Sky Club Price Increase and No More Single Visit Passes
#76
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ATL
Programs: DL DM, Hyatt LT DM, Wyndham DM, Hertz PC, HH Gold, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,038
BUT... one thing to consider look at the SkyClub right now. They are literally advertising the Reserve card and how you get 'free' access to the club. But no more single visit passes for random travelers!
I agree. What have they truly eliminated here? The random person who comes in and pays 59 dollars per visit? And I assume KLM/AF lounge members can now not get in? What percent is this truly? I would wager it's less than 1% or maybe even way lower.
#77
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: LHR / BHX / MAN / ATL
Programs: DL DM 2MM - IHG Diamond
Posts: 4,051
#78
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Everywhere and Nowhere
Programs: DL GM
Posts: 515
Well, as advertised, Amex Platinum holders can still get a guest at $29. ATL B is such a disaster right now that we bolted after 15 minutes and went to F. B SC had no silverware or bowls out for the entire time we were there. This sure solved that crowding problem.
#79
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: DL Scattered Smothered Covered Medallion, Some hotel & car stuff, Kroger Plus Card
Posts: 10,742
Well I'm also sure there are a whole pile of people travelling today. Business travelers headed home for Thanksgiving and leisure travelers headed to wherever for the same. And there is probably some correlation between the leisure travelers that can take the whole week off and those who somehow have SC access through whatever means.
#80
#81
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Everywhere and Nowhere
Programs: DL GM
Posts: 515
Well I'm also sure there are a whole pile of people travelling today. Business travelers headed home for Thanksgiving and leisure travelers headed to wherever for the same. And there is probably some correlation between the leisure travelers that can take the whole week off and those who somehow have SC access through whatever means.
The point still stands, absolutely nothing is going to change but Delta and Amex will get more money out of it. Good for them, no change for me.
#82
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: SEA
Programs: UA Silver, BA Gold, DL Gold
Posts: 9,779
Busy is one thing, B Club is almost always busy no matter the day or time of year, having no bowls to put the only hot food items offered for at least 15 minutes is another. Then again, B Club is also where Delta put out, no kidding, a boiled hot dog on a slice of plain white bread tray earlier this year.
The point still stands, absolutely nothing is going to change but Delta and Amex will get more money out of it. Good for them, no change for me.
It is a club that costs $600 per year. That is the price of a good dinner for two. This talk of exclusivity is silliness.
#83
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: NYC and LAX
Programs: Fly paid F/J. DL 2MM+.
Posts: 109
Delta has done a lot to improve the clubs from 15 years ago. However sales and operations are not in sync.
#84
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: NYC and LAX
Programs: Fly paid F/J. DL 2MM+.
Posts: 109
No way. They formerly had "a sort of exclusiveness to the clubs." They tossed out that concept when the made the clubs into profit centers and intentionally went the "mass occupancy" route.
Just a recollection/opinion from someone who has been accessing DL clubs since about 1981.
Just a recollection/opinion from someone who has been accessing DL clubs since about 1981.
#85
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: SEA
Programs: UA Silver, BA Gold, DL Gold
Posts: 9,779
Yeah, DL plays up the luxury a little too much, but people need to take some responsibility for reading past the marketing. I mean, Im heading to an all-inclusive because some friends are having a wedding there. The place advertises itself as being a luxury resort, but that doesnt mean I believe them. I know that it simply isnt possible to provide me world class food and drink and lodging and service for what they charge. Ill go and drink well margaritas and eat middling to bad food. Ill probably even have a good time. What I wont do is be surprised or indignant about it.
Again, it is $600. It isnt much money. Temper expectations.
#86
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ATL
Programs: DL DM, Hyatt LT DM, Wyndham DM, Hertz PC, HH Gold, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,038
This... 100%. A lot here think this is some exclusive invite only top tier premium lounge. It is not. Every single business traveler I know(even low level people) either pay themselves, use their status to get it or have a card to get in. Everyone has access to the SkyClub. Yet people think it should be kid free and the dining options should be 5*. It's not going to be. It's just some generally speaking reliable WiFi, a little quieter and some 'free' snacks to have instead of being in the terminal.
As poster said look past the marketing. It isn't luxurious...
As poster said look past the marketing. It isn't luxurious...
