Free $450 Delta e-cert
Dec 19, 2010 | 3:21 pm
#16
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: DL Gold, AA Platinum, SM, OP, HHonors Gold, SPG Ambassador
Posts: 172
I'm confused why one would want to do this... maybe I need to be spoon fed. I'm guessing if you were going to sign up for the Delta card, get the points, then cancel the card this would be useful as you would no longer be able to use the pay with miles feature.
But why in the world would you want a $1,700 e-cert? If you had 100k skymiles you can get a roundtrip ticket to Europe in first/business. Which usually brings the worth of the skymiles over 1 cent per mile. Wouldn't the only positive of using this method would be if you were planning to cancel the card or would the e-cert be able to allow one to earn miles on flights purchased with the e-cert?
But why in the world would you want a $1,700 e-cert? If you had 100k skymiles you can get a roundtrip ticket to Europe in first/business. Which usually brings the worth of the skymiles over 1 cent per mile. Wouldn't the only positive of using this method would be if you were planning to cancel the card or would the e-cert be able to allow one to earn miles on flights purchased with the e-cert?
Dec 19, 2010 | 3:25 pm
#17
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: STR
Programs: UA Slvr, DL Slvr, IHG Plt, SPG Gld
Posts: 197
Maybe I'm missing something in the post, but the website says that I need to spend $3000 within 3 months on the card. Have your experiences been that the miles post immediately or only after you've spent $3000?
Thanks.
Thanks.
Dec 19, 2010 | 3:40 pm
#19
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Sunny Florida
Posts: 637
After you spend the required amount. even then the T&C usually allow for 6-8 weeks for miles to post to account.
Dec 19, 2010 | 3:41 pm
#20
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Sunny Florida
Posts: 637
Dec 19, 2010 | 4:03 pm
#21
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,774
Good luck finding such a ticket. DL's Skymiles program is equivilant to garbage. Sure, it's worth money if you let it rot and then turn the methane gas into profits somehow. They don't post mileage charts for their partner airlines, and I recently tried to price our a business class ticket from the US to asia, which was offered to me at 380,000 miles!!!!! More than TRIPLE the published maximum! What a joke!
Last May I flew
Kansas City -> London
Amsterdam -> CDG -> Dublin
Dublin -> Kansas City
All in first/business on one award redemption for 100k skymiles.
All I know is that I've been able to get some great redemption, though it hasn't been easy. I just value skymiles more than 1 cent per mile. Don't know why you would sign up for the card only to get a 450 e-cert when you could have signed up for an AA card and gotten a better deal.
Dec 19, 2010 | 4:42 pm
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Ann Arbor
Programs: HHonors Gold , National Emerald Exec, Hertz Presidents, Delta Gold
Posts: 2,604
If you have 10 points extra on your credit score, get both.
Or the two cards that you think have the most value.
Dec 20, 2010 | 12:01 pm
#23
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: BZN
Programs: AA:LT Platinum DL:LT Gold UA:1P MAR:LT Titanium
Posts: 8,292
If you are a Gold Medallion or better with Delta, you know how to work around the annoying award calendar to find Medallion award inventory, and you have a bit of flexibility and are looking to fly wholly within the 48 contiguous states, the ~50K miles you'll have after spending the minimum can get you two tickets that are worth *much* more than $450, especially if you snag the free upgrades. If you are PM+, you can book just days out, and even cancel/change if you don't get your upgrades. It's not a feasible strategy for everyone, but I'm just pointing out that upper elites on Delta who know how to use their miles efficiently can get a heck of a lot more than $450 worth out of the miles.
Dec 20, 2010 | 12:10 pm
#24
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 842
While I agree that this method is not for everyone, I know a lot of people who will put it to use. Many frequent flyers do not redeem miles for their own personal travel because of the importance of MQMs. This allows these travellers to put their skypesos to use.
Dec 20, 2010 | 2:36 pm
#25
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: World
Programs: DL SM, UA 2P, US Silver, Hilton Diamond, PC Plat RA, Marriott Plat, SPG Plat
Posts: 117
Great deal! Wanted to book a ticket to HNL...horrible value if booked as award. Not bad if I do it this way, though. Plus, I'll still get MQMs...makes it a sweet deal for me. Anyone know how long to get e-cert once refundable ticket is cancelled? Thanks!
Dec 20, 2010 | 4:16 pm
#26
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: UA Gold-MM, AA Gold-MM, F9-Silver, Hyatt Something, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,443
Dec 24, 2010 | 1:17 am
#27
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 23
As an avid skymiles customer I dont think this is a good offer. DEVALUES skymiles compared to international travel value. So basically this converts 50k skymiles to $500. Thats a horrible value, delta sells 60k skymiles for almost $1800. Dont do it, at the least redeem for a saver roundtrip domestic award for 25k miles per ticket.
Dec 24, 2010 | 7:13 am
#28
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Ann Arbor
Programs: HHonors Gold , National Emerald Exec, Hertz Presidents, Delta Gold
Posts: 2,604
As an avid skymiles customer I dont think this is a good offer. DEVALUES skymiles compared to international travel value. So basically this converts 50k skymiles to $500. Thats a horrible value, delta sells 60k skymiles for almost $1800. Dont do it, at the least redeem for a saver roundtrip domestic award for 25k miles per ticket.
Many people can't find 25K awards to places they'd like to go, at least not without double connects.
If Delta's award availability was better, I'm not sure I would have posted.
However, I guarantee no one should buy 60K miles for $1800. Now, that IS a horrible value.
I wouldn't do this deal on any other alliance, but think it makes sense on Delta, especially for a non-elite account.
Dec 24, 2010 | 12:11 pm
#30
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 47,166
As an avid skymiles customer I dont think this is a good offer. DEVALUES skymiles compared to international travel value. So basically this converts 50k skymiles to $500. Thats a horrible value, delta sells 60k skymiles for almost $1800. Dont do it, at the least redeem for a saver roundtrip domestic award for 25k miles per ticket.
