DCAproducer

I missed the formal announcement earlier this year. According to TPG it�s going into the old Wingtips lounge space.
https://thepointsguy.com/news/delta-...al-4-upgrades/

RobertS975

Look, folks, they already got away with the real devaluation several years ago...when they did away with spending threshold bonuses that gave you both RDMs and MQMs. Getting 30,000 bonus RDMs annually paid for a large percentage of the card fee.

We grumbled and threatened, but in the end, we caved and largely forgot all about it.

demkr

I agree that this is usually how it goes and how it's been for the last several decades. Airlines and hotel programs, and now CC's make devaluations, everyone gets annoyed but over time people adjust to the new normal. This one will sting more though, IMHO, because it effects frequent travelers the most and effects every trip.

Would be nice if they could make an exception if you're flying in domestic F though. Wonder if they will.

HBlurb

OK just looking at the numbers, a Gold card offers MR bonus for both restaurants and grocery versus one point for the Platinum there. It's $445 annually cheaper. Yes there are benefits like the airfare incidentals and Uber for the Platinum, neither of which I use regularly and some I do like the Hotel Collection. If I assume these respective benefits are a wash that comes to almost $75 per visit for my 6 Lounge visits. It seems irresonsible NOT to downgrade, the last time I was in the smaller ATL A lounge there every platter of hot food was empty which would not have been a good experience had I paid $75 bucks for it and frankly is not such a bargain even if it is fully stocked.

Adelphos

I think discussion of whether the Amex Platinum is worth it (which has been debated ad nauseam on other threads) is a separate issue (personally I get a lot of value out of the cards regardless of club access). I think what us more relevant here is from the Delta side - what do they want to do with lounge access, how they want to make money, how they want to position their cards (cobranded and Amex Platinum) versus competitors

sydneyracquelle

Being ATL based it would not be catastrophic if I lost SC access (other than long delays). I would just arrive a little bit later.

But if I was perpetually connecting in ATL (or DTW/MSP/NYC/LAX/SLC, etc.) weekly then lounge access would be well worth even $1,000+/year.

MCO Flyer

I think more changes need to be made to alleviate crowding, but these changes seem extreme and un-realistic (the OP on Reddit had a combined 5 comments and 0 post before this �leak� was posted in a comment). If limits are placed I think the AMEX plat will be the first to get them (with a spend limit for exemptions) however I can�t see DL touching their own Reserve card for access. Considering how much DL has cut/made it harder to get a traditional SC membership, who else is there to use the lounges without the AMEX cards? Confirmed D1 lounges are coming to LAX and JFK and likely to DTW and ATL as well so it seems the overcrowding issues will soon be resolved.

jamesteroh

It would make sense to limit visits or even elminate them on the non-branded platinum but not the reserve since the compeition all gives access on their premium cards and seeing Delta is doing away with regular skyclub memberships.

Wonder how that will impact reserve card holders accessing the centurion lounges?

ekozie

that's an under-discussed point. one reason to think these rumors aren't credible is amex has to know that many centurion lounges will become absolute zoos, even more than they are already, with lines so long as to effectively preclude access, if vanilla platholders lose access to skyclubs. not to mention airports like lga, where cardholders would essentially be incentivized to use any airline other than dl because that's where the lounge is.

the knock-on effects of this would be monumental and near-catastrophic. ffs who have the ability to book 1-3 month out would scoop up all the f cabins while they're still at discount fares, leaving no higher-fare paid f for close-in bookings. this would be a disaster for rev management and for customer experience since all the hvcs that want to fly expensive paid f wouldn't be able to if the cabins are already full with discount f fares.

jamesteroh

Not sure if this has been mentioned already, but it also seems like it would make more sense to eliminate access to AU's.

Makes no sense at all to restrict visits to reserve cardholders seeing the only real other benefit you get is all the MQM boosts. HOpefully if they do restrict it to x visits on the reserve you get those with both the personal and business card if you hold both cards

DLHubber

That�s not how the fares work.

dw

That�s now how Amex works though, since they want the AU annual fee revenue, and lounge access privileges have always been the same between the primary card holder and the AUs. Plus, without lounge access, there�s no reason for someone to pay for an AU. Both vanilla Amex Plat and Reserve cardholders can already request alternate free AU cards that don�t come with any benefits.

ekozie

of course f fares go up as supply becomes limited with little regard to the amount of time before a flight. as a broad strokes argument, it's still largely correct that a flight 10 days out with 7 seats left in f is a vastly different pricing environment than 10 days out with 2 seats left in f.

KDCAflyer

LOL Delta is really working hard to make sure I never fly with them again.

MCO Flyer

There is a difference between the Plat AU and Reserve AU that I could see DL lobbying to change. For the generic AMEX Plat, up to 3 additional AU cards are covered with the extra $175/year fee while the Reserve charges $175 per additional card added. So 3 AUs on the Platinum cost just $175/year while 3 AU Reserve cards cost a total of $525/year.