To qualify for the SkyMiles dining 5K bonus for $500 spent, ensure that you are registered for the Delta Air Lines SkyMiles Dining program, as well as for the promotion itself, which is currently active and is scheduled to end June 30, 2011. You will earn 1,000 bonus Delta Air Lines SkyMiles for every $100.00 you spend at a participating dining establishment, and this can be repeated up to five times.

Rules and restrictions apply, but advanced registration is required.

Not able to find definitive information anywhere regarding an increase in the redemption of Delta Air Lines SkyMiles for award travel on flights within Asia, FlyerTalk member CIPAS asked “Anymore info on recent redemption increase for intra-asia?”

When Delta Air Lines SkyMiles frequent flier loyalty program members — especially those based in Asia — found out that the cost for a trip between Tokyo and Singapore increased from 20,000 to 45,000 SkyMiles, most of them reacted with enough anger to spread the word.

At the time this was posted on The Gate, officials at Delta Air Lines had not yet confirmed with an actual announcement of the new worldwide SkyMiles award chart, which apparently angered SkyMiles members even more than the actual redemption increase itself — so much so that a movement to call attention to Delta Air Lines via various methods seems to be gaining momentum, while others are furious enough to accuse Delta Air Lines of engaging in questionable business practices.

Many FlyerTalk members are actually wondering if this is one way in which Delta Air Lines Seeks Premium Status in Asia, and if they are paying the price for it regarding the alleged increase in the redemption of SkyMiles on intra-Asia flights as a result?

Passengers of Delta Air Lines who experienced irregular operations, were voluntarily “bumped” from a flight or were confirmed on another flight on the same day used to have the chance to earn bonus Delta Air Lines SkyMiles and bonus Medallion Qualification Miles.

However, those days appear to be over according to the experiences posted by FlyerTalk members regarding reportedly The end of “bonus” MQM during IROPS/VDB/SDC. Apparently, there was no official announcement by Delta Air Lines, as this new policy appears to have been quietly implemented within the past couple of months.

Starting September 15, 2010, with Delta giving double miles on DL tickets with AS segments and Delta/Alaska Airlines – Double Miles, it appears that the partnership between both airlines is strengthening considerably — and it makes a lot of sense, as each airline bolsters the other with their route strengths, as Delta Air Lines is weak on the West Coast and Alaska Airlines is weak on the East Coast.

This promotion ends November 15, 2010 — but one must register to be eligible. Once registered, the flight itinerary taken during the promotion period must consist of at least one Delta Air Lines flight and one Alaska Airlines flight to earn double miles.

With the Delta and Hilton MQM promo, one can earn up to a maximum of 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles in addition to earning bonus Delta Air Lines SkyMiles between now and December 10, 2010 by staying at any of the Hilton Worldwide portfolio of properties for a minimum of two nights per stay, whether your earning of bonus miles in hour Hilton HHonors account is set to variable or fixed.

One must register before one’s first stay, so register as soon as possible. Other terms, conditions, rules and restrictions may apply.

If you are a Diamond, Platinum or Gold Medallion member of the Delta Air Lines SkyMiles frequent flier program, you can now request an upgrade on either an award ticket or a “pay with miles” ticket — and success is already being reported regarding the Upgrade changes rolling out in August.

Other changes include the clearing of companion upgrades at the 24-hour mark after Silver Medallion SkyMiles members clear, rather than at 12 hours; and Diamond and Platinum Medallion SkyMiles members can be added to the airport standy for systemwide upgrades that do not clear before checking in.

Meanwhile, completely unrelated to this news is that Delta Air Lines began the process of overhauling their Internet web site by freshening the home “page”.

…but the offer is only good when originating from select cities such as Pittsburgh and Nashville.

Still, to take advantage of the double MQM + up to 50,000 bonus miles per round-trip promotion by Delta Air Lines, it may be worth positioning oneself to select airports around the United States to attain SkyMiles Medallion elite status — for 2011, anyway, as the promotion is good immediately until December 31, 2010.

The more round-trip flights one takes on Delta Air Lines from select origination cities for the remainder of 2010, the more Medallion Qualification Miles and bonus SkyMiles one can earn, as follows:

• 5,000 bonus Delta Air Lines SkyMiles plus double Medallion Qualification Miles when you fly to Delta Air Lines hub cities—Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis, New York/JFK and Salt Lake City
• 10,000 bonus Delta Air Lines SkyMiles plus double Medallion Qualification Miles for flights to all other cities in the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean — greater than 350 from which to choose
• 25,000 bonus Delta Air Lines SkyMiles plus double Medallion Qualification Miles for international travel in Economy Class to greater than 70 countries
• 50,000 bonus Delta Air Lines SkyMiles plus double Medallion Qualification Miles for international travel in BusinessElite

Other rules and restrictions apply.

Delta plans RDU giveaway on Tuesday, June 15, 2010 when Delta Air Lines celebrates 40 continuous years of serving Raleigh-Durham International Airport and commemorates that milestone by giving away 40,000 SkyMiles to one passenger on each of its 41 flights departing from that airport all day tomorrow.

Jeff Robertson, who is vice president of the Delta Air Lines SkyMiles frequent flier loyalty program, will be there to help celebrate. Complimentary cookies will be passed out on the concourse.

One FlyerTalk member was so excited that he or she purchased a ticket for $378, thinking that he or she would automatically get the 40,000 bonus SkyMiles. Well, at least that FlyerTalk member can take advantage of the 24-hour risk-free cancellation policy if he or she is not feeling all that lucky after all…

Although the discussion is more positive than negative, there is mixed reaction by FlyerTalk members who are also Delta Air Lines SkyMiles members regarding the SkyMiles Award Fees: Effective 6/2, they be changin’, depending on the elite Medallion status and award redemption habits of SkyMiles members.

• Effective immediately, Delta Air Lines no longer charges a fee for SkyMiles award ticket redemptions, even for last minute bookings.
• However, a reissue fee of $150 — increased from $100, effective immediately — will apply for changes made to SkyMiles award tickets purchased on or after June 2, 2010. This reissue fee is waived for Diamond and Platinum Medallion members.
• The redeposit fee for unused SkyMiles award tickets will be $150, also increased from $100, effective immediately. This fee is also waived for Diamond and Platinum Medallion members.
• Platinum Medallion SkyMiles members will no longer be limited to two reissue or redeposit fee waivers, effective immediately.

Other changes that do not take effect immediately are also discussed amongst Delta SkyMiles forum FlyerTalk members.

If you have Delta Air Lines SkyMiles which you would like to use at the last minute — say for a trip in a couple of days — Delta no longer has fees for “close-in” award travel…

…and FlyerTalk members are experiencing this new policy first-hand, resulting in cheers and kudos for Delta Air Lines. All Delta Air Lines SkyMiles members can take advantage of this policy.

Additionally, the direct ticketing charge for booking an award ticket with a Delta agent via telephone has been waived for Diamond, Platinum and Gold Medallion SkyMiles members.