Difference Between Silver & Gold
Dec 4, 2005 | 5:43 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 5
Difference Between Silver & Gold
What a great website! There truely is a website for everything.
Work sends me to Asia 2 times year, so I have been Silver Elite for 3 years running without any effort or Mileage Run's. In 2006, I am willing to do some MR's to help me get to gold, even though these costs come out of my pocket.
Aside from the 50% to 100% bonus miles, what else is there to look forward to as a Gold Elite??
Work sends me to Asia 2 times year, so I have been Silver Elite for 3 years running without any effort or Mileage Run's. In 2006, I am willing to do some MR's to help me get to gold, even though these costs come out of my pocket.
Aside from the 50% to 100% bonus miles, what else is there to look forward to as a Gold Elite??
Dec 4, 2005 | 5:51 pm
#2
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Riding the rails
Programs: Japan Forum, Skyteam Elite Plus, BW Diamond Select, HHonors Gold, NWA, DL, NH
Posts: 1,936
Dec 4, 2005 | 6:08 pm
#3
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: DL Million Miler
Posts: 1,976
>>>>iAside from the 50% to 100% bonus miles, what else is there to look forward to as a Gold Elite??
If you're going to still pretty much only due trips to Asia--particularly if they do not include domestic connections--then you may not find much benefit except for 100% bonus miles instead of 50% (edited with embarassed apologies
and thanks to MikeMpls).
If you do a fair amount of domestic U.S. travel, then the earlier upgrades, the possibly more frequent upgrades, the direct gold/plat phone line, the policy that gives you a free hotel if stuck even due to weather, the access to gold/plat security lines, and the prettier luggage tag will be worth it.
If you're going to still pretty much only due trips to Asia--particularly if they do not include domestic connections--then you may not find much benefit except for 100% bonus miles instead of 50% (edited with embarassed apologies
and thanks to MikeMpls).If you do a fair amount of domestic U.S. travel, then the earlier upgrades, the possibly more frequent upgrades, the direct gold/plat phone line, the policy that gives you a free hotel if stuck even due to weather, the access to gold/plat security lines, and the prettier luggage tag will be worth it.
Last edited by SpinzCity; Dec 4, 2005 at 7:47 pm
Dec 4, 2005 | 7:06 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: MSP
Programs: Fallen Plats, ex-WN CP, DYKWIW; still PAL Premier Elite & Hilton Diamond
Posts: 25,429
Generally better service & attitudes from people each time you move up an elite level, fewer lines to wait in it. On MSP-AMS-OSL last July, my GE status really seemed to grease the skids for us. While NW generally tries to treat all its elites well, partner airlines in particular seem to respect Golds & Plats much more than Silvers (although you will find plenty of well-founded complaints about KL/AF in here).
Mike in Mpls.
Apologist at Large
Mike in Mpls.
Apologist at Large
Dec 4, 2005 | 7:09 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: MSP
Programs: Fallen Plats, ex-WN CP, DYKWIW; still PAL Premier Elite & Hilton Diamond
Posts: 25,429
Originally Posted by SpinzCity
then you may not find much benefit except for 50% bonus miles instead of 25%.
The bonus for Golds is 100%.
Mike in Mpls.
Apologist at Large
Dec 4, 2005 | 7:16 pm
#6
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: SEA
Programs: MR Plat;NWA GE; UA Prem Exec
Posts: 140
Originally Posted by viper_audio
Aside from the 50% to 100% bonus miles, what else is there to look forward to as a Gold Elite??
Last edited by seob; Dec 5, 2005 at 9:16 am
Dec 4, 2005 | 7:57 pm
#7
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: NYC
Posts: 8,686
Originally Posted by SpinzCity
...the policy that gives you a free hotel if stuck even due to weather...
Dec 4, 2005 | 9:34 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: MSP
Programs: Fallen Plats, ex-WN CP, DYKWIW; still PAL Premier Elite & Hilton Diamond
Posts: 25,429
Originally Posted by themicah
Is this for real? I thought I was pretty well versed in NW elite bene's, but I've never heard of that. If so, cool! And... where exactly is it written?
Mike in Mpls.
Apologist at Large
Dec 5, 2005 | 12:23 am
#9
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 8,884
Originally Posted by MikeMpls
It's been mentioned in here a number of times. I thought it was only for Plats. It is an "unpublished" benefit. KLM has also been reported to send Plats to better hotels.
