Delta recently introduced a new mileage earning and redemption structure for SkyMiles members, which they said they weren’t going to release until the fall—and then released just a week later (they must’ve felt the heat). As of today, SkyMiles members can access Delta’s U.S. Award chart online at delta.com/skymiles2015. The new structure will be effective for new Award tickets booked beginning Jan. 1, 2015.
Delta claims “customers will continue to have access to every seat on every Delta flight as an Award seat with no blackout dates,” but as I’ve written before, compared to the competition Delta has the worst frequent flier program when it comes to redeeming awards at the lowest/normal levels.
The lowest level of SkyMiles Saver Awards will remain at 25,000 miles plus taxes and fees for an Economy Class Award ticket for travel within the U.S. and Canada (excluding Hawaii). What’s new is that they are introducing two additional redemption tiers which they say “will offer members more price points for Awards.” The verdict is still out on this until we can actually see how many Saver Awards they’ll offer but I’m not holding my breath. The good news is that they’re going to finally release new features such as One-Way Award tickets—which will start as low as 12,500 miles—and the ability to redeem Miles + Cash Award options. They also say they’re going to improve their award-redemption functionality at delta.com, which is in dire need.
What do you think? Are you happy with the new Delta changes or are you jumping ship—I mean airlines?
Related: Boarding Area: Delta Releases Its New 5-Tier Award Charts: What They Mean For Travelers
