@K-in-Boston wrote:
@redpat wrote:Lol! The best earn rates for airline miles isn't by using their cards. Since the change of spending 30k for 15k MQM and not getting also 15k miles, I'm reasessing putting that kind of spend on my reserve.
I agree, and unless someone either a.) doesn't have any other cards that earn better for travel purchases, b.) is going for status or increased status, or c.) is able to get value from SkyMiles outside of the norm, there's no reason to ever spend on these cards. With the change from Mileage Boost to Status Boost (loss of bonus miles when hitting spending targets, but two additional targets added at $75k/$100k for Platinum and $90k/$120k for Reserve), I really had to run the numbers myself since effectively 1.5 miles per dollar for non-category spend was easier to justify than 1 mile per dollar.
In the end, I have chosen to continue using Delta Reserve for $30k of non-category spend this year. I would typically be buying Comfort+ or First seats anyway (I'm tall), so the fare differences from being able to just buy Main Cabin and immediately go in and select a C+ seat as a PM makes a significant monetary difference and easily overcomes the difference in base credit card earnings. The slightly increased mileage earnings from higher status also adds up.
@K-In-Boston ,
I value this information seeing as though you also hold the Amex Platinum + CSR + Delta Reserve. Being I'm debating the Delta Reserve SUB here which I could hit the required spend instantly.. do you belive in your personal opinion that the Delta Reserve offer currently available is worth the first year investment of buying into the card, knowing future spend likely would be focused on other cards, not the Delta Reserve? (Again since Amex Plat is 5x points/miles.) I'm looking for a nudge in either direction here.. torn 
. Not to hijack this threat either.. as i think all the current Delta offerings are pretty substantial in the right persons hands.
With the Delta cards in general, the value doesn't really come from rewards on spending with the card (other than the SUB), the rewards are passive. So in your scenario, it sounds to me like it would make sense for you. JMO, good luck either way!
@Cred4All wrote:@K-In-Boston ,
I value this information seeing as though you also hold the Amex Platinum + CSR + Delta Reserve. Being I'm debating the Delta Reserve SUB here which I could hit the required spend instantly.. do you belive in your personal opinion that the Delta Reserve offer currently available is worth the first year investment of buying into the card, knowing future spend likely would be focused on other cards, not the Delta Reserve? (Again since Amex Plat is 5x points/miles.) I'm looking for a nudge in either direction here.. torn
The Delta Reserve offer is definitely worth the AF. That SUB can easily be worth $2000, and even a single transcontinental round-trip flight in Main Cabin during 2020 on top of the 20k MQM bonus is enough to qualify for SIlver Medallion (and SkyTeam Elite) status through the end of January 2022.
The real question is, would it be worth it to you for a 2nd year or longer? As long as you plan to use the companion certificate each year for a domestic ticket in First or Delta One, it's going to completely cover the AF and more anyway. Then the real value with Reserve is being able to hit MQM bonuses with spend (but you did mention you would be spending elsewhere, and that's fine if not trying to reach a higher Medallion status), being ahead of other Medallions of the same level in the same fare class for upgrades, or with the new changes being eligible for upgrades after Silver Medallions if you don't have status. I wouldn't count on a lot of upgrades to First or Delta One without status of any kind, but certainly Comfort+ seats should be readily available particularly if you are willing to accept a middle seat. (As it is now, most Medallions decline the middle seats if that's all that's left, so you will typically see either a lot of empty middle Comfort+ seats or they end up going to Basic Economy and standby passengers without seat assignments).
If status isn't a consideration or paying for the first First or Delta One seat to use the companion certificate isn't in the cards, then I would certainly suggest considering the Platinum SkyMiles card with its similar SUB, much lower AF, and Main Cabin-only companion certificate.
@K-in-Boston wrote:
@Cred4All wrote:@K-In-Boston ,
I value this information seeing as though you also hold the Amex Platinum + CSR + Delta Reserve. Being I'm debating the Delta Reserve SUB here which I could hit the required spend instantly.. do you belive in your personal opinion that the Delta Reserve offer currently available is worth the first year investment of buying into the card, knowing future spend likely would be focused on other cards, not the Delta Reserve? (Again since Amex Plat is 5x points/miles.) I'm looking for a nudge in either direction here.. torn
The Delta Reserve offer is definitely worth the AF. That SUB can easily be worth $2000, and even a single transcontinental round-trip flight in Main Cabin during 2020 on top of the 20k MQM bonus is enough to qualify for SIlver Medallion (and SkyTeam Elite) status through the end of January 2022.
The real question is, would it be worth it to you for a 2nd year or longer? As long as you plan to use the companion certificate each year for a domestic ticket in First or Delta One, it's going to completely cover the AF and more anyway. Then the real value with Reserve is being able to hit MQM bonuses with spend (but you did mention you would be spending elsewhere, and that's fine if not trying to reach a higher Medallion status), being ahead of other Medallions of the same level in the same fare class for upgrades, or with the new changes being eligible for upgrades after Silver Medallions if you don't have status. I wouldn't count on a lot of upgrades to First or Delta One without status of any kind, but certainly Comfort+ seats should be readily available particularly if you are willing to accept a middle seat. (As it is now, most Medallions decline the middle seats if that's all that's left, so you will typically see either a lot of empty middle Comfort+ seats or they end up going to Basic Economy and standby passengers without seat assignments).
If status isn't a consideration or paying for the first First or Delta One seat to use the companion certificate isn't in the cards, then I would certainly suggest considering the Platinum SkyMiles card with its similar SUB, much lower AF, and Main Cabin-only companion certificate.
Great data points and feedback, thanks for that. I and/or work usually purchase 1st class anyway so upgrades were not of concern, but the companion certificate and MQM's are a big boost. To attain 15k in spend, no problem, 30k for double the MQM's in a year, would likely sacrifice some CSR point accrual. I think based on your data, unsure how the Ops proceeding, but it sounds worth it for me to jump on the Reserve offer.
@Anonymous wrote:I live in Houston. While Delta flies here (and even has some nice nonstop routes), the problem I have with the companion certificate is the flight codes/fare classes. Only certain fair codes work, and there are very few of those outbound from Houston (and almost none inbound).
Pretty much rules out the Delta Platinum and Reseve cards for me. But the Delta Gold card has a nice SUB and a decent downgrade path to Blue in a couple of years after the 70,000 miles have been earned.
As long as you're not trying to (for example) book a nearly sold-out flight for next Tuesday, I'm not sure how you're seeing this. I just pulled 8 random round-trips to and from IAH in March and April and there was plenty of T, V, L, U, and X inventory that would work for Main Cabin with either certificate, and plenty of W for Comfort+ and I and Z inventory for First Class. The certificates are actually among the easiest to use in the industry since they allow you to actually book deeply discounted fares that are always available until flights start to fill up or near departure date.
What are people's thoughts on what the SUB's will be after what appears to be the promotional period passes?
Don't think I'll pick up one anyway unless I manage to get a companion in my life and blatantly couldn't even try for multiple reasons if I wanted to now anyway, but curious as to what the wagers will be for longer term SUB's.
Also the fact I think I'm going to have no shortage of travel in my life this year anyway so the whole status w/o flying game is sort of moot. Figure worst case later on the year if I'm short I'll do a mileage run or two and seeing as how status gets you higher mile bonuses that's really the only benefit I could see on trying to accelerate that and trying to hit a higher echelon without resorting to silly bookings to BOM or JNB.
