2015 SkyMiles Program News from Delta
Feb 26, 2014, 9:00 am
#137
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 4
My 100% Gold Medallion bonus would be wiped out too
I have a choice in airlines and I intentionally try to book Delta. I wait until their fares go down. Forget that in 2015. Hello SW and USAir.
YTD, I've earned 53,000 Skymiles as a GM. Under the new program, I would have earned 25,920. Interestingly, my MQM without rollover is 25,300.
So basically for me, this new change has wiped out the 100% miles bonus. Assuming the low level awards aren't going to go anywhere close to a 50% decrease, so the point valuation in my case has been cut in half.
So basically for me, this new change has wiped out the 100% miles bonus. Assuming the low level awards aren't going to go anywhere close to a 50% decrease, so the point valuation in my case has been cut in half.
Feb 26, 2014, 9:01 am
#138
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,070
I fly internationally several times a year almost always on a cheap fare, and I think I will still make PM but I will be getting something like 3600 miles per intl trip when you subtract the taxes (compared to 20K now) so at that rate I will be getting a free Hawaii ticket (which is where I generally redeem them) about every 2 years IF I could actually find the lowest sky miles fare which I have NEVER seen since 2010.
Feb 26, 2014, 9:02 am
#139
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: DL FO, UA, AA, AsiaMiles, SPG, HHonors
Posts: 7,982
that's what they wrote:
"We’re increasing Award availability at the lowest price levels and making it easier for you to find the seats that are most sought after. We’re also increasing the number of redemption levels overall to as many as five levels, giving you additional options requiring fewer miles."
Also the actual award calendar is a way to hide cheap award flight, so if they "fix" it is a value addition to skymiles.
"We’re increasing Award availability at the lowest price levels and making it easier for you to find the seats that are most sought after. We’re also increasing the number of redemption levels overall to as many as five levels, giving you additional options requiring fewer miles."
Also the actual award calendar is a way to hide cheap award flight, so if they "fix" it is a value addition to skymiles.
Feb 26, 2014, 9:02 am
#140
Join Date: Dec 2007
Programs: DL, Hilton, National
Posts: 841
For me the big unknown - and I'm surprised this hasn't come up yet - is any changes to the AMEX earning structure.
Do AMEX cards still earn a standard mile/$ spent on all purchases?
If they do, then many, like me who earn about 75-100K in RDM every year will stand to gain hugely if the lower award rates and promises really come through.
Are AMEX cards likely to retain the MQM bonuses with large spends?
If so, then my MQM earning is still going to be strong and I'll still make GM or PM every year with the 10-15 domestic flights I take every year.
If, indeed, they hold the same benefits, then the reduction in RDM that I'll earn as one who typically books fares in the K range will see a few fewer RDM earned, but what I earn on AMEX may be more valuable to me.
My guess is that there are also many leisure travelers who use AMEX only and fly only a few times a year and will find a benefit grabbing award tickets every few years. For them, this might actually help them as well.
Do AMEX cards still earn a standard mile/$ spent on all purchases?
If they do, then many, like me who earn about 75-100K in RDM every year will stand to gain hugely if the lower award rates and promises really come through.
Are AMEX cards likely to retain the MQM bonuses with large spends?
If so, then my MQM earning is still going to be strong and I'll still make GM or PM every year with the 10-15 domestic flights I take every year.
If, indeed, they hold the same benefits, then the reduction in RDM that I'll earn as one who typically books fares in the K range will see a few fewer RDM earned, but what I earn on AMEX may be more valuable to me.
My guess is that there are also many leisure travelers who use AMEX only and fly only a few times a year and will find a benefit grabbing award tickets every few years. For them, this might actually help them as well.
Feb 26, 2014, 9:03 am
#141
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: ATLANTA GA, USA
Programs: AA 2 MM, DELTA PM, HH DIA
Posts: 1
I am an American Platinum for life having flown over 2 MM miles with them but switched to Delta when I moved to Atlanta despite a lackluster rewards program I have stuck it out basically because they are the easiest choice out of ATL. But I guess 2014 is my last year. I flew 121,242 miles last year which were split between domestic and International (UK, RSA, UAE & Brazil mainly). My spend was a little over $22,000. Based on the new program I will lose about 60,000 miles for my continued loyalty according to my calculations. Although it means more connections American Airlines is looking like it may be getting my business again regardless of how easy it is to fly Delta out of ATL.
