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I want to address a concern voiced by one reader — and it’s actually something I thought about while writing posts this past week. I work under the assumption that if one person in our readership has a question, at least a few others wonder the same thing. So, let’s talk about it!
Since René de Lambert launched this blog 13 lucky years ago, Delta Air Lines has been its primary focus. We cover other topics but Delta is our bread and butter. It’s the subject we know the most about. We’re longtime Delta customers. We have a vested interest.
And a lot has changed in those 13 years. Delta’s SkyMiles and Medallion programs underwent a few overhauls (as did loyalty programs, in general). (And the blog has changed names every four years on average. I hope that part’s done.)
“(Is) this blog going to even be about Delta anymore?”
I published a post titled “My Family Decided on 2025 Delta Status (Some of Our Readers Made Their Decisions, Too).” In the Comments section, reader “Robert” asked:
“Between Chris and Rene, is this blog going to even be about Delta anymore?”
I believe Robert alluded to Rene’s significant drop-off in Delta flying and instead taking his business elsewhere. And that my family and I will likely not fly Delta as much as we have. Our pursuit of higher Delta status tiers is not nearly the priority it once was. (Part of that, as I noted in my post, is that my clients changed nearly all of their travel jobs to remote work.)
Plus, Delta’s cash and award prices are getting crazy high. If I want to show my daughter the world, I need to afford it.
What sticks in our craw is that Delta killed MQM and MQS, showed their hand about the Medallion MQD thresholds they really want, and made it harder to earn status — only for the Ham Sandwich Enthusiast to crow that fewer seats than ever are available for upgrades.
Honestly, I wish the Delta suits cared more about their customers and the people they gaslight and call loyal. (The word “disingenuous” comes to mind.) But they’re paid millions of dollars to run a major airline. We’re paid, well, a lot less than that to write about major airlines, points/miles, credit cards, and other topics of interest. So, they must know better than us.
Yes, We’ll Still Focus on Delta
That said, I don’t plan on quitting Delta together. We enjoy the Delta product. I like some of their planes. Their airport improvements are beyond impressive. We love the new Sky Clubs. Except for a few random cranky pants and unmotivated check-collectors, Delta boots-on-the-ground and in-the-air employees are fantastic.
I think we’re good about praising Delta when it’s due. But when they make a customer-unfriendly move, we’ll call them out. (We don’t have any informal “deals” with them that influence our writing.)
Most importantly, we know our readers are Delta fans. (Or, at least, have an interest in Delta.) That’s the common bond we share! So, we’ll still bring you Delta news and reviews.
Thank you!
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.
Delta is [redacted] trash.
Great – thanks for keeping the Delta focus!
Thank you for addressing this elephant in the room. I had the same concern. I am certainly disappointed about the customer unfriendly changes that Delta has made. But I still have a number of reasons to continue to fly Delta. Now more than ever I want Delta reporting to learn how to make the most of the dwindling value of Delta miles/perks. I have found Eye of the Flyer/Rene’s points to be very helpful over the years and I hope that you will continue reporting the good and the bad about Delta.
20+ years at the highest Delta status (only a few year 360) and the current C-suite don’t give a dam. about loyalty.
I get it, they are doing very well at the moment. But times change and when they need and want loyal customers we will all be gone.
Screw Delta, lord knows they’re screwing us.
@Jerry – Brutal truth you speak but IMO correct. Until there is a change at the top expect more of the same.
Thank you Chris and Rene. I know ya’lll have changed your perspectives a bit but there are still some of us who have unfinished business with Delta and actually enjoy it at times and actually DO feel special attention and treatment as a long time loyal nobody customer.I get to use my RUs and
GUs and value them. I have Diamond till the end of 2026, and am 25,00” miles away from 2MM status which means platinum for life… so I have my goals and always appreciate your sagacious and useful insights and “runs”
I am grateful for the tremendous service and information you share and want to wish you and all happy. Eautiful healthy and safe holidays !!! Hope you see you in the new year!!
Thank you Chris and Rene, I watched you guys last fall decide you were going free agent and I decided to wait and see because initially my knee jerk reaction was the same as yours. Then my first reaction was to turn my MQM’s in to future Platinum Medallion years. Previous to last fall’s change, I had mapped my course to Platinum through 2035. Then I read Chris’s blog about waiting till the fall to make your decision about exchanging my MQM’s and decided that was good strategy. So I waited until this fall and as it worked out I had no problem achieving Platinum, used the exchange to additional miles for my MQM’s, and also achieved SkyClub entry through 2025. At this point I don’t see any issues with retaining Platinum through my original plan. I am glad I waited to respond and after my travel on other domestic airlines this year, I am continuing my loyalty to Delta. A little side bar to everyone complaining about no upgrades I am Platinum, have never been higher and never will, impossible for me. Since I have been Platinum I have been upgraded to First between 57%-72% depending on the year. I know this upgrade is always a factor of the airports you are flying through, but I consistently connect through ATL & DTW. Thanks for all your advise and tips over the years.
Hi, thanks for this great blog response to my question! Like Stan F, I am a perma-plat and have managed to get upgraded enough out of MSP to make it worthwhile. There was one glorious year I made it to Diamond and that was fantastic but it probably won’t happen again without multiple D1 trips internationally. Happy holidays and I look forward to hearing about René’s fabulous NCL adventure…
I come to this site, hoping for more insight on flying Delta than I have. To answer the questions I may have, you need to fly Delta more than I do. At this point, I don’t think that’s true. Unlike many others who have commented thus far, I still find value in being a Diamond and have been upgraded to D1 on 80% of my flights between SFO and JFK, my main route, this year. I take the family to Europe annually in J class flying KLM, using GUCs. I’ll stick with Delta and wish I could find another Delta-focused blog to help me make the most of my Delta and Skymiles experience.
Might I suggest starting your own blog?
Are you a Millennial?
The issue that we’ve seen with Delta is happening more broadly. Airlines and hotels. When a loyalty program sponsor chips away at tier benefits and sees no adverse effect on revenues, it results in increased net income. So, it cuts more tier benefits and still sees no adverse effect on revenues. To the extent that a loyalty program member leaves for another brand, a loyalty program member of the other brand leaves to join it. It’s a zero-sum game. For all of the complaints from Bonvoy members, Marriott revenues and profits are near an all-time high. Marriott has no reason to change its path. It’s the way it is, baby.
I saw tier status in general losing its value a few years back. Out of frustration, I started buying premium cabins, which come with many of the perks of tier status. I started booking the suite. Ultimately, I’ll seek tier status in a program if it produces a ***demonstrated*** benefit of incremental value (whether economic or intangible). Funny enough, the absolute best benefits I’ve received (gratis) have been at hotels without a loyalty program at which I’m a regular.