I was recently asked by a reporter how many people have really switched from Delta?

This is broader than one airline, so I am asking this question here.

Have you switched? Were you comped status? What airline did you leave and what airline did you move to?

I was comped Northwest WorldPerks Gold and moved from Delta (3.8MM with DL and Plat for years)

Left British because their new award redemption rate sucks. Was already with AAdvantage and am now flying that more.

I am a Platinum on Delta, unfortunately, I had already qualified for Gold for next year, but had I had my act together sooner, I would have jumped ship earlier. United comped me to Premier Executive...I used to take the Delta Shuttle every week, but to stay away from Delta, I now drive out to IAD so that I can fly United.

I've jumped ship.. and will be complete once my two ATL-LAX RTs are complete on Delta. It's a multitude of things but with double EQM for any fare on United plus a recent trip to NZ, I'll keep the PremEx that I got comped to last year. Since most of my flying will be to the northeast this year, I'll stick with UA/US.

Why don't you catch the USAirways Shuttle? You'll earn UA status miles.

I'm pretty unusual, methinks!

My past history was to shop price above all, but accumulate miles in all programs.

My exposure to FlyerTalk convinced me that elite status might be in reach, and I first reached Silver on Delta (with the help of the 10K status miles on the Amex).

When NW and CO became partners, and as I became wiser in the ways of FlyerTalk I also achieved silver on NW.

(I did not consolidate and shoot for gold, as it still helped my penny-pinching ways to spread my travel out.)

Delta's recent changes affected me differently than the various platinums. Knowing that the least expensive fares would only received 50% credit made me skeptical of the ability to continue qualifying for DL silver, so I had basically decided to focus on CO/NW with all miles going to Worldperks.

CO's decision to do something similar left me in a bit of a quandary. Thinking NW might do the same made me wonder about choosing UA or AA as my primary carrier.

I was relieved by NW's decision not to penalize the least expensive fares. They also included the curious stipulation that the cheap CO metal flights would receive 50% elite credit but the cheap DL flights would receive full elite credit on Worldperks.

So now I am at the point of likely minimizing my travel on CO, particularly when the cheapest fares are involved...maximizing my NW travel, and yet also making room for booking very competitive DL fares, (foregoing upgrades for the moment) and posting those DL flights to my Worldperks account.

More than you wanted to know! Stay tuned for further adjustments!

[This message has been edited by Watchful (edited 11-03-2003).]

I actually began my transition from Delta to United early in 2001, when I saw the handwriting on the wall, so to speak. Delta seemed to value its customers less and less with each passing month. During 2001-02, I split my business roughly 50/50 between Delta and United, earning top status on both. After the SkyMiles changes announced late in 2002, I made United my first choice and have split my business in 2003 roughly 2/3 United and 1/3 Delta (which I still fly mostly because of a corporate contract on the Shuttle).

I will retain my 1K status on United into 2004 (and likely beyond), but I will drop to Gold on Delta. I traveled enough to earn this status, but I am lifetime Gold, anyway, as a 2 Million Miler.

Bruce

I have been 1K on UAL for 4 years. Last year I also hit Silver on Delta. Once I heard about the changes on Delta, I have not flown them even one time. Usually I qualify for 1K sometime in December. This year I will make it this week. I have flown only UAL all year long.

I dumped DL for NW in AUgust. My lats transaction with DL was reserving two F seats on AF for a trip to Scandinavia next summer. So long Uncle Leo!

I switched from AA to NW not due to FF chanes, but because of the downsizing of STL. As AA only flies to STL from PAH, I really don't want to double connect all of the time.

So did I, but I left OW entirely and went over to Star (BD and TG).

[Okay, I still have a CX Marco Polo card for "emergencies"...]

Both my wife and I left CO (Platinum) for AA at the start of 2002 because we were never able to use our OnePass points for a standard award ticket. We're now both EXP with AA and very happy, both using our miles, and with the VIP upgrades that we received.

Left Delta for UA. Comped to same level

I was 1K at UA when the mechanics were threatening to strike back in Feb 2002. I wrote AA and was comped in as Platinum, and worked my way up to EXP (equivalent to 1K). Had it not been for the UA double status miles promo this year, I would not have been able to hold onto PE there, which is the highest I would go with the devaluation of SWU's on cheap fares. AA seems to meet my needs at top tier for a discount traveler. I can't see going back to top tier on UA.

I moved a lot of my travel from CO to AA last year because I was never able to redeem my NONEPASS miles I had. Looks like it was a good decision based on CO newest changes. I absolutely try to avoid CO and its partners NW and DL if at all possible.