Delta Air Lines is adding 30 percent more capacity to Latin America and the Caribbean next winter with more flights to popular destinations from Costa Rica to San Juan.
27.07.2023 - 18:33 / smartertravel.com / Tim Winship
Since its unannounced implementation on a Friday evening last February—strategically timed to avoid public notice and minimize media scrutiny—Delta’s policy of not publishing award charts has been a source of consumer frustration and outrage.
Delta’s rationale for its whatever-we-say-it-is award pricing was dismissive; there was none. SkyMiles members were simply assured that they could look up award prices on Delta’s online booking widget. A loyalty program that had already stretched its members faith to the breaking point was saying “Just trust us.” Instead, the airline ginned up the mistrust of its best customers.
Bad News, Buried
That simmering distrust was reignited last week, with the discovery that award prices for some flights between the U.S. and the Pacific will be changing from October 1. For example, the lowest-available cost for one-way business-class awards to Australia will rise from 80,000 to 95,000 miles. While most of the price changes are increases, a roundtrip coach award will decrease, from 100,000 to 90,000 miles.
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Neither the increases nor the decreases have been announced by Delta. In response to my request for confirmation and clarification of the upcoming changes, Delta provided neither, reprising language from a news release issued in July 2015: “We know your miles are important, so we want to provide the most notice possible regarding Award price changes. For travel on or after June 1, 2016, the number of miles needed will change based on destination, demand and other dynamics.”
As one commenter on a related FlyerTalk thread summarized the situation: “Another big middle finger from DL to its frequent flyers. Why anyone continues to show loyalty to this airline is beyond me.”
Good News, Blasted
Even as Delta sneaks in those upcoming award-price changes, with no advance notice to SkyMiles members, the airline is promoting discounted award travel to London. Roundtrip coach awards for travel between February 1 and March 24 are reduced from 60,000 to 45,000 miles. Bookings at the discounted rates must be completed by January 18.
No hiding there: The award sale is prominently featured on Delta’s website.
So there you have it. When prices go down, Delta promotes the fact. But when prices go up, silence.
Trust and transparency go hand in hand. Delta’s SkyMiles program lacks both.
Reader Reality Check
How is your loyalty to Delta holding up with the new policies and latest award-price changes?
More from SmarterTravel: The Year’s 10 Biggest Travel Stories Fidelity Drops Amex for 2% Cash-Back Card Say ‘G’Day, Australia’ with Bonus Miles, Award DiscountsAfter 20 years working in the travel industry, and 15 years writing about it, Tim Winship
Delta Air Lines is adding 30 percent more capacity to Latin America and the Caribbean next winter with more flights to popular destinations from Costa Rica to San Juan.
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It’s a fact of loyalty-program life: Airline and hotel programs periodically adjust their award prices. Of course, those adjustments amount to price hikes more often than not. And, all things being equal, higher award prices amount to an overall devaluation of the program.
As changes to hotel-program award prices go, the latest for InterContinental’s IHG Rewards are decidedly modest: Prices for award nights at 400 hotels will change by either 5,000 or 10,000 points, half moving up, half moving down. If it were just that 50-50 split, Rewards members might dismiss it as a wash and count their blessings. After all, “It could have been worse.”
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Following is our regular summary of the latest travel news and best frequent traveler promotions reviewed during the past week.