Feb 26, 2014, 9:04 am
#142
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS
Posts: 15,027
For me the big unknown - and I'm surprised this hasn't come up yet - is any changes to the AMEX earning structure.
Do AMEX cards still earn a standard mile/$ spent on all purchases?
If they do, then many, like me who earn about 75-100K in RDM every year will stand to gain hugely if the lower award rates and promises really come through.
Are AMEX cards likely to retain the MQM bonuses with large spends?
If so, then my MQM earning is still going to be strong and I'll still make GM or PM every year with the 10-15 domestic flights I take every year.
If, indeed, they hold the same benefits, then the reduction in RDM that I'll earn as one who typically books fares in the K range will see a few fewer RDM earned, but what I earn on AMEX may be more valuable to me.
My guess is that there are also many leisure travelers who use AMEX only and fly only a few times a year and will find a benefit grabbing award tickets every few years. For them, this might actually help them as well.
Do AMEX cards still earn a standard mile/$ spent on all purchases?
If they do, then many, like me who earn about 75-100K in RDM every year will stand to gain hugely if the lower award rates and promises really come through.
Are AMEX cards likely to retain the MQM bonuses with large spends?
If so, then my MQM earning is still going to be strong and I'll still make GM or PM every year with the 10-15 domestic flights I take every year.
If, indeed, they hold the same benefits, then the reduction in RDM that I'll earn as one who typically books fares in the K range will see a few fewer RDM earned, but what I earn on AMEX may be more valuable to me.
My guess is that there are also many leisure travelers who use AMEX only and fly only a few times a year and will find a benefit grabbing award tickets every few years. For them, this might actually help them as well.
Feb 26, 2014, 9:05 am
#143
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Nashville
Programs: Delta Diamond Medallion and HHonors Diamond
Posts: 15
I flew 158k MQMs last year and this new change sucks...miles required for award travel will have to be adjusted to compensate for the mileage earned reduction. Don't mess this up Delta! This will be the last straw for me.
Feb 26, 2014, 9:09 am
#145
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BWI
Programs: AA Gold, HH Diamond, National Emerald Executive, TSA Disparager Gold
Posts: 15,180
You have plenty of choices. Of course, DL wants you to ask the question you just did, throw up your arms, and stick with them.
Other options:
Now, some of these may be less convenient and more painful. Flying a different airline when you're a hub captive may be more difficult, but it's doable. You just gotta decide whether you'd be miserable on a nonstop or happier with a connection, and which you'd rather be. Not flying might not be feasible depending on your job and family situation, but it could be an option for some.
Point is I've been here. I left UA when they started mucking with MP, and I took a look at what the other airlines offered and picked what worked best for me. None of them were perfect, and out of BWI, there were few nonstops so nonstop vs. connection didn't matter much to me. However, it was good to evaluate what I wanted from my travel experience and who could best offer it to me at the time. Downside is the airlines seem to be forcing those evaluations more and more.
Unless you're employer mandates otherwise for business travel, you're not forced to fly DL, or any other carrier. It's a choice. Other options, including the do nothing option, may be painful, but they're still choices.
Choose wisely for your situation.
Other options:
- Credit to a foreign FFP in the alliance
- Credit to AS
- Fly a different airline that values your business more
- Fly foreign airlines when traveling internationally
- Kayak and quit the loyalty game altogether. Buy the perks you want/need on a case-by-case basis.
- Stop flying altogether - look into other modes of travel or doing things closer to home
Now, some of these may be less convenient and more painful. Flying a different airline when you're a hub captive may be more difficult, but it's doable. You just gotta decide whether you'd be miserable on a nonstop or happier with a connection, and which you'd rather be. Not flying might not be feasible depending on your job and family situation, but it could be an option for some.
