VFR

$500k/yr is almost certainly 99th percentile of Amex cardholders.

MSPeconomist

.....and should be enough for a Centurion card if there's a good history with AmEx and no negative credit reports, etc.

jetsfan92588

They want you to spend a lot on charge cards, which I don't. Most of my spend is on my marriott card and second is the blue business plus. In addition, for Centurion qualification, they care almost as much about what you're buying as they do about how much you're spending in aggregate. They want to see spending at (for example) Ritz and St Regis and not W and Renaissance. And I think I've only bought two FC tickets ever.

ijgordon

Well I have to disagree with you that it is "extremely relevant." There's effectively nothing in the house rules or T&C's of the SkyClub that differentiates between a "real membership" and access via a Reserve/Platinum Amex. (About the only thing I can see is that the free guest privileges of an Executive member are not subject to capacity controls, while they are for regular members, and for CC access). I mean, sure, people are trying to make it relevant in order to argue that one group should be prioritized, but that doesn't mean that it is relevant, nor that it should be relevant, unless DL specifically wants to do it that way. And with the vast majority of SC entrances coming from CC holders, I don't think it's a particularly smart strategy, but that's JMHO.

WillBarrett_68

It's relevant when people are arguing that members should be prioritized over card access. Not sure how that's controversial.

In any case, there have been major differences in card access and membership in the past, right now those are basically the same (I think there are still a couple of very minor corner cases where there are differences), but there's no reason to think they'll always be this closely aligned given how often the rules change.

ijgordon

I'm not sure if what was done in the past is even relevant, given how much tighter the relationship is between Amex and DL now. I think the concept of "membership" as a distinct method of access for the SkyClub is arcane as clearly the CC packages were structured to encourage the vast majority of passengers who want entry to get it via an Amex. Alternatively there's no reason they couldn't call the CC access a "membership" as well. Nothing would change but some wording on a website (if it looks like a duck...). But some people want to get hung up on the idea that paying DL directly for standalone access is somehow "better" and more deserving. I strongly disagree with that (if you haven't been able to tell. )

Qwkynuf

This is just me guessing, but I would bet that the reason (on Delta's side) for the distinction between "access" and "membership" has to do with defining duration. They have done a pretty good job of defining the duration of membership as either being "1 year from date of purchase" if you buy it with cash or miles, or the remainder of the membership year if you use a Choice Benefit. With a card, you have access as long as you hold the card (or until they change the rules). If they turn that into a "membership" they have to come up with some kind of wording that the "internet lawyers" won't argue about, explaining that your membership does not have a defined term, but rather is voided as soon as you cancel your card.

Under the current setup, the lounge attendant only needs to verify that the card is valid. It's a simple yes/no, and not subject to interpretation.

That's my guess.

USCTrojan83

Except the issue here is that the credit cards provide many benefits. SkyClub Membership gives you exactly one single benefit: access to the SkyClub. Nobody is saying those who have credit cards should be turned away, but this thread is about who should have priority access to the clubs. As someone who has Amex Plat and an Exec Membership, I can see both sides, but I can't help but feel those who are paying a significant fee per year solely for the purpose of SkyClub membership should indeed be prioritized. Additionally, those who are Delta's most frequent fliers and D1 guests should also have expedited entry over someone who just has an Amex Platinum and flies Delta a couple times a year.

Amex themselves provides a higher tier of service with reserved areas and expedited access for Centurion customers, so I don't know why Delta having tiers is at all that controversial.

Adelphos

I can see the case for Executive Membership getting priority access, but not “regular” purchase access. My rationale is that Delta and Amex specifically promote credit cards as an equal alternative to paying for access directly. Plenty of customers choose those cards instead of buying access - to then rank them below others is a bit of a bait and switch.

To me, the solution to the D1 issue is to build specific lounges for those customers where it is needed, and then maybe included 360. That’s just another way to increase capacity, which is obviously the only long term solution

CLTRob

Maybe Delta should put some type of machine outside of every SkyClub that will refund your credit card a certain amount for every time you attempt to get into the SkyClub but are denied. At least people would be getting their money back for something they purchased that Delta can’t fulfill. It is no different then purchasing a seat on a flight, show up at the gate, and then be denied boarding due to not enough seats. My point is . . . Why pay $550 per year for something that you more than likely will not be able to use.

Adam1222

Are there people being turned away from skyclubs every time they try to go? Because I have attempted 15 times in the past few months and never been turned away. I think hyperbole doesn't advance the conversation.
As for the flight cancellation comparison, since you're not being banned from the club, but asked to wait on a line, a delay is more apt a comparison. And you do not get a refund if there is a flight delay.
More important, this doesn't really respond to the topic of this thread, which is prioritization for certain guests. If clubs have lines, it's because they cannot fit more people. Building more clubs is not a short term solution, nor is it financially wise for Delta to do. And most customers would prefer Delta spend that money on labor for operations than ensuring more people can get their chicken salad and free well vodka

ijgordon

I don't understand this argument at all. Are you also suggesting that if, say, Amex removed most of the other non-SkyClub membership benefits then the priority should be the same? That's a weird argument. I really don't see why the other benefits of the Platinum/Reserve card should have anything to do with lounge access priority.

Others have covered it from the perspective of "the customers that are the most profitable for DL should have the priority," noting that the broader Amex relationship (and specifically spending on the cards) generates significant profitability for Delta. A Diamond who buys a handful of $2500 r/t TATL business class tickets (on a Visa card!) is probably not very profitable.

If your flight is boarding in 15 minutes and there are 20 people in line for the club, effectively you have been turned away, as you have been denied the ability to use the club (e.g., for a quick bite on a connection, or after a meeting), unless of course you want to miss/change your flight. It's not hyperbolic, although it's probably not all that frequent an occurrence either.

WillBarrett_68

literally nobody who is advancing the "members should get priority" argument believes that credit card access should be put on the same level as explicit memberships, and the poster I was replying to was arguing that members should be prioritized, and HE THOUGHT HE HIMSELF HAD A MEMBERSHIP, even though he only had card access, so IN THIS CASE it seemed... pretty relevant.

JTXCA

ATL F Sky Club afternoon of 6/20. Around 10 people in line to get in. Agent at door managing access announces DMs can skip the line and have immediate access.

MSPeconomist

But not D1? I could also imagine any 360s screaming but IIRC they're all officially DMs too, so technically they would have been included.