Octoruss

I've been Platinum for 5 years now. Last year, 1 economy RSW-Johannesburg trip would have netted me 35,000 miles. But so far this year, I have flown:

RSW-Tokyo-RSW
RSW-Taipei-RSW
RSW-Johannesburg-RSW
RSW-Stockholm-RSW
RSW-London-RSW
RSW- Rio de Janiero-RSW
RSW-BOS-RSW

And my point balance accrued for these trips? 61,400.

Then when I tried to find an economy award ticket to Australia for my wife, the lowest tier of ticket available in a 3 month period? 215,000 miles.

I understand what Delta is trying to do with their new $ program. But given the amount I travel and the so little I show for it, Delta has lost my loyalty. Any suggestions for a more rewarding program?

Canarsie

This question is really better suited for the MilesBuzz forum, which is the new home for this discussion and where fellow FlyerTalk members who are also members of other airline loyalty programs can give you the answers for which you are seeking.

Good luck to you, Octoruss.

Regards,

Canarsie
Co-Moderator, Delta Air Lines | SkyMiles forum

Renes Points

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...moving-aa.html

kop84

What did you pay for all of those tickets? $7k in base fare with the PM multiplier of 9 is 63,000 miles.

With some guessing as to your routing that's around 215K miles or just over 3 cents per mile you paid in base fare for your tickets. And you wonder why DL/UA/WN/B6 all reward miles by dollars instead of distance.

Octoruss

Yes, about $7k because my company mandates that I buy the cheapest fare available. Again, I can't argue with their logic for rewarding $ instead of miles from a business standpoint. But that's nonetheless a hell of a lot of travel and I may not even make Platinum next year. The coup de grace was Delta's promise that awards would be cheaper and easier to come by, when in fact, it is now about double than what it was last year.

I just wonder if other programs reward my kind of travel better...

pinniped

Yes, the AA program would be significantly more rewarding for your type of travel.

I'm too lazy to do the math, but my guess is those trips would add up to AA fully earned AA Platinum status and about 100,000 miles (assuming you started in with a Plat challenge).

Randomly looking about 6 weeks out for RSW-SYD availability, it's 37,500 miles each way in Y, or 62,500 each way in J. Y is widely available...about half of all dates looking at an entire month. J is a little tighter but there are options here and there.

If you're flying like this, in discounted Y, you really need to dump DL ASAP and move over to AA. DL and UA are directly pursuing the paid J traveler. While I understand the business strategy but there's no reason you should suffer over there with them.

DL hoses you coming *and* going. Surely oneworld competes on a bunch if not all of those routes, meaning that "lowest fare available" in your corporate travel engine would still keep a mix of AA and partner metal in your available options. I can almost always find policy-compliant options on each alliance for my trips. (Unless your firm has a really sweet DL discount...)

flyerCO

Sydney I'm able to book on J for 160k. I have to route through PVG and use MU for the SYD segment but when DL only Flys one flight a day that's what you have to do.

gooselee

Am I missing something here about how all that flying won't at least get you to PM? MQMs are still awarded on distance.

And yes, you should find another program, as DL no longer works for you. For others who fly shorter routes on more expensive tickets, it still works quite well, and FWIW I have still been able to find intl J awards in "low" for my vacations.

As before, YMMV.

Mr. Tickets

Exactly. Nothing going on now has changed for status (MQM) miles. (I expect to see that change, but . . .)

scottpenderson

AAdvantage seems to be the plan for you. It's the last major US airline FFP to award miles based on miles flown and not spend (though that may change as early as next year).

Here are a few links to read about the AAdvantage program:

HELP: JUST THE FACTS / FAQs: Combined AA/US AAdvantage FFP 2014 on
Speculation: Future changes to AAdvantage program? (Consolidated)

Often1

I would not switch horses right now. Give AA a solid year from the SOC in October and we'll see what its FFP looks like. With all those former US CP's earning EXP on micro-hops in the Northeast, the current program can't survive as is.

Once things settle, then OP (and others) should do an assessment of where they stand.

hereweyo

I would like to suggest you talk with others who are active in AA's program and see what their travel experience is like. Maybe give AA a couple of test flights on your normal routes. I live in Dallas and a couple of years ago got fed up with AA and migrated to Delta where I've reached Diamond. Maybe it helps that I'm not based in ATL, but I'm upgraded 80% of the time for domestic travel. I experienced nothing like that when I was EP on AA. Best of luck with your decision.

Mwenenzi

Look here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/infor...help-here.html
Your question has been asked before
The grass is not always greener on the other side

Often1

The whole problem is that the nature of FFP's has changed with the improved economy. Carriers learned from their mistakes during the financial crisis when they simply chopped prices and gave away seats and UG's in order to get people to fly. Now, capacity matches what can profitably (think PRASM) operate.

When people say, "I used to be UG X% of the time and now it's only 1/3 of X" that is a function of a new reality: improved economy, capacity cuts, reasonably-priced F.

While it was great to pay Y and sit up front, that's not a sustainable business model. So, it's gone.

JDiver

This, IMO. I think that reality set is certainly in evidence at AA as well as DL and UA.

And I'd not be surprised in the least if AA reschedules elite status earning to, perhaps a scheme like status by Points or higher Miles thresholds, etc. BA, CX, IB etc. have revised their status awarding points, and it would be consistent. Not until 2016 anyway, but - half of 2015 is gone.