Delta walks back changes to SkyClub access, loyalty program
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Delta is rolling back some of the restrictions on access to its popular airport lounges. Photo: Brittany Murray/MediaNews Group/Long Beach Press-Telegram via Getty Images
Delta Air Lines caved to customer complaints Wednesday, rolling back some of the restrictions it had placed on access to its Sky Club airport lounges and trimming the number of miles needed to earn elite status.
- It'll still take more money than it does today to qualify for elite status, but the new thresholds are not quite as high as those that triggered the customer uproar in September.
Why it matters: The airline acknowledged it overstepped by making it harder for customers to reap the rewards of frequent flying and big spending on Delta-branded credit cards.
The big picture: The adjustments are meant to soften the blow as Delta tries to balance customer loyalty with limited "premium" rewards, CEO Ed Bastian told Axios in an interview.
- During the pandemic, Delta was "by far the most generous in terms of grandfathering everyone that had status at the start of 2020," Bastian explained.
- At the same time, Delta-branded credit cards rewarded spenders with lots of SkyMiles points and perks.
- As a result, "we wound up with having almost twice as many premium customers at the end of last year as we had at the start of COVID," Bastian said.
- That meant frustrated customers encountered lines to get into Sky Club lounges, and difficulty booking seats with SkyMiles rewards.
- Delta tried to fix the problem in September by tightening access to premium features and status tiers.
Driving the news: Now it's rolling back some of those restrictions.
- In response to "customer feedback," Delta said it would lower the amount of money (Medallion Qualification Dollars or MQDs) required to achieve 2025 Medallion Status by about 20% compared to the previous announcement.
- For example: it will now take 5,000 MQDs to earn silver medallion status (down from the previously announced 6,000, but still above today's 3,000).
- Gold status will require 10,000 MQDs (up from 8,000 today), Platinum will take 15,000 (up from 12,000 today) and Diamond will require 28,000 (up from 20,000 today).
Of note: Delta will also offer more flexibility for accessing its Sky Club lounges.
- A Sky Club visit now includes entries on all legs of a trip within a 24-hour period, for example.
- Holders of the most premium Delta credit cards will also receive more visits to Sky Club lounges than previously announced.
Yes, but: Beginning Jan. 1, 2024, Delta SkyMiles Platinum and Platinum Business American Express Card Members and customers traveling in Basic Economy, regardless of card type, will no longer be eligible for Club access.
What they're saying: "Over the past few weeks, many of you have shared feedback about the changes we announced to Delta's SkyMiles Program," Bastian wrote in an email to customers.
- "It's been a challenge to balance the growth of our membership with our need to deliver premium service experiences," he added.
- "We made some difficult program decisions to address this issue…. But your response made clear that the changes did not fully reflect the loyalty you have demonstrated to Delta."
Go deeper: Airlines squeeze rewards programs
