Delta recently sent out a midyear medallion update e-mail. It was very moving and a reminder of why it is no longer worth it going for Diamond Medallion and why going for Diamond Medallion is rather pointless in the 2023 environment. Also, I have no earthly idea how their AI BOT came up with those massive bag savings on so few flights, but I thank them for the laughs.
One of the things the bot-mail told me was that every flight I have flown with Delta has been in First Class. As a Diamond, this was not due to “free” upgrades but my using upgrade certificates and booking in First. I no longer ever expect to receive a complimentary upgrade anymore even to and from my hometown SBN South Bend airport that used to be an automatic.
Looking ahead to the somewhat many flights I have booked on Delta over the next many months, all but one of the segments are in First Class. I have burned all my upgrade certs including all my 2024 certs already (that is, already confirmed the upgrades). It will be fun if in January my last Diamond flight that has not been upgraded clears into First but I HIGHLY doubt it. It will be a fitting goodbye to top-tier status with Delta for likely ever again.
But there is truly one thing I will miss about not being a top-tier elite with Delta (in 2027 when my Platinum status ends): having the nice yellow Sky Priority tags attached to my bag tags.
But that got me thinking… 😉
A number of years ago I posted how sticking a Diamond Medallion “Brag Tags” on your carryon bag can give you real life perks and help you along your travels as Delta folks do notice these tags and sometimes reward you for your loyalty. But what about the bag folks and the yellow Sky Priority tags?
There was a recent article quoting those who load bags onto a jet about how they do it (not a Delta jet but it still offers real life feedback for us to consider). They show the priority of how bags are loaded onto a jet and thus resulting the priority of how they come off a jet as well.
A while back I asked a Delta agent if I could have a couple of extra tags and was promptly handed a few (maybe a perk of being Diamond). Then I took them to Office Depot and spent just under $3 to have them laminated with thick plastic after putting a sticker with my name, address, e-mail, and cell phone number over the part of the tags that say “affix here” for the luggage tag from Delta.
Will this work if I do not have real Sky Priority to help expedite my Delta or Skyteam bags (when flying partners)? I highly doubt it because it is not just the tag but the barcode that gets scanned that should yield the real priority bag order. That said, we know that reps are in a hurry, and just perhaps seeing the tag on the bag may, now and then, have an impact.
Then again, once I am no longer a Delta Diamond or Platinum Medallion and no longer provided this perk I may want my bags NOT to come out first as the longer they take the more likely I am to get free 2500 SkyPennies for the bags on time 20-minute guarantee.
Either way, for only $3 plus the cost of a few rubber luggage bag tag cords (you can buy them on Amazon cheap), I think this is just fun and I will down the road keep checking if my homemade Sky Priority tag results in my bags coming out at the same time as the rest of the priority bags! 🙂 René
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With such a low bar of spending only $25k on a DL Amex card and MQM rollover plus new MQMs of only 65,000 (75,000 less the 10,000 you get after $25k spend) why on earth would you not just take the easy-to-get PM status and then be a free agent for all of your other flights?
What covid rollover did was make PM status very easy to obtain for the masses with MQM rollover and a DL Amex card but DM much harder to achieve with $20k MQDs.
@Frankie – I will be PM for 24 & 25 then drop to “lifetime” Silver unless I happen to make to to 2MM for Gold (unlikely considering how much I am flying other airlines).
Frankie – You outlined what my strategy will be once my DM expires in January ’24. The $20k MQDs are just too much, unless there are some screaming deals on SkyTeam partner flights in J early next year, then I may stretch to get DM for the balance of ’24 and all of ’25 before giving it up. Fortunately I fly exclusively on Delta for biz, so I’m able to get enough MQMs to easily hit PM for the foreseeable future.
There will be a massive DM cliff after this year. Everyone has years of Covid rollover and MQM/MQD bonuses + skymiles redemptions counting towards MQM/MQD. The new spend requirement will be so far out of reach for many of the current DMs. Platinums will be more plentiful than ever but I believe there will be fewer DMs in 2024 than there were pre-covid.
@I Love Dan – I think you are right.
I have not seen the benefit of the yellow priority tag in years. Travel mostly between MI and FL and my bags never come off first..mostly not till the last bunch!
I agree with Jemared. I fly quite regularly, will likely make Diamond again by the end of the year, but have almost NEVER realized an obvious positive result from the sky priority yellow bag tags. I always check two bags, one always heavy with 69 lbs of tools. They almost never come out before at least one (more often than not, many more) non-priority bag.
I don’t mind late arrival either, I like claiming the 20 minute guarantee penalty.
But I’d also question your motivation for making the tags. You don’t need anywhere NEAR top tier with Delta to get them. Silvers and above are welcome in the SkyPriority check-in lines with expedited luggage.
@Rob L – “But I’d also question your motivation for making the tags. ” – I think I answered that in the post title that they are fun and cool!
You’re right, you did. I guess to be more clear, I was confused why you felt you might need to. I get the entertainment value, but you’ll be in no NEED for the tags for at least another year as you’re Platinum. You made it sound like you need to be top-tier to get the tags, when in fact it’s one of the first perks Delta doles out with Silver.