For readers who know their Skymiles number by heart, as well as their wife and kids numbers, and have status with 1 or more airlines and 2 or more hotels, come back tomorrow and thanks for stopping by today!

The number of new readers to Delta Points is amazing to me. This makes me just giddy. When I have the chance to open the eyes to what is possible in the world of points, I smile all day long. So how about some real basic questions that I get a ton.

Q) I love the blog. How do I make sure I am supporting it?
A) It humbles me that anyone wants to help me. The answer is just always start at my  “♥♥Best Points Cards♥♥” tab at the top of the blog. Thank you for the support.

Q) Where do I start, this is all new to me.
A) Start at the “Rookie” tab. Even if you have been flying for 20+ years, this will teach you a bunch.

Q) I have a question about….. (insert your question here)
A) BoardingArea has a search bar “box” build into each blog.
So what you need to do, if you just want to search DeltaPoints, click that button and then type in your key word you want to search for. If you pick the other then search you get results from not just me but also all of my fellow outstanding BoardingArea bloggers as well.

Q) I am new to Delta, where do I start.
A) There is a ton I love about my airline. There is a ton I wish they would change. Either way, we can all benefit if we know the rules. I have a tab called “Essentials” at the top of the blog with 20 great posts. If you take the time to read them all, you will learn a TON about Delta both good and bad and how YOU can better your Delta travel experience.

Q) How do I contact you ( can I contact you )?
A) Sure. Happy to help if I can. I have my e-mail address in the “AboutMe” tab. I try to get to all e-mails the same day as I get so many that if I do not get to you right away I tend not to (I know I need to work on that so if I missed you please e-mail again and I will try to do better).

So there you are. These are some of the most common beginning questions I get each week. I thank you so much for reading the blog and hope to see you up in the air with me one day – Rene
 

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from American Express®
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I have a question for you all, but first “let’s poke a bear with a stick” and see how worked up I can get everyone today! What am I talking about? Just this:

One of the biggest complaints against us, bloggers that is, is that we “kill deals” by telling them to the masses. We get an e-mail or tips from readers or see the deal crop up some place like Mile Point or Flyer Talk and then tell readers to go do it fast. Then the yelling begins that this deal would have gone on for YEARS had we not put it on the web (OK I exaggerate just a little bit, but make my point)!

My stand, as you all know, is if you want a deal to stay “secret” you had better not tell me or hope I find out about it as I will blog about it if you, the reader, can repeat or do it. I have stated that I think we should not only get the deal out there, but try to get them out EVEN faster. To use technology to spread the word so fast that we can all jump on what ever “deal” is out there before it goes away (as it always does at some point BTW).

To that end, I have an idea about doing just that. The idea is to text your phone as soon as a deal comes out so you know it is live and to go check out the blog ASAP! Take a look at this:

This software just accesses my phone to send out the texts. I would add another cell phone to my plan and then get the software for a few month test license. It would cost me no more than $25/month the way I see it (less if we like it and keep it long term).

So I want to know, at no charge, if you would be interested in signing up to get a text message from Delta Points when just such an event happens (please  DO NOT  start sending me your phone number YET ). It would NOT be every day text, or maybe even each week, and some times it may not even be every month (my guess would be around 1-3x a month). I would use the “text alert” ONLY for deals like the Hong Kong deal, an awesome mileage run opportunity or a chance to get a great deal on points. You could naturally unsubscribe anytime you want as well.

So there you are. This is not a done deal and I have not done anything yet. This is just an idea and I want some feedback. Do you like the idea? Please let me know what you think and keep it civil.  – René

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Today is a day that has been a long time coming. In cooperation with Boarding Area International, a site for International travel blogs, DeltaPuntos.com is being launched today.

Delta Puntos will not be a “Google Translation” version of Delta Points but will be edited by a fully fluent Spanish speaking translator. Some days the Spanish language blog will mirror the English language blog as the main target for Delta Puntos will not be for those outside the USA but those here who have Spanish as their primary language. Other times there will be posts specific to the Latin markets including South America.

