Originally Posted by tkelvin69 (Post 12982624)

I think in determining the value of a mile when comparing a purchased ticket to an award ticket, the purchased value must be subtracted. Example:
First 100,000 miles on AA = EXP
Miles value (200,000) @ .02/mile = $4000
EVIPS @ $500 per x 8 = $4000
Waived fees, upgrades, F lounge etc = $2000
(all subjective values)
So, I placed $10,000 value on 100,000 EQM or $.10/mile. If I fly 13,000 miles and use an award then I'm "out" $1,300 in potential value if I've not flown 100,000 miles yet. For me, the above example would be reduced by $1,300 (assuming 13,000 miles) and the new value be $3,400 or $.025/miles.
Generally, I use $.10 as the value in earning EQM and $.02-$.03 in using miles.

Originally Posted by Supersonic Swinger (Post 14240892)

You'd still be taking more of a chance than with other airlines. In January I was looking to redeem my remaining SkyPesos for LOS-NYC return in September. Whether logged in as a Gold Medallion or not, the lowest price I was getting, 9 months out, was 40,000 miles. Yet with no status on AA, 25,000 miles as far as the eye could see.

Unless you're heavily invested in flying Delta and plan to continue to be, and have the general spending levels to justify DL branded Amex cards, you're better off looking at other programs.

Originally Posted by gleff (Post 14241447)

The only reason to accumulate Skymiles is if you live in a Delta hub city and are earning elite status for domestic upgrades.

Even if you live in a Delta hub, but aren't going to make status, credit your flying to Alaska.

And if you don't live in a Delta hub, fly a different airline and earn status with them and miles with them instead.

The only reason to earn non-flight miles with Skymiles is if those miles help you towards status. If your credit card spend isn't going towards status, it makes no sense to accumulate Skymiles at all. And other non-MQM earning activity? No way.

Originally Posted by gleff (Post 14263260)

You're really going to stake your argument on how 'limited' the domestic route networks of American Airlines and US Airways are? Sure, if you frequently want to go places that only Delta flies when redeeming your awards and you fly enough to be a Delta top tier elite then you should fly Delta and credit your flight miles to Skymiles. What cities are those, adn is htat actually your redemption pattern?

I've long said that someone who lives in a Delta hub city and flies enough to earn a good tier of elite status should probably fly Delta and credit to Skymiles, because upgrades matter.

And that person might even use a Delta credit card for the spending contribution towards status, and the Reserve card's bump in upgrade priority.

But that's different from saying that they should make that choice because of Skymiles redemption ability.

And if they don't need the credit card to boost status, then even in your relatively limited case of someone who only wants to redeem within the 48 contiguous United States (and that is a VERY limiting case, and even there your quote above concedes you aren't saying Delta is best) I'd argue such a person should probably use a cash back card and use the cash to buy those domestic tickets if they wish. If the tickets are for themselves, as a Dimaond they'll be upgraded most of the time. And regardless of who they're for they won't have to fight for inventory at the low level.

As for promos I will gladly take 4750 US Airways miles over even twice as many Delta miles on a car rental, but that's because I think of my miles as more than a minor cashback currency to be used to take me in coach to Florida at the holidays. I leverage the miles and points for the sorts of aspirational awards that I couldn't or wouldn't pay cash for. For the kinds of things that have really enriched my life, seeing places and things I wouldn't otherwise have seen and experiencing cultures I wasn't already familiar with -- and doing it all in a modicum of comfort otherwise-unsupported by my modest income.

Originally Posted by gleff (Post 14281960)

Delta miles are great for domestic hopes on Alaska Airlines, sure. And Delta miles can be used on MH, CZ, AF, etc. Just not always easily. Delta miles are not worthless, they are just worth less than most other currencies.

I do not actually blame Jeff Robertson for this. Though he really needs to beg and plead for some IT resources to at least make the most of the inventory at his disposal, compensate for the lack of DL metal inventory and get partner award booking working on the website for all partners or at least most.

Beyond IT it's really DL inventory management to blame. Skymiles doesn't determine which seats are released as awards, that's the airline itself. Skymiles are worth less because (1) the airline they're associated with offers such poor award availability (2) most (but not all) of their partners offer poor premium cabin award availability and (3) because DL's IT is so bad that it is very very hard to find even those seats that do exist.

Originally Posted by saleenxp8 (Post 18008204)

this thread is absolutely hilarious

Originally Posted by mooper (Post 18009834)

UA/CO miles, particularly over the past six months, have become much harder for me to redeem domestically (48 states) at the 25K level than DL miles, even without using Medallion inventory. This has been true over a wide variety of dates, times, routings, and lead times. DL miles, as a Medallion member, have gotten me first class every time to boot. Try doing a few test searches yourself... if you do it randomly (not cherry picking), you'll see what I mean.

Originally Posted by mikelat (Post 18010289)

I don't think anyone has said that DL is bad for domestic redemptions.

Originally Posted by mooper (Post 18010318)

Look around a bit more. A few months ago, you couldn't avoid seeing a new thread or more per day that claimed DL miles were "worthless". Most often, the assertion was broad - not specific to international travel. As the vast majority of Delta's revenue and routes are domestic, it is silly to focus on international-only. Both matter.