Triangle Trip

In response to Delta‘s recent offer (link to register) for Triple Miles and MQM (Medallion Qualifying Miles) between New York’s La Guardia airport (LGA) and Chicago’s O’Hare (ORD), United launched its own Triple Miles and EQM (Elite Qualifying Miles) yesterday (link to register). However United’s Triple EQM is a bit limited compared to Delta’s offer. United’s offer is only valid to residents from the following states: Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, New York, Connecticut or New Jersey. United’s Triple MQM offer is only valid for itineraries for travel solely between Chicago O’Hare (ORD) and New York LaGuardia (LGA) so layovers on a coast to coast flight or somewhere in the Midwest does not count.

Delta’s Triple Miles and MQM offer is a lot sweeter. Basically all you have to do is hop on the Delta Shuttle from LGA to either ORD, DCA (Washington DC) or BOS (Boston). There are not residency restrictions. I also believe Delta has upgraded most of its Delta Shuttle flights to new Embraer planes. Both offers start in mid June and end on August 31, 2010.

Delta has been expanding its presences in the greater New York area for the past two years with non-stop flights from JFK to SFO, LAX and ORD. The coast to cost long haul flights used to be United and American’s bread and butter in the New York market since they don’t really have a strong presence in NYC (I have made 1K on United and Executive Platinum on AA on the same year doing these coast to coast trips). United and AA also dominated the LGA/ORD route as well – I have made United 1K just doing this route.

We glad to see Delta is in the mix and playing with the big boys! Now we have three options to go from JFK to the West coast, Midwest and even London Heathrow. The increased in competition should be great for NYC-based travelers as we do not have a hometown airline or airline using NYC as a hub. Sorry, JetBlue doesn’t have enough of a presence in the globe and Newark doesn’t really count as NYC. Now we will wait to see when the airlines look for their bailout (see previous post).

I’ve been flying coast to coast on Delta and United this year. I made Delta Gold Medallion without Double Medallion Qualification Miles (MQM) because I was flying Delta from January to March for their free upgrades as a Gold member from 2008. I was able to reach Premiere Executive status with United in just nine weeks, thanks to their generous Double Elite Qualifying Miles (EQM) promotion.

With all the Double Elite Qualifying Miles programs going on at the moment, I wanted to help explain which program to choose. Here’s a summary of current promotions:

*  American Airlines is offering Double EQM (previous post)
*  Delta is offering Double MQM AND Rollover miles (previous post)
*  United is offering Double EQM and Elite Qualifying Segments (previous post)
*  USAir is offering 7,500 flight miles for Silver status (previous post)

So if you’re not loyal to any particular airline, like me, nor do you live in a hub city, which one should you pick?

Here’s what I am going to do; I recommend that those in a similar boat to do the same:

1.  USAir isn’t really offering anything for its customers with status. If you don’t have status with any airline, I suggest you give them a shot. Seventy five hundred (7,500)miles is two round trips from New York to Vegas!

2.  With status on both Delta and United, I will pass on American this year; I’ll show some love next year. If you have status on one of the above airlines, I strongly suggest you stay with them (see Statusmonger – he can’t quit United).

3.  As for me, I will evaluate the rest of my 2009 travel schedule to see if I can make 1K on United. Holding 1K status is the only way to get decent service on United. I have decided to register for double EQM instead of EQS since I am typically on coast to coast flights. The segments would not help me to 1k – I probably have 15 to date.

4.  For those dealing with the dilemma of having to choose between doubling EQM or EQS, the simple guideline is:  take Double Qualifying Segments if you fly weekly, and you’re earning less than 1,000 airline miles each way. It will take you either 30 one way trip segments or 25,000 airline miles to get entry level status (Premiere on United, Gold on American, or Silver on Delta). Based on the requirements to qualify for airline status, 1,000 airline miles per flight should be the deciding factor when choosing between EQM or EQS. The precise number is actually 834 miles (30 segments times 834 miles = 25,020).

5.  Since I have 55,000 MQM on Delta, and they are allowing me to rollover extra airline miles earned in 2009 to 2010 (in this case, 5,000 miles if I don’t fly any more this year), I will most likely book my next trip on Delta. I will stick with Delta unless I know I can get 25,000 flight miles on United for the rest of the year, as double EQM will give me 50,000 miles, making me a 1K on United.

Damn it United, I cannot quit you!!!

Similar to American Airlines (see Captain G’s previous post), United is offering Double Elite Qualifying Miles or Segments yet again.  This time it’s for all flights flown from September 3 to December 15, 2009, regardless of when you register for this promotion during this period.

You can only choose to do either DEQM (double elite qualifying miles) or DEQS (double elite qualifying segments).  If you are flying short routes, you should pick DEQS.  Go with DEQM if you are going coast to coast or over 1,500 miles.

To register for this or for more information go to the promotion page here.

No matter how much I hate United, they keep drawing me back.  I really am a status monger!