In an effort to promote stronger loyalty among customers, Delta Air Lines has recently announced changes that will make it more difficult to earn elite status. The new rules, which will go into effect later this year, will require passengers to fly higher level fares as well as have a minimum amount of spending in order to qualify for discounted accessibility to Delta Sky Clubs and other airport lounges.
The new rules come as part of Delta’s SkyMiles program, which rewards passengers for flying frequently with the airline. Among the changes, premium cabin fares will no longer count for earning elite status under the new structure, and more focus will be put on spending with Delta. For example, a passenger would now need to spend a minimum of $5,000 within a calendar year in order to qualify for Silver Medallion status. This is significantly more than the current requirement of spending $3,000 for the same level of loyalty.
Additionally, Delta recently announced that it would be increasing the redemption amounts for the airline’s popular SkyMiles program. For some passengers, the changes could mean that they need to redeem more points in order to redeem the same reward ticket.
Since the coronavirus pandemic hit the airline industry last year, Delta has implemented a number of changes in order to combat the financial losses it has faced. All of the changes in Delta’s SkyMiles program are part of an overall strategy by the airline to ensure that it is able to remain afloat during these difficult times.
For many passengers, the changes may not be advantageous, but Delta maintains that the new system will help make the airline more competitive. Time will tell if this strategy works for Delta, but in the meantime, passengers should familiarize themselves with the changes to the program.
