Last year, when Delta radically changed the medallion qualification rules, I gave up the chase for status after having been a Diamond Medallion almost since the year the status was introduced. This year I have been flying Delta as a Platinum Medallion for the few Delta flights I have taken and next year I drop to Gold and will stick there as a Delta Million Miler as the airlines is annually gifting me that status (until they again change the rules that is).
Having seen the writing on the wall I have for the past few years seen my upgrade percentage dropping from what was years ago all but guaranteed to now all but impossible even as a Diamond. Why?
Longtime readers of the blog may remember that over the last decade, Delta planned something colloquially known as “20×2020.” That reflected the airline’s goal to make ONLY 20% of First Class seats available for complimentary elite status upgrades by 2020. The other 80% would presumably be purchased either outright at the time of booking or through monetized buy-ups after customers bought tickets.
Well we learned this week from the Delta shareholders meeting that Delta is now selling 88% of all premium cabin space up from the low teens years ago. As I have been YELLING blogging about for years and years that (see above) this has been the goal and the end is nigh for upgrades.
That time is now!
Years ago I would accuse readers who told me they were simply buying cheap upgrades when offered that “they were part of the problem” and pushing us faster toward the cliff of no more “free” upgrades (not really free upgrades if you spend your life only flying on Delta jets but they consider them free so…).
Having given up on the elite chase I too have become “part of the problem” as I have not been slumming it in coach but also have taken advantage of all the tricks left (more on these in another post soon) or simply buying up and thus not caring at all where my name lands on the upgrade list because I am no longer even on it. I would much rather, when I have to fly Delta, simply spend more whatever to fly upfront than dedicate all my yearly spend to Delta in the hope that I will maybe, just maybe, be rewarded for my loyalty by getting a “free” upgrade.
Now here is the really scary part and again the reason, for me, showing ANY measure of loyalty to Delta is done. Readers keep telling us (not to mention Reddit and other sites) stating that not just complimentary upgrades but also Global Upgrade Certificates, and Regional Upgrade Certificates are more and more becoming fool’s gold and all but impossible to use year after year. If you want someone to blame you can thank Delta’s President Glenn Hauenstein who wants all the elite perks to simply die.
All of us must come to know that you are only the value of what you spend with Delta. Loyalty is dead. The Skymiles Medallion program switched over to a completely spend-based model last year and is not looking back. They want you to spend everything and give nothing back – that is the plan and they are winning.
Are you going to play in 2025? Even as a hub captive are you just going to take it? Gosh I really want to know what it will take for you to choose another airline over Delta? – Rene
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I disagree. I still get tremendous value out of my DM status even without any FC upgrades.
Virtually 100% C+ at booking, priority during IROPS, unlimited lounge access (I spent exactly $75,001 on my Reserve), priority phone access, discretionary waivers and favors, 4 GUCs that I can always use on Virgin/KLM/AF by booking far in advance with flexibility and they are immediately reticketed, gifting 2 of my kids GM status which comes in very handy for them when they travel abroad as STE+, a $700 AMEX credit which gives me a free annual Reserve fee +$50 and the companion pass worth $1,000+ to me.
Priority treatment during IROPS is the major, major benefit especially if flying lots of long haul with many connections. Unfortunately, it’s a pretty intangible benefit and one that’s extended to you if you’re flying biz/first anyways regardless of status.
Excellent response!
Yeah I really feel like the program is going to get much closer to hotels. If my hilton diamond status went away I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t even notice it.
Since we (me and my +1) usually travel only twice a year (to the US) we used to be Silver Medallions most of the time and we enjoyed it. Of course, the few upgrades were quite nice (sure, they were some years ago), but it was great to have a free checked bag. On the transatlantic flights two bags (one for everyone plus one for being a medallion). That one year of being Platinum because of the pandemic (all MQMs rolled over several times plus the bonus promo with +50% for main cabin or +75% for premium like DPS) was awesome. Okay, no first class flight at all but C+ on all flights shortly after ticketing was great (we could easily select two seats next to each other). And some extra money saving by choosing a travel voucher as a choice benefit (for our purposes the best choice).
Now that the rules have changed we won’t be medallions anymore. So I won’t plan weird routings anymore to get somewhere the long way 😉
And what I don’t like: we have to take one of the two bags we used to check onboard and hope to find some bin space (as non-medallions we board later than we used to).
