Delta FF Changes A Sign of Thing to Come for C&A?

[GMoney]

In 2015, Delta will start awarding frequent flyer rewards based on fare cost. i can't imagine this has gone unnoticed by the C&A folks. Imagine the uproar the RCI made a similar change...

 

http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2014/02/26/delta-skymiles-frequent-flier/?hpt=hp_t3

Edited February 26, 2014 by GMoney

[Debde]

I was wondering who would be the first to throw that in the ring when I heard it on the news this morning!!!:p;)

[setsail]

C&A has awarded double points for years for paying more for a suite.

[Darkwolfe]

Don't give them any ideas.....

 

;)

[Debde]

C&A has awarded double points for years for paying more for a suite.

 

Double points and money spent are two different things!!;)

[Clarea]

In 2015, Delta will start awarding frequent flyer rewards based on fare cost. i can't imagine this has gone unnoticed by the C&A folks. Imagine the uproar the RCI made a similar change...

 

http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2014/02/26/delta-skymiles-frequent-flier/?hpt=hp_t3

Celebrity is doing that already, in a fashion. Points on Celebrity are now based on stateroom category.

[senrab]

C&A has awarded double points for years for paying more for a suite.

 

And the restructuring to go to a nights based system was also a move in this direction, too.

[jonbgd]

It does seem similar to what Celebrity is doing

 

Since Delta is doing that United will probably do it as well:eek:

This year, I have to spend a minimum amount( between $5000-7500) to maintain my current status, irrelevant if I fly 50-75000 miles

That is something Delta started first:rolleyes:

[masspector]

Delta stole my idea. LOL

 

I told friends years ago that it did not make sense to get a cheap fare from LA to NY and get more miles than someone that paid last minute for a 200 mile flight that cost a lot more. It makes sense that the company rewards who gives them more money.

 

That being said, I do not like the idea. I love to travel and I hate that travel is slowly becoming only affordable to the rich. It is just like celebrities that have plenty of money always get stuff free from companies that want the celeb to be seen with their product. I mean, does Jay Z really need a free Ipad? Doesn't he have enough money to buy one? Do the people that fly all the time, really need free tickets?

 

The article I read said that the top 2% of Delta passengers produce 20% of the revenue. So basically Delta is saying screw 98% of their passengers. If they loose the lower 98% they loose 80% of their revenue. That does not make sense but I guess they feel those 98% will always be there. We shall see. But as usual all the other airlines will follow suit so it will not matter who you fly.

 

Another news article here on CC spoke about the ship within a ship concept (think The Haven). Unfortunately the world and travel along with it is a reflection of increasing inequality in our society, especially income inequality. Comments on that article had readers strongly against the concept as it showed a strong class system to cruising like it was 100 years ago.

 

Do not get me wrong I am not against if you want to pay for a suite you get some perks and a much bigger room, but blocking off the most desriable portions of the ship for an elite group of passengers is wrong IMHO.

[smoosh21]

Delta stole my idea. LOL

 

I told friends years ago that it did not make sense to get a cheap fare from LA to NY and get more miles than someone that paid last minute for a 200 mile flight that cost a lot more. It makes sense that the company rewards who gives them more money.

 

That being said, I do not like the idea. I love to travel and I hate that travel is slowly becoming only affordable to the rich. It is just like celebrities that have plenty of money always get stuff free from companies that want the celeb to be seen with their product. I mean, does Jay Z really need a free Ipad? Doesn't he have enough money to buy one? Do the people that fly all the time, really need free tickets?

 

 

 

Another news article here on CC spoke about the ship within a ship concept (think The Haven). Unfortunately the world and travel along with it is a reflection of increasing inequality in our society, especially income inequality. Comments on that article had readers strongly against the concept as it showed a strong class system to cruising like it was 100 years ago.

 

Do not get me wrong I am not against if you want to pay for a suite you get some perks and a much bigger room, but blocking off the most desriable portions of the ship for an elite group of passengers is wrong IMHO.

 

I don't like the idea of blocking off major parts of the ship, like the haven, but I see nothing wrong with offering extra perks like the concierge lounge, or dining in Chops for Breakfast.

 

However, I think basing your loyalty rewards on how much you spend, is a better way than just how often you can snag a bargain. Somebody who grabbed a bargain on a Jr Suite would no longer get 2x points that someone who paid nearly the same amount for an E2 cabin. It would also give people who traveled peak season something extra for paying more.

 

If they were to go with how much you spent, they could also add in your sign and sail card. If you booked an inside cabin but ate at specialty restaurant every night you would get rewarded for it.

 

And in some ways, I would be hurt by this as I have done TA sailings where I paid less per night for an owners suite than people sailing in balconies on the Allure were paying.

[critterchick]

I think that RCI's tech department has a long way to go before they can make the points accumulation system any more complicated than it currently is (which isn't complicated at all, but they still manage to muck it up fairly frequently).

