DL Diamond still best in class??
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: KUL/TPA/OTP
Programs: UA1k, DL
Posts: 3,138
I'd have to disagree. Yes the award calender is awful, but 90% of the time, with patience and a bit of searching, I can find the award availability I need.
#17
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: CLT
Programs: AA EP, AA AC
Posts: 4,268
Actually as of today AA has come out with a promo where if one exceeds 125,000 EQMs, one could choose 4 extra SWUs.
I am already well over 125,000 AA EQMs and AA will be giving me 10 SWUs in 2010 (or maybe even 14 SWUs if I hit another Million Miles threshold again in 2010).
I am already well over 125,000 AA EQMs and AA will be giving me 10 SWUs in 2010 (or maybe even 14 SWUs if I hit another Million Miles threshold again in 2010).
Safe Travels!
#18
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,103
From www.aa.com/eliterewards :
Originally Posted by aa.com
With the exception of the Single One-Year Admirals Club Membership, which is limited to one membership per person for the qualifying member only, AAdvantage Executive Platinum members may select two different rewards from their list of options or two of the same reward.
AA's policy allows me to choose 4 SWUs on top of the 6 SWUs that all EXPs get.
Last edited by GUWonder; Sep 2, 2009 at 2:55 pm
#19
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Hopefully on a plane...
Posts: 6,580
DL Diamond never has been and still is not best in class for customers.
DL Diamond doesn't look to be best in class for customers even in the second quarter of next year unless DL does something else substantially different.
125% mileage earning for DL Diamonds flights is a joke given how and how much worse value there is on the redemption side of DL than is the case with the likes of AA.
DL Diamond doesn't look to be best in class for customers even in the second quarter of next year unless DL does something else substantially different.
125% mileage earning for DL Diamonds flights is a joke given how and how much worse value there is on the redemption side of DL than is the case with the likes of AA.
#20
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: CLT
Programs: AA EP, AA AC
Posts: 4,268
EXPs with at least 125,000 EQMs or EQPs can choose two of the Elite Rewards -- AA even allows doubling down on any of the choices besides the Admirals Club membership Elite Reward.
From www.aa.com/eliterewards :
www.aa.com/elite
From www.aa.com/eliterewards :
www.aa.com/elite
Safe Travels
Last edited by GTITAN; Sep 2, 2009 at 3:09 pm
#21
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Join Date: Jul 2001
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#22
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Tucson, AZ, USA. UA 1K, reluctant but * best in class * DL FO/MM. Former BA jumpseat rider and scourge of Dilbertian management and apologists. As LX might - and do - say: "....an experienced frequent flyer of international airlines"
Posts: 3,386
However, this could be a great opportunity to perform another search and itemize the poor value of SM vs OP, maybe this time we can throw in DM as a comparison too. Or AA. After all, if SM can't even deliver what DM does, never mind OP, then surely you'd agree that things are really in a bad way.
Yes, what a great idea you've given me! OK, I'll do that after the next meeting and post here. That way, you can be sure there I have sufficient rationale for using the term "best in class", and not best in class.
#23
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: SEA
Programs: UA Silver, BA Gold, DL Gold
Posts: 9,779
And don't forget that you (in all likelihood) get that bonus on partners. In general, the partner earnings with AA stink. The other major downer is the lack of earning/redemptions on BA TATL. AA is a great program, don't get me wrong, but for all its faults, I think that SM is better for earning across the alliance (at least for now).
#24
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Hopefully on a plane...
Posts: 6,580
DL Diamond never has been and still is not best in class for customers.
DL Diamond doesn't look to be best in class for customers even in the second quarter of next year unless DL does something else substantially different.
125% mileage earning for DL Diamonds flights is a joke given how and how much worse value there is on the redemption side of DL than is the case with the likes of AA.
DL Diamond doesn't look to be best in class for customers even in the second quarter of next year unless DL does something else substantially different.
125% mileage earning for DL Diamonds flights is a joke given how and how much worse value there is on the redemption side of DL than is the case with the likes of AA.
No rationale? Are you sure? For any comparison, hard data is good, I agree. You probably missed my previous postings analyzing the lack of value of SM vs OP, for example.
However, this could be a great opportunity to perform another search and itemize the poor value of SM vs OP, maybe this time we can throw in DM as a comparison too. Or AA. After all, if SM can't even deliver what DM does, never mind OP, then surely you'd agree that things are really in a bad way.
Yes, what a great idea you've given me! OK, I'll do that after the next meeting and post here. That way, you can be sure there I have sufficient rationale for using the term "best in class", and not best in class.
However, this could be a great opportunity to perform another search and itemize the poor value of SM vs OP, maybe this time we can throw in DM as a comparison too. Or AA. After all, if SM can't even deliver what DM does, never mind OP, then surely you'd agree that things are really in a bad way.
