Comments on: Delta’s Pay With Miles Program: Really, Really Good News

By: onlinetravelreview

onlinetravelreview — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:39:13 +0000

I know that the 1% option isn’t a great one, but sometimes it beats paying for the ticket. Taking the miles on Delta instead of a cashback card gives you the flexibility of using the miles for the high-value business class rewards. But there are certainly times when those aren’t available (even on partners), and there are people who have 60,000 miles for whom using those miles on a $600 ticket is better than paying the $600.

I guess my larger point is that while on its face the $.01 per mile value isn’t great; but when added to the stable of other redemption options, it’s better than NOT having the option to use miles to pay for the ticket (even at $.01).

By: Gary

Gary — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:21:17 +0000

But if you’re willing to take $500 in value for 50,000 miles, you shouldn’t be accruing those 50k miles through spend on the Delta Amex in the first place. You’ve chosen to accept what amounts to a 1% cash rebate card with the restriction that the rebate can only be spent on travel with Delta. Why not go for a richer rebate card without such a restriction?

(Yes I know the Delta Amex often has spending bonuses and comes with some built in, but the better cashback cards do as well.)

By: onlinetravelreview

onlinetravelreview — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 21:27:51 +0000

i am in idiot.

By: not to pile on

not to pile on — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 21:26:43 +0000

“(I had originally posted this information correctly. This is now corrected)”

actually it was originally incorrect, now correct.

By: onlinetravelreview

onlinetravelreview — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 19:06:08 +0000

Gary - I hear what you’re saying about valuing the miles - but sometimes you just don’t want to spend $500. Sure, the 100k business class reward that gets you a $5,000 ticket is a better value. But I can suck up the coach class ticket for a 7 hour flight (thanks, Ambien!) and then I get two tickets to Europe for the same 100,000 miles.

And if you’ve got half a million miles, then it feels like you’re getting a ticket for free and you won’t even notice the miles missing.

I’m all about the value, but sometimes it’s hard to beat free.

By: Gary

Gary — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 18:34:26 +0000

It’s better to use 50,000 Skymiles to ‘pay’ for a $500 ticket to Europe than redeem those 50,000 Skymiles for that same ticket to Europe… because you don’t face the same availability constraints (assuming price is given/constant).

But the real point is that you shouldn’t be redeeming 50,000 miles for a flight that costs $500 anyway!

Are your miles really only worth 1 cent apiece? And if so, why are you using a Delta co-branded credit card instead of a cash back card?

By: onlinetravelreview

onlinetravelreview — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 18:30:43 +0000

Ah ha — you are correct. I read it as American Express Gold members get and Delta Platinum get it — I’ll change in the original post. Thanks much…

By: Johnf

Johnf — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 18:10:12 +0000

The text of the announcement includes this:

“American Express and Delta today launched Pay with Miles, an exclusive new built-in benefit for American Express Gold and Platinum Delta SkyMiles Credit Cardmembers.”

and this:

“We are delighted to partner with Delta to offer this new SkyMiles program feature exclusively to our premium American Express Delta SkyMiles Cardmembers”

I read that as the benefit is only available to holders of a Gold or Platinum Delta SkyMiles CC, not holders of “an Amex gold card or a Platinum SkyMiles credit card”, which is what you posted.

Can you confirm or clarify?

Thanks!