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Delta Skymiles
Question:
>We haven’t had any problem with Delta awards. Last night I called and got the two tickets I wanted >on DCA-FRA-IAD flights in May 1998. The only thing I hated was to part with 100000 miles. >Max
I’ve budgetted 200k miles to this trip. Best I’ve been able to figure out with the old-plan new-plan choices for 2 tickets si 100k for C, 150k for BC or 180k (or is that 200k?) for FC. Double that for getting around the blackout dates. I’d rather use 150k for two BC tickets and work with the restrictions, then double up to 200k for two C tickets and fly when I want… Oh, well, such is life. 
Response:
>yes, but you’re talking inter-continental. The previous poster only wanted >to fly from Mass to somewhere in the US.
Valid points, thanks. But there *still* are some restrictions for FF free tickets (only so many per flight). Just don’t expect to walk up and grab an empty seat, without doubling-up. >I flew BOS-CVG-CLE with no notice in 1995 (for the baseball American >League Championship Series). I burned miles. I didn’t get the exact choice >of flights I wanted but I did arrive in plenty of time, so I can’t >complain too much.
I guess that’s what it all comes down to. If you’re willing to bend, and don’t expect the world, you’ll probably get what you want 99.9% of the time. Steve B.
Response:
We haven’t had any problem with Delta awards. Last night I called and got the two tickets I wanted on DCA-FRA-IAD flights in May 1998. The only thing I hated was to part with 100000 miles. Max – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->> > I haven’t had too many problems with Delta award trips. The >> > exceptions are busy travel times (thanksgining, xmas, spring break), >> > first class, and popular destinations. (Hawaii in winter. etc) >Uh oh, I was planning on using my 40,000 miles to fly >first class from Massachusetts to some destination >within continental North America. How far in >advance do you think I should plan for this? >I’ve found that it’s not the advance period, it’s the travel dates. >I’m attempting to use FF milage to go from DTW to Frankfurt (via CVG), >but I can only fly on Tue/Wed/Thu, or else I have to double-up the >milage. >Sort of puts a crimp on the travel plans… >Steve B.
Response:
>> > I haven’t had too many problems with Delta award trips. The > > exceptions are busy travel times (thanksgining, xmas, spring break), > > first class, and popular destinations. (Hawaii in winter. etc) >Uh oh, I was planning on using my 40,000 miles to fly >first class from Massachusetts to some destination >within continental North America. How far in >advance do you think I should plan for this?
I’ve found that it’s not the advance period, it’s the travel dates. I’m attempting to use FF milage to go from DTW to Frankfurt (via CVG), but I can only fly on Tue/Wed/Thu, or else I have to double-up the milage. Sort of puts a crimp on the travel plans… Steve B.
Response:
>>> > I haven’t had too many problems with Delta award trips. The >>> > exceptions are busy travel times (thanksgining, xmas, spring break), >>> > first class, and popular destinations. (Hawaii in winter. etc) >> Uh oh, I was planning on using my 40,000 miles to fly >> first class from Massachusetts to some destination >> within continental North America. How far in >> advance do you think I should plan for this? SB> I’ve found that it’s not the advance period, it’s the travel dates. SB> I’m attempting to use FF milage to go from DTW to Frankfurt (via CVG), SB> but I can only fly on Tue/Wed/Thu, or else I have to double-up the SB> milage. SB> Sort of puts a crimp on the travel plans… yes, but you’re talking inter-continental. The previous poster only wanted to fly from Mass to somewhere in the US. I flew BOS-CVG-CLE with no notice in 1995 (for the baseball American League Championship Series). I burned miles. I didn’t get the exact choice of flights I wanted but I did arrive in plenty of time, so I can’t complain too much. –Helen
Response:
> > Delta, along with most other airlines, only allocates a fixed number > of seats for award travel. IMHO you should have planned your spring > break award travel months ago. > I haven’t had too many problems with Delta award trips. The > exceptions are busy travel times (thanksgining, xmas, spring break), > first class, and popular destinations. (Hawaii in winter. etc)
Uh oh, I was planning on using my 40,000 miles to fly first class from Massachusetts to some destination within continental North America. How far in advance do you think I should plan for this? Thank you. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Better call them now and be flexible with dates and times. > >Thinking abt taking a trip this spring using my skymiles. Has anyone > >exper. any problems using theirs? > Lessee, last year I booked a DL Skymiles award trip for late April in > early January. I had to bump one of my dates around eventually, but it > was only by one day, and that turned out to be fine. This wasn’t just any > old award, either; I used 60,000 to get a cont US to Asia round-trip > (PIT-NRT.) Each way was 3 segments for me, and the problem was only on > one. It’s not the one you think; on my original return, they couldn’t get > me a seat on the ATL-PIT flight that evening! Getting a spot on the > transpacific legs was easy; neither one was entirely full. > — > Greg Pacek | when I think I hear people say > Pittsburgh, PA, USA | things. More I cannot say."
