Can anyone give me a single benefit to being a "preferred" frequent traveler on SW?
Jul 22, 2014, 12:47 pm
#18
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Minneapolis, originally from Cincinnati
Programs: Diamond with Delta, Hyatt and Hilton. 2 MM and Plat with America (thank you citi:))
Posts: 2,345
As far as the no change fees, you still have to pay the fare difference, just not the actual change fee that the other airlines charge $50-$100 for. If I was a leisure traveler paying my own fares, that could definitely be useful. My inlaws use that option quite often if they decide to stay a little longer when they do the snowbird thing. However, for business, the client is paying for my travel expenses, so the change fee doesn't affect me for business travel.
To make it a little more frustrating, not only are the newer Evolve seats smaller and a lot less comfortable than before, it seems that I am ended up delayed due to SW's fault a lot more consistently.
Oh, and I hadn't applied for PreCheck before because I didn't need it. All of the airlines had expedited security lanes. Plus, I would have to drive all the way out to the airport just for that appointment, since the office isn't open when I fly out on Monday mornings or when I fly back on Thursday nights.
To make it a little more frustrating, not only are the newer Evolve seats smaller and a lot less comfortable than before, it seems that I am ended up delayed due to SW's fault a lot more consistently.
Oh, and I hadn't applied for PreCheck before because I didn't need it. All of the airlines had expedited security lanes. Plus, I would have to drive all the way out to the airport just for that appointment, since the office isn't open when I fly out on Monday mornings or when I fly back on Thursday nights.
With the evolve seating, I think you'll be seeing that with other airlines as well. I can't remember if it was Delta or American that made a recent announcement that on some aircrafts the restrooms would be smaller to accommodate more seats. But at least on a legacy with status, you can get EC or E+ seating or an exit row guaranteed for free. And if you fly enough stand a good chance at getting upgraded. I've only missed four upgrades this year on Delta when I was ticketed in coach and two of those were flights I SDC'd or stoodby on (and one of those flights my upgrade on my ticketed flight was confirmed, I just wanted to get home six hours earlier which I couldn't have done if I was on Southwest without paying a huge fee to upgrade the ticket to a full fare).
Precheck is much faster than the expedited security lane. And if you go for precheck for $85 instead of GE, you don't even have to go to the airport. There are places in a lot of cities where you can go and just get fingerprinted and answer a couple questions. Well worth it for any who flies a lot.
I'm surprised as a-list select you haven't received it some of the times on your BP. Until recently I was almost 100% on Delta as a diamond, and 75% as a platinum on American.
Jul 22, 2014, 12:54 pm
#19
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: SNA
Programs: Bonvoy LTTE/AMB, AmEx Plat, National EE, WN A-List, CLEAR+, Covid-19
Posts: 4,964
Jul 22, 2014, 12:57 pm
#20
Original Member and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Kansas City, MO, USA
Programs: DL PM/MM, AA ExPlat, Hyatt Glob, HH Dia, National ECE, Hertz PC
Posts: 16,579
So what is your point then, it's not a benefit because other airlines give it to elites as well? Then I agree, other than CP, Southwest offers no elite benefits ... except for the ones they do that other elite programs similarly offer.
I'm Platinum on Delta and I have had times where I've bought tickets and I can't get anything but middle seats, assigned seating does not equal guaranteed access to preferred seats. Unless you always buy your tickets weeks in advance, thinking that you always get the seats you want is a mistake in my experience.
You seem to have no idea what you're talking about when it comes to change fees ... for your inlaws to change a ticket on other airlines to stay a little longer will cost $200 (not $50-$100) plus the fare difference. On Southwest it costs the fare difference. How you think Southwest is inferior is lost on me.
Fair enough, but this attitude is hardly universal, even among business travelers.
Much like your understanding of change fees, I question if you understand the benefit of PreCheck/Global Entry. If saving time at security checkpoints regardless of what airline you're traveling on is not valuable, then it's not worth your time to get PreCheck or Global Entry.
As far as the preferred boarding equating to preferred seating, in my experiences, that is far from accurate. For instance, one of my main clients is in STL, where there is 1 direct option in the morning and 1 direct option returning in the evening. Admittedly, my return flight from STL to TPA is worse in terms of through passengers. Depending on which schedule they are using, the plane to STL from TPA is coming from FLL, which can have a handful of through passengers. And my evening return flight out of STL usually has at least 15 through passengers on it, and I have had up to 40 in the past. Then, add on the handful of preboards that take any remaining bulkhead seats. Since there are a maximum of 12 seats on the plane that have extended legroom (if you count the middle seats on the exit row and bulkhead), you do the math. I even had a time where I bought a Bus Select and had A1 and still didn't get an extra legroom seat.
