Skift Take
Delta made two improvements around the edges of its mileage program. But it eschewed the sort of conceptual change American made last month, retaining metrics for status accumulation.
Delta Air Lines has tweaked its mileage program, enhancing benefits for both leisure passengers who use accumulated frequent flier miles to purchase tickets and for high-end, high-status travelers who fly first class long-haul international and had previously faced a cap on mileage accumulation.
The changes, while relatively minor, underscore the intense competition in mileage programs and the airlines’ willingness to make changes in them. “We try to listen to our customers, to understand how their needs are evolving, to add more value and to engage them with Delta even more,” said Prashant Sharma, Delta vice president of loyalty.
Delta said Thursday that it will remain the only U.S. carrier to allow travelers to earn status for flying paid for with accumulated miles, making permanent a policy it introduced during the pandemic. The extension took effect March 31.
Secondly, Delta said it will remove the 75,000-mile cap on payment for single flights, an alteration that clearly applies only to a limited segment of travelers paying high fares for premium seats on long-haul international flights. This policy took effect March 31, with benefits retroactive to Jan. 1.
Three weeks ago, American announced it would more closely align points earned for flying with points earned for using its credit cards. American also simplified its program by eliminating alternate metrics for achieving various status levels. Delta’s changes were not as conceptually broad: Sharma said Delta still wants to recognize “that we have different kinds of customers.”
Regarding the extension of awarding Medallion status for using miles, Sharma noted that the benefit was added a year ago, during the pandemic, when leisure travel…