Response:
YD> Related question: when booking skymiles award travel does it have to YD> be on the Delta flights operated by Delta ? In other words can YD> skymiles award travel consist of Delta flights operated by other YD> airlines under a codeshare agreement. If the flight carries a "DL" designation (as the flights to Brussels on SABENA and Zurich on SwissAir do), then yes, you can use your Delta SkyMiles awards. However, there may be less availability on non-Delta operated flights simply because DL does not control the majority of the seats on the plane. If they only buy, say, 30 seats on the SABENA flight to Brussels you’d probably have less of a chance of getting one than if you flew the DL operated flight to Brussels via Kennedy. YD> We live in Boston, we have many Transatlantic flights from Boston YD> which have Delta code but are operated by Swiss,Sabena. If we have to YD> fly Delta operated by Delta then we are required to connect at JFK. And we *all* hate Kennedy! I was planning on flying DL BOS-JFK-MAN in July but now SABENA has come along to be my saviour so I will fly BOS-BRU-BHX instead. Thank god, no Kennedy. –Helen
Response:
> I have had 3 DL Skymilles transatlantic tickets to Moscow-never had a > problem with booking, but I guess Moscow isn’t most people’s first > choice when it comes time to think of award travel :) > Maryanne.
I guess I should go looking for that Russian Bride Michael
Response:
appear as if it was written: > YD> We live in Boston, we have many Transatlantic flights from Boston > YD> which have Delta code but are operated by Swiss,Sabena. If we have to > YD> fly Delta operated by Delta then we are required to connect at JFK. >And we *all* hate Kennedy!
Well, I don’t! It all depends on the airline: connecting through JFK on UA is rather pleasant, as is connecting UA/BA at JFK. AA’s terminal can be tiresome with three separate concourses, but it’s not horrible. For the leader in "horrible", I offer MIA on any international/domestic transfer… >–Helen
Malc.
Response:
Hi all, Related question: when booking skymiles award travel does it have to be on the Delta flights operated by Delta ? In other words can skymiles award travel consist of Delta flights operated by other airlines under a codeshare agreement. We live in Boston, we have many Transatlantic flights from Boston which have Delta code but are operated by Swiss,Sabena. If we have to fly Delta operated by Delta then we are required to connect at JFK. Sameer Apte Sameer Dot Apte At Heroix Dot Com
Response:
Greg asks: ["Does DL fly non-stop to Moscow?..."] They sure do. DL Fight #30 leaves JFK at 6:05 PM and arrives the next morning at 1:10AM Moscow time. It operates a Boeing 767-300 aircraft on that route. They have discontinued their Frankfurt- Moscow services late last year. (boo DL). Maryanne.
Response:
> I have had 3 DL Skymilles transatlantic tickets to Moscow-never had a > problem with booking, but I guess Moscow isn’t most people’s first > choice when it comes time to think of award travel :)
Does DL fly non-stop to Moscow? (I’m thinking not; I’m sure you’ll correct me if I’m wrong. Even if they did, it would likely be only from ATL or CVG.) The trouble with awards isn’t necessarily your final destination. Every segment is considered separately. So, if your trip takes 3 segments each way (not unlikely with an int’l trip), you can lose one of your preferred dates because a domestic leg is too full. This is what happened to me: ATL-PIT had no award seating at the time I needed on the day I wanted. (I was returning from NRT; only one time worked. 
— Greg Pacek | when I think I hear people say Pittsburgh, PA, USA | things. More I cannot say."