As far as the no change fees, you still have to pay the fare difference, just not the actual change fee that the other airlines charge $50-$100 for. If I was a leisure traveler paying my own fares, that could definitely be useful. My inlaws use that option quite often if they decide to stay a little longer when they do the snowbird thing.
Oh, and I hadn't applied for PreCheck before because I didn't need it. All of the airlines had expedited security lanes. Plus, I would have to drive all the way out to the airport just for that appointment, since the office isn't open when I fly out on Monday mornings or when I fly back on Thursday nights.
Jul 22, 2014, 2:19 pm
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2008
Programs: AA Gold, DL Gold, WN A-List Preferred, MR Plat, HH Plat
Posts: 30
You seem to have no idea what you're talking about when it comes to change fees ... for your inlaws to change a ticket on other airlines to stay a little longer will cost $200 (not $50-$100) plus the fare difference. On Southwest it costs the fare difference. How you think Southwest is inferior is lost on me.
Much like your understanding of change fees, I question if you understand the benefit of PreCheck/Global Entry. If saving time at security checkpoints regardless of what airline you're traveling on is not valuable, then it's not worth your time to get PreCheck or Global Entry.
Hey, I'm sure that for some people, they think the SW rewards program is useful to them. Unfortunately, in my situation (a typical Mon-Thursday business traveler whose wife doesn't have the option, or desire, to travel with me to the client's city on a companion pass), it provides a lot less benefits than other airlines. I wish it did, since I never want to take connecting flights if I don't have to. However, since my direct flights are being regularly delayed, maybe the total time for a connecting elsewhere really won't be much of a time difference.
Jul 22, 2014, 4:03 pm
#22
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: ORD, MDW or MKE
Programs: American and Southwest. Hilton and Marriott hotels primarily.
Posts: 6,459
I get points for flying? Big deal, every real airline gives points for flying, including bonus points for frequent flyers. I get a higher boarding pass number? Big deal, I already have my seat reserved with the real airlines. Besides, with the reduced number of flights (making all of my regular flights completely full), there are already enough through-passengers and pre-board passengers that [B]
Jul 22, 2014, 4:51 pm
#23
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2008
Programs: AA Gold, DL Gold, WN A-List Preferred, MR Plat, HH Plat
Posts: 30
Yes, lougord99, I could have worded that differently. My original post was intended to point out that in a direct comparison to other airline rewards, the benefits of the Rapid Rewards program (such as points, bonus points, or seating priorities) were no better and often worse than the other programs out there.
It's frustrating because I really want to enjoy SW (since they have a direct flight), but between the cramped seats and consistent delays, I just can't see the benefit in their airline over any of the major airlines. You know it's bad when a direct flight isn't a no-brainer over a connecting flight. I've flown them pretty much weekly for the last 8-9 months, and it has gone downhill over that timeframe. In that time, the number of flights to my destination have been reduced, which has meant the planes have become 100% full (which only highlights the problems with the small, narrow seats when you have 3 people in the row), and the delays have become much more frequent (every return flight home over the past 5-6 weeks in a row at least). Over the past 6 weeks, my return flights (including maintenance delays) have averaged over 4 hrs (instead of the normally posted 2.5 hrs), which is the same (or longer) than it would be if I took a connecting flight on Delta.
Again, I'm just extremely frustrated at the direction and choices of Southwest, and I apologize that I didn't articulate my concerns better.
It's frustrating because I really want to enjoy SW (since they have a direct flight), but between the cramped seats and consistent delays, I just can't see the benefit in their airline over any of the major airlines. You know it's bad when a direct flight isn't a no-brainer over a connecting flight. I've flown them pretty much weekly for the last 8-9 months, and it has gone downhill over that timeframe. In that time, the number of flights to my destination have been reduced, which has meant the planes have become 100% full (which only highlights the problems with the small, narrow seats when you have 3 people in the row), and the delays have become much more frequent (every return flight home over the past 5-6 weeks in a row at least). Over the past 6 weeks, my return flights (including maintenance delays) have averaged over 4 hrs (instead of the normally posted 2.5 hrs), which is the same (or longer) than it would be if I took a connecting flight on Delta.
Again, I'm just extremely frustrated at the direction and choices of Southwest, and I apologize that I didn't articulate my concerns better.
