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Your paltry Delta miles aren't accepted here
If Delta Skymiles could be equated to a currency, they would be Zimbabwean Dollars.Over the past several months, numerous changes at the Atlanta based company have brought significant detriment to the joint Delta and Northwest frequent flyer program. These modifications range from an increase in mileage fee for economy tickets (tickets to Europe, for example, went from 50K to 60K miles,) application of fees for award bookings (up to $150,) and the reduction of benefits such as free miles redeposits and system wide upgrades.
There are plenty of small annoyances, but what all of these program changes boil down to is a change in the model in which award tickets are exchanged. Formerly, supply of award miles was lower, availability was higher and the top few passengers who earned numerous miles could spend them fairly easily.
Now, supply is higher, availability is lower and the masses all generally have access to a few scrappy seats. The very few extra that are booked are done so at excruciating costs. So as a result, the airline loses less money on award bookings and gives passengers the false sense of reward with useless miles.
No passenger is in a better perspective to observe the change than he who was a Northwest Worldperks member. Over the last six months, that customer watched his counterparts at Delta reap the benefits of numerous mileage bonus offers, virtually dumping miles into the pockets of passengers and severely diluting the mileage pool.
Meanwhile, program changes continue to cut Worldperks down to the level of Skymiles and defectors leave in droves. At a poll on the frequent flyer website Flyertalk, nearly 30% of passengers queried are leaving the conglomerate to join another airline program, another 20% are leaving at year's end and 20% are too distraught to know what to do.
Out on the underground mileage exchanges, Delta/Northwest miles have lost their value. Most don't even bother trying to trade, and one passenger trying to exchange Delta miles for an equal number of competitor miles was laughed at. The best offer so far? A few beverage certificates.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Jeremy Kressmann Feb 20th 2009 2:56PM
So true. I realize this is a tough time for companies like Delta, but what's the point of even offering miles if you're going to make them virtually worthless?
Delta is awful when it comes to letting people redeem miles. There's little availability and they're worth increasingly less each passing month.
Andy Feb 22nd 2009 10:12AM
Delta sucks. They also accept Hawaiian miles, they say. They rejected my request to fly cross country first class to Raleigh, on the basis of no seats and wrong days.
The fact was that out of 4 flight segments, one seat each way was taken, on 2 of the flights.
Then the big winner was that they would not say, what the right days were.
Never again.
peter Feb 23rd 2009 6:33AM
let us all remember that frequent flyer miles are a priveledge. the airlines do not have to give anybody anything. if they did away with all the free tickets maybe they would'nt be in such a financial mess. we made our economy the way it is today. crandall should de shot for ever thinking of such an idea
todd Feb 23rd 2009 8:34AM
Wrong Peter, if your not gonna hold to your offer, then don't offer it at all, they use that lure to get business. Then after we spend money they take it away or make it to much of a pain to use. You must be a banker.
peter Feb 23rd 2009 4:01PM
No Todd I am a flight attendant for the big one DELTA. And even airline employees have trouble pass riding because every airplane has too many free tickets, due to the frequent flyer. This is a major reason airlines are in the mess they are in today. i have 32 years in the sky and have given up half my pay just to keep working. Our society does need to wake up and smell the coffee. Because our situation today is not getting any better. Travel like i do and you will see not just in the usa but our financial crisis is a global issue..Why do you think there are' nt any freebies on a plane anymore. Any aircraft can be full but it still can lose money due to the frequent flyers different amounts of fares on each flight. So the next time your on a flight anywhere don't expect to much because the person sitting next to you could have paid 500.00 more for the same row. The airlines need to ditch the frquent flyer miles. Everything in life has gone up since the seventies except the airline ticket. People think they should be able to fly from LA to New York round trip for $200.00 today. Got news for you that might of been in the 70's but not today.
David Feb 23rd 2009 7:05AM
Service was soooooo bad when I recently retired, I swore I would never get on another plane. AND I was a 1K on United, An American Platinum Executive, and a multi million miler/Platinum on Delta. At the "end" I was treated no better (or worse!) than any other flier. Disgusting. The airlines are reaping what they have sowed.
