Final SWAG Saturday (for 2013): $35 Amazon Gift card + Solar Power Brick on the line!

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swag saturdays delta points blog

What a crazy year 2013 has been. I flew 105 segments on Delta. I already have 5 trips booked, on Delta, for next year and one on United / Lufthansa in 1st class burring up the last of my United points (and I am so happy to be at almost a zero balance there)!

It has been a bit of a rough year for us in Delta land with some good program changes but mostly bad ones for frequent flyers. And that brings us to this week’s topic. First the rules each week are the same and are HERE so do look.

swag saturday amazon code and power brick

Then I am asking for two answers for a chance to win so I am giving away the two prizes you see above, an almost $35 Amazon e-Gift code and a Solar Power Brick to charge your gadgets!

What I want to know is:

1) What change this year to Skymiles do you like the least

2) What change do you want to see next year that would be good

So get your thinking caps on as I especially want to know the improvements you most would like to see happen in 2014. I will tell you all my choice and answers tomorrow night (EDIT: Winner will be picked Monday night the 30th) when we pick the winner! – René

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RESERVE/PLATINUM/GOLD
from American Express®
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136 comments

  3. I am not a fan of the SDC changes.

    I would like to see the gate agents better enforce the boarding process. Assistance people, 1st class then sky priority.

    I am a gold and that is the biggest perk for me. Get on early with bags and get settled.

  4. MQD’s are not a hit with me. As a GM (just missed PM for 2014) the thought of trying to get my company to spend more on the same flights is just crazy. I just got the go ahead to price out other airlines so a status match might be in play for me?

    A change I want to see is drop some of the same systemwide upgrades for all fare classes but E be available to the PM and GM on international flights.

  5. The change I liked least was the devaluation of the BE award to EU from 100K to 125K. If I were looking for an improvement, I would like DM’s to be able to choose the same benefit twice, so that we could choose the global upgrade certificates twice.

  7. Not liking the new same day confirmed rules. For next year I’m hoping they fix the award chart!

  8. My favorite change is the ability to get free upgrades to Hawaii although I wish they would have included Atlanta. Change I’d most like to see next year would different snacks in the skylounges.

  9. worst: devaluation, again !
    Hope for next year: No more “enhancements” (although I do like the new global upgrade certificates).

  10. Worst: Loss of transcon upgrades (most of my flying is transcon)
    Wish list: Better online interface

  11. I disagree with the mqd requirement, but I do understand it is a business. I hope to see better mqm credit card offers ( I got one for 15k mqm on the Delta Plat card).

  13. -no expiring miles (was it this year?), great for orphan accounts
    -more seats for low mileage redemption

  14. The devaluation this year was the worst change.
    I hope Delta will start allowing one-way awards. Now that US airways is gone, they would be the only airline to have a roundtrip only policy

  15. The MQD changes this year have to go! Uggh!

    I would love to see more perks like the free upgrades and just more options like this.

  17. 1) Price changes in #skymiles. So bad i decided to use mine for family for at 1.3Cents a mile.
    2) More availability for low awards its a killer only like 1/2 days a month availabe(more than a month out) to some latin destinantions is crazy!

  21. 1) Least: No more award ticket holds
    2) Hope to see them reinstate this next year, but I doubt it! Would also love to see more saver level availability! Maybe we will with increased prices?

  22. Double devaluation has to be the change that I hate most. Not only does it emphasize that you should burn miles, but it starts making you question whether you should collect them with Delta to begin with.
    The change I’d love to see is more routes and expanded flying hours. I was recently surprised to see that while there are plenty of red-eye (later than 9pm departure) flights from the west coast to New York, there are almost no red-eye flights from New York back to the west coast.

  24. Devaluation was the WORST change!

    Better loading process would be a welcome change in the future.

  25. – Global Upgrades on all fares is not terrible. United still requires W fares and above.
    – Hoping that the worst is over in terms of devaluations.

  26. Besides the MQD requirements being added (crazy dollar amounts), the award holds being taken away, the Same Day Confirm (SDC) rules hurting us, the award system broken and transcontinental upgrades gone, I really believe the worst thing I dislike about Delta is not giving any time before they decide these changes and when they give time, they change their minds and take them away earlier without anymore time and when you ask them why they are doing so, come up with a silly excuse as to why they cannot share since it’s against law or something else more ridonculous sounding. So personally that’s what I think is the worst thing about Delta, no fair and honest communication with any lead time.