Other than the program I still ike flying Delta. So maybe they win and I won’t jump ship. Before I have to fly a European carrier it’s way better to be on a Delta plane.
Oh, now that I am going to book more direct routings since status is out of the question, my +1 is happier. She likes flying but not to the degree I do. So she sometimes complained about spending half our vacation onboard a plane or in an airport lounge 😉
@Ralfinho – You make my point. Fly Delta (and for me buy up) when it works for you but fly other airlines if better because all Delta no longer is a wise choice.
I think your way of looking at Delta’s program is skewed to your concerns. As someone who travels with a wife and baby on long international flights four or five times a year and just a handful of short domestic flights each year, I find the program is working great for me. Getting free Economy Comfort upgrades on a 14 hour flight to Asia is a signficant perk. Plus, we regulalry use our companion tickets and upgrades from Platinum and Diamond to add the occasional perk. Every Delta agent greets me by thanking me for being a Diamond Medallion and Millioner Miler, and when they see we’re traveling with a 1 year old, they go out of their way to help with little things. If you only measure a program’s worth in terms of how many free upgrades to business/first class you get, you’re only looking at the program in the most narrow of terms. I’ve come to see my status and range of perks in a more holistic manner. Sometimes I get a free upgrade, others time I don’t, but I know I always get great service. That’s critical when traveling for 24-36 hours with a young child.
@Bram – Yes but Delta used to do all those things AND provide a reasonable upgrade chance.
As lifetime Gold, Rene should dump Delta. Fly Delta only when the price, schedule, and expected service is the best for your trip. Status has zero benefit except not boarding last, slightly higher miles earned per dollar spent, and possibly better irrops handling.
For others, maybe silver level is all one should hope to get but don’t go out of your way for that.
The pandemic causing me to lose status on multiple airlines was great. I am not hostage to any airline now. I am trying to burn miles then will be a free agent (burning miles requires that I fly a specific airline for the burning)
@Frankie – Giving up 75K of credit card spend that would net you 150-500K of pts/miles via SUB’s and better category bonuses or vs ~75K DL miles is a lot just to sit in a lounge that might be worth $700/year. Gold/Platinum would get you C+ @ ~100% also and the plat card gets you the companion pass. Unless you are traveling 2x or more a month I don’t see the ROI.
I am ATL captive and have done 800K BIS in the last 11 years, I have only flown DL 21 times for 26K miles total. (I am 80% international). I just refuse to participate in the Skyrupee program with typical 300K ow intl awards out of ATL. I have single handedly convinced 15+ coworkers & friends to downgrade to the Amex DL gold card and sock-drawer it, replacing it with the Amex MR earning Gold to get 4x and Amex plat for lounge access. I also give them cheat sheets on the coupon book to net the cost of those cards to close to zero.
When I do use Skyrupees it is only for EU-EU or EU-AS on partners. It’s the only place that gives me the minimum rebate that I demand from my spend from other programs.
I’m an ATL captive too and need to downgrade my biz amex reserve. Please help me. thank you!!
Call Amex and tell them you want to downgrade your card to the DL Amex Platinum or Gold. Or you can downgrade to a non-Delta Amex with no annual fee. Or just cancel.
This soon to be “General Member” (Jan. 1) has been enjoying AA EXP and UA Premier the last 2 years. This year, I think I’ve only ben on DL for 2 segments. AmEx and Delta clearly don’t value my business anymore so they don’t get it.
I understand the disappointment, but other airlines are doing the same thing. Travel has changed drastically since Covid. With airlines offering credit cards and earning miles from those credit card vendors, that has kept the airlines afloat. More and more people are traveling and many prefer to either pay to sit in a premium cabin or use money or miles (which are much higher than ever) many airlines suffered a shortage of pilots when the airlines falsely predicted, it would take a long time for travel to resume. When travel immediately resumed, they found themselves a shortage. When contracts expired, pilots had the upper hand. One airline in particular, puts their pilots deadheading above all paying passengers.
This pretty much guarantees elites zero access to upgrades. The times have changed and we just have to look at other avenues when trying to travel a premium cabin.
