travelhive

There have been some thoughtful posts about how Delta might have analyzed data and used some type of metric to make this change, but I'm more skeptical. I think they used the SWAG system to decide what to do about the overcrowding problem: Scientific Wild Assed Guess.

ijgordon

Yup, even less reason to “prioritize” those types of memberships if they’re not even paid for by the members! At least it’s been entertaining to read the mental gymnastics some are using to justify the higher importance of “paid” club memberships (not to mention how many are free Diamond benefits).

if DL wants to have different tier memberships, with different access rules/benefits/priorities, then let them advertise it as such, and price it as such.

KDCAflyer

Axing free Diamond memberships would be a good way to address overcrowding. AA and UA don't offer that benefit.

Adelphos

I think getting rid of access for any of the current groups that have access (cardholders, members, Diamonds) isn't going to fly - more than other airlines, Delta uses the SkyClub as marketing to get a passengers to choose the airline. I am sure some Diamonds fly Delta because they can choose or gift a SkyClub membership. Even doing something like getting rid of pay per visit access for the Delta Platinum card may be going to far

ShopAround

Add me to the list of pissed off SC members that often uses the lounge on arrival.

Public airport ladies rooms are often pretty gross. Not a place where you can change and freshen up anywhere near as nicely as in a clean, often spacious SC ladies room.

VFR

AA lets EXPs choose an Admirals Club membership (which comes with two guests) at the cost of two loyalty choice rewards.

KDCAflyer

Sure, but that requires the EXP member to forgo SWUs. I suspect that the choice for club membership is much less automatic than for DMs.

MSPeconomist

IIRC DMs have lounge access, not memberships (unless they purchase a membership).

defrosted

When I saw the email announcement my first thought was I guess I could have been using the Club on arrival this whole time.

I guess "you don't know what you've got till it's gone" has never been more true.

My next thought was FT is going to lose it. It was already a few pages long at that point. Now, a few days and 28 pages later you all have not disappointed.

I totally respect this change may mean something to many, but this change means basically nothing in my world. I am still allowed in the club during the only times I ever use it.

dw

It's also possible Delta is getting part of the interchange on every purchase (or perhaps that's just calculated into the purchase price per mile Amex pays them). I've seen references to splitting the interchange in certain other cobrand card relationships.

Boraxo

Ditto. I rarely use lounge after a domestic arrival as my objective is to get home (or to my hotel ASAP). Though on rare occasion I have been know to stop in the UC lounge @sfo to grab a diet coke and a cookie. But I can live without it.

As noted elsewhere I rarely arrive at airport >1 hour before boarding, I basically try to time it so I have as little waiting time as possible but always to leave a margin for traffic, unusual security lines, etc. So 3 hours is fine, and if I am going that early it is because I have a high confidence on boarding the earlier flight.

The bigger problem is flight delays and missed connections. Have not seen how those situations will be handled.

I don't do domestic red-eye but if I did would concur. Presume this does not apply to international biz class tickets, particularly TATL, otherwise that would be hugely uncompetitive as the arrivals lougnes are sometimes a lifesaver when you have to go straight to the office. Also quite critical when you want to shower or just rest during a long connection.

jamesteroh

And if a diamond wants to get an exec membership it means they lose two choice gifts as well. And American requires fewer miles for top teir than Delta and their certificates are a lot easier to use than Delta's. I'd be happy with them scrapping the free membership as a choice gift if they made the GUC's easier to use and had more inventory.

And United and American also don't allow AmEx swipes. I'm sure Delta has a lot more AmEx swipes than Diamonds using a choice gift for a membership

volabam

Hot take-credit card access is the problem (and mine is via a credit card, so this is not a "it's another group of people who are the problem so cut their access" post) but DL's contract with Amex likely doesn't allow them to prioritize actual memberships over card access (which would cause a number of cardholders to dump Amex and buy SC membership directly).

jetsfan92588

This (sort of) assumes delta would want to do that, which I highly doubt they do, even if amex said "do whatever you want."

I also don't think people would trade the card for lounge membership. My guess is, maybe they keep the card, maybe they don't, but they wouldn't buy lounge access either way.

VFR

I note two significant differences between the Admirals Club / United Club and the Sky Club:

1. Amex Platinum gets you into the Sky Club.
2. AA/UA have separate lounges for international J.

Anecdotally, The ORD H/K Admirals Club was packed in February to the point where it was hard to find a seat. When they re-opened the Flagship Lounge, it then became easy to find a seat in the Admirals Club.

Amex has sold the Amex Platinum hard, and I would guess that the large number of Amex Platinum holders combined with the shift towards premium leisure travelers has caused the Sky Club crowding issues. I do not think that Delta particularly wants to prioritize paid memberships or Reserve cards over Amex Platinum holders; for an explanation of why, see NYC Flyer's post #392.

I would guess most people don't get the Amex Platinum just for Sky Club access; they get it for the benefits package of which Sky Club access is one of the items. If Sky Club access was eliminated, I agree that they would not all rush out to buy memberships.

Conversely, I would guess most people get the Delta Reserve for Sky Club access (cue the FTers who will explain to me why they pay for a SC membership and have it for the companion cert).

Full disclosure: I have an Amex Platinum and occasionally fly transcon/intercontinental business class (when it's cheap or I can get an upgrade).