Delta Will Require Weekend Stays for Some Awards

Among this morning's emails was a note from a longtime Delta loyalist that included the following: "Did you hear, Delta plans to require Friday or Saturday night stays for their cheaper awards? Skypesos indeed!"

While the note came from a reliable source, I was skeptical. Why would Delta be indulging in such gratuitous nastiness, especially now, when the airline is running a goodwill deficit?

But sure enough, on Delta's website, in the "Award Travel Rules & Conditions" section, is this:

Minimum Stay (Effective in August 2010)

A minimum of a Friday or Saturday night stay will be required for Award tickets booked within 21 days from departure. Minimum stay will not apply to the following:

• Awards booked by Diamond, Platinum and Gold Medallion members
• Awards booked by Delta Reserve, Platinum and Gold primary cardmembers
• Awards priced at mid or high tier levels

So, unless you're an elite SkyMiles member (but excluding Silvers) or carry a SkyMiles credit card, you can only book low-priced awards (normal awards, by most members' reckoning) within 21 days of departure if the trip includes a Friday- or Saturday-night stay.

There's no sugar-coating it: This is another bottleneck to using Delta miles.

Why is Delta making it more difficult to redeem miles? And perhaps more importantly, why are they doing it now?

The reference to Skypesos is an allusion to Delta's fall from grace, particularly when it comes to SkyMiles award availability. A recent study found Delta's to be the second-stingiest U.S. mileage program. And a surge in negative feedback from Delta customers (including my correspondent) tends to confirm the study's findings.

On the other hand, Delta assures me that award seats are as available as ever, and that their own surveys of SkyMiles members reflect high levels of satisfaction.

I've heard Delta's side of the story, and I've heard from consumers whose first-hand experience flies in the face of Delta's claims. I don't have access to the data needed to adjudicate between the competing claims—Delta does, and they're not sharing. But I do know that where there's smoke, there's usually fire.

What's incontrovertible, however, is that Delta is in a P.R. hole. And this new policy can only make that hole deeper.

Reader Reality Check

Were you aware of this new policy?

Are you surprised? Outraged? Indifferent?

How much harder will this new restriction make it to redeem your Delta miles?

Comments

[Burton Kunz]

Delta is dying. TWA used to have 'studies' to show how good things were. I can't wait to see them bring back the preferred seat for a fee program. Clearly they are no longer interested in the frequent business flyer market. As to being strong they are merely shifting flights to their primary hubs, Cincinatti now offers single terminal connections for all flyers as two of the three terminals are shut down.

[Mike]

Big Deal....Try and find a low mileage award on Delta. NWA provided a much better choice of awards for premium customers as well as a web site you could negotiate easily to find awards, seats, schedules, etc. The No 1 carrier, as Delta puts it, has been a big disappointment to date for this NWA now Delta Platinum multi million miler. OH yes, the Delta Am Ex card....dropped that....won't bother you with that fiasco.

[Stan Trollip]

I'm a Gold Elite and Millionmiler. I travel often between the USA and South Africa. I was usually able to get 120000 mile Business Class seats with Northwest/KLM via Amsterdam. Now, even months in advance, I can't ever find similar values. Often there are only mid- or high-tier seats available at 230000/370000 miles. I've yet to find a low tier seat on any day. For the first time, I'm beginning to think of alternative carriers.

[Mark]

Im a Diamond member and Delta has a lot more to worry about than a stingy awards program. They need some serious help. I spend 8-12 hours in an airport and on a Delta plane a week. I am seriously considering taking my business elsewhere but if the other airlines merge wont they go through the same horrible merger pains?

[Mark]

Delta already has the dubious honor of the toughest to redeem miles on with a 14% chance of success. It has led me to switch loyalties back to Continental, cancel a Delat credit card etc. They are slowly and effectively driving the loyal business flyer away. I have tried for two years to redeem 150K in miles and have given up using them at all. Mark

[Nancy Engelsberg]

I was not aware and as a gold medallion am not affected. I also take note that this applies -- apparently -- only to awards booked on short notice. However, I tend to agree with Zeke. Delta, as I have already written, both to you and to them, has the only major ff alliance that does not offer a First Class International Award ticket. In their most recent answer to me they said they were referring my comments to the appropriate part of management. We will now see if Zeke is right or not!

[Chris Cooke]

As a Delta Platinum Medallion member and Million-Miler, this change was news to me. While I won't suffer under this new policy, I agree that further restrictions on the use of awards diminishes the value of the low-mileage awards.

But nothing is done without a reason. Delta is probably "testing the waters" to see how this change affects current Delta SkyMiles member behavior. It may motivate Silver Medallion members to work harder to earn Gold Medallion status. Or it may prompt more credit card applications from people with the Delta SkyMiles American Express card.

As far as redeeming awards, I've given up trying to get domestic coach awards for 25,000 miles. But I'm consoled by Delta's mid-tier awards, which are much easier to obtain. I also like the "Pay with Miles" feature, which guarantees that a Delta SkyMile is worth at least 1 penny (not the two cents or more it used to be worth, but better than nothing).

While I read the Wall Street Journal article ranking Delta at the bottom of the list, I've had difficulty getting awards on American, Alaska, and Continental. Over the years, I've held elite status on eight different airlines (Alaska, America West, American, Continental, Delta, Frontier, Northwest, and US Airways). If I believed there was a better frequent flier program, I'd change. But so far, I'm unconvinced.

Chris Cooke
San Diego

[Zeke]

Tim, DELTA is in a PR Hole because the majority of their management are major A****s.