Delta SkyMiles members earning 40,000, 75,000 or 125,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQM) by the end of the 2004 calendar year will be able to select from a varying menu of benefits that include:
Up to 45,000 bonus miles; Silver or Gold Medallion status for a friend or family member and bonus miles for themselves; Crown Room Club day passes; discounted SkyChoice awards; and up to a 150-percent mileage bonus for qualifying flight activity in the first quarter of 2005.
For example, members with 2004 year-end balances of 75,000 to 124,999 MQM will be able to choose one of the following benefits: 25,000 bonus miles; Silver Medallion status for a friend or family member and 5,000 bonus miles for themselves; one Economy-Class SkyChoice award valid for travel within or between the continental United States, Alaska and Canada for the reduced amount of 25,000 miles; or a 100-percent mileage bonus for qualifying flight activity in the first quarter of 2005.
These threshold benefits are being offered in addition to the traditional benefits members receive upon earning Silver Medallion (25,000 MQM), Gold Medallion (50,000 MQM) and Platinum Medallion (100,000 MQM) status.
The idea is to encourage members to continue earning MQM, even if the next level of elite status is out of reach. For example, a member might achieve Gold Platinum status in October and have no hopes of achieving another 50,000 MQMs by the end of the year, but 25,000 might be a legitimate goal.
In addition, members earning more than 125,000 MQM or 150,000 MQM will automatically earn two or four Platinum Medallion Upgrade (PMU) certificates, respectively. These PMUs supplement the standard six PMUs members receive upon earning Platinum Medallion status.
Eligible members will be notified and instructed on how to choose a threshold benefit in early 2005, and the benefits will be fulfilled in the months following.
Significantly, by allowing members to choose from a menu of benefits, SkyMiles is following in the path of Air Canada’s Aeroplan program, which won an Industry Impact Freddie Award for offering a variety of benefits from which members could choose.
More details on the Medallion program may be found online at http://www.delta.com/medallionoptions
