dineaux

Wont do much for us poor suckers in BTR.

WBurcham

It's been covered before and, it's very doubtful that we'll get a CR9 on the MSY-MCO flight....

PDX-RDM-AVL-TPA

It seems I've been missing out on SkyBonus points for the last several years. I've seen the "enter SkyBonus number here" spot when purchasing tickets but never thought much about it. Today I was updating my profile at delta.com and saw the place to enter the SkyBonus number under Additional Information. I clicked on the "Interested in the SkyBonus program?" link and realized that I could earn some valuable points through my small company.

So I did a search in the Delta Forum here at FT and found a few threads. Reading this thread and others, it sounds like earning is slow, but I might as well get something where I got nothing before.

Time to register and input my upcoming flights.

scotty00

You can originate from anywhere and your company can be based anywhere.

jackplum

It is revenue and class of service (to some extent) based and, though seemingly slow at times, the points do add up.

Look at it this way. If you purchase a ticket with a DL/AMEX card, you get double miles, then you get the miles for the flight, and with SkyBonus you get points on the revenue (cost of the ticket which you already received miles). Consider it a limited double dipping.

The redemption structure includes a standard and enhanced availability which I presume could be likened to Skysaver and SkyChoice but I am not sure on that.

I am hoping to book my first TATL with SkyBonus soon unless I opt for a F to the Caribbean.

Another tip: If you "purchase" tickets for associates or business "partners" make sure to include the number on their booking.

PDX-RDM-AVL-TPA

I signed up for SkyBonus today and while surfing around the website, I found a more specific answer to photojojo's question.

This web page says:
So in the 50 points per $1000 category, that's 1 point for every $20. For example, yields would be as follows:
$500.00 = 25 points
$499.20 = 24 points
$480.00 = 24 points

The same web page says:
I guess I'll find out in a few weeks how long it takes to post.

Helena Handbaskets

I'm contemplating spending 1000 SkyBonus points on a TATL award ticket for this October. In reviewing the posted redemption procedure, it looks like you have to:

1. redeem the points for an authorization number online.

2. wait a couple of days for the authorization number to arrive by email.

3. call in on a special phone number to use the authorization number to find available flights and book the itinerary.

Aside from the fact that this procedure makes it difficult to combine with award tickets bought with Skymiles (which I'd like to do, but that's a separate issue), the problem I anticipate is that the rules seem to say that once you've redeemed the points for the authorization number, the points cannot be redeposited, and can only be used within one year of redemption. So it seems quite plausible that you might check award availability, withdraw the points, and call for the reservation a few days later to discover the availability is no longer there, and then you've just lost the points unless you want to try for another trip in the same award category within 1 year. For someone who does not regularly schedule multiple TATL trips per year, this seems to present significant risks.

Have I misunderstood the process? If not, has anyone figured out a way to mitigate the risk of losing the points if you discover you can't use them after they've been withdrawn from the account?

OrlandoFlyer

Take a look at Terms and Conditions links on the Awards Page of the Skybonus Website. It appears that you can make a reservation and then the ticket has to be issued within 14 days of the making the reservation. So you have time to redeem the points for the eletronic authoriztion and the ticket after making the reservation.

Helena Handbaskets

Thanks. That makes a lot more sense.

jackplum

Just received by email for those in the SkyBonus program - 250 points for registering free with SkyCorp Direct.

"Dear SkyBonus Member,

From time to time, we will alert you to new travel options and technology that Delta brings to the corporate marketplace. Delta now offers another great way to manage your company’s travel and save costs. SkyCorp Direct is an online travel tool that gives employees booking corporate travel an easy way to book their own flights, cars and hotels – and enables travel managers to track and manage the company’s travel all in one place.

There’s no cost to join and no booking fee for Delta, Continental, and Northwest Airlines, as well as car and hotel. Set-up is easy and takes minutes - SkyBonus members will earn 250 bonus points just for registering! Learn more and join today by visiting skycorpdirect.com/register. "

Helena Handbaskets

Cool. Thanks for the heads-up. 250 Skybonus points are worth a whole lot more than 250 Skymiles.

IRISHFLYER1

Thanks hope I get the 250.

The actual link to register is: http://www.skycorpdirect.com/register.html

griffinj

Can I register for SkyCorpDirect and book my flights that way to get the SkyBonus points, then get the SkyMiles for flying? Just curious if this is a way to double dip of sorts.

Or would I need my PA to register for this and she could get the SkyBonus points?

jackplum

I am not sure on the fare pricing on SkyCorp Direct. Haven't played with it enough to compare standard DL webfares with their pricing, if there is any difference at all. Not sure how the seat selection process, etc. works either.

However, SkyBonus is a great double dip even without SkyCorp Direct. Takes a bit of time to accumulate points but they do add up.

And 250 points is a very nice bonus!

Helena Handbaskets

Deleted - originally concerned questions about the registration page, but the page I'm getting now is different from the one I had questions about.