    The best thing this year is that they are finally getting with the program on global upgrades, though no where yet close to American Airlines upgrades, but the fact that west coast to Hawaii is upgrade eligible is a great step forward. As a million miler, long time platinum member and delta hub captive, I will continue to be on the Delta bandwagon and find any and every best way possible to make the most of it, as with all of these “enhancements” Delta gives me a crazy rush to find the next best move in the game.

  27. (1) Worst: yet another devaluation
    (2) Better award availability — at least up to the industry average would be nice

  31. Worst: The SDC changes, even with the mid-year update, were awful.
    Hoping for: Ability to roll over MQSs and MQDs

  32. 1) Devaluation and elimination of award holds
    2) Better award search function. And award availability in general!

  34. The no more medallion upgrades fro JFK – LAX

    Want to see it Reversed !!!
    Priority security for Silver Medallion also !!

  37. There were a number of not so good changes but bad drinks in the lounge is an enhancement I feel almost every time I visit the airport. New upgrade vouchers sound promising though.

  38. worst – changing the award chart, giving more credence to the “sky peso” name.
    wish for next year – please fix the search engine.

  40. My least favorite change is the deflation in the award chart for 2014. For next year, it would be great to see the Delta.com award search engine work more reliably and with more Skyteam partners.

  41. worst: MQD (but I have an AMEX card spend bypass so it won’t impact me)
    Hoping for: MQM bonuses out of RDU or CLT

  42. The worst was the gutting of earning qualifying miles on partner airlines.

    I would love to see delta finally fix their award website

  44. The worst change this year has been the increase in the number of miles needed for a business award seat to Africa. For next year, I would hope they allow one way award redemptions at half the cost of round-trip redemptions.

  49. Worst: no more transcon upgrades.
    Wish for next year: Global (rather than regional) upgrades for PM. I’d also like to see some gluten-free snacks at the lounges.

  50. Worst: So many to choose from, but definitely SDC changes, makes it basically useless to me.
    Hopefully: Fixed award calendar (ha!), or at least bringing back the hold option.

  52. 1) MQDs are boneheaded.

    2) I would like to see skymiles transfer bonuses or AMEX MR transfer bonuses.

  54. Least liked: MQMs (but hey – there’s the SkyPesos reputation to uphold!)

    Most wanted: Upgrade opportunities for CC holders (but I’d settle for EC or exit row opportunities)

    Context: I’m NOT a frequent flyer, just a leisure traveler.

  56. 1. The change to same day confirmed really messed up my year

    2. I’d love to see a change to have legs roll over like miles, since I qualify with legs.

    Thanks for great content, Renè!

  57. Tweak their web site to see real time seats for mileage purchase

    sky club card ( I have lifetime card) that would give access to lounges other than delta that have ample shower facilities .

  58. 1- Least Liked Change THIS year- discontinuing the ability to put awards on hold starting September 1, 2013

    2- Change for next year I would like to see- Being able to earn status for Delta Skymiles AMEX spend

    PLEASE NOTE- your question asked what change THIS year did you like the least. Many people are listing changes that won’t occur until 2014. Please keep this in mind when selecting your winners. I may have em on a technicality.

  59. 1. Devaluation of miles which are already super hard to use

    2. Return of good beer in lounge for free or the end of skunkgate!

  62. Like everyone else here, I do not like the MQD requirements. In the future, would love to see greater award availability and improvements to the Delta website to see partner award availability.

  63. 1) Dislike MQDs especially now that I got a bunch of fares last Thursday
    2) Would love to see a working award booking engine.

  64. Getting rid of complimentary upgrades on transcons. Hopefully they at least partially roll back this change.

  65. This year, the MQDs requirements announced was the worst.
    I´m hoping for better award availability in 2014!

  66. I didn’t like the announcement of the June 2014 devaluation. I’d like to see a not-broken Delta award search engine.

  67. MQD’s and I would like to see next year more skymiles eligible flights for where I want to go.

  68. Not too happy about SDC change especially because I just got gold. But I’d love to see SWU for gold or more attractive for platinum.

    Thanks!

