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As much as Delta has been doing for the good with the Medallion program but it seems the SkyMiles team is still just as horrid as they always have been and are looking for ways to continue to decimate any kind of value out of the award program. Let’s start with what we know.
As you can see from the screen shots above, Delta has jumped one way business class awards from 70,000 to 85,000 on partners (in this case Virgin Atlantic and KLM) ie about a 21% price jump and in coach from 30,000 to 35,000 or about a 17% price jump in SkyMiles cost.
Another example would be to Asia and we see in the above search Delta One ie Delta metal flights remain at 80,000 or a Level 1 award price but partners have jumped to 95,000 points or about a 19% jump and in coach from 35,000 to 40,000 or about a 14% increase.
We should keep in mind this is following on the heels of the recent price jump from 50,000 to 62,500 to 70,000 and now to 85,000 for a one-way trip to Europe in business class just over the past few years.
The really frustrating part is what Delta SkyMiles team is best at – no advanced notice. They tell no one! Now as some point out they can do this at will because it is in the T&C but that does not make it any less reprehensible or shameful. The other major problem with this disgusting change is finding Level 1 Delta awards is VERY hard. Finding partner awards has been reasonably easy.
I have reached out to Delta reps to confirm this change is a change and not a bug but I am not holding my breath. As to what I think about this and the other changes over the past few years? Remember that on October 6th I pronounced Delta Skymiles had died. This shifting of the rotting corpse that is SkyMiles has not changed that feeling. Delta does much good – SkyMiles is not one of those good things! – René
HT to reader Billy Mumphrey
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Maybe its time for many of us to find a new mileage program. Do you think about it? If you did, where would you go? thanks.
@Evan – I don’t fly Delta for SkyMiles. You are better off earning miles on credit cards and then buying tickets and award for example AMEX Membership Rewards business card that give you 50% points back when you spend them and are considered a paid ticket. If you want a good Frequent Flyer rewards program look to Alaska Airlines. They are the best right now.
I was pissed when it jumped to 62,500. I guess I missed the 70,000 jump. I am disappointed about 85,000. They are totally killing my trips to Europe. Meh. Humbug.
@Graydon – Yes but think how many SkyMiles you earn for tickets buying 1st class as a business owner? 😉
Rene, are we sure this isn’t some sort of IT glitch tied to yesterday’s trainwreck in ATL? Adding a short hop to a hub seems to bring the partner mileage back in line to Delta metal.
Why the surprise? They gave a clear message when they first did this that this is their style. They don’t care. So, I am surprised that most bloggers are mad they did it again. Their message is: “We are in charge here. Not happy? Go somewhere else.”
Put a CRJ in front of that cr*p! Let’s burn those Monopoly Miles
Folks at Regional airports will make out all right; hub captives #NotSoMuch
Ahhhh. I was just about to book a trip to China. Now i’m short! I’m done with them!!
Guess I should be happy connecting so as to keep partner level even with Delta. Strange. Wonder how long this lasts?
If this is indeed not a glitch, how much more of this stuff are people going to take? You have choices, limited though they are. Delta is boiling you like frogs.
@John – I do not fly Delta for SkyMiles but for elite perks etc. I gave up on SkyMiles a while ago. They are ONLY a rebate.
@ Rene – On another topic, my family and I got caught up in the disaster that was Atlanta the past few days, and I kept thinking about how you said SNAPP was going to be a disaster when IRROPs occurred. You called it! What an embarrassing display for Delta. SNAPP worked just as you predicted…terrible. 1 Step Forward = 3 Steps Back. Keep churning out the great content!
Said it before, I’ll say it again, I’m glad I got off the Delta / SkyTeam circus train, and moved elsewhere. (Even flying out of ATL)
I have never witnessed such a complete failure of service delivery. On Friday, two days after Wednesday,s weather event, the airline is still on its knees with scores of cancelled and delayed flights and no end in sight. To top it off, the call center, even the Diamond desk, is still blown up with lengthy delays for service. No one can control the weather, but Delta can, and should, control how it responds to the weather. Their response this week was a monumental failure.
Please everyone fly someone else. #deltaforlife
I’ve moved all my flying to AA as I am in ORD now. I almost have 140,000 sky miles and was planning to burn them all up on a trip to Europe. Looks like I have to now save up another 30k miles?!!!!!
Do you have any other suggestions for good ways to burn these miles up and be done with Delta? 30k additional miles would take forever to accrue and by the time I do they would probably just raise the prices again.
You might put Adam and the team to task to maximize your opportunities with those remaining SkyMiles
I fly Delta for its operational performance not withstanding this past weekend’s nightmare. However, I don’t appreciate Delta rewarding customer loyalty with a gut punch time and time again.