I understand the disappointment. Unfortunately, the airlines have to make a profit and they are not making a profit from free upgrades. Most airlines are making a profit from credit card vendors that they have agreements with. More and more people are traveling and more people are buying premium cabins. With the pilot shortage after Covid, the pilots have had the upper hand in their contract negotiations. Some airlines have given the pilots priority access to upgrades above all paying passengers regardless of status. Loyalty has disappeared years ago. Look at the mobile phone companies. Passengers Just have to look at a more creative way of trying to sit in a premium cabin.
I can argue both sides of the coin.
Does Mercedes give me a complimentary upgrade to a nicer model because I’ve been a good customer over the years? Of course they don’t.
But at the end of the day, Delta and the other airlines with similar loyalty schemes created this problem. Maybe they should just outright eliminate status tiers and mileage programs. What’s the real point when 53 passengers on a plane from Detroit to Dallas on a Tuesday are on the upgrade list for zero seats? It’s a complete farce.
Delta should have kept the old program and raised the number of MQMs for each tier while eliminating bonus MQMs. Diamond should have been 150,000 actual butt-in-seat miles.
The idea that passengers who fly 150,000 actual miles per year or do 125 individual segments aren’t rewarded because they only fly domestic within the Lower 48 and have to book an economy ticket is absurd. Just absurd.
I know my travel patterns have changed. I used to book trips with an extra segment or two. No more. I book nonstops or single connections as much as possible. There’s no point spending any extra time with Delta since the distance or segments flown doesn’t matter anymore. And there’s no rollover.
I’ll be diamond with the one-time rollover for several more years. As soon as I hit 2 million miles in early 2026 I’ll either retire from flying or drop my loyalty to Delta and fly whatever airline makes sense.
well they make just as much or more via delta amex cards. Not to mention it can be argued that domestic hub connectors cost them even more when compared to point to point fliers.
We had the dot com bubble then the housing bubble a long time ago. Can you remember the last market crash? For years now, we have been on the bubble everything. The day of reckoning is coming up and then Delta will be shitting in their pants! Just houses alone, it seems everyone wants a million+ for any house regardless of size or anything and even shake shacks (lol)! Anyone with assets have a hoard of cash and there are splurging on biz/first class. I am looking at biz on Delta to Japan this spring and every day it is 400,000+ miles! Even close in days (like tomorrow) Delta flights overseas are fully packed in biz (ppl splurging)!
Also, Delta’s corporate leadership under Bastian are like Louis XVI and his court Versailles. They are so isolated from their customers. Just look at all the issues they’ve had. And literally no change in attitude or public comments.
My now-former boss was a 2 million miler and a diamond every year since the tier was created. In 2023, he stopped flying Delta. Complete cold turkey. He switched to American and is now concierge key with American. Delta never once called him or emailed him. You would think someone in customer service or revenue management would have a file on the top customers and notice when someone suddenly stops flying with Delta.
@FNT – Comment of the year!
Can Delta really just lose customers who spend $50,000+ a year without blinking an eye?
THIS is the point.
Our office has five 2MM, DIA folks and all of us cut back and Everyone settled that LTPlat will be fine and dropped AmEx cards. None of us have been contacted asking why.
And I can confirm that RUC’s haven’t been triggering on longer domestic flights very often, including on A330’s. Last week RT Atl-Phx still ended #1 on list, after 25 open 5 days out, 15 open seats 2 days out, and 10 one day out. They sold all those upgrades day of? Sorry folks but something is off when DIA on list w RUC don’t make it this late in year.
We fill in our post flight surveys complaining and none of us hear back.
This article is spot on! When Delta celebrates ‘selling’ 88% of premium seats …there is nothing to debate regarding upgrades – regardless of status. I am Diamond for ROY2024 and 2025 … but I am done w loyalty to Delta and Amex starting in 2025.
It’s a game and I think Delta was too heavy handed in their favor with their loyal flyers.
Candidly, I think I will enjoy the freedom of being free from Delta and Amex.
I will miss the Delta Skyclubs – but I can buy those as needed.
Yes, I am quite done with Delta. I only fly them if they have the schedule I’m looking for. I was on the INC to ATL flight last week and observed many empty seats. I think Delta corporate is out of tune with their passenger markets and preferences. I had Medallion status for a few years and enjoyed it, so much so I would go out of my way to fly Delta, sometimes just day trips to reach
my status goal. I am ready to get rid of my Delta Gold.AX card, it’s not worth the 150.00
annual fee just for free checked bags. Thanks Delta for the bait and switch tactics. I’m smarter than that.
