Denolloyd

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Almost impossible to "game" DL via SkyBonus. The benefits of the program take relatively significant spend to reap. At best those at the low end would qualify for ten drink certain. If one is seeking to crack down on "gaming", there are certainly better areas to explore.

CJKatl

Because I'm a masochist or glutton for punishment, I'll throw myself into the lions' den and try to explain this...

The OP met the spending minimum for the program, but DL arbitrarily decided some of his trips weren't for business, took them from his total and said he didn't meet the spending requirement to requalify.

Many of us speak at conferences for a living, and travel to locations where those conferences take place. Often, those are resort or vacation areas. That doesn't mean we aren't traveling for business. But for those engagements, many of us wouldn't have work. Flying into Hawaii may sound relaxing, but when you're doing three speaking engagements over two days, it's hardly a vacation. You'd be doing the same thing if you were going to Altoona instead of Honolulu. Who is some twit at DL to arbitrarily decide if it's Hawaii, or a similar location, it must not be work?

I work for a large company, so I don't have skin in this battle, but most people who do what I do in my industry are what you are calling a "consultant." Many earn $5-10k/half day presentation. It's not some fake business created for tax write-offs and/or to fool DL. It's how they make a good living.

readywhenyouare

I don't know much about the Skybonus program but I would agree there are certainly better options to "game" Delta if one desired. Of course our resident radio personality is of the mindset that everyone on FT is out to game poor Delta. I'm not sure why he doesn't fly Netjets since there are no "gamers" he would have to put up with there.

Canarsie

Not I.

bubbashow

I honestly was just curious. I don't know much about the program. I could see if you were a consultant running all your travel through the program because you are the business.

Denolloyd

To enroll in SkyBonus (at least when I did years ago), one needed to have a valid tax id number. Not sure if they also required articles of incorporation, etc., but you needed to have an established business. The benefits were slow to accrue, but providing one (or many) traveled often, the points could be used for a variety of things. The main point though, the requirements for entering the program, in addition the paltry earning rate, leads me to believe there was likely little in the way of "gaming" occurring. Simply would not have been worth the time or the effort.

ILovetheReds

It's pretty hard to game Skybonus I'm sure it can be done but not worth it for the few benefits you receive.

IIRC you have to give skybonus a FEI number (and I don't think a SSN will work). And I belive you also had to have .com address and couldn't use a yahoo or AOL addy (it's been a while so I could be wrong on that).

While we are on the topic of SB, did anyone else notice they raised the required number of points from 100K to 160K for a year Skyclub membership?

If I wasn't a hub captive this program would benefit me a lot more. It's too hard to earn points with the low earn rate from hub's.

MikeMpls

What they are doing is boosting their Profit & Loss statements at the expense of those whose accounts are closed. Like miles, those points are liabilities and must be accounted for every quarter -- wipe out enough accounts w/ a liability valued at $1M and you've just boosted the next quarterly profit by $1M.

I'm sure Mother Delta appreciates your sacrifice. Miles might no longer expire (after large numbers had already been wiped off the books ) but your points just did.

waltinsocal

Just got off the phone with a very nice SkyBonus rep. He told me there was a software program that ran on Dec. 31 to see if the SkyBonus member had spent $5,000 annually for the past two years as apparently the program requires. Regardless, he did re-instate my account...I didn't have a ton of points in there, but I did want the ones I had. I did notice the cost of a day pass appears to now take double the points. (5 day passes for 60,000 points).

Denolloyd

What did you need to provide if you don't mind me asking? I just may give them a call.

will2288

Mine was closed, as well.

I don't blame DL for it (), but I do wish had I cashed out for some free drink coupons and lounge passes beforehand.

waltinsocal

Sure..I politely told the rep that I was unaware of the spend requirement, which was totally true...told him with the new MQD requirement I should be able to meet the requirement and asked him if would kindly help out this time...he unfroze my account while I was on the phone and now I can access it and my points

HookemHorns

I would guess that those who are trying to "game" SkyBonus are the ones who seek out friends/family that don't work for large corporations, and ask those people to put their SkyBonus number in their profiles. You could really rack up points if you could get, say, 100 people on board. I could do this, but it isn't me.

Yes, that's exactly what I was thinking, although I'm surprised they were so aggressive instead of just whacking inactive accounts.

Yes...this! I happen to be in the world of defense contracting, but similar concept. Trip to IDA...skiing? Or visiting a national nuclear laboratory? Trip to TPA...beach? Or visiting SOCOM? Trip to HI...island getway, or freaking painful meeting with PACOM?

I guess my business just isn't a sexy dot-com startup that fits Delta's image...no...wait, then I'd be flying Virgin America.

dd1612

Delta is making a lot of money and profits.
Management is busy counting their bonuses.
And lower level folks are busy dreaming up ways to skin the 'ham sandwich'.

sal2009

My sky bonus acct was also closed.....I really didn't like delta before due to all their devaluations, sky peso rewards program and poor customer service ("your wait time is 132 minutes") but now I'm actively trying not to fly them. American is much better and once their planes finish getting updated they will be the true stars...if they don't follow suit...hear me american: just don't change and more and more people will fly you, ul have more $$$ and u won't have to devalue.