Jul 22, 2014, 5:34 pm
#26
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,698
It's frustrating because I really want to enjoy SW (since they have a direct flight), but between the cramped seats and consistent delays, I just can't see the benefit in their airline over any of the major airlines. You know it's bad when a direct flight isn't a no-brainer over a connecting flight. I've flown them pretty much weekly for the last 8-9 months, and it has gone downhill over that timeframe. In that time, the number of flights to my destination have been reduced, which has meant the planes have become 100% full (which only highlights the problems with the small, narrow seats when you have 3 people in the row), and the delays have become much more frequent (every return flight home over the past 5-6 weeks in a row at least). Over the past 6 weeks, my return flights (including maintenance delays) have averaged over 4 hrs (instead of the normally posted 2.5 hrs), which is the same (or longer) than it would be if I took a connecting flight on Delta.
Again, I'm just extremely frustrated at the direction and choices of Southwest, and I apologize that I didn't articulate my concerns better.
Again, I'm just extremely frustrated at the direction and choices of Southwest, and I apologize that I didn't articulate my concerns better.
Jul 22, 2014, 6:59 pm
#28
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Minneapolis, originally from Cincinnati
Programs: Diamond with Delta, Hyatt and Hilton. 2 MM and Plat with America (thank you citi:))
Posts: 2,345
OP if you fly at least 100K to 125K miles a year, and there is a legacy carrier convenient for your routes you may be better off switching to them.
If you can get 125K miles in a year on Delta, diamond status is great. The Global upgrade benefit is awesome, my wife and I were able to go to Australia in business class thanks to those on a very cheap X fare and you get a sky club membership and I am able to gift my wife gold status and if you don't get upgraded you get a free drink on your boarding pass. I can't remember the last time I had a bad seat on either Delta or American unless I was switching to an earlier flight the same day and even then I usually get a good seat. A lot of times seats are held back and they give preference to the highest tier or if gate upgrades are done or there are no shows/misconnects and you let the gate agent know you want an EC or premium aisle seat most of them will give preference to diamonds or EP's.
With your original complaint about priority lanes, you may start running into that at more airports regardless of the airline you are on with precheck being more popular. Unfortuantely it's lost some of it's value since they are giving it out to passengers that don't know anything about the program at random. It would have a lot more value if they went back to giving it to only elite passengers on airlines at random and giving it to those with a TTN
If you can get 125K miles in a year on Delta, diamond status is great. The Global upgrade benefit is awesome, my wife and I were able to go to Australia in business class thanks to those on a very cheap X fare and you get a sky club membership and I am able to gift my wife gold status and if you don't get upgraded you get a free drink on your boarding pass. I can't remember the last time I had a bad seat on either Delta or American unless I was switching to an earlier flight the same day and even then I usually get a good seat. A lot of times seats are held back and they give preference to the highest tier or if gate upgrades are done or there are no shows/misconnects and you let the gate agent know you want an EC or premium aisle seat most of them will give preference to diamonds or EP's.
With your original complaint about priority lanes, you may start running into that at more airports regardless of the airline you are on with precheck being more popular. Unfortuantely it's lost some of it's value since they are giving it out to passengers that don't know anything about the program at random. It would have a lot more value if they went back to giving it to only elite passengers on airlines at random and giving it to those with a TTN
Jul 22, 2014, 7:02 pm
#29
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Chicagoland, IL, USA
Programs: WN CP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,189
I do not understand the angst. If WN is not the best choice for you, switch. Maybe go for US Chairman's through a Challenge and get AA EXP next year post-merger.
I am reminded of that Casablanca quote:
“You know how you sound…? Like a man who’s trying to convince himself of something he doesn’t believe in his heart.”
I am reminded of that Casablanca quote:
“You know how you sound…? Like a man who’s trying to convince himself of something he doesn’t believe in his heart.”
Jul 22, 2014, 9:37 pm
#30
Original Member and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Kansas City, MO, USA
Programs: DL PM/MM, AA ExPlat, Hyatt Glob, HH Dia, National ECE, Hertz PC
Posts: 16,579
In that time, the number of flights to my destination have been reduced, which has meant the planes have become 100% full (which only highlights the problems with the small, narrow seats when you have 3 people in the row), and the delays have become much more frequent (every return flight home over the past 5-6 weeks in a row at least). Over the past 6 weeks, my return flights (including maintenance delays) have averaged over 4 hrs (instead of the normally posted 2.5 hrs), which is the same (or longer) than it would be if I took a connecting flight on Delta.
By the way, there's a thread over in the Delta forum about how Delta eliminated the SkyPriority line at BNA recently ... sound familiar?