No refund or redeposit for award tickets <72 hours - change in applied policy?
Feb 4, 2020, 9:04 am
#16
Join Date: Mar 2015
Programs: DL DM MM
Posts: 184
That's an interesting point. As a DM, I've booked many award flights far in advance and then cancelled them if I found cheap cash fares on the same flight later (always long before T72). I know the topic is flexibility of <T72 cancellations but has anyone lost their normal T72 cancellation benefit because of overuse? BTW, I'm talking about cancelling about a half dozen tickets per year, somewhat high but not some crazy number.
Feb 4, 2020, 9:04 am
#17
Join Date: Feb 2016
Programs: DL DM, SPG Plat 100/LT Gold, Marriott Plat, National Executive Elite
Posts: 2,988
I have had hundreds of awards and redeposits for my family of 5 often double and triple booking combinations of one way trips of many permutations and combinations for each of us. As long as a booking is not impossible/conflicting it is within the rules and I have never been told otherwise. No different than frequently buying the cheapest F and doing SDC to a more expensive F same-day booking.
No wonder SkyMiles awards are so hard to come by reasonably - folks like you hog permutations for a family of 5 and then some, then ask for multiple exceptions to roll it forward and do it again. Sheesh.
And it’s completely different from a SDC of a cheap Z class ticket to a day-of last seat that would otherwise be a J fare.
One difference: what you are doing is forbidden by the rules, while the SDC transaction is explicitly allowed by the program rules.
Feb 4, 2020, 9:24 am
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: 45° North
Programs: DL DM MM, HH Diamond
Posts: 10,196
Delta's invitation only status - above a Diamond.
https://www.delta.com/us/en/skymiles.../million-miler (bottom of page)
Delta 360° is an annual, invitation-only program for our top SkyMiles Members, offering an exclusive suite of benefits and services even beyond Diamond Medallion Status. An invitation into Delta 360° is based on your overall investment with Delta. If you’re selected to join, we’ll contact you directly.
https://www.delta.com/us/en/skymiles.../million-miler (bottom of page)
Feb 4, 2020, 10:12 am
#19
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: TPA / JFK / LAX
Programs: DL 360, UA 1K, AA EXP, Bonvoy Ambassador
Posts: 304
The "policy" here is that Delta's Risk-Free Cancellation policy trumps Delta's 72-hour redeposit rule. Many agents have explained this to me.
To the folks saying this is a favor or an exception, you're wrong. Its an instance where two policies collide.
To the folks saying this is a favor or an exception, you're wrong. Its an instance where two policies collide.
Feb 4, 2020, 10:38 am
#20
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 647
The 24 hour rule is not "law" within one week of departure. DL is more generous than the "law" in that it applies the same policy close-in. (Jet Blue, for example, does not). But I agree that the close-in 24 hour "rule" seems to trump the 72 hour "rule."
Feb 4, 2020, 12:01 pm
#21
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: MSP
Programs: Delta PM, Marriott Plat, Hertz Pres
Posts: 3,649
Feb 7, 2020, 12:11 am
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, MM, NR; HH Diamond, Bonvoy LT Gold, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Diamond, others
Posts: 12,159
And cancelling a mileage ticket a week out doesn't require lying, just ask them to cancel it. They don't need a reason.
Feb 13, 2020, 12:13 am
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SEA (the REAL Washington); occasionally in the other Washington (DCA area)
Programs: DL PM 1.57MM; AS MVPG 100K
Posts: 21,374
definitely a YMMV situation ... I’m PM/MM, called in to cancel an award ticket ~T-18 and said I knew I would forfeit the 8500 miles; agent said “They don’t always enforce that, so you’ll probably see the miles redeposited within 24 hours” ... truth ...
Feb 13, 2020, 4:00 am
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,066
OP makes no indication they were still within Risk-Free window for cancellation and seems to have believed the 72-hour rule did not apply to DM's and 360's simply because they had not been enforcing it.
Feb 13, 2020, 6:46 am
#25
Join Date: Aug 2007
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 1,079
I have had very accommodating agents in my experience who have told me that they have flexibility with the T-72 rule on award tickets. One technique I have used within T-72 is to change the flights to any dummy date far in the future that has the same price in miles (I research this first) due to a family or work issue. This is a softer landing for the agent in terms of waivers and favors. Then I subsequently call in to cancel it.
And you don't think Delta is tracking this? I think Delta still looks at a change as a redeposit (you can check your account and see that the miles are put back in and then taken out again). Exactly the type of thing that could make Delta review procedures and close loop holes.
I have had hundreds of awards and redeposits for my family of 5 often double and triple booking combinations of one way trips of many permutations and combinations for each of us. As long as a booking is not impossible/conflicting it is within the rules and I have never been told otherwise. No different than frequently buying the cheapest F and doing SDC to a more expensive F same-day booking.
Maybe that’s just me but I would promote being supportive and lenient to clients but not for the one that continually seeks to bend the rules.
Feb 13, 2020, 6:47 am
#26
Join Date: Feb 2016
Programs: DL DM, SPG Plat 100/LT Gold, Marriott Plat, National Executive Elite
Posts: 2,988
And then you wonder why people complain when loopholes are closed. From my vantage point, I would hope business actively track these and make it a point to close the loopholes selectively.
Maybe that’s just me but I would promote being supportive and lenient to clients but not for the one that continually seeks to bend the rules.
Maybe that’s just me but I would promote being supportive and lenient to clients but not for the one that continually seeks to bend the rules.
I’m just straight up honest with them, and they are usually accommodating.
Feb 13, 2020, 7:44 am
#27
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: RDU
Programs: DL(PM), UA(Silver), AA(EXP) Marriott(Ti), HH(Gold), Hertz(PC)
Posts: 2,669
I've been PM since 2011, and I've called Delta exactly once about an award redeposit within the 72 hour period (in fact, early on the morning of a trip that would start that evening). I stated my case (my son was traveling with me out of the country but got sick) and asked if anything could be done. The agent simply said she was sorry to hear about my son getting sick and that I would get my miles redeposited and the tax/fees charged refunded.