Delta is running a sale on domestic coach awards booked by Tuesday, January 9 for travel “across the U.S. 48 from January 27 through March 7, 2018.” (HT: Doctor of Credit)
Award prices start at 6500 points each way, which is strange because they often price West Coast short haul routes at 5000 points. 21 day advance purchase and a Saturday stay is required, and a maximum 30 day stay is permitted. And February 15-19 and March 3 travel is blacked out.
Leaving aside that Delta removed their award charts so you don’t ever know whether prices are higher or lower than usual, here are the deals that they highlight. Since roundtrip pricing is required you need to double the prices in miles shown (displaying pricing this way wouldn’t be legally permissible on paid fares, further undermining Delta’s continued claim that they’re just treating mileage pricing the way they handle paid tickets).
| Between | And | Each Way (Roundtrip Req’d) | ||
|
Austin, TX (AUS) |
Boston, MA (BOS) |
10,000 miles |
||
|
Austin, TX (AUS) |
Seattle, WA (SEA) |
11,000 miles |
||
|
Boston, MA (BOS) |
Cincinnati, OH (CVG) |
13,500 miles |
||
|
Boston, MA (BOS) |
Indianapolis, IN (IND) |
8,500 miles |
||
|
Boston, MA (BOS) |
Minneapolis, MN (MSP) |
11,000 miles |
||
|
Boston, MA (BOS) |
New York, NY (JFK) |
6,500 miles |
||
|
Boston, MA (BOS) |
Raleigh-Durham, NC (RDU) |
9,500 miles |
||
|
Boston, MA (BOS) |
San Francisco, CA (SFO) |
12,000 miles |
||
|
Los Angeles, CA (LAX) |
Seattle, WA (SEA) |
6,500 miles |
||
|
Nashville, TN (BNA) |
Seattle, WA (SEA) |
13,500 miles |
||
|
Portland, OR (PDX) |
Seattle, WA (SEA) |
8,000 miles |
||
|
Raleigh-Durham, NC (RDU) |
Seattle, WA (SEA) |
14,000 miles |
||
|
Seattle, WA (SEA) |
Salt Lake City, UT (SLC) |
14,000 miles |
||
|
Seattle, WA (SEA) |
San Francisco, CA (SFO) |
6,500 miles |
||
|
Seattle, WA (SEA) |
San Jose, CA (SJC) |
8,500 miles |
Note that they claim Boston – Cincinnati and Nashville – Seattle are on sale at 27,000 miles roundtrip for a saver award. Raleigh – Seattle and Salt Lake City – Seattle are on sale at 28,000 miles roundtrip. So much for the 25,000 mile domestic roundtrip saver award.
Let’s take Raleigh – Seattle. It turns out that despite advertising 28,000 mile roundtrips during the promotion period it’s possible to find a few 25,000 mile roundtrips. So it’s like they’re just making up random numbers for the sale (though lowest prices during the promotion period are lower than outside of it).
Immediately after the promotion period the lowest price for a saver award is 27,000 miles. Again — the end of the 25,000 mile ‘normal price’ saver award, yet lower than the advertised sale price.
Once we get into May though and through end of schedule the lowest price saver award roundtrip for domestic coach between Raleigh and Seattle is 30,000 miles. That’s a 20% increase over the traditional price that’s also still charged by United and American.
What used to be the ‘regular price’ is now the ‘sale price’ for a handful of dates per year. Oh, Delta.
F&#! Delta and its executives.
Cancel your credit card to show them you value your miles.
On the flip side, there is still some value in the international destinations. I actually just booked two flights on Air France using DL points!!
I’m with Gene.Well said
Appreciate his kind words
I vote with my wallet @ Alaska and others who don’t rip off the traveling public
anywhere near what Delta does to its FF program members
Last time I looked a one way to Australia for Sky Pesos was 450k one way in their mediocre business class
Booked on Qantas in First Class for 70k in miles 100X better product and experience on an A380
I’d fly Spirit over Delta but then again I’ve never flown them ;):)
Delta sucks. Why would anyone still support this joke of an airline?
Depending on when I look over the past couple of months, and for what days. I’ve been getting between 11,500 and 13,500 for a one way between LA and NYC or back. This has NOT been consistently going up or down.
Compare that to a few months ago when I would find 12,500 as the cheapest one way fare.
E. G. On a one way LAX to NYC for March 21st, right now I see it for 12,000 – which h is below the lowest I would have found a few months ago.
So in short I don’t think it’s clear at well whether they are going up or down in price, or exactly what they are doing when it comes to their award prices.
Delta award pricing is a joke…was looking for a friend at biz NYC to ICN and it’s either 190K on partners or 680K-710K in Delta One. SMH…feel sorry for you Delta suckers (though if you are domestic only it’s a good experience at least).
It is a crap shoot when looking for awards. There is still value there. I’ve found several round trips routes on ATL to LGA at just 14,500 miles. You can’t just double a 1 way to get the price in points. Several looks showed 1 way awards to be more expensive than round trip.
Delta = Frequent Flyer Terrorists