Delta has been rumored to be introducing a new, revenue-based frequent flyer program since March. An internal document on the potential program was leaked, and ever since then the frequent flyer community has been waiting for Skypesos armageddon.
The rumors heated up last month. My own prediction has been that Delta announces the program in 2013 and introduces it for 2014 (even though they have a history of making changes with no notice whatsoever, it’s hard to imagine this one is done without a rollout).
And by ‘this one’ we don’t yet know what it is. And I’ve decided not to worry about it for my own travels. There are plenty of frequent flyer programs in the world, I like the Flying Blue and Korean Air programs within Skyteam better anyway (largely but not exclusively because of access to first class awards).
Still, I’m following things with interest. And it appears that the announcement of a new program may be closer than many think.
Delta has rolled out a new website. Same technical challenges especially with award search and the award calendar, but a new look and an attempt to be modern and ‘social’ they want you to link your Facebook account for instance.
A Flyertalk member noticed on the new site that the on the benefits summary page the link for more information off of ‘Rollover Medallion Qualification Miles’ brings you to the wrong page.
The link is https://www.delta.com/content/www/en_US/skymiles/new-skymiles-program.html.
And, while blank of text, the link clearly is for details of a ‘New Skymiles Program’.
While there was some speculation that this could have been a stale, leftover website, another Flyertalk member noticed that the HTML was recently edited, and even some information redacted from the page as recently as last month.
//myTripsWidget.init(); //COMMENTED OUT TO PREVENT MULTIPLE INIT CALLS 10-10-12 1:57pm
It does seem that Delta’s IT team is trying to tell us that this is coming…
Update 7:42am Eastern: It looks like Delta has now pulled down the page. And they’ve now changed the link that ‘Rollower Medallion Qualifying Miles’ directs to, it now strangely sends you to a page on Million Miler status (which is equally incorrect).
Now the rollover link takes you to million miler benefits. Humm…
Yep, was in the process of updating the post when you commented. They did a ‘WHOOPS’…!
Now it redirects to Medallion program overview… Woopsie 🙂 Glad I have worked through my balance already this year.
what would you recommend for a Delta Gold living in one of their hubs? time to switch to another airline or?
The commented out bit is not a good indicator of anything. That same line appears in the main delta.com page, so it’s a common header file that’s being included across the site. It most likely lives in a completely different file that was edited and given that timestamp.
@Not FTG – if I cared about non-sops I’d probably still stick with flying Delta to avoid the hassle of another airline, Delta is still a perfectly good airline to actually FLY. Just recognize the miles are less rewarding, and be sure you’re accumulating miles for non-flying activity elsewhere.
As an update – link now fixed. Now goes to:
http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_US/skymiles/about-skymiles/medallion-program.html
I don’t think the commented-out line is significant. It is probably just the JavaScript syntax to access an object method for a discontinued widget or something.
This is going to backfire on delta as “cheap elites” who round out flights filling empty seats jump ship putting price and schedule before airline loyalty. Too bad, after Delta sees the unintended consequences and has to cut flight and crew hours, starting a downward spiral in overall business, it will be too late to lure their previously loyal elites back. The numbers crunchers often do not understand the human element involved in their statistical analysis.