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Delta Air Lines apparently isn’t done with major moves this week.
First, the Atlanta-based carrier announced yesterday that SkyMiles award travel will permanently earn MQM, MQD, and MQS. Plus, Delta revenue ticket earnings are no longer capped at 75,000 SkyMiles each trip.
But now, we have a blockbuster — and the move may not be popular with some of Delta’s most loyal, mega- spending customers.
The airline’s exclusive, invitation-only Delta 360 status will soon open to anyone with a SkyMiles account!
Buy Delta 360 Status: How We Found Out
We learned the news this week at Delta’s big LAX SkyWay ribbon-cutting ceremony. (The SkyWay project looks gorgeous, by the way. I can’t wait to share full reviews here on the blog!)
I overheard Alan Baum (Delta’s new Vice President of SkyMiles Status Acquisitions and Liquidation Projects) mention it to Los Angeles City Councilperson Felicia Gomez Hernandez. She said her husband “always wanted to get a Delta Porsche ride” for his quarterly trips to New York.
She mentioned he’s “only” a Gold Medallion. So, he’s out of luck, right?
Mr. Baum asked if she had ever heard of Delta 360: the airline’s “annual, invitation-only” status rewarding Delta’s top VIPs. (It’s even higher than Diamond Medallion status!) Delta doesn’t officially disclose how exactly to score an invitation. But data points suggest a combination of heavy spending and frequent travel with Delta could score you this coveted status upgrade.
Well, at least it was.
He told Ms. Gomez Hernandez that Delta 360 status will be available for purchase using Delta SkyMiles, starting May 1, 2022.
When I introduced myself to Mr. Baum and asked him about the news, he politely said he couldn’t comment on anything and then hurried off to a photo op in the new Sky Club kitchen. (Maybe I should’ve said that I work at The Points Guy.)
When I emailed Mr. Baum, a Delta spokesperson responded for him and said, “The Delta 360 program is a special club. No announcements have yet been made about any changes to how people may join the program.”
But during my redeye flight last night from LAX to JFK, a Delta corporate employee flying non-revenue sat near me in (yes, in Delta One — we had an informative but lovely chat about this post that apparently triggered a lot of outrage from Delta employees).
”Paid” Delta 360 Benefits
First, she confirmed the “paid” Delta 360 program will open to new members on May 1, 2022.
How much will it cost us?
Get ready. Just a mere 500,000,000 SkyMiles each year (unless there is another COVID-19 or other rollover). Better jump on those special Delta Amex welcome bonuses now.
The Delta employee told me what she’s heard about the new “purchased” Delta 360 status perks.
The first one is a guaranteed Porsche ride every year at airports such as Las Vegas, San Jose, John Wayne/Orange County, Charlotte, and Washington Dulles. (Yay?) This perk will somehow be accessible in the upgrade Fly Delta app.
Of course it will.
Want more Porsche rides? What about scoring rides at hubs? There’s always the chance you’ll luck out and get them. But she warned me that with gas prices so high, 360 members “damn well better enjoy a golf cart ride, let alone a Porsche ride, if they get one.”
Yikes!
The next is complimentary Delta “Junior Manager” Sky Club Membership. Details on that new addition will be announced sometime later this month, she said.
“We’re also printing up collector’s edition brag tags, too,” she added. “People will be so proud to show off their 360 status. Plus, it’s good marketing. It gets people talking about the SkyMiles program.”
Finally, Delta 360 members “might, could, I don’t know” (her words – not mine) get discounted seats on Wheels Up empty leg flights. I asked her how much of a discount members could expect? She said, “somewhere between five and eight percent.” But that has yet to be determined depending on revenue management’s final determination.
When I asked if “paid” Delta 360s can expect shorter phone wait times (some “earned” 360s are on hold for several hours during COVID, it seems), she said no (They have to wait with the rest of the 360s).
When I asked about first class upgrades, she said that upgrade monetization is basically thinning the availability of seats up front. “I wouldn’t count on it,” she said. “If you really want first [class seats], you have to pay for it. Or use more SkyMiles to buy up.”
So What’s the Point?
I told her that the program doesn’t seem that great for something costing a half-billion SkyMiles.
“Some people will drop close to millions of SkyMiles just to fly round trip to Europe nowadays in Delta One,” she said (bold mine). “So, you can bet a few members will pay a premium just to say they’re Delta 360s.”
She’s not wrong.
Plus, it’s a great way for Delta to get tons of SkyMiles off the books. Remember, they mortgaged the loyalty program a couple of years ago.
“I remember when (Delta Air Lines President) Glen (Hauenstein) said something about Delta passengers being ham sandwiches or something like that,” she said. “Forget that. People who buy Delta 360 status are like the whole roasted pig at a luau.”
Lovely.
She mentioned that Mr. Baum (with whom she’s interacted only a few times) seems like a smart person which she found “sort of surprising,” considering he came over from Spirit just two months ago. (He was Co-Manager of Spirit’s Marketing Assets and Promotional Properties Division.)
A Delta 360 Member Reacts
We told a trusted, loyal Eye of the Flyer reader and current Delta 360 member about the upcoming, confidential changes, in exchange for a comment. Joel Hember agreed to share his thoughts on the condition that we don’t use his name (out of fear that Delta would revoke his 360 status).
“It’s complete bull [redacted],” this anonymous reader said. “I spend more time on Delta planes than at home with my family. And now gate lice who can rack up millions of frequent flyer miles on credit cards and without stepping on a plane can suddenly buy 360 status?! Loyalty is a two-way street as the voice of Donald Sutherland promised us. Now I’m done — and turning the corner onto a different avenue.”