Since there are so few Spanish language blogs, Delta Puntos will cover primarily Delta Air Lines topics, but oftentimes will have information about other airlines, hotels as well as everything else travel related.

This is a proud and exciting day for Boarding Area and Delta Points and Delta Puntos. As a Spanish speaking individual, I hope you find the Delta Puntos blog to be helpful and insightful. Feel free to sign up for the once a day e-mail from the (Spanish) blog so you never miss out.

I hope to help you travel around the planet in ways you never dreamed possible. I hope to save you money with tips and tricks along the way and to make your travel experience fun and exciting!

I thank you for reading the blog and feel free to e-mail me with any travel related question in English or in Spanish

rene@deltapoints.com

and

rene@deltapuntos.com

Yours – René

▲Delta▲ Tarjeta de crédito de SkyMiles®
American Express – RESERVE/PLATINUM/GOLD
Clic aquí para más información

I get tons of emails each day. I try to answer right away as if I do not, the volume that comes in causes me to not get back again to older ones I hate to admit. I do appreciate reader emails and thank you for questions, blog ideas and what ever else Delta is on your mind. I do get many of the same questions and wanted to clear a few things up.

Q) Why can I not comment anymore on old posts?

A) I get digital floods of spam comments each and every day. The longer any post is up, the more and more spam comments hit the post and after a while it gets just ridiculous. For every “real” comment I have dozens of spam over time. So, I can pick to have comments close after 7 or 14 day or longer to cut down on this. I have chosen to let readers have 1 week to comment on posts. Is that too short? Maybe but something had to be done due to the volume of spam.

Q) Do you blog about all deals and tips you find? What about all this talk about keeping deals private and the risk of killing deals when all the blogs cover them?

A) I will blog about anything anyone can duplicate. While I hope my post does not kill a deal, keeping a deal secret so only a few have a chance to get it I don’t feel is the best way to go. If I find out about it and can show you how to do it I will as I have stated before. In fact, I think we should use technology to spread the information EVEN FASTER (I will blog about this idea soon). However, there are some places I do agree with the hard core points junkies, there are some things only for DO’s. What are they? Ideas that you may or may not get points or even worse you may get zero and just have the cost for the attempt. Or, there may be ideas that are outside the T&C of the program and thus you again you may get points or you may not!

Q) Why don’t you just talk about Delta since that is your blog focus.

A) Since I started the blog, I have always said I will talk about any deal I think is worth your time. The SW Air ones for example. I hope to never fly SW Air, but that does not mean they are not a good airline and have good deals. So, while I try to always have Delta related posts, some days may feature a hotel or another airline or whatever.

Q) Where do you get all the stuff you giveaway on the blog? Do you accept gifts and trips from companies to promote their products?

A) Some of the stuff I get, like the April GoGo swag, I either will ask for or am offered to giveaway on the blog. I do not get payment or credit for this type of “stuff”. I do not get free nights or trips to promote anything. I do not and will not accept free trips, offered only to me, to then promote something on the blog. I blog about what I use and pay for or use on points etc. Some of the stuff I giveaway I pay for out of my pocket or I get for free from points or other ways. I make between $5 to $25 a month off of Amazon from the blog links and buy stuff to give away with those funds. I get a few bucks from Ebates as well and can buy fun things to “give back” to the blog. Either way, I am not “beholden” to any company for anything I write about nor would I accept such a deal. Now if some hotel or airline were to offer me points to giveaway to readers to put up a post about them, that I would think about doing as it would benefit readers! Obviously I do get credit from points cards (thanks for supporting the blog btw) but I also have and use or have had just about all of them at some point as well.

Q) Why do you make it so hard to understand some of the deals and speak in code half the time?

