Where my Delta peeps at...

You guys see the change from Sky miles to Sky Pesos? Its BS. I get the only going to dollars for status, but the levels and earning rate is ridiculous. Cancelling my Delta Amex next week. Buh Bye Ed.

I'm already defecting to AA. Opened the AA platinum card and booked next months travel on them earlier today instead.

 

Whats funny is out of all my flights with them it only happened once, pre-covid. And I usually check bags.

 

Did you contact AA to transfer over your status? They used to match.

 

Don't cancel your DL Amex ... just have them change it to the type card that has no annual fee. No reason to have your credit rating take a hit.

 

They do but you have to gather so many points every 4 months.
I have a some DL travel already and slowing down in Q4. Q1 is usually busy so I will start the match then.

 

I am a Delta Platinum, with many transatlantic flights a year. The miles help me take my family with me places. It does suck (flown well over a million miles with them alone).

I guarantee the others will follow suit. Its always a tit-for-tat.

 

I've been DL Plat for a few years now as well. As most of my travel is US and since I am Plat I get C+ pretty much every flight, I only buy main cabin. I get Plat by using the Amex and getting the MQD waiver. I actually fly enough miles to be DM if I paid for 1st class/bus class seats.

The new crazy MQD levels and miniscule Amex CC dollar to Skypeso conversion means I will hardly have a chance at Plat. I should get AA plat or even Exec Plat with my current pattern.

And DL is copying AA and others in going to pure dollars spent. But the levels they set are the highest, by far. Like to spend to get DM on DL is about double to get top tier on AA.

by doing this they said they only care about spending $$ with DL directly. Well OK. AA values my airline spend and my branded CC spend.

 

Do you get the lounge deal with AA?

I used to have to buy my membership with United but when I flew a lot, hiding in there was priceless. I’m hearing the lounges are now full up with the shit travelers.

 

No I dont think so. DL had limited free access to Gold and up on Intl tickets or Diamond could choose skyclub as a perk from their choices. The lounges are so full now its very hard to get free access based on status.

basically you pay 600-800/yr for the special CC or pay 600-800/year for a membership or be flying Intl. And the main skyclubs at ATL have lines to get in a lot of the time. Its crazy how many people have access.

That's what these changes are meant to do...separate the dollars from the chaff.

 

It will be tougher for everyone to make status every year though... I get bumped to first class on all domestic flights, usually with CF+ or E+ seat. But thats just usually San Diego to Sea_tac then overseas. Never get upgraded on those as they stuff them full. I usually dont do the lounge in US, just in Japan, so thats not a big deal. I just want the miles.. I have the amex card also.

 

Basically its like you've been giving out free scoops based on the number of poops and the size you collect. Now you just changed the program to the size only. And everyone with chihuahua's is pissed, but everyone with a pack of great danes is happy.

I have chihuahua's. So I am calling a different scooper to come get this $hit.

 

So glad I got to enjoy Delta Diamond for so many years when you could game the system. A broke flyer like me has no chance any more. I just buy passes for $69 each as needed in the US, and use my Priority Pass membership for international lounges. No need to pay 2X for Delta fares just to deal with their BS. Love Delta, but they'll come back on their knees groveling for loyal members again, once everything crashes, which it will.

The only Skyclub I really miss is Narita.

 

Have you seen the levels? If you can make DL plat without the MQD waiver you may be OK for making status next year.

Next year you will have to spend $18,000 on DL flights to be Plat. If you have the DL plat amex....your dollars convert at 20:1. So $30k on the CC is only $1,500 MQDs. If you have the Reserve card its 10:1.

I might be able to keep Plat on DL, but I know I can get equivalent, or better, on AA.

And honestly the flying I do...DL isnt great. Lots of from NE to ATL back to the Midwest. And damn they are getting pricey.

 

They left Narita a couple years ago. They only go to HND now.

I dont mind it as HND is much closer to our office.

 

I took a quick look when I got the email. It just seems like need to buy more full-fair flights. I think it was $18K to reach platinum. Didnt seem too far fetched as many times when I fly its last minute and tickets are $5K at that point. If its planned travel its around $2500. Seems doable with 4-5 trips to Asia and Europe a year at full fair.

I wasnt aware of Narita. I thought I had gone through there this year and it was there. Maybe late last year. Been going through Korea alot lately. I always enjoy the Narita lounge!

 

Look, dont get me wrong, it sucks. Seems every 3-5 years the value gets depleted more. IDK, before Covid Delta did something that pissed me off, so I started taking AA instead to build up but ended up just going back to Delta an will probably stay with them.

 

My Amex shiney metal card had a fuckton of “hidden perks” that used to keep me sane. That was when I spent third world gdp with them every year. They had “Amex lounges” hidden in some airports or near by that made the membership fee a bargain.
Amex, if they like you, takes STUPID care of you. ;-)

 

It will be interesting to see how this shakes out for Delta. The new program is a pretty big FU to alot of their Domestic regulars. I will probably still fly Delta once in a while as I have lifetime status but I am definitely rethinking leaving Alaska and going back to Delta for my work flights. I will likely be ditching the card too as the benefits are no longer worth the cost.