 

One thing that must be taken into account in order for the system to be fair is onboard spending. Somebody might pay $599 for a cabin on a TA but then spend 13 nights losing money in the casino, buying drinks and dining at the specialty restaurants. HAL gives an additional credit for every $1000 (or is it $500?) spent onboard during a cruise, I wouldn't mind seeing something like that put into place on any of the lines we sail.

[TEXASMUNK]

reminded me of a truly obnoxious passenger.....

They (a couple) spent the week bragging that they were Diamond Plus, never bought a drink, never bought anything, never bought a tour, and NEVER tipped, and only traveled in inside cabins. Nothing wrong with the inside cabins..but their point was they get all the perks for the lowest possible cost.

 

Yet, RCI rewarded them with Diamond Plus.

 

I would like to see and additional night reward for onboard spending....maybe a half point for $1,000 onboard spending, on up.

[Cruising89143]

In 2015, Delta will start awarding frequent flyer rewards based on fare cost. i can't imagine this has gone unnoticed by the C&A folks. Imagine the uproar the RCI made a similar change...

 

http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2014/02/26/delta-skymiles-frequent-flier/?hpt=hp_t3

 

I have no problem with it. It should be based on $$$$ spent. I like Celebrity's updated program.

[Daghis]

Southwest has been doing that for some time now. You earn a certain number of points based on the fare, with bonus points if you purchase the higher fare categories.

 

While it might make some sense for a company to consider a rewards program like that, I can't imagine having to deal with the complexity. Given the questions we get now about the conversion from cruise credits to cruise points back in 2011, imagine the mass confusion if we had a Celebrity-like system.

[bigeagle12]

Hardly any comparison between frequent flyer and cruise programs. Hundreds of thousands if not millions earning free flights every year ... how many people are earning free cruises from the cruise lines. The cruise programs are a joke .. people trying to reach the next level for small discounts, free drinks, and free Internet minutes.

 

 

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[dep]

In 2015, Delta will start awarding frequent flyer rewards based on fare cost. i can't imagine this has gone unnoticed by the C&A folks. Imagine the uproar the RCI made a similar change...

 

http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2014/02/26/delta-skymiles-frequent-flier/?hpt=hp_t3

 

In 2011 we booked Delta to Fairbanks from Fort Lauderdale, Through Royal Caribbean Choice air .No miles awarded. I called about seven months later and gave Delta the reservation number and Delta awarded me the miles !!!!

[Debde]

Sooner then later I think Royal will begin to gravitate to this sort of system.

Lets just take suites with double points as an example:

7 day cruise

couple A

stays in JS

eats in MDR and WJ

hauls on water and soda

books outside excursions

sits in WJ playing cards

like texasmunk pointed out-spent nothing

couple B

stays in Royal suite [whole lotta money there]

books specialty restaurant every night

buys premium drink package for both

booked excursions through cruise line

went to casino-often

Spent lots and lots of moola

 

both got 14 points!!

The future will be very different I'm thinking

[bigeagle12]

On HAL you already earn points for $$$ spent onboard.

 

 

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[cruisenfever]

Hardly any comparison between frequent flyer and cruise programs. Hundreds of thousands if not millions earning free flights every year ... how many people are earning free cruises from the cruise lines. The cruise programs are a joke .. people trying to reach the next level for small discounts, free drinks, and free Internet minutes.

 

 

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How are people earning free cruises?

[steveru621]

I've been a loyal Delta customer for many years. 99% of leisure travelers will not be impacted by this change. Most leisure travelers book the lowest fare and ignore the airline so they rarely have enough miles on any airline for a free ticket. I get most of my miles from my Delta credit card, and relatively few by actually flying. It does slightly lower the number of miles I get, but it's not a big deal because we don't fly more than once every three months. It's their airline and they can run the loyalty program however they want. I can also fly any airline I want.

 

I had suggested a dollars spent point system when the rumors started about RCI C&A points awards. I still think loyalty should be based on how much you spend on the ship and not what cabin category you have. I don't know if it will help or hurt me, but we don't travel during peak season.

 

It's RCI's program they can do what they want, and I'm free to travel with any cruise line.

[bigeagle12]

How are people earning free cruises?

 

Pinnacle members

 

 

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[dadroy]

The dollar amount on Holland is $300. For every increment you get an extra "point" on their system. Not too bad since it includes excursions through the cruise line and all on board spending except for tips.

[cruisenfever]

Pinnacle members

 

 

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With approximately 700 (plus or minus) Pinnacle Club Members I don't think that's a whole lot of people earning free cruises. A free cruise is earned when you reach 700 cruise points and then every 350 points after that.

Edited February 27, 2014 by cruisenfever

[bigeagle12]

With approximately 700 (plus or minus) Pinnacle Club Members I don't think that's a whole lot of people earning free cruises. A free cruise is earned when you reach 700 cruise points and then every 350 points after that.

 

That was my point .. no comparison between benefits of frequent flyer programs and cruise loyalty programs.

 

 

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[jonbgd]

That was my point .. no comparison between benefits of frequent flyer programs and cruise loyalty programs.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

 

Just imagine if everyone had to spend a certain amount or cruise a certain amount each year to maintain their level