New Delta SkyMiles Takes Flight in January

Starting Jan. 1, 2015, Delta SkyMiles is changing the way members earn and burn miles among other changes. Members will earn miles based on the ticket price and their SkyMiles status.

Earning:
General Member – 5 miles per $1
Silver Medallion Member – 7 miles per $1
Gold Medallion Member – 8 miles per $1
Platinum Medallion Member – 9 miles per $1
Diamond Medallion Member – 11 miles per $1

All members will earn an additional two miles (or corresponding earning rate) per dollar spent on Delta purchases made with the Delta SkyMiles Credit Card.

Flights on Delta’s airline partner airlines will earn mileage based, according to Delta, “on a percentage of distance flown and fare class paid.” More details will be announced later this year.

The way members earn toward Medallion status is not changing.

Burning:
There will be new award charts available later this year that will apply to mileage redemptions for new award tickets booked on or after Jan. 1, 2015. The new charts will be similar to award charts of hotel programs with five tiers of awards. Delta says the new redemption structure will align more closely to the price of air travel based on origin and destination, date of travel, the aircraft serving the route and passenger demand.

Other changes coming for Delta SkyMiles members include a Miles + Cash flight award option and a new Award Calendar showing the lowest redemption amounts for the dates you’ve selected.

Go HERE for more information about all of the changes. And for more in-depth analysis, read our Feature: Delta SkyMiles: Revenue-Based At Last 

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