: 5,649
I don't want to compromise DL by posting "insider" info. I am sure that delta.com will be updated shortly, and as YOU run into employees as I did today, I am sure they will be happy to share the good news with you.

But to answer the last question, your upgrade window will depend on your status and fare paid:

PMs can upgrade YBM at time of purchase
GMs can upgrade YBM at 100 hours
FOs can upgrade YBM at 72 hours

PMs can upgrade HQK at 100 hours
GMs can upgrade HQK at 72 hours
FOs can upgrade HQK at 48 hours

PMs can upgrade LUT at 24 hours
GMs can upgrade LUT at 12 hours
FOs can upgrade LUT at 12 hours

Companions are upgraded at 12 hours, but not on LUT fares.

Edited to note that if two individuals with different Medallion status, but the same confirmation window, request an upgrade, the higher Medallion status receives priority. If two individuals with the same status and confirmation window request an upgrade, the first person to request an upgrade receives priority.

[This message has been edited by andymo99 (edited Dec 17, 2003).]
andymo99 is offline  
Old Dec 17, 2003, 3:40 pm
  #7  
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Posts: 17
Seems to be true. It's being reported by the Cincinnati Enquirer.

http://www.enquirer.com/midday/12/12...day_delta.html
chemeng is offline  
Old Dec 17, 2003, 3:44 pm
  #8  
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Congratulations to SaveSkyMiles for their diligence; their efforts (and DL's competitors' refusal to go along with DL's changes) no doubt helped DL see the light. Again, congratulations.
FWAAA is offline  
Old Dec 17, 2003, 3:45 pm
  #9  
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Sunny Charleston, SC
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So how will you upgrade to Hawaii or Europe?
mtiffee is offline  
Old Dec 17, 2003, 3:48 pm
  #10  
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by mtiffee:
So how will you upgrade to Hawaii or Europe?</font>
1) Miles
2) PMUs for PMs

Other ways to sit up front would be:

3) Award ticket
4) Paid F/BE
andymo99 is offline  
Old Dec 17, 2003, 3:50 pm
  #11  
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by mtiffee:
So how will you upgrade to Hawaii or Europe?</font>

Assumably, you would do it like you do now - cashing in Skymiles for an upgrade.. there will obviously be a window for SM,GM,PM to do this I expect. However my last European upgrades were simple availability deals - I got to the seat first at DL, cashed in the miles and was confirmed an upgrade.. I don't believe my status was taken into account.
heckler is offline  
Old Dec 17, 2003, 3:53 pm
  #12  
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Now if there were only any flights for me to upgrade on, Id be a happy camper. ALL DFW and half the SLC flights out of my home airport are now RJs. That leaves only a couple flights to SLC and one to ATL that are upgradeable.
And I fly a half dozen times a year to Hawaii and these are not covered by the new enhancements.
So, bottom line for my personal travel pattern, not much improvement. WN is still going to get the bulk of next years travel budget due to their mainline equipment.
Cholula is offline  
Old Dec 17, 2003, 3:55 pm
  #13  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: N Charleston South Carolina
Programs: UA PM (by 2MM), DL GM (by 3.5MM), Marriott Lifetime Plat
Posts: 1,655
It's great to see the results of our efforts have paid off - it's sad however when you have very long term 20+ year Delta only flyers, like me, who have already left.

Unlimited upgrades are nice, but better at time of booking for any fare class (which is what I get at United), and full EQM credit for any fare basis paid (still 0.5 for LUT fares on Delta). And United's SWU's are now applicable to every international fare except S and T (Like Delta's U and T's). That saves me a lot of money on my international flights.

I UPGRADE EVERY FLIGHT I TAKE ON UNITED THE DAY I BUY THE TICKET. Period. Just like I used to do on Delta. Delta had me paying "K" or better. Now I don't even have to do that. I would have never looked at other carriers if it hadn't been for Delta's changes. Knowledge is irreversible.

Billy
Delta3MM is offline  
Old Dec 17, 2003, 3:56 pm
  #14  
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Posts: 5,649
Not bad, it took 41 minutes before someone lodged a complaint. The over/under was 35. I bet under... oops.
andymo99 is offline  
Old Dec 17, 2003, 3:56 pm
  #15  
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: New York
Posts: 297
Wow!
That's great news! It will be interesting to see what people complain about now.
findmeinfirst is offline  

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