The inaugural Milepoint chat with the head of a frequent flyer program or industry leader was a pretty rockin’ success. Maya Leibman, the President of American AAdvantage, was a good sport and shared some important details and explanations about the AAdvantage program and upcoming plans, like that those with current million miler status will have their accrued status miles continue to count even after any changes to the way they calculate those miles, and also that they’re planning to introduce online booking of partner awards by the end of the year. Over 800 people participated in the chat, my only complaint would be that it didn’t go on long enough. An hour is a good bit of time to get out of the evening of an executive running a billion dollar enterprise, but I wish…
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Come Meet Jeff Robertson, Head of the Delta Skymiles Program, April 29 in New York
I’ve previously shared the details of the Randy Petersen Travel Executive Summit. The heads of the American AAdvantage, United Mileage Plus, and Hyatt Gold Passport programs have been slated to be there for a lunch, where Randy offers comments on 30 years of frequent flyer programs and these leaders add their own insights. A great opportunity to meet the people who run the programs (and if it were me, I’d be thinking, get their cards and figure out how to follow up with theirs assistants whenever my miles fail to post – hah!). Well, the news today is that Jeff Robertson is now joining them as well. Here are my past posts on Jeff Robertson, who has always struck me as a candid guy. He may not always say things that I like, but when…
Jeff Robertson Speaks Candidly About Why The Delta Skymiles Program is Less Rewarding Than Its Peers
Cranky Flier visited Delta headquarters and among other stops on his agenda sat with Jeff Robertson, who runs the SKymiles program. Since I’m the guy who coined the phrase Skypesos to describe the program, I naturally felt the irresistable need to chime in on the conversation. Now, the funny thing is I don’t doubt for a minute that Jeff wants what’s best for the Skymiles program. And he understands that he needs to deliver value for his members (though he might not want to deliver too much value) in order for it to be a long-run value creating proposition. And I’d even bet that if Jeff had his druthers, Delta would make a whole lot more award seats available at ‘low’ or ‘saver’ mileage levels. Because those saver seats don’t cost the Skymiles program very…
Delta’s New President Says He Doesn’t Want People to Use Miles to Fly Free Anymore
Mar
04
2016
Incoming Delta President Glen Hauenstein, the key architect of the airline’s revenue-based this-and-that over the past decade (hint: Jeff Robertson was always a great cheerleader for the efforts, but not their driver), has declared the end of awards.
He told Bloomberg‘s Justin Bachman, “We want people to be able to use those miles not to fly for free but to control your experience,” says Glen Hauenstein, Delta’s incoming president and architect of the airline’s revenue plans.”
Instead of free flights he wants SkyMiles used at a penny apiece towards more spending on Delta products. And that’s the value many internally wanted to place on miles in a revenue-based redemption program.
Two Programs Failing Members, Continue To Expire Points During Coronavirus Crisis
Apr
06
2020
Loyalty programs will need their program members again soon. These are the people who can be incentivized to fill seats and rooms. They’re the ones who will either be chased away by a program which treats them poorly during this challenging time, or lured away by a program who treats them well.
So I think it’s especially notable which programs are still expiring their members’ miles.
Amtrak Imposes New Points Expiration Rules Without Notice (or Even Telling Members)
Apr
08
2019
For years Amtrak has made changes with no notice to its loyalty program. Even multiple times in a matter of days. A practice they’ve engaged in many times, and been called out in the Wall Street Journal for. (Amtrak even eliminated their satisfaction guarantee because too many customers were dissatisfied.)
Now that former Delta CEO Richard Anderson is in charge at Amtrak I haven’t expected anything different. So I’m not really disappointed and certainly not surprised to learn that Amtrak has imposed new expiration rules on the program without notice and without even telling members.
Is 20 Month Expiration of Miles Even Legal?
Nov
14
2016
A new legal challenge to mileage expiration in Europe raises interesting arguments about fairness and frequent flyer programs.
Expiring miles remove liabilities from a balance sheet, letting an airline recognize revenue while confiscating what is often seen morally (if not legally) as an asset.
Program policies have varied tremendously over time — sometimes a loyalty program doesn’t want to lose a customer, other times they value revenue recognition, and we’ve seen a see-saw across programs over time and different approaches around the world.
Delta Cheats on Starwood, Lets You Earn Elite Status Faster With Hilton
Oct
02
2015
Delta doesn’t run many promotions these days, except matching other airline transatlantic bonuses (sometimes). They’ve tightened up elite status rules. And they’ve gotten pretty close to Starwood hotels.
Yet they continue to run a year-end promotion with Hilton that can help you earn your Delta status faster.
That Time When Frequent Flyers Mattered to Delta
Sep
08
2015
Delta launched its Frequent Flyer program in 1981. It wasn’t re-named SkyMiles until 1995.
How Delta Plans to Foster a Lifetime of Loyalty
Aug
28
2015
Years ago United used to offer ‘College Plus’ — the biggest benefit of which was 10,000 miles upon graduation.
It’s hardly a new idea to get to consumers early while they’re forming their preferences in hopes of a lifetime of future loyalty.
Delta is partnering with 9 newuniversities to try to do just that — going “beyond logo placement and into campus life.”
