Skymiles Gold Downgrade

[josh1]

With the new increase in AF and loss of certain perks, I no longer have a need for my Skymiles Gold card. I have tried to find out if it is possible to downgrade my card before the AF renews, but I seem to be finding conflicting answers. I would hate to cancel this card, as it is my oldest card, but if downgrading isn't an option that is probably what I'll do.

[Anonymous]

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@josh1 wrote:

With the new increase in AF and loss of certain perks, I no longer have a need for my Skymiles Gold card. I have tried to find out if it is possible to downgrade my card before the AF renews, but I seem to be finding conflicting answers. I would hate to cancel this card, as it is my oldest card, but if downgrading isn't an option that is probably what I'll do.

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My guess is that you almost certainly have the personal Delta Gold not the small business version.

If it is in fact the personal card and you have had it over a year then yes downgrade.
Some people may say not to downgrade because downgrading would prevent you from getting a sign up bonus on Delta Blue card in the future. 
Choice is yours but I would not suggest starting Amex relationship by closing cards unless you were to need the revolver slot.

[FinStar]

Personally, I would wait until its one-year anniversary. Then, you can downgrade to the no-AF Blue. That said, IIRC, the Delta Gold card AF only went up by $5 when compared to the others.

What specific perks were you using (or planned on using) that are no longer available? Are you a Delta FF (or any of its partners)?

[josh1]

I have already had the card for about a year and a half, so I probably will just downgrade it.

One of the main perks I liked was the club access, even though you had to pay for it, you still had access to it. Also, something I should have included in the first post, was that my parents do have the platinum SkyMiles card, which I was recently made an authorized user on. Because of this, I can access the club with their card and just book flights through that card as well (and still receive a free checked bag). I won't receive the points, but I only pay for a few of my flights anyways, as most of my flights are to visit family which is paid for me.

[EdMan63]

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@josh1 wrote:

I have already had the card for about a year and a half, so I probably will just downgrade it.

One of the main perks I liked was the club access, even though you had to pay for it, you still had access to it. Also, something I should have included in the first post, was that my parents do have the platinum SkyMiles card, which I was recently made an authorized user on. Because of this, I can access the club with their card and just book flights through that card as well (and still receive a free checked bag). I won't receive the points, but I only pay for a few of my flights anyways, as most of my flights are to visit family which is paid for me.

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As an AU, you're are not entitled to a free bag. Only if you are on the itinerary of the main card holder do you get a checked bag. 

[wasCB14]

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@EdMan63 wrote:

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@josh1 wrote:

I have already had the card for about a year and a half, so I probably will just downgrade it.

One of the main perks I liked was the club access, even though you had to pay for it, you still had access to it. Also, something I should have included in the first post, was that my parents do have the platinum SkyMiles card, which I was recently made an authorized user on. Because of this, I can access the club with their card and just book flights through that card as well (and still receive a free checked bag). I won't receive the points, but I only pay for a few of my flights anyways, as most of my flights are to visit family which is paid for me.

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As an AU, you're are not entitled to a free bag. Only if you are on the itinerary of the main card holder do you get a checked bag. 

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Correct. If you get it flying alone, it's for some other reason, like status.

"Benefit is limited to Basic Card Members (not Additional Card Members) with the Delta SkyMiles® Gold, Delta SkyMiles® Platinum or Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Cards. Reservation must include the Basic Card Member's SkyMiles number. Fee waiver also available for passengers traveling in the same reservation as the Basic Card Member. Maximum nine waivers per reservation. New Card Members and Card Members upgrading from another Delta SkyMiles Card product will be eligible for the checked baggage fee waiver benefit after receiving their Card from American Express. The first checked bag fee waiver will only be applied on flight segments which originate on a Delta or Delta Connection® carrier when you check-in with Delta for both a Delta marketed and Delta operated flight. Waiver is only for normal bag fee, if any, for the first checked bag that is not overweight and not oversize under Delta's applicable rules as set forth in Delta's contract of carriage. Additional terms, conditions and restrictions may apply. See delta.com/firstbagfree for details."

[K-in-Boston]

Correct. Other than helping a parent accrue miles and earn towards Status Boost, there is no benefit to being an authorized user.  (Delta Reserve an exception for SkyClub access of course, but that is $175 per card.)

If you can't justify keeping the gold, downgrade it to Blue.  Existing and recent cardholders of any of the other Delta cards aren't eligible for the sub on that, and it's usually not a very generous offer as it is.  I'd wait until your next annual fee has been charged, then make the call to downgrade or close.  Your likelihood of a retention offer helping you justify keeping the card would be better then.

[Anonymous]

If you have absolutely no use for it, or do not want to be in the Skymiles eco system. Then i say close it rather than downgrading, since your over a year into it. 

As Finstar pointed out it's only $5 increase, which is only the price of a coffee. However, as a whole $99 is steep for a useless product.

My 2nd year will hit in March, so I've come to a 90% decision to close it and move away from Skymiles. 10% of me has thoughts about a  downgrade to keep the account open for a possible upgrade in the future.

But I also have dreams of a Hilton Surpass acquisition, as that would suit me better than Delta.

[Anonymous]

I will be downgrading it to a Blue when my AF posts, I can't justify any upgrade option.

I would like to have a skymile card just for the pay with miles option, Blue will be fine for that.

[K-in-Boston]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I will be downgrading it to a Blue when my AF posts, I can't justify any upgrade option.

I would like to have a skymile card just for the pay with miles option, Blue will be fine for that.

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Do you just have a small amount of orphan SkyMiles?  PWM is a pretty poor value (1 cent per mile, even less if not doing $50 increments as $100.00 is 10k miles but $100.01 is 15k miles) compared to an award fare, especially during a frequent sale.  

They can also be useful if you're trying to obtain/maintain/upgrade status with a mileage run and just have points to burn as they earn MQMs like a paid flight (but only MQDs for any cash amount paid pretax), but if you are downgrading I assume that's not the case?