#87
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL PM, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 8,411
This number that you keep repeating is pretty meaningless. Remember that lots of people are paying to enter the club through very expensive J tickets, while others are entering with credit cards that grant access on a $29 per visit basis and may only enter a handful of times per year. Until this change, some people were paying $59 to enter. Even that person who travels "half the year" as you say is certainly not going to use the club on each visit.
And also recall that the club is not an independent business, but part of the larger DL offering. It is helpful to attract higher paying pax, maintain brand loyalty, etc. Indeed, when clubs were first created by airlines, they were not revenue generating at all, but rather a kind loyalty program for the best customers, and this remains true for DM's, who need to spend $15,000 per year with Delta to earn club entry as a perk.
So, please stop lecturing everyone about how cheap it is and how expectations should be aligned with this number that for most pax does not really enter into the equation. If I had paid $6K for a J ticket and I was offered a 50 cent hot dog I would also be irritated.
And also recall that the club is not an independent business, but part of the larger DL offering. It is helpful to attract higher paying pax, maintain brand loyalty, etc. Indeed, when clubs were first created by airlines, they were not revenue generating at all, but rather a kind loyalty program for the best customers, and this remains true for DM's, who need to spend $15,000 per year with Delta to earn club entry as a perk.
So, please stop lecturing everyone about how cheap it is and how expectations should be aligned with this number that for most pax does not really enter into the equation. If I had paid $6K for a J ticket and I was offered a 50 cent hot dog I would also be irritated.
#88
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 14
Exclusion of Non-Delta flyers from SkyClubs
The most damaging policy change to me is Deltas requirement that one fly Delta as to access the Sky Club if one has a full membership. In my base of Nashville, Tennessee, Southwests extensive non-stop operations are more time-efficent and attractive then Deltas requirements to go through their hubs, thus I am split 50-50 between both. I had been paying the full rate to access the club in Nashville and other cities (e.g. Jacksonville, Seattle, Philadelphia), even when flying another airline. This new policy change means that the most economical method to access the clubs is to get the Delta Reserve card at a cost of $450, not the $550 or so now being charged for a solo membership. With American Airlines also requiring that one fly American to access their clubs, it now make me wish that a vendor would open a private club in Nashville not affiliated with an airline. As an aside, I believe that Delta is now flexing their monopoly muscle as to extract for money from travelers, a benefit of their merger with Northwest and the consolidation of other airlines as well.
#89
Join Date: May 2015
Location: DCA
Programs: AA EXP, DL FO, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 6,709
This number that you keep repeating is pretty meaningless. Remember that lots of people are paying to enter the club through very expensive J tickets, while others are entering with credit cards that grant access on a $29 per visit basis and may only enter a handful of times per year. Until this change, some people were paying $59 to enter. Even that person who travels "half the year" as you say is certainly not going to use the club on each visit.
And also recall that the club is not an independent business, but part of the larger DL offering. It is helpful to attract higher paying pax, maintain brand loyalty, etc. Indeed, when clubs were first created by airlines, they were not revenue generating at all, but rather a kind loyalty program for the best customers, and this remains true for DM's, who need to spend $15,000 per year with Delta to earn club entry as a perk.
So, please stop lecturing everyone about how cheap it is and how expectations should be aligned with this number that for most pax does not really enter into the equation. If I had paid $6K for a J ticket and I was offered a 50 cent hot dog I would also be irritated.
And also recall that the club is not an independent business, but part of the larger DL offering. It is helpful to attract higher paying pax, maintain brand loyalty, etc. Indeed, when clubs were first created by airlines, they were not revenue generating at all, but rather a kind loyalty program for the best customers, and this remains true for DM's, who need to spend $15,000 per year with Delta to earn club entry as a perk.
So, please stop lecturing everyone about how cheap it is and how expectations should be aligned with this number that for most pax does not really enter into the equation. If I had paid $6K for a J ticket and I was offered a 50 cent hot dog I would also be irritated.
#90
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL PM, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 8,411
Sure, that's one way to do business but it's not how DL currently does it, and it is therefore disingenuous to talk about annual sky club membership price as a benchmark for the quality of services in the club. And even if DL did open a few J only lounges like AA/UA have, they would only be in large hubs and there would still be lots of J pax who start their travel at smaller stations and would be using the regular clubs, as is true with AA and UA.