I gained DM status for the first time very early this year. I travel a lot for business east to west coast and the flights are long. I have never been upgraded to FC as a Diamond. I have never scored a seat in the 5 day in advance period, even when they are many available. The “perk” might as well not exist; they only assign those right at the gate, when they have identified that literally no other human is going to buy them. If I wait that long, they are all gone so I am part of the problem – I upgrade with miles early. I have also posted before about the upgrade certs. I managed to use all mine this year (4 from being PM last year), but in past years I have had many expire being unable to use them. I think they only allow 1 lucky lottery winner per flight to use those! They are not perks if they can’t actually be used. Ditto on the companion seats – there are almost no flights where you can use those. The program is actually sort of feeling a little fraudulent at this point …..
I made Diamond only once and that 10+ years ago. It was fun going to the airport with a reasonable chance of getting upgraded to First. But I value Platinum status for the almost automatic C+ upgrades and because I can book award travel well in advance and change my booking for free several times if award prices or travel plans change. And I still consider Delta superior to any of the three other big airlines that serve IND. Flying United often requires connecting at O’Hare, where, due to rain or something undisclosed, I’ve twice had to sleep on an Army cot in a concourse from 2am to 5am. And flying American similarly can require connecting at O’Hare westbound or Charlotte southbound. Last year, we saved money by having a cruise line book our flights. Our AA return flight required an inbound international connection at PHL. I will try my best to never experiencing that again. [I have no experience with domestic connections at PHL.]
I fly about 70 legs a year and so I’m not necessarily a super frequent flyer. My son is a Delta pilot and I can even non-rev, If there’s space available, which there isn’t. I mostly fly between two very busy airports and I’ve taken to flying Sun Country more often because of the price point. I typically don’t fly with bags, so even The medallion status and the reserve card don’t mean much to me. The only reason for the reserve card was to get the lounge visits…. And no, I probably won’t fly enough to even use my allotment annually.
From my perspective, it seems like Delta doesn’t care because they’re paid. Customers seem to be up high enough to fill their flights, so they shouldn’t make any changes for me or anyone else… Just understand, when a recession hits and the transportation traffic reduces, the only thing that’s going to hold value will be loyalty and Delta’s killing the goose laying the golden egg. It’s all going to be pay-per-play and people will choose a lower price point over convenience when things get tight. …. Then I suppose we’ll be talking about another airline bailout.
What ever happened to the hot towels in FC?!?
Or the pillows and blankets. Or the hot bread with meals.
Bread disappeared before the pandemic, but the hot towels, pillows and blankets all fell victim to the pandemic.
Now, I’ve noticed snack baskets are scaled back.
@FNT – But but but they are a PREMIUM airline!!!
Delta has shifted to a credit card company without letting FF know it. I feel sorry for up and coming , 20/30 something’s trying to travel and work as early road warriors we were, and Haley absolutely no status benifit, when their companies purchase the tickets .
Bastion and Delta have screwed the pooxh on this one and are driving a good airline , with formerly loyal following into the ground.
Who counts more in the end and brings more business (revenue and profits) stockholders or customers ?
Wake up and treat clients better Eddie boy!
We know delta reads this so please wise up.
I much prefer sitting next to someone who paid for their first class ticket than those who were upgraded. I can always tell. Free upgrades and employees in first class need to be completely gutted. I would rather sit next to an empty seat then an accountant who travels for work doesn’t pay for any of their travel and is demanding everything under the sun on our 3 hour flight. Nothing like sitting next to an empty seat to have agents pull the cow out of cattle class and put them next to me or my husband.
I much prefer sitting next to someone who paid for their first class ticket than those who were upgraded. I can always tell. Free upgrades and employees in first class need to be completely gutted. I would rather sit next to an empty seat then an accountant who travels for work doesn’t pay for any of their travel and is demanding everything under the sun on our 3 hour flight. Nothing like sitting next to an empty seat to have agents pull the cow out of cattle class and put them next to me or my wife.
It seems that you and your wife Joan really can complete each other’s sentences!
I know what you mean though, but in a little less harsh language.
I buy first to have a quieter and more subdued travel experience than that offered by the jostling in coach. It always bums me out when somebody gets pulled up and thinks oh great, now I’m in first and can drink 6 Woodford Reserves on a 1.5 hour flight at 6am.
