Originally Posted by
beachmouse
I think they’ve hoping that liking Delta will translate into keeping an AmEx Delta credit card. And on people not doing the research and discovering if it seems impossible to chase status, it makes more sense to throw spend on an AmEx Everyday Preferred or AmEx Gold and transferring MR points into SkyMiles as needed instead of spending on an AmEx Delta card if you’re one of the folks who prefers to fly Delta.
Right. These changes only incentivize spending $75K for lounge access if you're so tethered to Delta that you're not willing to do the math on alternatives.
I could spend $75K of unbonused spend on a DL card and earn 75,000 DL miles (~$900) and unlimited lounge access for myself.
I could spend that same $75K of unbonused spend on my Premium Rewards card and get 2.625% back, which is $1970, and buy lounge access for $675. I also get the benefits of having the rest left in cash as opposed to, you know, a currency that DL has shown little interest in propping up.
I would be implicitly be buying DL miles for 1.72 cents/mile by putting that spend on a DL card as opposed to a cash back card. No thanks.