Jim McConnell Feb 23rd 2009 7:04AM
It certainly made no sense to me to click on an article entitled US Air miles "useless" to read a story about Delta and Northwest.
Jill Feb 23rd 2009 7:16AM
You titled this article " Us Airline miles...." yet I see nothing in here about US Airline miles.....isn't this somewhat of a malignment of character here.....????Potential lawsuit?.....
MH Feb 23rd 2009 7:37AM
I think "US Airline's miles..." refers to an airline in the US, not an airline named "US Airline," which doesn't seem to be the name of a real airline anyway. US Airways, an actual airline, is in no way implicated by the title or the story itself.
FrequentFlyerBK Feb 23rd 2009 9:46AM
Exactly! I opened the article to find out which airline is was about. It didn't say "USAirways".
Randy Feb 23rd 2009 7:38AM
Well speaking of US Airlines. I do not fly much, but I did fly from Ft, Myers Florida to Chicago last month. And I an very upset that while flying back to Florida from Chicago on US airlines, my luggage was went through and my GPS was taken. Now I went through all the hoops US told me to do. And then they tell me there is nothing they can do. I think it is very sad that you can have things taken out of your luggage and your stuck. Shame on US Air.
curtlnss Feb 23rd 2009 11:13PM
Almost everything about Delta sucks!! It is possibly the worst US airline ever. I booked a trip with them several weeks ago and it was one of the most disagreeable trips I have ever experienced. I will never fly Delta again for any reason!!!
Richard Feb 23rd 2009 11:07AM
My experience with redeeming miles with Delta does not bear this story out. I have for years been using my Skymiles with relative ease even on partner airlines. Delta is no different than other airlines in miles redemption it may even be better you just have to follow the rules and plan your trips in advance
ann Feb 23rd 2009 9:10AM
you will fly them as long as they are going your direction and the price is right. stop your crying. what business doesn't treat you this way? cell phone companies, resturants, grocery stores, even my water company has me by the short hairs and i can't do anything about it.
GS Feb 23rd 2009 9:25AM
WE HAVE TRIED TO USE NORTHWEST OR NORTHWORST AS THEIR CUSTOMERS CALL THEM FOR YEARS TO NO AVAIL
EVEN IF YOU GO OUT EVEN 6 MONTHS WHERE NO ONE SEAT HAS BEEN SOLD THEY STILL SAY THERE R NO FREQ FLYER SEATS AVAIL
THESE AIRLINES SB SUED FOR FRAUD AND BREACH OF CONTRACT THEY ARE CTRIMINALS AND I HOPE THEY GO BANKRUPT
carla Feb 23rd 2009 9:18AM
Wrong Peter!
Airline miles were part of the deal.
You don't change the deal after you've spent the money! Are you a politician?
Richard Feb 23rd 2009 9:20AM
Maybe its not the Sky miles breaking the Airline, Maybe its the CEO and multiple Vice-Presidents salaries Maybe its the multi-million dollar Bonus checks that have been skimmed off the top of operating costs since De-regulation...They parked airplanes in the desert to reduce seat availability...............THE CHEAP TICKET PARTY IS OVER
Steve Feb 23rd 2009 9:25AM
I'm sorry, but Frequent Flyer programs were one of the biggest knucklehead misstakes the Airlines ever came up with. Why reward some Tech/Sales person flying on their companies dime and the heck with the rest of us that pay and go. Suck it up frequent flyers and pay your own way for upgrades and vacation destinations.......
gene6500 Feb 23rd 2009 9:27AM
I have complained to aa about numerous thefts from luggage returning from so american - u know what the aa rep told me "dont change planes in miami"
Cheryl Feb 23rd 2009 9:29AM
As a person who flies on a weekly basis, I would NEVER put anything valuable in checked baggage. As for Delta? I have never redeemed any of my accumulated frequent flier miles, but they almost always upgrade me to First Class at no charge. When I'm flying home ... exhausted ... that's a perk I thoroughly enjoy. And, they've never lost my luggage. I detest American Airlines, AirTran, and US Air. United is marginally better.
The biggest problem about the frequent flyer programs is the way people can accumulate miles by using their credit cards. IMO, mile accumulation should be reserved for those who actually get on a plane and fly.