Originally Posted by
gusd
Not anymore. If you call, there is no option to put a reservation on hold, not even even if you want to call later to redeem. Now you have to ticket it right away. I tried putting an itinerary on hold in April while on the phone, to think about it and call back later (I can never find the lowest level availability using delta.com for my destinations), but the agent said it is not possible, I have to book it or risk loosing it.
They may have closed this loophole but I know it worked in March. If you did not have enough miles in your SkyMiles account for the award you wanted but expected to soon have it via any means (partners or actual flights) they would hold it for you till those miles posted. Once they posted you could redeem it online. I moved a batch of miles from my SkyMiles account to my WorldPerks account putting me at about 4000 short of the award I was looking for. I then called in and got the itin I wanted locked and loaded. I said thank you and hung up. I then waited a day (flew a leg or two during that time IIRC), moved the miles back to SkyMiles and redeemed the award fee free.