CO makes some changes for 2010
 

As we Red-Tailers are getting accustomed to all of the improvements under the new Sky Miles program :rolleyes: take a peek at what CO is doing for 2010...

One Pass Program Changes for 2010

Of greatest note to me, it looks like as we have discussed, reciprocal elite upgrades are done as of 10/1/09. It was fun while it lasted.

Safe Travels

DL still beats CO and UA
 

Not sure why you see CO as offering anything better than DL? For those purchasing Economy tickets DL offers 150% EQM for Y/B/M fares. CO on Y only to match UA's lame program. DL is also offering Y/B paid upgrades on Intl flights at check-in. Looks like CO is now only offering that to Y not B. It's so in vogue to slam DL and glorify the old NW days. However, if you do a full analysis across the airlines, DL's 2010 is absolutely without competition. UA is so desperate to catch up they just sent me an email today with a strange Elite Extra program to throw a few more SWU to their Elites and offer a Free Red Crappy Club membership to their 125,000 + EQM flyers. Yes - maybe it was better at NW years ago - but so was the case at all airlines. Now they have all cut back - but DL still leads with it's 2010 program. With all these Double/Triple EQM promotions- it's all getting watered down and impossible to compare with the old days.

Just yesterday I decided to finally bite the bullet and put in my request for a status match to CO. Being YYZ based, the *A network is a good thing for me. I was pleasantly surprised with 2 key points in the 2010 announcement:

-Full Elite Qualification is back. Effective Oct. 27, you’ll earn 100% Elite Qualification Miles and full Elite Qualification Points on discounted fares, regardless of where they’re purchased. To all of our loyal corporate travelers: message received
(This is HUGE for me as most of my fares are through corporate travel agents and I was worried about re-qualifying)

-OnePass Platinum and Gold = Star Alliance Gold. This is old news for many of you, but nonetheless, it’s an important Elite benefit improvement. Effective Oct. 27, OnePass Platinum and Gold Elite members will be entitled to Star Alliance Gold privileges with Continental and our 24 Star Alliance member carriers.
(Another huge bonus, which for a international traveller such as myself means a lot - especially lounges!)

Wow, CO has really gone for the throat of NW/DL with these. In one fell swoop they addressed many of the critical problems of the CO program, especially 50% EQM on cheap fares bought off of CO.com. Their award chart is reasonable (much better value than NW/DL) and gives access to first class on Star Alliance carriers at a reasonable premium over business.

I am planning a status match as soon as I have my Platinum status secured on NW/DL. Hopefully CO will negotiate decent reciprocity with UA/US (Economy Plus access would be amazing...).

Wow!

I wish I hadn't gotten matched for this year. I really didn't use it as much as I had hoped. I did make status on NW and am Skyteam Elite Plus for 2010

I want that *A Gold!
I guess I'm gonna try to load up a bunch of miles with CO in the next few months to at least get to Gold. Maybe I will follow up with pleading for Plat :D

In any case thanks for the info!

Hmm...can someone who is more familiar with *A give me some analysis of why I should and shouldn't jump ship?

NO AWARD FEES FOR PLATINUMS, and US-Europe is 55K...

Those two are great - the lower EQM was a potential dealbreaker for me in looking at a status match. Even golds get lounge access on international itineraries - nicer than DL.

The other biggie:

New and mostly-improved reward fees. Starting in Dec., our fees for reward redeposits, reward changes and close-in reward bookings will be made consistent, and they will be charged per person instead of per reservation. The good news is the amounts themselves are the same or lower than we have today, and they get even lower as your Elite level elevates. All three fees will be $75 for general members, $50 for Silver Elite members, $25 for Gold Elite members and free for Platinum Elite members. And yes, OnePass travel reward changes outside of 21 days of travel will remain free of charge if there is no change to the origin or destination. These new fees will apply to rewards ticketed (or reissued) on or after Dec. 15.

Delta, are you listening??

Sounds good, particularly the 100% EQM thing. That really put me off flying CO over the years. And while I like KL, Star Alliance in general would be preferable to Skyteam. Especially with three North American carriers to choose from rather than one. If only CO would fly something other than small RJs into MKE.

I am so wishing the NW had merged with CO instead of DL.

Dropping 50% EQM is a huge game changer to me. I switched from CO to WP in 2005 after CO copied DL's really bad idea. DL wisely dropped it as they retreated from the SOS gang but CO hung on for 4 years. I had heard they were firmly attached to it.

I flew CO last month and I have to admit I forgot how good their service is. Going to have to look at the possibilities now.

They just instituted DEQMs now on CO, so it might be a good time indeed!

Safe Travels!

Very nice changes indeed, timely and clearly communicated even for the negative changes. I'm glad I made the switch.

Positive:
Lounge access for Gold
Plats no charge for same-day standby
100% EQM on all fares irrespective of booking channel (!)
No Sat. night requirement on reward travel
Lower fees for award changes and last minute bookings, free for Plats. This is a very nice and reasonable fee schedule.

Negative:
Higher reward levels (TATL from 50k to 55k)
Loss of earning partners (Amtrak, Hawaiian etc.)
Reduction from 150% EQM to 125% EQM in business class

I would agree that there are some good improvements ahead for CO. What they still need to work on is the 75k+ per year incentive, which doesn't exist. If they addressed this I would be heading to CO instead of AA.

Perhaps a really dumb question
 

I am based in MI (DTW hub). I have had three so-so flights on DL so far (lost bags 2/3 times as well), not a snowball's chance in hell for upgrades (some of those, as I posted a few weeks ago went to FA's and Netjet pilots, I kid you not!). I am thinking about jumping ship. I think the merger is going to be one huge cluster --you know what -- at least in the beginning. I don't need this kind of stuff, business travel is becoming a pain no matter how you cut it: but what looks to be coming down the tracks re: the final details of the merger looks hellish (I could be wrong). Of course, real "hell" is ATL/Hartsfield :) and it seems clear that DL will move as much as they can through ATL (may be a good business move, but it is not good for me).

How does one go about contacting CO? Perhaps better put, "who" does one contact? I tried regular email (TTU stuff) and I do not get my questions answered. Should I just phone and skip the online stuff?

I am only GE (NWA/DL), but I will re-qualify (for GE) I have about 130K in banked miles and two upcoming TATL flights in first/B class: one to AMS one to TLV. I also have a three domestic business flights coming up PBI and AZO-JAN (really fun in old CRJ's, not)-- Does CO match and does it allow you to transfer your banked miles?

Thanks

Thanks,