WSJ: You’re Going to Have to Work Harder for Your Airline Status

[Hansolojr]

https://www.wsj.com/articles/youre-going-to-have-to-work-harder-to-keep-your-airline-status-11665594...

Likely paywall-ed, but relevant passage here:

"Beginning in 2023, Delta travelers will need to spend 33% more on flights to qualify for Gold, Platinum and Diamond Medallion status for 2024. Delta didn't make any changes to its requirements around the number of miles and segments a person must fly.

Delta said it would continue to provide a waiver to people with certain co-branded credit cards that frees them from needing to spend a certain amount on flights with the airline. To qualify, cardholders must spend at least $25,000 during the calendar year if they want to reach Platinum, Gold or Silver Medallion Status. For Diamond Medallion status, they must spend at least $250,000."

[Lou-natic]

This means that too many people were getting perks too easily so they had to make it harder. Can't have the proletariat getting ahead now can we.

[PlaidRaptor]

Wow - what it must be like to spend $250,000 a year on flights. The article is paywalled for me, but I wonder if other airlines are following suit.

[Anonymalous]

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@PlaidRaptor wrote:

Wow - what it must be like to spend $250,000 a year on flights. The article is paywalled for me, but I wonder if other airlines are following suit.

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Delta is the one following suit. The article mentions that American Airlines made a similar change earlier this year, though the AA change was more about changing status from being based on miles flown to dollars spent.

Parts of the article are entertaining to read -- they quote a senior Delta exec saying they're "constantly looking for opportunities to preserve and elevate the premium experience that [their customers] expect". By... cutting them off. Though the rest of the article does make a few interesting points. The first is that so many people have Diamond status, that it's gotten silly. One biotech exec says that half the people in the waiting area typically get up when they do Diamond boarding. Secondly, they mention the Delta Skyclubs have gotten so crowded people are just choosing to sit at the gate. Finally, they mention that business travelers often have little control over their flights, especially with consolidation and reduced competion at hubs. So the airlines aren't likely to face much pushback from cutting the benefits.

More paywalled articles:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/frequent-flier-creditcards-american-airlines-11637092275

https://www.wsj.com/articles/delta-airport-sky-club-time-limit-11655228020