DrMilano

Say it ain’t so, but rumor has it that AmEx will be restricting non branded AmEx Platinum card access to 6 visits per year.

“Delta will be restricting access to Delta Plat cards, and Delta Reserve cards will still have access but greatly restricted starting on 2024-2025. Platinum card holders will also be restricted from Delta Skyclubs and will have only up to 6 complimentary access per year”. https://www.doctorofcredit.com/rumor-american-express-making-changes-to-delta-lounge-access/amp/

I’m not into the DL AmEx co-branded card ponzi scheme for useless skymiles, but doesn’t the co-branded DL Platinum Card already have a $50 fee for SkyClub access? As I don’t see DL restricting $50 a head. Airlines did this upon themselves getting in bed with the credit card companies giving everyone access.

The Reddit post mentions Delta reserve will have 10 visits per year. https://www.reddit.com/r/CreditCards/comments/15j7fy0/any_upcoming_new_cards_or_exciting_news/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iosc ss&utm_content=2&utm_term=1

08/08/2023 edit: Additional Reddit posted today:
”This is very easy, everyone started to confusing the cards and idk why... Delta Plat will no longer have access starting Q1 2024. Delta Reserve and Amex Plat will still have BAU access until Q1 2025. At that time, those 2 cards will have to spend $75k in a calendar year to access. Otherwise, they will have a limit on the visits: Delta Reserve 10x per year Amex Plat 6x per year.”

dw

The rumor doesn’t seem credible to me. While I could see restricting access on the unbranded Amex Platinum Card, I can’t see DL restricting access on the Reserve Card. DL (and AA and UA) have made it very clear they prefer people to get their co-branded lounge access card vs. buying a membership outright, and it’s clear that the economics with the cards work out better for them than club memberships. I can’t see DL disincentivizing people to get the Reserve Card.

Also, when Amex limited guesting to their Centurion Lounges, many suspected it wasn’t really about overcrowding, but about generating more revenue through authorized user fees. The rumor here would definitely help DL with overcrowding, but there isn’t much upside in terms of generating more revenue.

Pianoman109876

The grammar on that post is SO BAD I can’t even make sense of whose supposedly in and whose out.

skislc

I'll be cancelling my reserve card if unlimited SC access is no longer a benefit (and, given that there's a pretty strong rumor that UA is opening a club in the new SLC, potentially considering shifting some travel over there where I'd have to connect anyway given how much more competitive fare wise they are here).

That said, I feel pretty confident I won't have to cancel it or go to UA given that it's the primary benefit for the card and DL has made it pretty clear they want people to access the club through Amex vs. memberships. I could maybe see the DL plat card losing the right to buy in, but I think it's a benefit that sounds good on paper but probably isn't used all that much... so I find it kind of hard to believe they'd kill it.

And really aside from JFK in the evenings (which will be resolved by the D1 lounge opening), it seems like the club overcrowding reports have dropped off substantially post the February changes anyway. SLC almost never has a line of more than 2 minutes anymore and the few times I've gone through ATL or DTW I've had no issues either.

ryandc99

I’ve been following this on the various Reddit threads. There is numerous at this point. While we can’t verify if it’s true, it would not surprise me given the continued overcrowding. If this were to happen for me, I would cancel the card and just buy the membership outright.

shoodawg

I don’t believe that Reserve cards will be limited. Click bait.

DrMilano

Unlimited access for Delta Reserve primary card holder if spend is greater than $75,000/year. Reserve AU has to pay.

This is the next shoe to drop, as the current crowd control policy is not working.

Pianoman109876

lol bye to my reserve and vanilla plat.
keep hiking fees while reducing benefits?
No one needs the club that badly.

Kacee

You mean like what DL has been consistently doing by devaluing its loyalty program in general for the last ten years or so? I'd say they have quite a bit of data which says that reducing benefits does not result in a commensurate reduction in demand.

Pianoman109876

Yes it’s just that there is now NO actual benefit to the card at that point. The Reserve’s main selling point is a companion certificate that’s next to impossible to use already if you’re in a hub, and the club access. So why would I pay even MORE on an AF for a card that has no benefit to begin with?

Also, a loyalty program has no upfront cost to use. Think about how signing up for a SkyMiles account gives you free wifi onboard, for instance. A credit card DOES have an upfront cost.

DrMilano

How many GM and PM are using the co-branded AmEx Delta waiver for the MQD waiver? I doubt people will outright cancel, maybe product downgrade.

DM’s who organically qualify spending $20k MQD per year are earning at least 220,000 skymiles per year, just use 69,500 miles for an individual membership. Or that’s 27.8 Bags on Time claims.

wooootles

All FF (and hotel) programs are being devalued, and one can argue that SkyMiles got marginally better in recent times with the Amex 15% discount.
But bye bye to DL Reserve if they somehow limit lounge access in any way. That's a death knell.

Pianoman109876

why would I give Delta 69.5K SMs for MORE restricted club access than what I currently have with a reserve? I would only pay if I could guarantee I can walk in at any time while flying Delta and never have to wait. No lines, no 3 hour limit, etc.

DLASflyer

I think we can all agree the clubs have gotten out of control and something has to change. Whether this is the change planned is a different question. Just today I got an email from Delta reminding me to use my Amex Reserve to bring guests into the club.

wooootles

I was thinking 2023 is slightly better than 2022, so far, in terms of crowding. I see infrastructure to accomodate long lines in ATL and DTW but I hardly see actual lines, except during 6 or 7 AM opening time at Concourse F in ATL.
But definitely not like the JFK meme lines from 2022.