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I trusted Delta last year when they said all the “good stuff” about Skymiles 2015, that is, more low level space, a working award booking page and a better program for 2015. We now know all of that was nothing but smoke and mirrors. I can read the handwriting on the wall as well as anyone else.
VERY BAD THINGS ARE ABOUT TO HAPPEN
So, and I must stress that I am a Diamond Medallion and have the luxury of changing my award tickets all I want free up to 72 hours before flight (Platinum Medallions can do this too), I have booked up 757,500 worth of Skymiles tickets for trips throughout the year.
I have booked two business class round trip tickets to Sweden for my wife and I and another one one-way as well. I have also booked for myself another business class round trip ticket and it took a number of HUCB to get it done at LEVEL 1 not higher levels as DELTA.dumb told me it should be. All were 62,500 points each way and on one I even get to ride on a VA 747 🙂
I have also, at long last, pulled the trigger for a trip I have always wanted to take to Australia. I have booked, again at LEVEL 1, from the USA to Australia and back at 80,000 points each way per person and will be on Korean Air business on the way out and Virgin Australia on the way back. I have not flown either product and cannot wait to try them.
I also burned up a bunch of my and Lisa’s Club Carlson points, all from credit card bonus points (we each hold a card), and I love that I get two nights for the price of one with the card on points and free GOLD status as well. All my nights in Australia will be FREE on points! #Winning
This leaves me with just under 200, 000 Skymiles left in the “bank”. I may have to look at finding at least one more trip somewhere as I want to be under 100,000 by 1MARCH15 when I am guessing the next hammer will fall (or sooner).
Now what if you are Gold Medallion or lower. Should you book like crazy like me? I CANNOT TELL YOU TO DO THAT! However, if you have a 100% set in stone trip you will take and there is ZERO chance you will need to change or cancel it – then YES I would work to find LEVEL 1 seats NOW before it is too late.
Need help finding those LEVEL 1 seats and don’t want to take the time with one or many Delta reps on the phone – ADAM is standing by to help you– René
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Responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
I was able to book my honeymoon from TPA(or MCO) to Bali for 80k skymiles/ticket last week and i was amazed it was available. I feel like this is a great time to use them as well
@Charlie – Very true. That is the worst case but that is per ticket. It is an option however.
@Rene –
Do you suppose that DELTA may change that perk (ability to redeposit booked SkyMiles with no penalty) for Diamonds in their next round of changes? Which, obviously looking at how quickly they are firing these changes out could come as early as tomorrow?
@John Delta – Doubtful. Plus most tickets are under the conditions in which you booked.
I honestly won’t put it past Delta even to take away Award Change Fee Waiver from DM and PM’s now!
I have booked 370,000 miles from Oct to April because I don’t trust Delta, leaves me at 10K but I am booking price first on any future paid trips. Delta has lost me.
Rene, I think you will enjoy your KE flight experience especially if on its A380. You might want to look into flying SU. It has a real business class product and service intra-Europe unlike my experience with KLM.
I was going to use miles to return from AKL but my trip date isn’t bookable for a month. I have no status. Do you suggest waiting and praying or moving the trip up?
@Deborah – I can not make that call for you. As mentioned by others in comments, IF you do make the booking, be ready for a $150 cancel fee to redeposit.
@René –
We just booked 440K worth of trips, all at LEVEL 1 Awards!
I hate having to deal with this…since we are on vacation (courtesy of another airline…we are looking at StAAtus MAAtching soon).
When we get back home…guess we will have to shop for another 800K in trips and bid DL a (not-so) fond adieu!
P.S. This is probably what Delta wanted all along…for all these miles to get flushed out of their system! I hope they choke on them!
I wish I could book my trip. I only have about 28,000 miles because I use them as soon as I accumulate enough for a business elite seat. I was planning to book business elite to South Africa once I get enough miles later this year (trip is next January) and since those are always at the highest level then I’ll need 175,000 miles for a one-way ticket. I really hope Delta doesn’t increase that amount this year!
Just completed my Aa status match. One trip to Dubai. Started with gold. 200$ challenge 10000 elite status points to platinum. Got AA executive plat. Credit card for $450. Free access to admirals club. Found them to be better than delta skyclub. Plus still can bring 2 guests. Will be blogging soon. Hoping Rene will join me in a AA Blog.
@Jay – You should reach out to AAdvantageGeek to guest blog for him 😉
Can anyone confirm what happens to the Delta companion cert, once it’s in your Delta wallet and you cancel the Am Ex Delta Platinum card. Retention person told me it would be forfeited. Not sure if that is true but thought I would ask here.
@John – it will NOT go away. see this post: http://deltapoints.boardingarea.com/2015/02/04/rookie-wednesday-perks-rules-delta-amex-cards-qa/
@Rene –
New DELTA Mileage Program I am calling #MyMiles
You dump your DELTA AmEx Reserve card go back to the Gold Delta AmEx card, so you get free checked bag.
Next, you buy a C+ seat and enjoy free food & beverages
You want tho upgrade to First Class? Wait and see if Delta markets a cheap first class upgrade prior to flight.
Best of all? No $450 annual fee for the Reserve card, no MQM’s required
#AwatdChartGate #SkyMiles2016Fail
Hi, New to traveling, so was interested on finding out what card to purchase from Delta. Have no points yet. Your site was informative. Still not sure what card I should purchase, if any. I am traveling from US to Australia on Delta and was not sure if having some points would be favorable. From the site it seems yes, but still not clear. Thanks.