Southwest vs Delta Miles Programs
Feb 9, 2014 | 10:30 am
#1
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Southwest vs Delta Miles Programs
I am now based in Atlanta and I have been shifting between flying Southwest (Air Tran) and Delta as those two airlines have the most flights.
I was thinking of getting a Delta Skymiles AMEX card but then decided to consider Southwest.
My perceived advantages of Southwest is that they have less overall fees, do not charge for baggage and that it is easier to redeem award flights.
My only perceived advantage of Delta is that it is not considered a "budget" airline and it has more flights from a national/global perspective.
Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
I was thinking of getting a Delta Skymiles AMEX card but then decided to consider Southwest.
My perceived advantages of Southwest is that they have less overall fees, do not charge for baggage and that it is easier to redeem award flights.
My only perceived advantage of Delta is that it is not considered a "budget" airline and it has more flights from a national/global perspective.
Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
Feb 9, 2014 | 11:51 am
#2
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A lot depends on how many miles a year you fly (enough to achieve any type of elite status in either program?), and what type of benefits you hope to get from an FFP. Note that the two airlines' award-redemption schemes are very different.
A lot depends on how many miles a year you fly (enough to achieve any type of elite status in either program?), and what type of benefits you hope to get from an FFP. Note that the two airlines' award-redemption schemes are very different.
Feb 9, 2014 | 12:00 pm
#3
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Feb 9, 2014 | 1:05 pm
#4
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Southwest vs Delta Miles Programs
what do you want to use your miles for? If strictly domestic coach, Southwest might make sense. For anything else, it doesnt't
Feb 9, 2014 | 3:11 pm
#6
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Feb 9, 2014 | 3:36 pm
#7
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Which leads me back to my original question in the OP....
Feb 9, 2014 | 3:42 pm
#8
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You may want to get either or both cards. However, if you are looking for redeemable miles or points for the occasional flight, you should consider flying Delta and crediting to Alaska, given the (usually) far greater availability and more favorable rules of the AS program. This would also give you the chance to credit AA flights to the same account if/when AA is the best choice for your routing.
As Southwest absorbs AirTran, the number of destinations served by WN nonstop from ATL may well decrease significantly. But it's hard to argue with the value of WN points for WGA fares.
As Southwest absorbs AirTran, the number of destinations served by WN nonstop from ATL may well decrease significantly. But it's hard to argue with the value of WN points for WGA fares.
Feb 9, 2014 | 4:27 pm
#9
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You may want to get either or both cards. However, if you are looking for redeemable miles or points for the occasional flight, you should consider flying Delta and crediting to Alaska, given the (usually) far greater availability and more favorable rules of the AS program. This would also give you the chance to credit AA flights to the same account if/when AA is the best choice for your routing.
As Southwest absorbs AirTran, the number of destinations served by WN nonstop from ATL may well decrease significantly. But it's hard to argue with the value of WN points for WGA fares.
As Southwest absorbs AirTran, the number of destinations served by WN nonstop from ATL may well decrease significantly. But it's hard to argue with the value of WN points for WGA fares.
Feb 9, 2014 | 4:51 pm
#10
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Thanks. I like the Alaska idea. Now that opens up a whole bunch of new questions... I wish I was able to transfer miles because I have random miles on AA & Delta that are not enough for a flight but if I could put them all in Alaska that would be cool.
If your primary interest is free flights and you are credit worthy, why not just apply for some of the credit cards that offer generous sign-up bonuses after meeting minimum spend requirements? Many of those cards even waive the annual fee for the first year. See the FT Credit Cards forum for details of current offers.
Originally Posted by jmsnyc
You may want to get either or both cards. However, if you are looking for redeemable miles or points for the occasional flight, you should consider flying Delta and crediting to Alaska, given the (usually) far greater availability and more favorable rules of the AS program. This would also give you the chance to credit AA flights to the same account if/when AA is the best choice for your routing.
As Southwest absorbs AirTran, the number of destinations served by WN nonstop from ATL may well decrease significantly. But it's hard to argue with the value of WN points for WGA fares.
As Southwest absorbs AirTran, the number of destinations served by WN nonstop from ATL may well decrease significantly. But it's hard to argue with the value of WN points for WGA fares.
Feb 9, 2014 | 9:37 pm
#11
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OP, you might see ads for the Southwest credit card that say you can get intl flights. I have a feeling they do this by letting you buy intl tickets at 1 c/mile. Not a good value. On the other hand, with DL it might not be too bad (DL is very stingy with low level awards, so to use your miles you might pay more miles and the savings could be the same).
Feb 10, 2014 | 10:03 am
#12
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Austin TX
Posts: 276
SWA Chase card offer is 50,000 points.
Depending on how many points you currently have those two cards might be enough to get four domestic round trip awards with just the sign up bonus, three at least I think.
At four flights a year it would take you at least two, maybe three, years to collect enough points for one round trip award by flying. If you pay $30 extra on half the flights in order to collect points all in one program you wipe out the value of that award ticket.
Feb 10, 2014 | 1:11 pm
#13
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 37
One issue with Delta is that they do not have one-way awards (or to be precise, one-way awards cost the same as roundtrip awards). If you get enough points for a Southwest one-way ticket, you can pay cash for the other leg. The awards are also refundable without fees in case your travel plans change. As other posters have written, Southwest is not the program for international business class, but it is a decent program for domestic coach (although the points will lose about 15% of their value on March 31).
Feb 10, 2014 | 1:17 pm
#14
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Sign up for the Am Ex SPG card, points transfer 1:1 to both AA and Delta, bonus is 25,000 points.
SWA Chase card offer is 50,000 points.
Depending on how many points you currently have those two cards might be enough to get four domestic round trip awards with just the sign up bonus, three at least I think.
At four flights a year it would take you at least two, maybe three, years to collect enough points for one round trip award by flying. If you pay $30 extra on half the flights in order to collect points all in one program you wipe out the value of that award ticket.
SWA Chase card offer is 50,000 points.
Depending on how many points you currently have those two cards might be enough to get four domestic round trip awards with just the sign up bonus, three at least I think.
At four flights a year it would take you at least two, maybe three, years to collect enough points for one round trip award by flying. If you pay $30 extra on half the flights in order to collect points all in one program you wipe out the value of that award ticket.
Feb 18, 2014 | 7:27 am
#15
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They are entirely different programs/airlines.
WN is good for (probably) less-crappy coach, redeem very few points for cheap flights ($100 one-way flight is only around 6K WN points, whereas DL would want 12.5K minimum), 100% redemption availability if there is a seat, many fewer fees and more flexible, Companion Pass for free flights, all-737 fleet, arguably nicer employees.
DL is better for international, has First/Business Class, nicer overall flying experience (many say), better IRROPS handling in some cases, Hawaii.
With OP's limited flying schedule, I'd think he/she is best off just picking based on price/schedule. Not going to get to elite anyway, presumably.
WN is good for (probably) less-crappy coach, redeem very few points for cheap flights ($100 one-way flight is only around 6K WN points, whereas DL would want 12.5K minimum), 100% redemption availability if there is a seat, many fewer fees and more flexible, Companion Pass for free flights, all-737 fleet, arguably nicer employees.
DL is better for international, has First/Business Class, nicer overall flying experience (many say), better IRROPS handling in some cases, Hawaii.
With OP's limited flying schedule, I'd think he/she is best off just picking based on price/schedule. Not going to get to elite anyway, presumably.
Last edited by toomanybooks; Feb 19, 2014 at 4:42 am