Response:
Thinking abt taking a trip this spring using my skymiles. Has anyone exper. any problems using theirs?
Dolores & Dave
Response:
Delta, along with most other airlines, only allocates a fixed number of seats for award travel. IMHO you should have planned your spring break award travel months ago. I haven’t had too many problems with Delta award trips. The exceptions are busy travel times (thanksgining, xmas, spring break), first class, and popular destinations. (Hawaii in winter. etc) Better call them now and be flexible with dates and times. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Thinking abt taking a trip this spring using my skymiles. Has anyone >exper. any problems using theirs?
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Delta, along with most other airlines, only allocates a fixed number > of seats for award travel. IMHO you should have planned your spring > break award travel months ago. > I haven’t had too many problems with Delta award trips. The > exceptions are busy travel times (thanksgining, xmas, spring break), > first class, and popular destinations. (Hawaii in winter. etc) > Better call them now and be flexible with dates and times. >Thinking abt taking a trip this spring using my skymiles. Has anyone >exper. any problems using theirs?
Lessee, last year I booked a DL Skymiles award trip for late April in early January. I had to bump one of my dates around eventually, but it was only by one day, and that turned out to be fine. This wasn’t just any old award, either; I used 60,000 to get a cont US to Asia round-trip (PIT-NRT.) Each way was 3 segments for me, and the problem was only on one. It’s not the one you think; on my original return, they couldn’t get me a seat on the ATL-PIT flight that evening! Getting a spot on the transpacific legs was easy; neither one was entirely full. — Greg Pacek | when I think I hear people say Pittsburgh, PA, USA | things. More I cannot say."
Response:
I have had 3 DL Skymilles transatlantic tickets to Moscow-never had a problem with booking, but I guess Moscow isn’t most people’s first choice when it comes time to think of award travel :) Maryanne.
Response:
I’d have to agree with you. Delta is going down fast. They’ve really pissed me off for the last time. Now they’re refusing to do advance ticketing at the airport (Palm Springs) during flights. Well, they have several flights all day, so what does that mean. What it means is they’re rude to you. I got in line anyway and when they told me they couldn’t ticket me, I told that I was not leaving their line until my transaction was completed. Unfortunately, I have a $263.00 voucher which I must use within a year and I have a free ticket. When those are gone, It’s sianora Delta. I’ve already started flying American out of Palm Springs because it doesn’t involve a 3 legged trip like Delta. —
Response:
The way I calculated the math was based on someone who flys the short-haul routes (which I fall under). An example is LA to Phoenix or LA to San Francisco, (both of which are under 500 miles) and are using some form of upgrade (like a TZ, which you get 2 of at 40,000 miles and every 20,000 thereafter) to get to first-class. In the current program as a Medallion-level flyer you will get 1000 base miles and 1000 bonus miles (for first class) for 2000 total program miles each way (4000 miles for the round trip). In the SkyMiles program the same Medallion-level flyer will get 500 base miles and 125 bonus miles (a 25% bonus for any segment flown) for a total of 625 miles each way (1250 miles for the round trip). That equates to a 68.75% reduction ( I rounded up for the article) in earned miles for flying the same flights/segments. Then you also lose 50% (500 miles) every time you stay in a partner hotel or rent a partner car. Then to add insult to injury, in the current program, Medallion- level flyers can get a free domestic coach ticket for 20,000 miles, and a free first class domestic ticket for 25,000 miles. In the new program a coach ticket is 25,000 miles and a first class ticket is 40,000 miles. So now on top of earning fewer miles, those miles are also worth less in the new program. This is in contrast to the infrequent flyer who now can get a free coach ticket for the same 25,000 miles, but in the current program, a free coach ticket costs 30,000 miles. That person will earn fewer miles in the new program too, but instead of the new miles being worth less, they are worth more. Great new program huh? David Park Yeah… I can agree. I think that they got fed up with the negative comparisons of their base FF program. I saw a number of letters that were pro-Delta Medallion FF program to get a reply "we only look at the programs accessable to most of the flyers." What’s more — they basically degraded their program to _match_ their major competitors! If they simply kept theie Medallion schedule of benefits for future miles as well as "old miles" then they would have deflected some of the criticism from their best flyers. John "Have Laptop, Will Travel" Standard disclaimers apply
Response:
Dan, I agree with you on the decline of service on Delta. I have found it slipping over the past few years. I am also a FC, MM, and PM and i really don’t pay much attention to the actual mileage programs, so I usually don’t get that upset about any changes. However, others who I have talked to spoken with take FF miles as a birth right. I would like to see Delta give you mileage, points, whatever, by the amount you pay for the ticket. That would reward the "best" flyers. I would also do away with other programs with reward with mileage such as hotels, telephone companies, credit cards, etc. I have a few examples where individuals who hardly ever fly have more miles than I do. I don’t understand why the FF programs are so confusing, just give points on the amount of money you spend, like any other business. How about it Delta, why not give it a try?