Then again, that was me one time. And that’s how they get their hooks into you.
You’re hard pressed to get 1 alcoholic drink per hour and don’t be surprised that your “dedicated” flight attendant will pour 1/2-5/8ths of the alcohol of your second and additional drinks in the garbage. Nothing more infuriating paying first class freight and getting a “lite” pour. It’s gets tiring asking for the bottle to mix your own.
@Glen Gronseth. Since covid everyone can cancel award tickets at no charge (except for BE and flights originating outside North America but even then I’ve been able to cancel these for free). Yes a huge perk of hitting PM used to be free mileage redeposit but it’s no longer just restricted to PM/DM.
Maybe, someday, there will be more supply than demand. Looks like it will have to be drop in demand as I don’t see any new airlines coming. When that happens, maybe we have a chance to show our loyalty. Until, then .. we are at airlines mercy. Its the old bear joke, they don’ t have to be “faster than the bear”, they only have to “faster than other airlines” i.e. Delta only has to be better than AA … and they are.
It is true that Delta doesn’t have enough first-class and international business-class seats. The 350s that replaced the 747s has fewer Delta One seats. Domestically, most of the aircraft could probably take another two rows of first-class.
I have heard but have no proof that 1/3 of Deltas profit comes from their Amex partnership. Seems you would try and keep all of your customers who were significantly impacting profitability.
Cool off people.This is not the end of the world. If Delta does it, the other US majors will follow. They must think that they will make more money from leisure and paying passengers. It kind of makes sense.
I noticed a rather sudden and steep drop off in upgrades around 2018 and I just stopped pursuing them altogether at that time.
I enjoyed freeing myself from the agony of watching the upgrade list on the TV monitors with the other gate lice (this is before the upgrade list had come to the app).
For the five or six years prior, I had a near 100% upgrade rate on 100-125 segments a year. This included international routes not technically available. Now, on the odd segments that I don’t purchase first outright because of a poor value proposition, I’m rarely upgraded even as a 3MM, Diamond, Reserve holder.
No longer pursuing upgrades is a gentle step on the road to free agency. 🙂
I’m not hub captive (NYC Metro) but hadn’t flown anyone but Delta since 2008. Gues who I just flew last week? United. Have the Infinite Card and my wife gets in the club every time as my guest. No (15) visit limit…no need for guest passes…every time. Hmmm…
I’m 2025 DM. I considered that in 2025, in addition to regular flying I take some mileage runs and increase Delta AmEx spending to qualify for 2026 DM. But now that makes no sense. As a 2MM I’m PM for life and will still get the instant C+ and other perks. It’s clear that regardless of PM vs DM, FC upgrades will almost never happen. Rather than invest in making DM for 2026, I’ll take that money and spend it on FC buy-ups or the soon-to-be unbundled FC fares. Also, shop for FC deals on other carriers – free agency has it’s privileges. I’ll fly FC, and I’ll know in advance that I’m flying FC. Party bonus: my guess is that the total amount I’ll spend on these FC flights will be less expensive than investing in mileage runs and other things to achieve DM 2026.
The Delta of today is certainly worse than the Delta of 10 years ago but I can’t book a flight on the Delta of 10 years ago. My choices are the diminished Delta of today or other domestic carriers of today that are worse than Delta. Diedra is right – the other airlines are doing the same thing but at least my experience with Delta is that their product is better.
I visit a client in a city primarily served by American so over the last few years, I fly American a couple times a year. Almost 50% of my American flights were cancelled or significantly delayed. Over the same period flying much more frequently on Delta, I only had a couple cancelled flights and few delays (thankfully I was not flying Delta in July this year).
I am a Million Miler and have been Platinum for years. I still find my status valuable. 95% of the time I get C+ at booking and about 20% of my flights get FC upgrades. (I just got the notification from Delta that I was upgraded to FC for my Thanksgiving trip next week.)
I try to do what is reasonable, I am not chasing Diamond. Last month on an ATL-LHR flight, I was booked in Premium Select and was able to purchase Delta One for $500. While I mourn the loss of the Delta I remember, I am going to stick with this Delta until the are no longer the best choice I have.
@GP – A most rational and reasonable statement. I think the key is, as you say, not chasing status as we once did.