Delta Silver--should I defect to CO? NW? UA?
 

Hello everyone...
I'm a Delta Silver Medallion and have been for several years. But I'm thinking of switching. Delta has cut back its service so drastically and the Medallion benefits are almost nonexistent.

I live in Columbus, Ohio and travel to LA, Honolulu, Stockholm, Boston, New York, and Washington with some regularity.


Here is what I'm thinking.

Continental
Pros: Better Elite benefits. Best first/business service to Honolulu.
Cons: Really bad memories of the Continental Lite era, Newark.

Delta
Pros: I've been with them for a while. Generally professional ground and cabin crew. Best business class to Europe (of the US carriers.)
Cons: Drastic cuts to cabin service and to the FF plan.


American
Pros: Good if you're stuck in Economy. Partner with Finnair.
Cons: Everything else.

United
Pros: Partner with SAS, Air New Zealand, Austrian.
Cons: Everything else

Northwest
Pros: Cheap tickets (both cabins) to HNL
Cons: Reputation for incredibly bad service.


Please let me know what you think. I look forward to your replies.

CO sucks, NW sucks, Delta sucks, United sucks too. stay home, man! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/rolleyes.gif

Mats, Myself and many others have long said that FO status isn't much status on Delta. You are exactly right about that loss of benefits. Based on your location and your destinations, I would have to vote for either AA or UA.Considering the potential labor issues at UA, I'd go AA. You'll be able to upgrade off of any published fare (I believe) and if you get stuck in coach it doesn't involve pain like it does at Delta.Good Luck!

All told, I have found AA to be doing a really good job in a tough time. They have their issues at times for sure, but overall good program and good people.

CO: Unless you like paying through the nose, you won't upgrade to HNL or any international destination. Nothing like the worst coach product in the industry, room-wise for that EWR-HNL flight.

NW: Eh. No miles on CyberSavers and also a very stingy international upgrade policy. Coach product is poor.

UA: E+ makes the coach experience for the elite flyer acceptable. Labor issues may ground this airline however. Marginal international upgrade policies.

AA: Upgrade any fare and MRTC. That gets my vote.

I guess here is the key which airline you should pick. The biggest problem seems to be ARN due to the post-09/11 service cuts.

I think this sort of topic is very valuable, since it allows people who are not yet committed or who are thinking of changing allegiances to get the "street word" on each airline. In my experience, European and Asian flaggeds are infinitely superior to American, if only because there is a greater tradition of service in the Old World and/or the airline is the one and only international airline of that country and thus represents it. For this reason alone, I think of the airlines that belongs to an international consortium is particularly valuable. I myself am a NW elite, and it has served me well since only NW really offers the really cheapest NYC-NRT airfares. CO does seem a cut above, with the corporate culture having a splash of SW style "can-do" spirit. Peace.

CO I believe has the best Biz Class service IMHO, In CMH, it is an HP base which is a CO partner (NW too???) which count toward base miles.. Cle hub is a short drive away... hmmm

HoKeY sucks

UA's Y+ offers more room than AA's MRTC.

I suspect your upgrade chances are better on UA than on CO -- since CO offers unlimited free domestic upgrades, everyone is signed up for 'em so silvers have a tough time. On UA they aren't free (you earn 2000 miles of ugprades for every 10000 you fly) so not everyone requests an upgrade on every flight.

I'd stay away from CO b/c of their Economy-minus. Likewise, I'd run from DL if I had to sit in the back (and since I would be buying mostly L and U fares...).

As a Silver, coach service is important. I think the only choice is AA and UA.

Ultimately, the answer rests on
your travel profile
what awards are important to you
etc etc etc

It's an individual thing.

I switched to AA this year after 20 years

flying with DL. I was a Flying Colonel,

MM, and Silver M. So far AA rules; 100%

upgrade rate on ANY coach fare, my wife

can upgrade to FC, cannot on DL. More flights

better service, better FAs. AA miles are

easier to accumulate with more partnerships.

If I ever have to fly coach in AA, I'll have

loads more room than DL. DL is run by

beancounters since Leo showed up. Not looking

back, it's AA all the way.

Bobemac: I see this is your first post. Welcome to Flyertalk! It's nice to have another member from San Antonio.



[This message has been edited by paradocs (edited 02-13-2002).]

Sorry, duplicate.

[This message has been edited by paradocs (edited 02-13-2002).]

Remember though, you are not guarentee E+, even as an elite, on UA. However, regardless of your status you will get MRTC on AA. I'm 5'10" and all of my height is in my legs and I find MRTC quite comfortable.



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I Love New York

Personally, I prefer Continental coach when flying to/from Hawaii over the other airlines. It is the only coach service with personal TVs at every chair with six channels to choose from as well as some Nintendo type games to play. (I've flown Delta, Hawaiian and American to/from Hawaii).
As for food and drink, the food is as good or better than others (except Hawaiian has a better packaged dessert, such as a Macadamia Nut cookie ice cream sandwich), and Continental seems to have more full drink services in coach than any other airline.

But you are right, the seat pitch is the worst (Delta and Hawaiian seemed just as bad as Continental). So it's a choice of what's more important to you -- seat pitch or entertainment options. Me, I choose entertainment. If you're tall, then maybe you'll go the other way.