Delta Air Lines has led the U.S. airline loyalty industry in duplicity and penny-pinching for several years running (even with a commendable challenge from United last month) so a day in which positive news is announced is quite rare. Yesterday was one of those days, as Delta announced a new confirmed upgrade incentive for Platinum and Diamond elites without the onerous fare class restrictions that have made such instruments virtually useless in the past.
Regional Upgrades for Platinum Medallions
Upon earning 75,000 elite qualifying miles, a Skymiles member earns or re-qualifies for Platinum status. That status comes with the choice of one benefit (i.e. miles, lounge access, status for a friend) and in 2014, the option of four confirmed regional upgrades will be added.
Regional upgrades (and Global upgrades described below) can be used only for the Skymiles member or one companion traveling on the same reservation. Unlike American or United, in which confirmed upgrade instruments can be applied to anyone, Delta’s choice will preclude family and friends from benefiting if not on the same reservation as the member, even if they are on the same flight.
But these regional upgrades are valid on any fare but Delta’s lowest economy class fare, E-Class, meaning a pricey economy class ticket is not necessary to confirm an upgrade in advance. These regional upgrades can only be applied on routes in which complimentary upgrades are offered to elites, will have priority over complimentary upgrades, and will be valid for 12 months from date of issue.
Global Upgrades for Diamond Medallions
Upon earning 125,000 elite qualifying miles, a Skymiles member earns or re-qualifies for Diamond status. That status comes with an elite choice benefit in addition to the Platinum benefit. In 2014, the option for eight confirmed regional upgrades or four confirmed global upgrades will be added.
Like the regional upgrades, the only fare class restriction is E-Class, a huge change from Delta’s systemwides of the past which required a Y, B, or M fare class (the three priciest economy fare classes) in order to upgrade. The systemwide upgrades can continue to be used on Y, B, or M fares on KLM to upgrade from economy class to business class (and from economy to Premium Economy on Air France). Furthermore, S and W fares (pricier Premium Economy fare classes on Air France) can be used to upgrade to business. “O” class space is necessary on KLM and Air France in order to upgrade to business.
Global upgrades are good on all routes in which complimentary upgrades are not offered—not just international longhaul flights but transcon flights between New York JFK and San Francisco/Los Angeles/Seattle as well as flights between Hawaii and Atlanta.
The Elimination of Complimentary Upgrades on Premium Domestic Routes
There is some bad news too, particularly for those JFK-based flyers who are used to complimentary upgrades on transcon flights.
Delta is in the process of installing lie-flat seats on its flights between JFK and San Francisco/Los Angeles/Seattle and consequently will eliminate complimentary upgrades on those routes and on continue to not offer complimentary upgrades on its longhaul service between Atlanta and Hawaii. Complimentary upgrades will also be eliminated on flights to Central America and Northern South America that feature Delta’s international business class cabin. But, flights from the west coast to Hawaii will now be eligible for complimentary upgrades.
What This Means for You
Delta’s move to introduce regional upgrades and greatly loosen the fare class restrictions on its global upgrades should hearten American Airlines flyers. With Delta’s move to offer more confirmed upgrade instruments, American is much less likely to cut back its systemwide upgrades or add fare class restrictions as the merger with US Airways progresses.
It also may put pressure on United, which has taken much criticism for diluting elite benefits and devaluing its award chart, to match Delta and American by eliminating burdensome fare class restrictions on its systemwide upgrades. Currently you must buy a W-class fare or higher on United in order to use a systemwide upgrade, a gamble of several hundred dollars on many routes when an upgrade must be waitlisted. If your upgrade does not clear, there is no refund.
Delta’s Skypesos program—as Gary has dubbed it and now much of the mainstream media refers to it as—is still lacking in many respects, but this addresses a huge gap between the competition and makes the Skymiles program a much more palatable option for international travelers. Still, while American awards eight upgrades after earning Executive Platinum status (100K miles) and United awards six for earning Premier 1K status (also 100K miles), Delta only offers four for flying 125,000—but four is better than none.
Matt, this is great news to the DL skymiles program. I just hope that they actually allow for upgrade and makes space available for them. After all, right now even when booked in YBM fares people complain about no space for upgrades after spending hundred more for tickets.
Also you mentioned, “Central America and Northern South America that feature Delta’s international business class cabin.” would loose free upgrades. Already Delta does not allow complimentary upgrades on these flights. For example, Bogota has been on again off again on an Internationally configured aircraft for years, whenever it’s an international configured 757 upgrades are null, if it’s a 737 domestic version the upgrade is possible. I do not believe that this is any change in policy with the introduction of these e-certs
Delta boasts that these are great changes and asked by many customers. However, myself and many others are getting screwed on this change. I travel international 20 weeks out of the year (6-7 trips) and I count on the 4 System Wide upgrades at Platinum and the 6 at Diamond. Now with these changes I can no longer upgrade at Platinum due to the fact that we only get regional upgrade certificates. I need to reach Diamond. So I have effectively went from 10 system wide upgrade to 4. For myself and many others I work with, we will all be flying a different airline once we use our current system wide upgrades!
It is certainly nice to have these kind of options and upgrades, but when not even the basic needs are addressed then I wonder if this program is worth it. I am a Diamond Medallion since the inception of the program and I still have to see a standby request out of Atlanta being fulfilled. I live in Orlando and everytime I get early out of work, I have come to the realization that I need to wait for my original flight because it is impossible to get a standby seat. Today I thought it was the first time and surprise, surprise there were 6 inconvenienced travelers that bump me way back and the 6 available seats in that flight while I was number 2 in the list, became no seat for me in that flight. I have come to the realization that I will be spending 4 more hours in this airport and go to my original flight because it is very undignifying to go from gate to gate and hope to get on a plane and seeing others checking bags (which I dread) having to do that and then the final word of the agent saying that the fight is complete and all the standby will be moved to the next flight. I feel almost like a beggers asking for crums. I fly 125,000+ MQM’s a year and spend 50K+ dollars in this airline and I need to beg for an early seat. Something is wrong with this program.