Delta Announced Changes to Their SkyMiles Program

Delta introduced some big changes in its cheapest fare class. Passengers who bought Basic Economy tickets booked January 1, 2022 onwards will not earn miles via Delta’s SkyMiles frequent-flyer program. Aside from not earning points via the SkyMiles frequent-flyer program, a basic economy ticket will also not get credit in Delta’s Medallion program.

In a statement, Delta announced that “Basic economy fares were designed for those who prioritize price, and we know that even our most price-conscious customers value flexibility”.

The carrier added that “Those who need to cancel their Basic Economy trip will be able to conveniently adjust their plans through delta.com or the Fly Delta app and may apply a portion of the cancelled ticket value to their future travel”. Delta will deduct the cancelation fee from the amount of the ticket. However, if the cancelation fee is higher than the actual ticket, then the passenger will not get anything.

Advised to Upgrade

For those who are serious about their points, Delta announced that customers can get points if they upgrade their basic economy ticket.

Delta’s website says that “It’s recommended to purchase a Main Cabin ticket or higher”. Customers can enjoy advanced seat selection, overhead bin space, and no change fees. On top of that, passengers will earn earn miles via the SkyMiles Program and get credits towards Medallion Status.

Delta also announced a special temporary waiver until December 31, 2022. This will allow passengers to either cancel or change their Basic Economy flights. Delta extended the waiver to January 31, 2022, for Basic Economy tickets from Europe, Africa, India, and the Middle East.

Abrupt Change in SkyMiles Frequent-Flyer Program

Delta surprised a lot of their passengers with this announcement. During the pandemic, some airlines did the opposite offering extra miles as incentives to get more passengers.

In August, Frontier announced its “Friends With Vaccines Fly Free” initiative plus an extra 10,000 bonus miles via its Frontier Miles frequent flyer program.

Before the pandemic started, passengers Delta didn’t allow changes for basic economy ticket holders. But when the pandemic started, Delta introduced a more flexible change policy for all fare classes.