FlyerTalkers,

It was great seeing many of you at the Road Warrior event in ATL a couple weeks ago. As I said to many of you there, we’ve worked very hard over the last 12 months to align and ultimately bring together the SkyMiles and WorldPerks programs. Our goal has been and we will continue to create the industry-leading program that you’d expect from the world’s largest airline. I hope that you will agree that these announcements align with that philosophy.

There’s still work to be done and I appreciate the feedback that many of you have and continue to provide over the web and through email. Today however, marks a major step in the integration of the two programs and our airlines – as we unveil details of the 2010 Medallion program.

In short, we’re keeping all the current Medallion program features, several that many of you said to leave in place, including:

• Unlimited complimentary upgrades for all elites in the US48, Canada, Alaska, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and Northern South America
• Priority security access, priority boarding, preferred seating and waived checked baggage charges for everyone in the elite record
• Retaining of the 75,000 EQM requirement for Platinum status (I know this was a hot item of discussion and whether we would raise the threshold to align with AA and UA)
• A 500-mile minimum on all flight segments for all customers
• A 50% elite-qualifying and base mileage bonus on YBM coach fares
• One elite-qualifying mile and base mile per mile flown on all fares in all channels

And, we are permanently adding the following new benefits:

• Rollover MQMs: We’ll be the first airline to allow customers to roll over any Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) earned above a Medallion threshold each calendar year to jump start your elite qualification for the following year. For example, should you earn 40,000 MQMs this calendar year, the 15,000 MQMs that exceed the Silver Medallion threshold of 25,000 MQMs, will all be rolled over and be in your elite bank on January 1st. There is no limit to the amount of rollover and this benefit is effective now.
• Diamond Medallion Status: A fourth Medallion level for flyers who earn 125,000 MQMs or fly 140 segments per calendar year that will offer the richest benefits of any airline – including a popular request (bringing back complimentary lounge memberships)
• No Direct Ticketing Fees: Diamond, Platinum and Gold Medallion members will have ticketing fees waived for all bookings.
• Choice Benefits: Diamond and Platinum Medallion members will choose from a menu of benefits, including the ability to gift Medallion status, bonus miles, Delta Sky Club day passes, and new systemwide upgrade certificates (formerly PMUs) that will now be redeemable on the day of departure.
• Unlimited complimentary upgrades on award tickets

Since many of you asked about the systemwide upgrade certificates at the road warrior event, I thought I would share a few more specifics around these. Up through the end of this year, all Platinum Medallions will continue to receive six Platinum Medallion upgrades just as they do today – no changes. Beginning in 2010, rather than six systemwide upgrades, Platinums will now have the option of receiving four new systemwide upgrades or can choose from a set of optional benefits instead. For those current Platinum Medallions who earn the new Diamond Medallion status, in addition to the four systemwide upgrades, they will receive two additional choice-benefits including the ability to have six additional systemwide upgrades for a total of 10 systemwide upgrades. The new systemwide upgrades will still require the purchase of a YBM fare, however will become usable on the day of departure and will also become fully automated (no more paper). In essence, should a Diamond or Platinum Medallion purchase a YBM fare internationally and there are empty seats in Business Class on the day of departure, we will now upgrade them using these certificates. Further to this, since 80% of Platinum Medallions today do not use the systemwide certificates that we send out, 4 out of 5 customers will actually opt to choose other benefits – in lieu of systemwide upgrade certificates. These other benefits will include additional bonus miles, lounge passes, the ability to gift elite status to anyone else, gift cards and other soon to be announced travel related items.

You can find more details delta.com/newskymiles, but I wanted to be sure you all were among the first to hear about the new program. I recognize we can’t please everyone all the time, but I hope you agree that these changes are a big step forward in making our elite program the best in the industry.

We will be reading the comments on the DL forum and will do our best to answer questions that you may have as they arise.

As always, thanks for your interest in and passion for the SkyMiles program.

Enjoy,
Jeff