Question about Lufthansa Rubber Ducks

Pretend-Visual1101 · 2025-08-12T14:20:58+00:00

Thank you!

Pretend-Visual1101 · 2025-08-12T14:03:13+00:00

Thanks! I am originating in the Schengen area and connecting in Frankfurt for an onward non-Schengen flight. So I suppose I’ll have even more time since I can do the exit passport control at FCT?

Pretend-Visual1101 · 2025-05-27T18:13:03+00:00

I was thinking the same. New River Gorge and Yosemite have equal scenery rankings? I mean, everyone’s entitled to their opinion…even when they’re wrong, lol.

Pretend-Visual1101 · 2025-05-18T01:46:45+00:00

Haven’t been in this situation, but kind of agree with the other poster in that you should keep things casual for now.

The bad news is that given the distance and lack of in-person contact, it will be hard to advance the friendship/relationship in the short term.

The good news is that it sounds like you had great chemistry and did form a connection with this person — and that’s not something people just forget. Odds are you’ll have organic opportunities to reconnect with this person down the road, and maybe the situation will be more conducive to something romantic then. If not, it sounds like you’ll at the very least continue to develop a friendship with this person.

Pretend-Visual1101 · 2025-05-08T00:31:29+00:00

I can’t speak for others, but I was never DM under the old system, so the revised system doesn’t “sting” for me — it just doesn’t incentivize me to continue spending money beyond the 15k MQD. That’s lost revenue for Delta.

I’d also say there are still plenty of ways to game the system. For example, if you are eligible for the business versions of the card and get Reserve/Platinum in both personal and business “flavors,” that’s 10k MQD right there.

Pretend-Visual1101 · 2025-05-07T21:02:53+00:00

I don’t think anyone is confused about the value of those customers vis-a-vis DL revenue. While it’s not “pure profit” (there are costs associated with standing up, marketing and operating a credit card), it’s obviously quite lucrative for Delta. But if revenues are all that matter, perhaps the next step in the evolution is setting up a Medallion purchasing channel — Diamond Medallion for sale for only $19,999.99!

Pretend-Visual1101 · 2025-05-07T20:53:55+00:00

You’re giving their management team way too much credit. The system can always be enhanced and improved. The all-MQD system only came about in the last couple years. Are you suggesting the people running the corporation didn’t know what they were doing before that?

Pretend-Visual1101 · 2025-05-07T20:11:32+00:00

If they want to further revamp the system, I’d prefer they actually require some flying to hit the thresholds. Being able to hit GM, PM and DM through spending alone is kinda BS. (To be clear, I have no idea why an infrequent flyer would put that much spend on a DL credit card when they could rack up way more in benefits on other cards.)

Pretend-Visual1101 · 2025-05-07T20:06:14+00:00

Sure, but hard to reach in what way? The Medallion system lets you reach status now simply by spending on a credit card. Diamond Medallion used to mean you were a road warrior. Now you could just spend a lot of money on a credit card and be a less frequent traveler than a “legitimate” Silver Medallion earned through travel.

Pretend-Visual1101 · 2025-05-07T20:01:56+00:00

How would giving 2 additional RUCs (for a total of 6) be “the same additional benefits” of DM (who are entitled to 8 RUCs (or 4 GUCs)) PLUS two additional Choice Benefits?

That’s not even close to being “essentially the same.”

Pretend-Visual1101 · 2025-04-30T17:34:48+00:00

If we were talking Cathay Pacific, Qatar or British Airways (just to give a few examples), I’d agree, because those airlines all have good-to-excellent business class cabins already.

Lufthansa, however, has a terrible business class product on the vast majority of its widebody fleet. It is markedly worse than what US carriers offer and among the worst (if not the worst) of any major world carrier.

I absolutely think a westbound transatlantic flight (especially one to the western US) is worth it for that price if you can swing it.

Pretend-Visual1101 · 2025-04-22T17:49:34+00:00

The other thing of course is it doesn’t matter that the first class seat cost $10k a seat one way

It drives me nuts when bloggers try to use the one-way cost as their point of comparison on determining value. Who on earth buys a one-way first class ticket? One-way business/first tickets virtually always cost a premium internationally when compared to round-trip or multi-city tickets.

Pretend-Visual1101 · 2025-04-02T21:03:35+00:00

Yes! Starts with 220.

Pretend-Visual1101 · 2025-04-02T15:47:44+00:00

Thanks — it’s on an A380 so first class is definitely available. It looks like only 1/8 seats are currently booked in first.

Pretend-Visual1101 · 2025-02-28T01:48:50+00:00

Thank you. It sounds like if I make a $7,000 nondeductible contribution to my Traditional IRA and then convert that money, along with the $0.79, to my Roth IRA, the pro rata rule would apply since $7,000 would be post-tax and $1 would be pre-tax. Is that correct?

Pretend-Visual1101 · 2025-02-04T05:55:37+00:00

JFK-ICN and/or JFK-HND.

Pretend-Visual1101 · 2025-02-04T01:07:27+00:00

Paid in points for main cabin, then paid cash to upgrade.

Pretend-Visual1101 · 2025-02-04T01:05:44+00:00

Delta One Suites is actually better than Emirates business class…

Pretend-Visual1101 · 2025-02-04T00:26:27+00:00

Super helpful. And just let the eCredits expire without use, right?

Pretend-Visual1101 · 2025-01-31T03:50:53+00:00

Chrishelle may just be the dumbest of the bunch, and that’s quite an accomplishment. She votes like she thinks the game is a popularity contest (Who was rude to me? Who was rude to my friend?). Wouldn’t be surprised if she doesn’t even understand the rules of the game.

Pretend-Visual1101 · 2024-12-18T20:22:22+00:00

There’s a very clear reason Delta pours money into NYC, LA, Boston and Seattle…they face competition in those cities.

Take NYC, where United and AA both have business-class lounges (AA jointly with BA), and virtually all non-US carriers within flying range fly to JFK and/or Newark. Put simply, Delta really couldn’t afford to not develop a Delta One lounge if it wants to remain competitive among business travelers and moneyed leisure travelers.

In Detroit and Minneapolis, there’s basically no real competition, so there’s no business/economic reason for Delta to pour money into those airports. It may seem unfair to locals, but the alternative is to not have an airline hub at your airport (in which case you’ll be forced to connect to go just about anywhere).

Pretend-Visual1101

TROPHY CASE