RobertH

I notice that the NWA web site still says 50% EQMs for Delta LUT fares. Has anyone flown Delta since 12/15 on a LUT fare? If so, did you get full EQMs?

bocastephen

I'm with you 100% here - the deal between CO and NW is good enough and works well. If you add a 3rd airline into it, especially one whose size is far greater than CO/NW and whose pool of Elites is also much larger, what impact will that have on our ability to upgrade on each others' airlines?

I posed this question at the DL board - In a two-carrier deal it's easy to figure out who comes first - the 'metal' carrier's top-tiers are upgraded first, followed by the guest carrier's top-tiers, and so on through Golds and Silvers. What happens when you add DL into this - on a NW flight, after NW Plats clear, who comes next? DL Plats or CO Plats? On a CO flight, are NW Plats upgraded after CO Plats or do DL Plats get the nod first?

My worse-case theory - DL pushes for a "Skyteam" Upgrade Pool where we all lose our home-airline advantage and all go into a big bucket where upgrades are processed according to Skyteam status, and then fare basis - so a DL Plat on a high fare can even trump a NW Plat on a lower fare flying a NW operated flight. I hope I am way off with this theory, but if they push for it, it's up to us CO and NW folks to push back hard. We don't want a plan like that ever considered.

JPoor007

It sure would be nice if they would create some sort of Skyteam upgrade policy for DL, NW, and CO. Assuming there was - with the new DL changes lowering PM status to 75k MQMs and full MQMs for deeply-discounted fares, I would have a legitimate shot at earning PM on DL and not have to play the game with both NW and DL.

I really enjoy flying NW and although I agree that a DL plat shouldn't ever trump a NW plat regardless of the fare flown on NW, couldn't a NW plat trump a DL plat on DL if a higher fare were flown, assuming this worse-case scenerio were implemented? So it would be an even trade-off, no?

Supposing it came down to a CO elite and a DL elite of the same status on a NW flight or any other similar scenerio, there would have to be a fair way to make sure the more deserving customer got the upgrade. There must be a way to set this criteria - who flew more NW flights the past year or something? Surely they can track these statistics in the digital era.

There must be some CO and NW customers who would like being upgraded on DL. Doesn't sound like a totally terrible idea if unless you're just blatantly anti-Delta.

FTraveler

One way to resolve a three-carrier upgrade system might be this - Let's assume NW operates the flight. All NW elites are upgraded first in order (P/G/S). Whatever remains is given to CO and DL elites on the basis of status. If there is a tie based on status (CO Platinum, DL Platinum), use fare paid to determine who gets the upgrade. This scenario, as applied to NW upgrade priority, would probably upset CO Platinums who regularly trump NW golds and silvers for upgrades, but it does seem fair to give priority to elites belonging to the FF program of the operating carrier.

slippahs

I don't think it'd be a fair tradeoff. Benefits of upgrades, IMHO, should be solely reserved for the carrier's best passengers. What good would it be to allow DL PMs elites to upgrade on NW flights and short change NW GEs and SEs who seem to already be having a hard time securing upgrades compared to the past? To me, it just doesn't make sense and that comes with other factors as well (e.g., the current 50% earnings on DL-op LUT fares).

aloha

crank1225

I flew Delta on 12/15, H class, it showed up as U class and 50%. Letter being sent to NWA.

Traveller

The changes don't take place until January 2005:

http://www.delta.com/skymiles/about/...ates/index.jsp

Program Update—Announced December 2004
Beginning January 1, 2005, we will be making changes to the Medallion program.