A) This is a great question. It is so very hard to blog with a rookie and an experienced Diamond Medallion flyer in mind each day. I try to find a balance but some concepts will take some study for newer readers and other ideas will just bore a million miler. I hope I find a good balance and mix as I do really try to do this. As to speaking in code, I have in my Essentials tab, under E12, a shortcut for terms. I am sorry if you feel frustrated by abbreviations, but try not to allow this to get to you. Soon you to will be calling airports by their 3 letter code rather than their real name as well!

So I hope this little Q&A is helpful to readers. I sure appreciate the privilege of blogging and it just makes my day when I can help a reader enjoy trips the way my wife and I do or save a few bucks one way or another! – Rene

PS – get ready for some exciting news on the way tomorrow!

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American Express – RESERVE/PLATINUM/GOLD
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Every airline has issues. None of the majors are perfect or we would all fly them. I freely admit I am biased toward my airline. I am not hub captive. I have EZ access to AA and United regional jets but I know Delta is better.

The other day I got an e-mail stating -  “Are you on our side or what?!!!!” (and I know I liberally toss around exclamation points but four?) The reader wanted me to share this video about how hard it is to book award tickets on the Delta site (please turn your  VOLUME   down because while funny it is very loud).

To answer the reader’s question, Yes I am on “our” side. I would love to see Delta give us everything we want, but I am a realist too. Delta people do read the blog. They also read all the social media outlets for feedback about what we want.

So just what DO we want? Let’s make a list. I will put my picks and then you add yours. I will then add your ideas to the post as a record of what we would MOST want to see for 2013.

#1) With work we know we can find low level seats but if the award site SHOWS seats at low level let us book them. Whatever the cost, fix this FAST and we promise to whine ½ as much as we do now! For crying out loud, we are not even asking for more seats here, just that the IT booking system works.

#2) Next, well, we want more low level seats! If you give us more low level seats we promise to stop wining ever again ( at least much less then we do now anyway).

#3) Stop treating us like thieves and criminals regarding the ETV’s (electronic travel vouchers ). A $50 or $10 left over credit is just about worthless now and we may end up with a bunch of them in our accounts. Seriously Delta, how hard would it be allow combining ETV’s for the same family. This would stop theft since that is the publicized reason for the rule change!

#4) You promised to bring back PerkChoice (it is still here on the web site), the ability to use CASH one way and miles the other and earn RDM’s & MQM’s on the cash side of the trip. We are still waiting. It was a GREAT program from NWA and we want it back.

5) Stop beating up Silver Medallions. Even those who are low level elite’s should be shown some “love”. Sure reward GM, PM & DM with MORE, but don’t make FO’s feel like gate lice!

And now from readers:

6) Allow SWU upgrades to be used on any fare. These have become almost worthless compared to other airlines! – HT to NYBanker

7) One way awards. Oh we know Delta offers this but for the same miles as a round trip. HT t0 Steve

more on the way soon….

So there are my top gripes. What are yours? Be nice and please give this REAL thought before you start to type. I feel this is an important chance for us to let Delta know what is important to us who want “OUR” airline to “turn into the wind”, “keep climbing” and make flyers proud to look down their noses at anyone who chooses to fly another airline as ours is BEST! – René

▲Delta▲ SkyMiles® Credit Card
American Express – RESERVE/PLATINUM/GOLD
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OK. I love the input. You all are very creative both good and bad. Here are the ones Lisa & I have picked as the top 5 for you to vote on in no particular order:

#1 from Sam – Fly with Pride!

#2 from JH – Exceeding expectations one traveler at a time.