Point is I've been here. I left UA when they started mucking with MP, and I took a look at what the other airlines offered and picked what worked best for me. None of them were perfect, and out of BWI, there were few nonstops so nonstop vs. connection didn't matter much to me. However, it was good to evaluate what I wanted from my travel experience and who could best offer it to me at the time. Downside is the airlines seem to be forcing those evaluations more and more.
Unless you're employer mandates otherwise for business travel, you're not forced to fly DL, or any other carrier. It's a choice. Other options, including the do nothing option, may be painful, but they're still choices.
Choose wisely for your situation.
Feb 26, 2014, 9:11 am
#146
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: SLC & NYC
Programs: Diamond Medallion, Delta Million Miler, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 674
Today, you’ll begin to read information through various sources about the 2015 SkyMiles program. We know how engaged you are with the program so we wanted you to be among the first to get the details of what’s in store as soon as we could share the details. Every SkyMiles member with an email address on file and any amount of account activity in the past 24 months will receive an email about these changes in the coming days with more information.
SkyMilesTeam
SkyMilesTeam
Feb 26, 2014, 9:17 am
#147
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: OKC
Programs: DL DM/2.768MM, Global Entry, Titanium_Marriott, GHertz
Posts: 6,752
Remember, it might be skewed to higher spend pax, but even they get hosed with a maximum limit of 75k miles.
Also, notice the example for miles+cash... 35k for a ticket or 25k+$159. That implies a value of 10k miles at 1.59c/mi instead of the current PWM at 1c/mi.
Does that mean PWM is going away or changing also to a different valuation?
Also, notice the example for miles+cash... 35k for a ticket or 25k+$159. That implies a value of 10k miles at 1.59c/mi instead of the current PWM at 1c/mi.
Does that mean PWM is going away or changing also to a different valuation?
Feb 26, 2014, 9:17 am
#148
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: DCA
Programs: UA 1K, DL Gold, Alitalia Confiscated iPod Club
Posts: 434
this is a major deval, as the breakeven prices in 2015 vs 2014 are kind of crazy
for a plat, to earn the same amount in 2015 vs 2014 on XXX-YYY, you have to pay the following
JFK-LAX - $1100
JFK-LHR - $1535
JFK-NRT - $3000
these breakevens are way above the current average coach fares..
for a plat, to earn the same amount in 2015 vs 2014 on XXX-YYY, you have to pay the following
JFK-LAX - $1100
JFK-LHR - $1535
JFK-NRT - $3000
these breakevens are way above the current average coach fares..
Feb 26, 2014, 9:19 am
#149
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: DL DM; DL AMEX Reserve; HHonors Gold
Posts: 1,984
Feb 26, 2014, 9:23 am
#150
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 1
Could you kick us again Delta?
I don't understand why Delta seems to want to make it so abundantly clear that they do NOT appreciate their repeat customers who help keep the seats filled on so many routes. One would think that having the seats filled would be a good thing.
Just one example, for a conference I have coming up in LAS next month: According to their calculator under the current system, flying MSP-LAS as a PM I will earn 5,200 miles round trip. In 2015 for the same scenario I will earn 1,657 miles. Less than one third!! Are you kidding me? This is "improving my travel experience on Delta"? This is "in response to my feedback"? Trust me, I never asked for anything like this!
Or is this the set-up for an announcement later this year, "Great news! In response to your feedback, we have tripled our fares on most routes to ensure that our valued customers will not lose out due to our 2015 SkyMiles Program rules."
First the Sky Club raid, and now this. Wow!
Just one example, for a conference I have coming up in LAS next month: According to their calculator under the current system, flying MSP-LAS as a PM I will earn 5,200 miles round trip. In 2015 for the same scenario I will earn 1,657 miles. Less than one third!! Are you kidding me? This is "improving my travel experience on Delta"? This is "in response to my feedback"? Trust me, I never asked for anything like this!
Or is this the set-up for an announcement later this year, "Great news! In response to your feedback, we have tripled our fares on most routes to ensure that our valued customers will not lose out due to our 2015 SkyMiles Program rules."
First the Sky Club raid, and now this. Wow!