Delta Air Lines announced today it’s extending a host of benefits — including SkyMiles Amex perks, Sky Club memberships, and waiving certain award fees.Plus, the carrier addressed something they told us earlier this year about Choice Benefits.
These announcements are in addition to or extensions of the previous announcements that Delta is rolling over all MQM and Medallion status to next year and waiving certain change fees.
Companion Certificates, Sky Club Guest Passes, $100 Travel Credits Extended
In an announcement posted on its website, Delta said they’re extending the following SkyMiles Amex perks for eligible cardholders with respective benefits issued January 1 – November 30, 2020.
Companion Certificates
Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express (business and consumer) and Delta Reserve (business and consumer) cardmembers with unused Companion Certificates will receive an additional extension to book and travel using those certs by December 31, 2021. In other words, a companion cert roundtrip must be flown by that date.
Plpus, Companion Certificates issued September 1 to November 30, 2020, are also extended to December 31, 2021.
This change is already reflected in my Delta account. (Well done, Delta IT!)
Sky Club Guest Passes
Delta SkyMiles Reserve (business and consumer) cardmembers with unused Delta Sky Club guest passes will now have until December 31, 2021, to bring a buddy into the lounge.
Those, too, are already extended in my Fly Delta app. (2 for 2, Delta IT!)
$100 Travel Credit
Delta SkyMiles Amex Gold Card (consumer and business) members who earn their $100 Delta flight credit now can redeem those credits through December 31, 2021.
Choice Benefits
A Delta spokesperson told me in April that Diamonds and Platinums whose status is extended into next year will again get to select Choice Benefits.
We now have more details on that (generous, IMHO) news.
Delta says:
Diamond and Platinum Medallion Members who selected Upgrade Certificates, Delta Sky Club Memberships, Delta Sky Club Guest Passes, or Delta Travel Vouchers or gave Medallion Status through Delta’s exclusive Choice Benefits for the 2020 Medallion Year will get to select new Choice Benefits starting on Feb. 1, 2021 (the start of the 2021 Medallion Year) or as they earn Medallion Status (like they normally would). [Bold Mine]
UPDATE: As per a Delta spokesperson, bonus miles and Tiffany gift cards (sigh) will also be available for Medallions on February 1.
Sky Club Memberships Extended
Sky Club memberships active as of March 1, 2020, are now extended through June 30, 2021.
SkyMiles Select Benefits Extended
People who purchased Delta SkyMiles Select — which credited to my Amex Platinum Airline Incidental perk — now have an additional six months to use their benefits. (Including drink vouchers! Cheers!)
Award Travel Changes
Delta is extending some higher-level Medallion benefits to all SkyMiles members for travel within the United States (including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands):
- Eliminating the $150 redeposit fee to cancel an award ticket and the $150 reissue fee to change an award ticket for all SkyMiles Members. This covers travel on all tickets, excluding Basic Economy fares. (Bold Mine)
- Allowing changes and cancelations on award tickets before departure for all SkyMiles Members, excluding Basic Economy fares. No longer will changes and cancelations made within 72 hours of departure result in the loss of miles on domestic award tickets. (Bold Mine)
These changes are permanent, which certainly is interesting. Those perks were great benefits for certain Medallion tiers (though fees and miles losses will apparently still apply to international itineraries for those who aren’t Platinum or higher).
No MQD or Delta Amex Spend Rollover Announcement
Please don’t hold your breath that Delta will roll over MQD or Delta Amex to 2021. We’ve asked that question a couple of times and it seems that won’t happen.
Final Approach
Delta is doing right by its customers. Then again, they need all the Delta Amex and other SkyMiles business they can drum up, considering they just leveraged the program for almost $10 billion. (Personally, I hope I get the chance to safely use all of my companion certs, SkyClub guest passes, and drink tickets before the end of next year.)
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I haven’t picked my 2020 choice benefits yet. Should I do it now or wait until the end of the year. Does that even matter now?
I think you’re fine waiting until the end of the year.
With that said, I’m waiting for clarification on this: “Diamond and Platinum Medallion Members who selected Upgrade Certificates, Delta Sky Club Memberships, Delta Sky Club Guest Passes, or Delta Travel Vouchers or gave Medallion Status through Delta’s exclusive Choice Benefits for the 2020 Medallion Year will get to select new Choice Benefits starting on Feb. 1, 2021…”
There’s nothing in there about the 25,000/20,000 bonus miles or Tiffany gift card.
Delta still doesn’t get it. Why should I fly Delta this year? First-class domestic upgrades are impossible to get because gate agents are not clearing them and using social distance blocking as an excuse even when the cap hasn’t been reached. I have been on two dozen flights since May. All but three or four flights had seats in first-class and comfort-plus that should have been filled with passengers on the upgrade list but never were. Delta won’t provide any service except beer and wine on most flights. Not even coffee, let alone a meal on the longest, most premium transcontinental flights. Meanwhile, Delta’s competitors are offering value for money by providing service in first-class. Delta needs to up its game:
1) 100% or 50% of 2020 MQDs should rollover.
2) Bring back an official, published award chart.
3) Allow regional upgrade certificates to be used for premium-economy.
4) Bring back complimentary upgrades on the couple of routes where the highest class of service is premium-economy, like Minneapolis and New York to Iceland.
5) Bring back around-the-world award-redemptions.
@FNT – Oh stop being so sensible and asking for smart things – but gosh I LOVE LOVE LOVE your comment.
As year end approaches I’m still not clear on Choice Benefit selections. In 2019 I earned diamond status for 2020. I understand that my diamond status will roll over for the 2021 year. I have not yet selected my 2020 Platinum and Diamond choices, which I need to make by January 31, 2021. Would expiration dates on those options, such as travel vouchers, be extended an additional 12 months? Do I then get additional choice benefits for 2021?
Thanks.
@Carol – See this post: https://eyeoftheflyer.com/2020/10/19/2020-2021-delta-choice-benefits-covid/