Tag Archives for delta air lines.
Delta hasn’t been nearly as aggressive with mileage partnerships over the past several years, outside of its main credit card partner, as competitor airlines.
That could be changing. Through March 31, 2023 hotel and car rental bookings through their portal earn qualifying dollars towards SkyMiles elite status.
A Delta Air Lines economy passenger was spotted inflight on a four hour flight using his seat as a standing desk. He’s resting his laptop on top of his seat back, and facing backwards to work. This is a power move.
If you’ve wanted to get value out of SkyMiles you’ve needed to (1) usually fly coach, and (2) luck out with one of their ‘flash sales’ on domestic routes and travel to the Caribbean.
Even coach travel, though, is no longer reasonable even when it’s seats that are likely to go unsold in coach. They’ve started charging over 500,000 miles one way for some economy partner awards to Asia.
Considering how important frequent flyer programs are to airlines – they drive billions of dollars of high margin revenue – they disclose very little about that portion of their business. Delta filed its SEC 10-K annual report on Friday, and included tidbits about the inner workings of the SkyMiles program
A little over a year ago I expressed shock that Delta would publish 369,000 miles roundtrip in business class as a ‘flash sale’ deal to Rome.
Now 750,000 mile award trips are something they advertise as a good deal to jump on. It’s right there on their International Premium Cabin Deals page.
I just wrote about how great a job United Airlines has been doing recognizing the special moment that a customer reaches a lifetime status milestone – at the airport and inflight. It seemed fitting to share this heartfelt message from a newly-minted Delta Air Lines seven million miler.
Since Friday, February 3 Delta Air Lines employees are no longer permitted to use Sky Clubs when traveling as nonrevs – even if they purchased a club membership or have the American Express co-brand Reserve card that comes with access.
Now there’s a petition with over 7,000 signatures asking Delta to restore access. It’s an open letter to airline CEO Ed Bastian, ‘let my co-workers in!’
Award travel on Delta is now 17.6% higher for SkyMiles members who do not have an American Express co-brand. That’s because having a co-brand Delta Amex (Gold and higher) comes with ‘TakeOff 15’, a 15% discount on Delta award travel. Those without the card pay 17.6% more miles than those without it.
Delta gained control of a full gate at Dallas Love Field under a legal settlement last summer, and will begin fully utilizing it in June.
Meanwhile Delta is finally going to grow in Austin. I broke the news they planned a focus city in my home town nearly five years ago. Growth here, delayed by the pandemic, is finally beginning.
Delta Air Lines, in its internal communications, is highlighting not just how much they’re paying out to employees in profit sharing – they’re highlighting how much better Delta employees have it than those who work for their largest competitors.
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
