Here’s some high level of comparison among the major U.S. carriers’ frequent flyer programs.
| Tiers | Spending Requirements | Complimentary Upgrades | Fee Waivers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 3 | No | Yes | Yes |
| American | 3 | No | Yes | Yes |
| Delta | 4 | Yes | Yes | Some |
| JetBlue | 1 | Yes | No | Yes |
| Southwest | 2 | No | No | No fees |
| United | 4 | Yes | Yes | Some |
| Virgin America | 2 | Yes | Limited | Yes |
Without the spending requirements, Alaska, American, and Southwest really stood out.
As Delta continues to focus on profitability and rewarding its stockholders, news has not been kind to its loyal flyers. Earlier in 2015, Delta announced that SkyMiles required to redeem a free ticket would be based on demand, and would no longer be a fixed amount. Starting in 2016, “really…
Delta does not really want to give the frequent fliers the first-class seats. It wants customers to pay for them. Delta CEO, Ed Bastian, said that any business where you give the majority of your best product away for free doesn’t work. Delta said back in 2010 that monetization of…
Key Takeaways Delta frequent flyers express dissatisfaction with recent Medallion qualification changes. Delta CEO acknowledges changes were too abrupt and commits to modifications in response to customer outcry. Delta’s upgrade certificate system provides a strategic approach to enhance customer loyalty and optimize seat capacity. Advantages of Delta’s upgrade certificates include…