  69. Tough call on what I liked the least this year – it’s a tossup between the SDC changes, liquor selection in SkyClubs, and the loss of JFK-SFO upgrades (especially sucks that even premium coach fares like Y/B/M are excluded)

    What I want to see next year – modifications to the transcon upgrade program to allow some form of upgrading for those in expensive coach tickets

  71. Dislike the MQD requirements.
    Would like to have better gift card selections for redeeming points.

  74. Worst = MQD requirements without a doubt. Would love to see increased award availability next year.

  77. Worst MQD’s even though it doesn’t affect me.
    Get a new computer system Delta yours is horrible I could do better.

  84. I like flying Delta. So…….the worst for me was the devaluation. However, I could live with that and start to fly more with Delta again if they allowed one-way awards tickets.

  89. I think the worst was not letting you pass your miles when you pass 🙂 One thing I would like is for Silver to get into the fast security line like USAIR does, I don’t care about priority boarding.

  91. worst-deval
    best -notification whenever there is any change in a flight reservation or one or more legs of a flight

  92. Least favorite: MQDs: While I will be able to make $25k in AMEX spending, it’s going to be hard to hit this threshold with my wife as well, even through manufactured spend. She flys less and may only make it to silver for 2015. At least she’ll be Platinum this year.

    Hoping for: This may be odd, but I hope DL maintains the status quo in the relationship with AS. Don’t get me wrong, I like to see more DL metal out of Seattle, but I’m afraid this frenemy situation isn’t going to pan out well for the relationship. Seattle is a second home for me and I like having AS as an option, along with the elite perks I get on account of my Platinum. A merger is intriguing, but I’m a bit sentimental for the AS brand and I don’t think Tilden will allow it to happen in any case. I see AS breaking up with DL and forging a deeper relationship with “the new American”.

  94. 1. The increase for business class tickets with SkyMiles to Europe

    2. No mileage devaluations in 2014.

  98. Miles devaluation is rough…you spend,hustle and try to get enough miles and it seems the airlines keep making it tougher to use what you have. I hope for more contests and ways to get miles.

  100. 1) Award devaluation
    2) Personalized flight deals, especially last minute trips to fill up a plane that isn’t full

  103. Delta SkyClub gratis quality alcohol changes really sucked.

    I would like to see free GOGO WIFI for Diamond Elites

  106. I don’t want sky miles to change anything with korean airlines! They allow one way redemption and is my bad on the miles required they are flat bed and clean. Don’t devalue any more with any airline! That is my wish

  109. 1) Devaluation of the program (followed closely by loss of transcon upgrades, which is another form of devaluation).
    2) One-way awards (without increase in award pricing).

  110. Liked least: no more award ticket holds.
    Next year: would like more transparency / visibility / clarity on the upgrade process.

  115. Hi Rene,
    I do not like the need to talk to 3 diff diamond agents to get 2 of them to agree on something. For example, booking international award tickets. For 2014, I would like to see an easier way to book award tickets on partner airlines. For example – we are trying to book business class award tix Boston to Casablanca on air France without much luck. Happy new year!!!

  118. Least liked – Miles devaluing
    Change like to see – more lower miles seats for redeeming miles

  122. 1. MQD’s, hopefully it reduces the number of PM and DM.
    2. Ability to earn MQM’s on award travel.

  123. Worst: the devaluation of the BE award to EU from 100K to 125K
    Change I’d like to see: Fix the award booking engine!

  124. The change I like the least is delta still hasn’t fixed the award calendar. The change I would like to see the most is for delta to fix the award calendar.

  125. Deval is a shame.

    Would like to see greater award availability in 2014 to complement the higher award pricing.

  126. Worst: I dislike the award devaluations, its seems like a lot of award tickets are already pretty steep mileage costs and now they are even worse.
    Hopeful: Earn mileage on award tickets. If you are going to devalue them, please give us something.

  129. Worst: Devaluation of miles

    Hoping for: Better award search at Delta.dumb

    And going against the grain: I *like* MQD, ’cause it’ll hopefully cull the Medallion herd, and for me it’s no issue ’cause I do $25K spend on my Delta Platinum AmEx.

  131. MQDs are the worst for me. I wont make medallion status next year because of it!
    I would like MQDs to be eliminated!

  135. The miles value has dropped so much that it is rare I can use them the way I would like.
    The thing I would change would be the award search, tell me where I can go for the points I have that would make it easier…
    Let say I can be gone for 5 days in July Were can I go from MSP for the lowest miles???
    Make it like a candy store if you have 25 cents you will find something in your budget.
    Jim

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