DL Diamond still best in class??

 
Old Sep 2, 2009, 2:44 pm
  #16  
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Originally Posted by GUWonder
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.
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.
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Old Sep 2, 2009, 2:46 pm
  #17  
 
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Originally Posted by GUWonder
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).
Is the interpretation that you can choose "4" SWUs or that you can choose "2" of the gifts (i.e. 25,000 RDMs and 2 SWUs)? If that is the wisdom, I'll edit.

Safe Travels!
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Old Sep 2, 2009, 2:49 pm
  #18  
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Originally Posted by GTITAN
Is the interpretation that you can choose "4" SWUs or that you can choose "2" of the gifts (i.e. 25,000 RDMs and 2 SWUs)? If that is the wisdom, I'll edit.

Safe Travels!
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 :

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.
www.aa.com/elite

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
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Old Sep 2, 2009, 2:50 pm
  #19  
 
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Originally Posted by GUWonder
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.
Originally Posted by redtailshark
Just when, exactly, was DM ever best in class?

Wait, I get it, they mean: "best in class"!
really, please tell us how you REALLY feel... without providing any rationale.
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Old Sep 2, 2009, 2:55 pm
  #20  
 
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Originally Posted by GUWonder
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
GU as usual you are absolutely right and thanks for the catch!!!^ Owe ya' a steak in EZE!! I will edit my original post. Sorry folks, I did not get at the fine print!

Safe Travels

Last edited by GTITAN; Sep 2, 2009 at 3:09 pm
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Old Sep 2, 2009, 2:56 pm
  #21  
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Originally Posted by WBurcham
really, please tell us how you REALLY feel... without providing any rationale.
I already provided a rationale for my thoughts on the matter and it is even to be found in the very post of mine which you quoted.
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Old Sep 2, 2009, 3:00 pm
  #22  
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Originally Posted by WBurcham
really, please tell us how you REALLY feel... without providing any rationale.
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.
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Old Sep 2, 2009, 3:17 pm
  #23  
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Originally Posted by Denolloyd
The 25% additional bonus miles on DL is a big plus in my opinion also.
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).
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Old Sep 2, 2009, 3:17 pm
  #24  
 
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Originally Posted by redtailshark
Just when, exactly, was DM ever best in class?

Wait, I get it, they mean: "best in class"!
Originally Posted by GUWonder
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.
Originally Posted by GUWonder
I already provided a rationale for my thoughts on the matter and it is even to be found in the very post of mine which you quoted.
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.

Originally Posted by redtailshark
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.
But keep that with the one where you said DL gives out too many skymiles when compared to other airlines and didn't take that into equation. If it's easy to get 100K SkyMiles versus moderately easy to get 50K (and that's what the ticket costs), which do you prefer?
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Old Sep 2, 2009, 3:21 pm
  #25  
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Originally Posted by WBurcham
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.
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.
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Old Sep 2, 2009, 3:42 pm
  #26  
 
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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.
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Old Sep 2, 2009, 3:45 pm
  #27  
 
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Originally Posted by GUWonder
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.
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.
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Old Sep 2, 2009, 3:52 pm
  #28  
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Originally Posted by redtailshark
Just when, exactly, was DM ever best in class?
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.
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Old Sep 2, 2009, 3:57 pm
  #29  
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Originally Posted by WBurcham
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.
I more often than not find AA award tickets for TATL travel are cheaper in miles (and money) than travel between the same O/D using DL award tickets. The gap has only grown in the past 20 months so as to devalue DL miles relative to AA miles when it comes to TATL redemptions for less miles (and/or less money).
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Old Sep 2, 2009, 4:06 pm
  #30  
 
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Originally Posted by GTITAN
....
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.
...
One important point about the AA system is that if you fly a combination of high priced fares (e.g. for work) and low priced fares (e.g. for vacation), the AA system hurts you. By accruing 1.5 points for the higher fares, but only 0.5 pts for the low fares, you end up in a situation where your low fare flights become meaningless if you are trying to earn status with points.

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
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