Delta Devaluation

BusinessElite® low mileage redemption:
Many of you have experienced first hand our significant investments in products over the past several years. In June 2014, we will be the only U.S. carrier to offer full flat-bed seats with direct aisle access in Business Class across our entire wide-body fleet. Our premium cabins will also soon offer new, on-demand in-flight entertainment options and we are in the process of adding in-flight Wi-Fi on our long-haul international aircraft scheduled to be complete by 2015. We’ve also partnered with premium brands Westin and Tumi on new bedding and amenity kits and we’re introducing new dining options.

As a result, we’ve recognized the need for adjustments to our low mileage redemption levels for select international Award Tickets in BusinessElite. The mileage redemption adjustments are effective today for Award Travel on or after June 1, 2014. Please check our Award charts for updated mileage levels later today.

Award Hold policy change

We will continue to offer our 24-hour Risk-free Cancellation option for Award Tickets, but will discontinue our Award Ticket hold option. More than one million Award Seats per year are held by members who don’t use them which negatively impacts other members’ Award Seat access. The new policy will be effective for Award Ticket reservations made on or after September 9, 2013, and at that time, Award Seats may no longer be held without ticketing.

Obviously any devaluation isn’t good. At least this puts off the revenue based model for a while…

The changes are all to Business Class redemptions which Delta serves with their longhaul product.

So that means:

• US-Europe in business class goes from 100,000 to 125,000 miles roundtrip
• US-Asia in business class goes from 120,000 to 140,000 miles roundtrip
• US-Australia in business class goes from 150,000 to 160,000 miles roundtrip
• US-South Africa in business class goes from 140,000 to 160,000 miles roundtrip
• US-Middle East in business class from 120,000 to 140,000 miles roundtrip

You can see their updated award charts here.

AA (non-targeted) Status Challenge

Fast Track Your Way To Elite Status

We invite AAdvantage® members* who do not currently hold elite status to reach Gold, Platinum or Executive Platinum status faster and keep it through February 28, 2015. Not an AAdvantage member? It’s fast and free to join!

Members who are eligible for this offer and reach a mileage threshold below will open up a whole new world of perks designed to make travel easier. When you meet the requirements, you will have the opportunity to experience the exclusive benefits our elite status members enjoy, including:

Mileage bonuses on eligible flights
Complimentary access to Preferred Seats
Special upgrade privileges
Priority Access at check-in and boarding
Free checked bags
It’s easy to enroll for your exclusive offer.

Simply register by 11:59 p.m. (CT) on August 27, 2013, using promotion codeH3TLI. Then, start flying on American or select airlines** to earn the required elite-qualifying miles between September 1, 2013, and December 31, 2013.

You need to fly the following EQM to meet the challenge:

Register here.

All I can say is … I have been waiting and waiting for a top tier status challenge/match with one of the legacies and here is one. So I am very happy today. 😛