Mike in Mpls.
Apologist at Large
Mike in Mpls.
Apologist at Large
DL apparently does not honor NW Gold Elite for hotel rooms, as I was delayed out of ORD to CVG due to weather/ATC restrictions and missed my connection from CVG. They happily gave me a 50% off coupon at some off brand hotel which would have cost me $50 or more out of pocket.
Dec 5, 2005 | 1:29 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: MSP
Programs: Fallen Plats, ex-WN CP, DYKWIW; still PAL Premier Elite & Hilton Diamond
Posts: 25,429
Originally Posted by SchmutzigMSP
Even the best GAs won't notice that you're elite, even with a glance at your BP. How do you get them to honor it? Flash your card when being rebooked/overnighted?
DL apparently does not honor NW Gold Elite for hotel rooms, as I was delayed out of ORD to CVG due to weather/ATC restrictions and missed my connection from CVG. They happily gave me a 50% off coupon at some off brand hotel which would have cost me $50 or more out of pocket.
DL apparently does not honor NW Gold Elite for hotel rooms, as I was delayed out of ORD to CVG due to weather/ATC restrictions and missed my connection from CVG. They happily gave me a 50% off coupon at some off brand hotel which would have cost me $50 or more out of pocket.
I would imagine that in any situation where you are receiving a hotel room, they are also rebooking you and would be looking at your record.
I haven't heard of DL ever giving anyone hotels rooms for weather & traffic problems.
Mike in Mpls.
Apologist at Large
Last edited by MikeMpls; Dec 5, 2005 at 1:31 am
Dec 5, 2005 | 8:35 am
#11
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: DTW
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 520
another nice perk is that if you're traveling on award tickets, you get free domestic upgrades to F if you're gold/plat...doesn't happen for silver. not sure if that's a big deal for you, but it does make a big difference to me.
Dec 5, 2005 | 9:24 am
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Honolulu, Hawaiʻi [+MKK4 EBBER R577 EDSEL R577 ELKEY EXERT]
Posts: 15,913
Originally Posted by seob
What is your home airport? If you're in SEA, PDX, SFO, LAX, MSP or DTW, you won't see much of an increase in upgrades. ( based on my experience, YMMV)
Dec 5, 2005 | 9:39 am
#13
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: LGB
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 390
Originally Posted by slippahs
My miles have varied. As a Gold, I've noticed a considerable increase (knock on wood) in the upgrades on these "trans-con" flights. Not necessarily in/out of PDX/SEA, but so long as I avoid traveling on the peak elite traveling times, I can be assured an upgrade 75% of the time thru LAX/SFO. ^
Dec 6, 2005 | 7:03 pm
#14
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Ann Arbor
Programs: HHonors Gold , National Emerald Exec, Hertz Presidents, Delta Gold
Posts: 2,604
Originally Posted by viper_audio
Work sends me to Asia 2 times year,
My friends company will actually pay for the extra hotel room or two on the way around, because it saves so much.
Last time he looked at fares DTW-NRT- $9000. DTW around the world- $6200.
Of course, then you don't need to do a mileage run, because each trip is 25,000 EQMs.
Dec 6, 2005 | 10:08 pm
#15
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: MSP
Programs: Delta Gold, UA Plat. Hyatt Diamond, Marriott Plat. Hilton Plat. US Airways, Starwood Gold, Avis Pres
Posts: 1,382
Originally Posted by viper_audio
What a great website! There truely is a website for everything.
Work sends me to Asia 2 times year, so I have been Silver Elite for 3 years running without any effort or Mileage Run's. In 2006, I am willing to do some MR's to help me get to gold, even though these costs come out of my pocket.
Aside from the 50% to 100% bonus miles, what else is there to look forward to as a Gold Elite??
Work sends me to Asia 2 times year, so I have been Silver Elite for 3 years running without any effort or Mileage Run's. In 2006, I am willing to do some MR's to help me get to gold, even though these costs come out of my pocket.
Aside from the 50% to 100% bonus miles, what else is there to look forward to as a Gold Elite??
Go for the Gold. Go for Plat.!!!! Use the miles for upgrades on the Asia flights. I do that all the time...amazing in WBC.