Delta’s “keep climbing” motto is now applicable to the price of some SkyMiles Award.
It seems that without notice, Delta Airlines increase its price SkyTeam Partner Award to match its own flights, as first reported by Budget travelers. While this may be a short-term technical or similar failure, it happens later In 2021, the price of partner awards will be increased and the airline’s decision ax partner’s sweet spot earlier this year. And with no published prize charts, Delta has positioned itself untethered to any pricing model.
That includes flights on popular Delta partners like Air France/KLM, Korean Air and Virgin Atlantic.
This means that partner awards that would have spent 120,000 Delta SkyMiles flying in business class can now fly up to 330,000 miles one way. Coach fares for trips to Europe were 35,000 miles previously, now costing 65,000 one way. That would mean a pretty significant devaluation if this price level continues. TPG has reached out to Delta for comment, but has not yet received a response by publication.
Here’s what you need to know about the potential devaluation of Delta SkyMiles.
SkyTeam bonus rates match Delta private flights
For several years, Delta used dynamic pricing model on its flights, which means the prize price fluctuates, just like the cash price. One bright spot, however, is that SkyTeam’s prize prices are more stable, similar to the award rankings of retired airlines.
However, for now, SkyTeam partners are pricing the same as flights on flights operated by Delta itself.
Consider a flight operated by KLM from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS).
Before this seeming devaluation, this flight will likely cost 35,000 SkyMiles in the economy. Currently, however, the flight costs 56,000 SkyMiles. Incidentally, that’s about the same price as the cheapest Delta flight connecting via Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP).
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The same thing happens Virgin Atlantic is a soon-to-be SkyTeam member flights.
A Virgin Atlantic flight from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) to London Heathrow Airport (LHR) costs the same as a Delta private flight.
Check out the popular route from New York to London. The rates are pretty shocking, for both Delta and flights operated by Virgin Atlantic.
In all of these cases, Delta flights are now priced the same as partner operated flights.
SkyTeam cities without Delta service
Notably, the rewards rates we examined remained unchanged on flights without Delta service and operated by only one partner airline.
For example, Delta doesn’t fly to Taipei’s Taoyuan International Airport (TPE), so preferential prices on China Airlines flights from the United States remain the same.
Key point
In our pilot searches, Delta Air Lines is pricing SkyTeam partner-operated rewards at less than ideal award rates as on its own flights.
On the bright side, assuming all this is intentional as Delta runs SkyMiles sales, there’s a chance that the partner prize price will drop, but that’s just speculation at this point.
TPG has reached out to Delta for comment. For now, it looks like SkyMiles are worth less than they used to be for those who prefer to redeem them to fly partner airlines.