Response:
> Newsgroups: rec.travel.air > Path:
ni1.ni.net!news.service.uci.edu!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!newsfeed. pitt edu!uunet!in1.uu.net!ncrgw2.ncr.com!ncrhub2!ncr-sd!lcpd2!tdbunews!jg6 – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Nntp-Posting-Host: pubsrv01.elsegundoca.attgis.com > Organization: AT&T Global Information Solutions > Lines: 8 > In Tuesday’s USA today a Mr. Park stated that "Delta’s very-frequent > flyers will earn up to 70% fewer program miles in the new SkyMiles > program for flying the same segments they currently do." > Can somebody please explain the math to me? > John Graas "Have Laptop, Will Travel"
Hi John, The way I calculated the math was based on someone who flys the short-haul routes (which I fall under). An example is LA to Phoenix or LA to San Francisco, (both of which are under 500 miles) and are using some form of upgrade (like a TZ, which you get 2 of at 40,000 miles and every 20,000 thereafter) to get to first-class. In the current program as a Medallion-level flyer you will get 1000 base miles and 1000 bonus miles (for first class) for 2000 total program miles each way (4000 miles for the round trip). In the SkyMiles program the same Medallion-level flyer will get 500 base miles and 125 bonus miles (a 25% bonus for any segment flown) for a total of 625 miles each way (1250 miles for the round trip). That equates to a 68.75% reduction ( I rounded up for the article) in earned miles for flying the same flights/segments. Then you also lose 50% (500 miles) every time you stay in a partner hotel or rent a partner car. Then to add insult to injury, in the current program, Medallion- level flyers can get a free domestic coach ticket for 20,000 miles, and a free first class domestic ticket for 25,000 miles. In the new program a coach ticket is 25,000 miles and a first class ticket is 40,000 miles. So now on top of earning fewer miles, those miles are also worth less in the new program. This is in contrast to the infrequent flyer who now can get a free coach ticket for the same 25,000 miles, but in the current program, a free coach ticket costs 30,000 miles. That person will earn fewer miles in the new program too, but instead of the new miles being worth less, they are worth more. Great new program huh? David Park
Response:
I’m not sure how he calculated and there are several variations of mileage calculations. However, I’ll give you a one calculation. Let’s assume you are basic Medillion on the present program and will be the same on the new program and are taking a trip with 4 segments each of 500 miles or less. You are also upgrading to first class using free awards such as the TZ award Delta presently sends out or the new segment upgrades soon to be provided. The mileage calculates: Existing Program New Program Base Miles 4000 2000 Mileage Bonus – 500 First Class Bonus 4000 - Total 8000 2500 Mileage Reduction 68.75% ! Th point of the article is Delta is taking the most away from their best customers. The better customer . . . the more you suffer. I’m a loyal customer but I’m about ready to give up on Delta and I’m flying more AA, but mostly because of a decline in Delta services. Skymiles is just another example of a great airline, Delta, on the way to becoming the Eastern of tomorrow. For example I’ve travel +40K on Delta this year mostly in first class and I’ve yet to get a hot meal. American usually gives me a choice of hot meals. I once considered Delta the best in the industry. Today they’re no better than middle of the pack and going downhill. Hope this answers your question. Dan FC, MM, PM
Response:
In Tuesday’s USA today a Mr. Park stated that "Delta’s very-frequent flyers will earn up to 70% fewer program miles in the new SkyMiles program for flying the same segments they currently do." Can somebody please explain the math to me? John Graas "Have Laptop, Will Travel"