Can you blame him?
Delta 360 Masks to AeroMexico?
Get ready to see lots of Delta 360 face coverings on AeroMexico.
First, Delta dumped a bunch of Premium Select amenity kits to AeroMexico. Our source told me that Mr. Baum is arranging to send Mexico’s national carrier several shipments of Delta 360 face coverings for passengers who forget their masks during these waning days of mask mandates.
Unserved Delta Biscoff cookies and Kind bars are also being distributed to AeroMexico. So, if your AeroMexico snacks seem a little stale…
Delta 180 Status?
Congratulations: you’ve officially earned Delta 180 status!
What does that mean?
Clearly most of this post is not true. Delta isn’t selling 360 status via Skymiles (well, yet). And we made up the bit about Delta handing down masks and snacks to AeroMexico (though we certainly wouldn’t be surprised). Happy April Fool’s Day, everyone!
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.
Chris, you said you would not use my name! Remove my quote right now!!!!!!
@Joel – Sorry – maybe you should reach out to the airline. It’s not like this blog is still called “Delta Points” after all.
I’m too sensitive to April 1, I saw through this right away! Nice job though!
@Barry – I am afraid Chris may have given Delta an idea to consider. 😉
Oops. Sorry.
I love it, not one single “dignitary” is wearing a mask at the airport. And not one single mention of that fact in your article. The hypocrisy of these “dignitaries” knows no bounds. And the lectures to us lowly “non-dignitaries” (Paying customers) about following the rules continues.
Need I say anything more?
@Prestonv – Did you not read in the post that they don’t have any because they shipped them all off to AeroMexico? 🙁
Joel Hember agreed to share his thoughts on the condition we don’t use his name (out of fear that Delta would revoke his 360 status).
“It’s complete bull [redacted],” this anonymous reader said.
Seems like you had a brain fart.
@Prestonv – Opppssieee. At least Chris did not post his AOL email! 🙂
Totally.
Chris….hook, line and sinker – you got me!!! (I thought the 500,000,000 miles was a typo and you meant “only” 500,000). Happy 4/1 to you too
” ‘only’ 500,000″ That’s hilarious!! 😉
Got me too. Nice work! The whole thing didn’t surprise me at all after last night, when I bit the bullet and tried to use an e-credit to upgrade a TA to Premium Select. It wouldn’t complete my purchase using eCredits, only a credit card and then it wouldn’t go thru as they were changing the cost while I was trying to buy! So 500 million miles didn’t shock me at all. (Smile) and I’m still in the back of the plane.
“The whole thing didn’t surprise me at all…”
And that’s the thing, isn’t it? René and I were both, like, this is something that would but wouldn’t surprise a lot of people.
So funny. Thanks for the laugh today.
You’re very welcome. We had a good time.
Hahah. Chris, you had me completely fooled! Lol amazing!
Fooled about what?
And here I thought I finally had a good use for the 3 TRILLION SkyMiles I’ve accumulated. So disappointed.
3 TRILLION?! Where are you taking me?!
That should be enough for two first class tix to Mars.
Chuck, so you defected to Delta too, probably for the same reason I did! How comes you only have 3 trillion ?
Well, it’s like this: Flying the entire Israeli family (8 plus me) to the US for Pesach in Delta one. Flying my children and grandchildren from the US to Israel for a granddaughter’s wedding (22 more in Delta One), puts a slight dent into the accumulation. But, hey – what are the miles for if not simachot.
Chag Kasher v’ Sameach
Chuck
You too, Chuck! Yes, that would definitely deplete the points! Well worth it though (I just came back from Israel in Delta One using a global upgrade that cleared with 20 minutes to spare – just amazing – and they even had enough upgraded kosher meals for me!).
Chuck and I met on another forum and then bumped into each other in an airport a few years later. Small world! No, this isn’t a joke and neither is the part about my upgrade!
OMG it took me 5 minutes to realize what was going on here!!! Well played, well played…….!!!!! This is PURE GOLD!!!!
Thanks, Howard. But I think you mean “This is PURE 360!!!!”
You got me too!
There were times even I believed it. But that doesn’t come as a surprise to those who know me.
Had me… I was thinking “Joel Hember is gonna be LIVID”
Oh, he is. Joel’s blowing up my phone with texts and emails.
and the non-rev “yes in Delta One” – how could I not LOVE that one 😉
Turns out that not everyone loved it. Go figure?
Joel Hember was a nice touch.
Thanks — but he seems pretty upset with me. 😉
Wow, with a comment like below, no wonder why he spends more time in the air vs with his family. “Gate Lice”… the fact that this cmt was added to the article devalues the article.
“And now gate lice who can rack up millions of frequent flyer miles on credit cards and without stepping on a plane can suddenly buy 360 status?! Loyalty is a two-way street as the voice of Donald Sutherland promised us. Now I’m done — and turning the corner onto a different avenue.”
Well, if I’m going to sell out an imaginary source, I should probably quote that person accurately. Sorry. I’ll try to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
@Chris – I can not get Joel to return my emails anymore!
I’ve made my lawyer aware, just in case. Thanks for the heads-up.
Thanks for wasting my time with this stupidity. Now I know not to waste anymore time on your articles.
That was an April Fool’s joke too (hopefully!).
The “Gate Lice” line made the process of playing along entirely worthwhile. You’re in good company, too. A prominent blogger on all things “Star Trek” had a lovely piece on Paramount’s decision to “demaster” “Deep Space Nine” and “Voyager” episodes by scouring rummage sales for VHD copies from the 1990s and early 2000s BUT ONLY IF IN THE ORIGINAL SHRINK WRAP.
Nice!