Advertiser Disclosure: Eye of the Flyer, a division of Chatterbox Entertainment, Inc., is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. Some or all of the card offers that appear on the website are from advertisers. Compensation may impact how and where card products appear on the site. This site does not include all card companies or all available card offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities. Some of the links on this page are affiliate or referral links. We may receive a commission or referral bonus for purchases or successful applications made during shopping sessions or signups initiated from clicking those links.
I got an interesting e-mail from a reader the other day that his 2021 Medallion Credentials had just arrived and they were back to the 2018/2019 cheap plastic version of the bag tag.
For those new to this #FirstWorldProblems controversy, here’s the scoop. Delta, in an effort to save cash when things were going really good for them, changed from years of sturdy metal “BragTags” with a metal loop to keep it in place to a few years of cheap plastic ones (that tend to break quickly and can not be replaced) with a rubber loop. They brought them back in 2020 in metal but sent cheap, made-in-China plastic Million Miler tags as they stopped printing your Million Miler status on your tags.
I know – there are larger issues at hand than BragTags!
That said, we did get an update on Delta.com at the start of the month that unless you EARNED your status via MQMs, MQSs and MQDs (or Amex card spend exemption) you would not be getting a new kit for 2021.
Other than the BragTags, the only other thing you normally would get would be some JWD or “Job Well Done” certs to reward Delta folks who go above and beyond taking care of you. But, due to more cost-cutting, those were suspended last year, and no word when (or if) they will be back so they are not in this year’s mailed kits anyway (or so I was told).
What you will get this year, even with the gifted status, is a new set of drink coupons. They are now 100% digitally accessed inside the Fly Delta App or on the website in your “MyProfile > Certificates” landing page on Delta.com.
Considering that this past week marked the sad, one-year anniversary since I last set foot on a Delta jet, this is much ado about nothing for me. Since I am in my 50s, it will likely be another month or two before I can get my 2x vaccination shots (and then wait two weeks) to be able to safely fly again.
Did you get 2021 Medallion credentials? Any surprises we should know about? – René
Advertiser Disclosure: Eye of the Flyer, a division of Chatterbox Entertainment, Inc., is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. Some or all of the card offers that appear on the website are from advertisers. Compensation may impact how and where card products appear on the site. This site does not include all card companies or all available card offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities. Some of the links on this page are affiliate or referral links. We may receive a commission or referral bonus for purchases or successful applications made during shopping sessions or signups initiated from clicking those links.
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.
It is sad how many free drink coupons I have from Delta in my wallet, yet Delta does not serve alcohol on planes these days.
@Frankie – Yeah I hear you. IMO so much Delta needs to have exp dates extended to at least year end 2021.
I’d be happy if they just served Coke and ice again. It’s ridiculous.
@Keith – As the vaccinated, who have not been flying for a long time, return Delta will have to move back to what was at some point.
When do you think alcohol will be served again?
@Tom – My guess is when more and more are flying and demanding i.e. start demanding! 😉
Metal MM tags would have been as Eddie in Christmas Vacation says, “really nice!” And appropriate.
Christmas Vacation comments are always in season! 🙂