ATOBTTR

When I was playing on DL.com, I saw mileage bookings that showed the discount applied and showed "Upgrade Available to Premium Select/Delta One." Whether that means one would run into an issue or not when trying to apply a cert online or even calling in, I do not know.

What I did notice was that the discount was not applied if the ticket had any partner operated segments on the mileage ticket or if the ticket was entirely partner operated. Not surprising there but wanted to add the data point.

josephstern

The SkyMiles website says that you can just change a flight to get the new pricing.

But I keep trying and I see no lower point amounts and if proceed anyway at +0 points, I get this error:

"We're sorry. The fare for the flights you selected just sold out. Please search again to view and select alternate flights. #ROR4259"

The Delta page says:

So that's not accurate in my experience.

Also, I did do a full cancel on one flight (but with that "refund request" nonsense that seems to happen almost every time for me these days) and I was able to pay for the $5.60 with my Amex Platinum that is not a Delta Platinum.

sydneyracquelle

You have to cancel and rebook brand new and pay the $5.60 with an Amex card.

indufan

No matter how many times you say it, the evidence isn't there. Just because I was rechecking an award ticket I had already booked this morning on this news, I looked at the cash vs. SkyMiles rate. Cash was like $190 and Skymiles was 12,000 before the 15% discount.

josephstern

I've done three - paid for all with my vanilla Amex Plat. Had you tried a non-Delta Amex? Same works with companion certs - they say it has to be an Amex Delta card, but any Amex works.

xliioper

I would very much doubt they would limit RUC/GUC usage since the discount looks to be automatic. Looks like you'd have to book awards through an agent instead of online to avoid discount which is pretty much the last thing DL wants. I interpret "not combinable with certificates" to be something like some kind of mileage discount cert, not RUC/GUC certs.

happydad100

Agreed. Futher, you can use RUC (and probably GUC) for 15% off award flights booked online. I just tested it with a 15% off award flight and the RUC appeared at checkout as normal to be applied. Richard

nk15

I paid with a Chase card, you know, a card that actually has good travel insurance and covers award travel?...

Daremo999

They boosted prices before releasing this tool. I had looked at BOS>LGW 9/6 - 9/17 and it was 148K for O (Delta One) RT. Its now 156 AFTER applying the 15% discount. So they bumped the price about 25% and then "gave us" a 15% discount. Pretty shady move that I am not liking at all.

sydneyracquelle

I went through my 20+ bookings. None had increased over the past few days. Yours might just be one sample based on constant dynamic pricing.

MSPeconomist

I guess we can verify the 15% discount (from current dynamic pricing) by first searching for an award ticket without logging in and then comparing the prices in miles after logging in. My instinct is to check this because our corporate travel contract tended to flag fares (when searching for business travel and logged in) as having a discount sometimes when the discount was exactly zero even though the contracted discount was supposed to be 2-10% depending on fare class; if you searched first for the corporate fares, delta.dumb didn't permit going back to look at the regular fares for the same flights.

ATOBTTR

Your anecdotal example isn’t proof of anything and is simply indicative that fare offerings on that route have changed due to either bookings filling in lower fares or DL’s Revenue Management adjusting prices for any number of given reasons just the same as happens with cash fares. To counter your example, I checked my bookings for an upcoming mileage run where I have mileage tickets booked and I’ve been checking every day since booking just to see if the prices dropped so I could rebook for fewer miles and the price today before the discount is the same as it was yesterday when there was no discount and can see the discount applied today for a cheaper ticket than it was yesterday. Other routings are cheaper with the discount today than yesterday. The price I booked at a while ago is still cheaper so I haven’t switched it rebooked. I’ve also played with some routes where I’ve considered booking but haven’t yet and could see that the prices before a discount are the same they were yesterday and with the discount are 15% cheaper.

josephstern

In case anyone is wondering, the 15% off does still apply if you are booking for another person using your miles, and that other person doesn't have a Delta Amex. Essentially, the 15% discount is based on the account having the miles and the card - not the whether or not the flyer has a Delta Amex.

Adelphos

One case I am wondering about is multiple tickets - I often redeem miles for two tickets, myself and fiance. Does the discount also apply to the second traveler?

DLHubber

I just attempted to book 9 passengers, and the discount applied to all 9 tickets.