Delta SkyMiles Booking Changes
 

Greetings,

I spoke a moment ago to a SkyMiles rep, and she told me that two changes started today in the SkyMiles booking process:

1. No more waitlists--"this should increase seat availability". Doubt that, and it is a disappointment that you can't book a convoluted routing and then HOPE that the waitlist on the direct route clears before your flight; and

2. SkyMiles awards booked over the phone or in person must be booked immediately; i.e., no 48 hour holds.--of course, many routings involving non-Delta metal cannot be booked online (i.e., Aeroflot, Air France, etc.)

Marc David Miller
[email protected]

Assuming this is true, I guess that means goodbye to the not paying $20 by redeeming online after an itinerary has been constructed over the phone.

From Delta.com

New Hours for SkyMiles Reservations
Effective March 17, new Award Ticket reservations by non-Medallion members must be made between the hours of 8am and 10pm ET when calling 1-800-323-2323 for all U.S. and Canada locations.

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Changes to Booking Award Tickets
Starting March 17, immediate ticketing will be required to redeem Award Tickets at City Ticket Offices, the airport, or by calling Reservations. This is applicable to all flights originating in the continental United States, Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Alaska.


[of course, many scenarios involving non-Delta metal must be booked over the phone or in person]

So basically you will no longer be able to call at midnight if you need to do the 331 day booking with a partner that cannot be done online. I would understand this more if you could book anything online on either Delta metal and all partner metal.

Customer Care also changed from 7-7 seven days a week to 8-7 M-F.

I called and asked and the SMS person said this change to immediate ticketing means that this will effect people booking 331 days out. Now you'll have to wait until your dates are within range. I.e. you are traveling for 10 days you'll have to wait until 321 days out.

The current hold times remain for tickets booked on delta.com or that originate outside the U.S.

Ahh yes, another "improvement" to the skymiles system!

I would be curious to get more answers on that one. When they dropped from 14 days to the 2 day hold, you could still call 331 days out and ticket your outbound travel as one way. The reps knew what was going on and how to deal with it in the system. When you return date opened up, you just called back and they reticketed everything with the return portion and you were not charged the change fee.


So now, you are saying no one will be able to book a ticket unless the entire trip is within the 331 day window.

and what happens to those of us already on the waitlist??

Ohh the other thing is they said they wouldn't be waiving re-deposit or re-issue fees for non PMs any more in this situation.

And yes your entire trip has to be within the 331 day window.

WOW! This is nearly pushing me over the edge to drop Delta. I mean seriously, what does DL gain by upsetting its best customers this way? I don't see how DL gains anything by changing this policy.

What on earth is the rationale for doing this? I can't see how it increases award availability.

I have several award wait lists (one international) and if DL follows through on this non-wait list policy then I'll take my business elsewhere.

I will be writing Delta a stern letter about this, as I'M REALLY PO'd about this. I find this policy worse than the new award structure or their skynever policy.

Is the 331 day window important any more? It was my understanding that DL was going awway from releasing inventory at 331 days and doing it throughout the year as inventory fluctuated.

Yes it is, I still (sometimes) grab award seats at the 331 day window, OR they waitlist me at 331 days for what I want.

Very important!

Another "Enhancement". Gee, thanks delta.

Award ticket rebooking flexibility continues to be by far the best benefit of PM these days, IMHO. (Although, to be fair, that's likely because I'm rarely actually flying DL metal, so the priority handling doesn't matter much when I'm on AF/KL/etc. :rolleyes: )

[Edited: I misread the previous post; following paragraph is irrelevant.]

What? And how do they plan to adjudicate that? Either they waive fees for PMs, or they don't. If they do not repeal the fee waiver (which I can certainly see them doing, sadly), seems hard for them to enforce this, as it would require agents to rule on intent. Just call and book a one-way ticket 331 days out. Change it later.

jfulcher was talking about non-PMs.