What airline would you consider the stingiest in allocating award seats?
Feb 28, 2010 | 7:15 pm
#122
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Dallas
Programs: AA EXP/5MM; DL DM; HHonors DIAM; Marriott GLD
Posts: 4,132
Delta's award program has turned to crap. I've pretty much stopped flying them when I have an alternative choice since they devalued their program (in what I perceive to be a highly disingenuous manner).
I think the problem is they've given out so many miles so cheaply to raise cash that they've basically created funny money. Award levels are so frequently so high as to be absurd in comparison with other U.S. carriers.
I think the problem is they've given out so many miles so cheaply to raise cash that they've basically created funny money. Award levels are so frequently so high as to be absurd in comparison with other U.S. carriers.
Feb 28, 2010 | 8:00 pm
#123
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Houston (IAH,HOU) / Kāʻanapali (JHM,OGG)
Programs: UA
Posts: 972
For personal experience:
DL (today) <<<<<< DL (2009) <<<< DL (2008) <<< DL (2006) < CO (skyteam) < F9 < US < AC < AF /KL < UA < CO (* alliance) < NW (pre delta) < WN ^
YMMV.
DL (today) <<<<<< DL (2009) <<<< DL (2008) <<< DL (2006) < CO (skyteam) < F9 < US < AC < AF /KL < UA < CO (* alliance) < NW (pre delta) < WN ^YMMV.
Feb 28, 2010 | 8:10 pm
#124
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SYD
Programs: |QF LTG|DL Gold|
Posts: 1,785
I love the Delta airline, the widget branding, the blue leather seats, the IFE, everything, except the Delta Skymiles program. After:
- 1 month out from date of travel, getting JFK-NRT-SIN in FIRST for 67,500 on AA (Delta wanted 370,000 because only their highest tier had seats!); and
- Delta asking for 235,000 to fly SIN-NRT-SIN in Business, again because only their highest tier had seats;
my Skymiles account is now empty after donating the last 4,000 to UNICEF. I'm not a hub captive and there are many better programs to accrue to.
They don't have the world record. Have you looked at Singapore Airlines? Their Full tier Business class awards from Hong Kong to East Coast USA are 478,000 one-way or 956,000! http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_U...ull_Awards.pdf
- 1 month out from date of travel, getting JFK-NRT-SIN in FIRST for 67,500 on AA (Delta wanted 370,000 because only their highest tier had seats!); and
- Delta asking for 235,000 to fly SIN-NRT-SIN in Business, again because only their highest tier had seats;
my Skymiles account is now empty after donating the last 4,000 to UNICEF. I'm not a hub captive and there are many better programs to accrue to.
Feb 28, 2010 | 9:11 pm
#125
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: BOS, PVG
Programs: United Global Services and 1MM, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 10,306
Yet, there are always few DL apologists at the DL board claiming that SkyMile is fine. These people only redeem domestic awards.
Feb 28, 2010 | 10:18 pm
#126
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: 2 hours from GEG
Programs: Delta PM, Alaska
Posts: 169
I'm not saying I've NEVER clicked on the magic green square and found some beans; just that the MOST COMMON sequitor after my delighted discovery of some low-tier availability is the sudden jolt back to reality when I am informed that no flights are available.
And I have yet to find a low-tier award of an itinerary I can actually use. I periodically check, just for the serendipity of it. Gotta do something with those 200,000 miles festering in my SM account.
Mar 1, 2010 | 11:48 am
#127
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Washington, D.C.
Posts: 26
haha didn't know you were looking over my shoulder!
I'm not saying I've NEVER clicked on the magic green square and found some beans; just that the MOST COMMON sequitor after my delighted discovery of some low-tier availability is the sudden jolt back to reality when I am informed that no flights are available.
And I have yet to find a low-tier award of an itinerary I can actually use. I periodically check, just for the serendipity of it. Gotta do something with those 200,000 miles festering in my SM account.
I'm not saying I've NEVER clicked on the magic green square and found some beans; just that the MOST COMMON sequitor after my delighted discovery of some low-tier availability is the sudden jolt back to reality when I am informed that no flights are available.
And I have yet to find a low-tier award of an itinerary I can actually use. I periodically check, just for the serendipity of it. Gotta do something with those 200,000 miles festering in my SM account.
Mar 1, 2010 | 3:29 pm
#128
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: 2 hours from GEG
Programs: Delta PM, Alaska
Posts: 169
I think this is basically the problem of your failing to write clearly. You wrote "most common" in a grammatical construction implying that it's the experience for everyone, rather than your own experience limited to your own endpoints and attempts. And you wrote about "no flights available" when in fact you meant "no flights at the lowest redemption value available."
When I click on a green square the most common result is NO options at all, but the following message:
"There are no flights available for the day requested. Click Start Over to try another day or to search for different cities."
I probably shouldn't have bothered, as it truly is a nonissue, but it just struck me as funny.
Mar 1, 2010 | 7:57 pm
#129
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: California
Programs: various
Posts: 4,240
The last time I used UA (*A) miles for a trip between the US and Canada, AC had the best flights available. UA had a few inconveniently timed connecting flights, and US had nothing at all available. (I did not have elite status and was booking a 25,000 mile award.)
UA does discourage using UA miles on other *A airline by requiring you to call them instead of being able to use the web site. And the agents won't tell you about the *A partner award seats; you will have to find out what may be available (e.g. by going to the AC web site) and specifically name the desired flights.
UA does discourage using UA miles on other *A airline by requiring you to call them instead of being able to use the web site. And the agents won't tell you about the *A partner award seats; you will have to find out what may be available (e.g. by going to the AC web site) and specifically name the desired flights.
Mar 2, 2010 | 6:31 am
#130
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Dillon, CO
Programs: AA EXP 4MM
Posts: 496
I did an award search for last-minute one-way SFO-JFK in business/first:
Delta (I'm Gold Medallion): 80K miles plus $152.50
United (I'm Premier Exec): 50K miles plus $2.50
American (I'm Exec Plat): 50K miles plus $2.50
Typical for Delta redemption...
Delta (I'm Gold Medallion): 80K miles plus $152.50
United (I'm Premier Exec): 50K miles plus $2.50
American (I'm Exec Plat): 50K miles plus $2.50
Typical for Delta redemption...
Mar 5, 2010 | 3:54 pm
#131
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: DEN
Programs: UA 1KMM, DL Plt, AA, AS, HHonors Diamond, IHG Plat, Marriott Ttnm (LT PLT), Hertz PC, Enterprise Plt
Posts: 7,238
D-E-L-T-A
Delta is impossible. Not only do they charge ridiculous amounts of miles, but any research tools they "offer" are broken and literally waste your time.
DL is the worst when it comes to redeeming miles. By far.
DL is the worst when it comes to redeeming miles. By far.
Mar 5, 2010 | 5:35 pm
#134
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: On the road
Programs: Too many to list
Posts: 1,051