JPoor007

You think that there would be that many DL Plats on NW flights? In my experience, DL upper-tier elites tend to stick with DL, at least domestically. NW elites being able to upgrade on DL wouldn't be a fair tradeoff, especially if it were a codeshared flight? I think that should at least be an enhancement - allowing elites to upgrade on codeshared-partner flights.

slippahs

Well let's think about it this way. You're a NW/DL silver. Say NW starts allowing DL elites to upgrade on NW flights... then it will be so much harder for you to get an upgrade since now in addition to CO and NW's GEs and PEs, you'll have now DL PM and GMs on your flight. If you're flying on anything but a 757, you're only limited to about 16 F seats. Northwest Silvers already have a difficult time securing upgrades on many routes... add the mix of DL PMs and GMs, who will surely take advantage of flying on NW given cheaper fares, better connections, etc., and Northwest Silvers are pretty much out of the loop on upgrades. Sure, you won't have THAT many DL elites on any given NW flight, but I'm sure there'll be just enough to make it THAT much harder for NW SEs to get upgraded. On the flip side, I doubt a lot of NW elites would fly DL, unless those who left want to return for nostalgia. My two cents and humble opinion.

aloha

JPoor007

I'm batting pretty close to 1.000 on NW as far as upgrades. Not a lot of NW elites in this neck of the woods on the routes I fly - GPT-MEM, MOB-MEM, and PNS-MEM and MEM to several select Northeast and West Coast destinations and that really helps me.

When flying NW on a DL ticket, if you're an elite with that DL, I think you should at least be considered for an upgrade. I'm not sure how they could do that fairly either, but it would be nice.

Personally speaking, I am fairly loyal to both airlines and it might make somewhat better sense for me to pledge my loyalty to one airline for higher status and reap the same benefits. So, if not for anything else, it would be nice for a joint SkyTeam upgrade pool for selfish reasons.

You're probably correct about regular NW customers flying DL. Seems like there are a lot of disgruntled ex-DL customers flying NW these days. But with only 2 NW flights out of Mobile a day, it makes it hard to live here and not be anything but a DL customer.

ani90

But are you really the carrier's best passengers? How many NW elites actually earned all their miles flying NWA? Surely many are picking up miles flying other carriers? I have CO gold this year but only flew maybe 20K miles max in CO metal (and have used DL on one occasion). So unless you are arguing that the benefits should consider first those who actually patronize NW metal then I think your arguement is flawed. That one is NW elite does not in the least mean he patronizes their airline - only means he patronizes their FF program. If that is the case you are probably no more deserving of the upgrade seat compared to a DL elite (who could possibly have flown the exact same itineries you had all year but credited the miles to DL instead of WP).

DHAST

You got that right. I'll earn NW Silver tommorrow, having flown, let's see here... 2 paid rt on NW (IAD/MKE,SNA/MKE) 2 paid rt on DL (LAX/LAS,LAX/MKE) 1 paid rt on CO (MKE/LAX) and 2 freebie (bumps) on CO (both WAS/LAX). So who's "best" customer am I?

I am waiting for NW to announce that DL LUT fares again earn 100% EQM. If that's the case, I'll stick with them and do all of my long haul flying with them. If not, I have to switch to Skymiles if I can get a comp. If I can't get a comp (or DL switches transcons to Song, as is a rumor on the DL board), I'm going to AA, who will give me a comp. Why? Enough of my travel is LAX-LAS which is enough to put me in middle-tier FF on any carrier if I earn 100% EQM/MQM/whatever on the cheapest fares.

emw9000

Checked the WP Elite 'How to Qualify' page at NWA.com this morning, and here's what it says:

Elite Qualifying Miles at 100%: M, H, Q, K, G, Z, S, X, V (L, U, T effective January 1, 2005)

I smell a huge mileage run opportunity on Delta flying MSP-SEA via ATL! I have a trip booked in January on Delta to SJU in U class, so this will be a big boost to me in 2005.

UA vs NW

I have two Delta trips this January (BWI-MSY-BWI and ORF-PHX-ORF). I was kind of disappointed about the 50% EQM on LUT fare. With this change, these two trips should give me about 9200 EQM instead of 4600 EQM before the change. Sounds like it is not too hard to keep Gold for the next year with a trip to CAN/HKG.

NW is really good in terms of the EQM thing. Let's see what CO is going to do.

worldexpress

now only if they'd remove no miles restriction on KE Q fares...