#3 from Scott M. – Award seat availability rumored to exist

#4 from Shindig – Turning travel into travail

#5 from Brennan – Connecting You

So now these readers need your help. The winner gets the T-Shirt, a bunch of GoGo swag and Deltapoints tags. The other 4 still get the coveted DeltaTags so you are all winners. Please vote with the poll at the top right of the blog! – Rene

▲Delta▲ SkyMiles® Credit Card
American Express – RESERVE/PLATINUM/GOLD
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Photo from scrapetv.com

“SkyMiles award seat availability in business class on Air France or KLM-operated flights is currently unavailable. Delta is working to resolve the situation.” – from Delta Air Lines

So we at last have an answer that they know “we have a problem Houston”! I blogged about this the other day after a request from a reader. I had known about this for a while but was hoping it was just a glitch that would be fixed quickly. Obviously it is not. There was also a FT reader who got an e-mail direct from the VP Jeff Robertson of Delta:

“Thanks for your note. I’m well aware of the situation and so is the entire leadership team here at Delta. We have put some postings out on our website with respect to the issue and we continue to apologize for the inconvenience. I assure you that we are doing everything in our power to fix it. The issue however is more complicated however than anyone would expect.”

Now for me, what I think Delta should do is offer low level seats on Delta metal until the bug is fixed. This would be the RIGHT thing to do as no matter how hard the problem is to fix, we should not suffer anymore as a result of Delta IT issues.

I will keep you up to date with any more official and back stage unofficial news I can – Rene

▲Delta▲ SkyMiles® Credit Card
American Express – RESERVE/PLATINUM/GOLD
Click here for more information

I wanted to highlight what many new DeltaPoints readers may have missed. If you have been a long time reader of the blog, thanks for poppin’ by, but this will be old news for you so have a great evening and see you in the morning!

What I am talking about is how with just a 2 card Delta churn, you can, with $1000 in spend (2x – $500), have enough points for a low level coach ticket to Europe. You simply apply for and hopefully with a good credit score you receive approvals for both the personal and business Delta GOLD American Express cards (you do not have to have a business to get the business card btw).

Once you spend $500 on each card you will be awarded the 30,000 bonus miles offered. 60,000 points is enough for a free trip (+tax) over the “pond”. If a husband and wife were to both do the card combo, then you are both flying free!

Have any questions? Feel free to e-mail me or you can  peak at the Essentials tab at the top of the page for more information. – Rene

▲Delta▲ SkyMiles® Credit Card American Express
RESERVE / PLATINUM / GOLD

▲Delta▲ SkyMiles® GOLD Business Credit Card
American Express – 30,000 points

I love running the blog. Let me take today’s post for example. I know a bit about Delta, but the vast and great information from readers is so educational. Not just that, you readers are so willing to take the time to post, not just comments, but informative and helpful comments. You all are just tops. I find it hard to find words to express my appreciation!

This also goes for supporting the blog by getting Delta branded AMEX cards. I can not thank you all personally via e-mail so let me take this time to say a HUGE thanks for supporting the blog. Blogging is a labor of love and I count it a privilege to bring it to you.

Your Delta blogger – Rene

*****************************************************

Also today’s WINNER of the Amenity / Drink coupons is:

Cheryl - February 20, 2012 at 11:09 am

Who says: – Nope not yet… Waiting on an invite

[EDIT] – Ooooops – I picked the wrong one SO both #20, Cheryl and #21 Mike get them today! – Rene

▲Delta▲ SkyMiles® Credit Card
American Express – RESERVE/PLATINUM/GOLD
Click here for more information

What a great question this is that I get all the time. How do you remember to do all the stuff talked about in the TopTips. Well sometimes I forget to be honest but most of the time it becomes routine and habit when you fly a lot.

But many readers tell me they save up points for 1 or 2 trips a year. I get that it can be very hard to get time off and when you are not in the routine you forget the small stuff that can help.

So, I have an e-Gift for you all. I have put together a printable PDF you can download by clicking here that has check boxes for you to use when you are getting ready to fly! Also room for you to add in your own at the bottom.

I hope you try this out and maybe it can help you to have a smoother Delta travel experience! – Rene

♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣

BTW – This weekend DeltaPoints.com is giving a way a FREE airline ticket!

▲Delta▲ SkyMiles® Credit Card
American Express – RESERVE/PLATINUM/GOLD
Click here for more information