I know – LEVEL 1 a.k.a. the lowest level award on the hidden award charts Delta does uses to this day are very hard to find. And not just from one airport, from many airports. It does take a lot of work to find the cheapest award tickets you can.
Thankfully if you don’t want to do the work we do have help with those like ADAM!
But let’s say you wanted to lock in tickets and you ended up booking at LEVEL 2 or, shudder, LEVEL 3 award pricing. What then? Are you stuck at that award price?
For Delta elite’s, Diamond and Platinum’s, it is a simple thing to check now and then if the price for your route or a route with airports nearby that can work, and then cancel and reissue the ticket at no cost to you (up to 72 hours before flight). But what about everyone else who would have to pay a fee? Still worth it? Yes, but there are ways to avoid the fee.
I often blog about the “Mighty Schedule Change Rule” with Delta. It is one of the best things since sliced bread. Also, it seems, just about every single Saturday of the year Delta in one way or another rolls out some kind of schedule change for a bulk of its flights. This can help you if:
- Your flight was changed by more than an hour (or less)
- Your carrier was changed from one to another
- Any of your flights were canceled
The first one is the most important and I would always call. As the reps if, due to the schedule change, they can please see if the computers will allow them to reissue the ticket at no charge. If the new award is less points (you checked in advance – right?) then they can credit you the difference in miles back to your account.
The next one you sometimes have to fight with them to agree to but if you booked with say one Delta connection carrier and are now on another you should get a free change. After all, there is a legal reason Delta has to always tell you some flight is not flown by Delta but their partner when you book! #Tip 😉
Lastly, there can be times your flight was canceled and they put you on another flight at about the same time (or not the same time at all). Either way check this and you can use this to get points back if now a lower price is offered.
Anyway, just a quick reminder for Friday for you to check your award flights this weekend and see if you can maybe save yourself some SkyMiles on tickets you overpaid for with miles (next time just call ADAM please)! – René
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