Yes, what a great idea you've given me! OK, I'll do that after the next meeting and post here. That way, you can be sure there I have sufficient rationale for using the term "best in class", and not best in class.
#25
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Oh, didn't realize that was your complaint that with a 25% bonus it doesn't make up for the fact that it's harder for you to redeem on DL versus AA. I guess it's about your travel patterns. If you fly TATL, it's probably easier to redeem DL awards for a DL or partner flight versus AA since you cannot use BA flights ex-US.
#26
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: VPS
Programs: DL DM/2MM, Etihad Gold, HHonors Diamond, SPG Gold
Posts: 4,787
I thought it was well established that AAs EXP was vastly superior to DL DM. I've read that so many times here that I thought it was a given...and I'm not disputing it. However, as Indufan points out, it's network, network, network! Not all of us can switch easily to AA. With my travel patterns, I doubt I could earn 100K on AA; although, I can easily earn many times that on DL.
Riding in front on coach fares is the most important bennie for me and Delta keeps me there consistently. Thus; for me, there is just no incentive to switch...best-in-class or not. For those of you who can switch and believe that doing so is best for you, I encourage you to do it and don't look back.
Riding in front on coach fares is the most important bennie for me and Delta keeps me there consistently. Thus; for me, there is just no incentive to switch...best-in-class or not. For those of you who can switch and believe that doing so is best for you, I encourage you to do it and don't look back.
#27
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Hopefully on a plane...
Posts: 6,580
I fly many, many TATL flights and TATL redemptions are one of the areas of greatest concern for me. Given this and given what you said above, I conclude that we have different operational ideas about the meaning of "probably". For me, "probably" = at least half the time.
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: check swarm
Programs: DL DM & 2MM, SPG/Bonvoid LT Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, $tarbucks Titanium
Posts: 14,393
exactly redtail! Just because Jeff Robertson printed some fancy brochures proclaiming it does not make it true. Today's AA announcement only reinforces that.
DL is close, but they need NW's award booking engine and to let Plats make unlimited changes to award routings w/o fees and make the DM SWU's usable on more fare types to get closer to "Best in Class". Oh, and real cheese in the clubs would help too.
DL is close, but they need NW's award booking engine and to let Plats make unlimited changes to award routings w/o fees and make the DM SWU's usable on more fare types to get closer to "Best in Class". Oh, and real cheese in the clubs would help too.
#29
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So you often find reward availability on AA when DL cannot offer it to you for a similarly price itinerary? I will admit that I just sent my parents one-way to London on an AA F award (at the low rate but I had to go ~ 4 days off desired) because it was easier and 1/2 the miles.
#30
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM, DL MM
Posts: 4,240
....
1. Qualification for Top Tier Status. AA permits qualification via "elite qualifiying points, (EQPs)" "elite qualifying miles (EQMs)" and "elite qualifying segments (EQS)". EQPs range anywhere from 1.5 to 0 points depending upon the fare type (higher fares give more points) and are multiplied by actual miles flown (subject to an applicable minimum). Generally speaking, folks buying the higher priced fares will find this useful. The targets for EXP are one or more of 100 EQS, 100,000 EQPs and/or 100,000 EQMs. DL is miles and/or segments. 140 segments or 125,000 MQMs qualify for Diamond. Both programs allow (generally speaking) for all non-opaque fares to accrue EQMs/MQMs. NW-DL has the 500 mile EQM minimum for everyone. AA has the minimum for elites only. Also note, EQMs on One World Alliance members may be next to nothing or nothing depending upon fare class and carrier route (i.e. BA for TATL with origin/destination domestic US as of today). Sky Team may be restricted as well in certain instances. Note, the DM tier will not come on line until sometime in the Spring of 2010.
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1. Qualification for Top Tier Status. AA permits qualification via "elite qualifiying points, (EQPs)" "elite qualifying miles (EQMs)" and "elite qualifying segments (EQS)". EQPs range anywhere from 1.5 to 0 points depending upon the fare type (higher fares give more points) and are multiplied by actual miles flown (subject to an applicable minimum). Generally speaking, folks buying the higher priced fares will find this useful. The targets for EXP are one or more of 100 EQS, 100,000 EQPs and/or 100,000 EQMs. DL is miles and/or segments. 140 segments or 125,000 MQMs qualify for Diamond. Both programs allow (generally speaking) for all non-opaque fares to accrue EQMs/MQMs. NW-DL has the 500 mile EQM minimum for everyone. AA has the minimum for elites only. Also note, EQMs on One World Alliance members may be next to nothing or nothing depending upon fare class and carrier route (i.e. BA for TATL with origin/destination domestic US as of today). Sky Team may be restricted as well in certain instances. Note, the DM tier will not come on line until sometime in the Spring of 2010.
...
The DL (and most others) method of giving you 150% of MQMs allows your chepo flights (which you earn 100% MQMs on) to actually mean something