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Have you ever known someone who suffered in a abusive relationship. Their distorted thinking leads them to make endless excuses for the abuser. Like: “They really do show they love me. Sure, sometimes, I have to hide the bruises I receive but where else am I going to going to go? Plus it’s probably me at fault, not them, so if I really try hard enough and show them that I care for them then everything will work out okay. Right?”
Does the above sound familiar to you? For the rest of the post I want you to sear those thoughts in your memory while we go over some of the changes that have happened in the frequent flyer and points world over the past many years .
 - Email: job1@jdc-group.com - Phone: 404-601-3310 - Fax: 404-601-3316 The JDC Group logo is at the top left corner.](https://eyeoftheflyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/EOS-job-1024x458.png)
I used to be one of Delta Air Lines biggest cheerleaders. That was until EOS or The Evolution of SkyMiles began (SLAP). I didn’t call it The Evolution of Skymiles – no – I called it The End of SkyMiles for truly it was the beginning of the end. Back then I put up with devaluation after devaluation (SLAP) and changes in value again and again and again (SLAP SLAP). I kept making excuses that there was still merit to be had flying Delta and so I covered up my bruises. Eventually, I have reached the point that the only way to heal myself is to walk away for my own sanity.
Yesterday we had the news that Hilton for a second time this year obliterated the value of their reward points. Should we find this shocking? No! Why? Hilton has likely looked at what Delta has done for so many years and said something like: “Well, look at all those fools people that have been sticking with Delta SkyMiles no matter how awful and horrendous they make the program. They keep putting heads in (our Hilton) beds and sticking with us because where else are they going to go?”
As you can imagine, the BoardingArea.com blogs were not kind to Hilton yesterday. Look at VFTW or OMAAT for a sampling of the brutality. Even TPG, who is arguably the most kind to any airline or hotel program when they make abusive changes, got a hilarious quote from someone at Hilton who said?:
“The Hilton Honors program continues to offer incredible value, flexibility and choice to our most loyal guests.” – A Hilton Honors spokesperson told TPG
Right. OK. I got it (SLAP). That line makes up for the utter devastation you have yet again inflicted on your most loyal members (SLAP). You have done this to loyalty members, like me (SLAP), who requalify for diamond again this year, thinking that the program still has value to me.
No more. I will not keep hiding the bruises.
I have burned my Delta SkyMiles balance down to the low thousands of points and no longer work to collect Delta Points anymore because they have so little value to me. How low? As low as a quarter of a penny each so I simply have no motivation to collect the airline’s award currency. Why? I know in my heart they are going to just continue to do what they have done for years and that is to keep on with the obliteration of the program year after year without stopping so the only solution for me is to walk away.
The same thing will now happen with Hilton. I will use my hard earned Diamond status and the points I have collected over the next year or two and then call it quits with Hilton. I will then cancel all my Hilton credit cards, like I’ve done with Delta, and simply move on. I have reached the point of abandoning my distorted thinking patterns and fully realizing that it’s not ME that needs fixing – it’s THEM!
Do you agree? – René
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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.
the irony is that unlike delta, hilton is often not the nicest properties I have when making selections. The lack of the traditional promos’s have me now being more free agent like and staying in other chains when it makes sense.
Thank you guys for fixing the rss feed. It is so much nicer to be able to visit your site now.
Great! So, you’re still able to click through to our actual site?
I only use them when the price warrants it and it is outside the US where I can get breakfast, late checkout and the occasional suite upgrade. No value for top tier elites in the US. At least with Marriott I can get 4pm checkout without having to pay.
You are spot on. I was a Delta and Hilton diamond for 15 years. But COVID is really what ruined these programs. During that drastic period, many companies took drastic measures to survive. The hotels eliminated the free big breakfasts for diamonds with individually wrapped muffins, and then came back after COVID with “discounted” breakfast for Diamonds. No longer free. Delta and many others let members “roll over” their status and their points during COVID which created a massive surge in the number of premium medallion members. As a result, the sky lounges had waiting lines for people to get in because there were so many Diamonds. So what was the fix after Covid? DELTA had no chores, but to thin the ranks, so, they got rid of the MQM program and replaced it with the worthless MQD. I am just 40,000 miles away from being a 2 million miler, for which I will be awarded lifetime, platinum status. Once achieved, I plan to cancel all my DELTA, credit cards and efforts any more points. Your article is spot on.
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Not certain I understand the quarter cent value estimate. I thought skymiles were applied 1 for a penny in purchainsg tickets (with 15% bonus for AMEX reserve holders). Hilton points I generally viewed as a third of a penny. However, I only use them when the hotel I gotta have is very high ((4-500), but the room in points is 75,000 ($250 by my estimate). If that differential doesnt exist i spend cash on the HIlton card (12 points per $) for the room and wait until I can get another bargain.
I have not followed the devaluation recently. Maybe if that no longer works I will forgoe Hilton.
I will make diamond on Delta this year and have used the global upgrades every year (worth $2-4K). I am purchaing first class tix unless I can use the regional upgrades at purchase. Interstingly, I have found Paiback got me some savings on tix already purchased thru Delta in first.