Alaska Cuts Elite Benefits For Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members

Pls do open a second blog, love n hate: a story of DL&AS

So, I am really trying to see how this all settles out. When DELTA recently announced their revenue based changes to SkyMiles, I immediately contemplated switching to Alaska's membership program and ride out our accumulated DELTA miles. Now with this ugly divorce playing out between the two, I am pausing hesitantly.

As Delta cuts off Alaska Mileage Plan as a viable alternative to credit flights to, I think we are going to be given a clear picture of how important the FF program is to selecting a carrier to most passengers. If people continue to fly DL at the same rate after all the uproar and rankling over Skymiles changes thinking there was a safe harbor in AS, UA and AA are going to take notice and the results will not be pretty. As a certain wide receiver used to say, "get your popcorn ready."

With rounds of devaluation of mileage plans all around, I was also doubting those plans' real values, and agree with @Jason that not a single airline is necessarily worth 100% of trust, nowadays. Somehow I've been wondering what the *equilibrium* in economics will really look like if the industry is mature enough; flights from point A to B at same fare rates on three competing airlines, deploying similar aircrafts with identical inflight products (from wifi to seats) and services (same flow of greeting and rounds of drinks), namely representing SA, OW and ST? It might be an extreme idea, but we do see some signs today: every week or every day airlines are matching the fares to each other's on competing routes while monopolizing other routes out of their hubs with less competition.
(Hopefully the perfect economic equilibrium won't exist in real world.)

But here in the battle between DL and AS, I think something is different. They are so closely tied to each other that AS will surely be in disadvantage if they don't fight back. It's different from the purpose of FF program to attract flyers. I believe there might be some creative way of gaining benefits with 'friendly' FF programs in contrast to Skypeso's model, but in the SEA market, if not following DL's move, AS is actually ignoring the well-being of their own MVPs, who also deserve a less crowded sky.

Free upgrades are basically that: the marginal cost to the other airline is so small (and they only process after the airline's own cadre of elites) it doesn't make sense to cut until their actually divorce (which we all know will happen sooner rather than later).

I appreciate Lucky's informative website, but I really think that too many readers are sheep: I encourage everyone to contact their airline and make your feelings known. It's regrettable that Amex Platinum's lounge benefits have eroded; it's probably because customers do nothing. I am going to write DL and AS (but they obviously do not care).

Might Alaska look to OneWorld for membership?

@ Phillip -- It (almost) wouldn't surprise me, given how many OneWorld airlines they already partner with (and to further thump their nose at Delta).

In recent weeks, I've flown American and Delta, crediting flights on both to Alaska. One segment on AA was in first, the rest in coach (two in premium economy). Both are comparable, but Delta is slightly better for the overall in flight experience IMO. If American gave out complementary upgrades on its new JFK to SFO/LAX transcon, I'd switch immediately, but they don't, so I'll continue flying both and crediting to Alaska as long as I can...

@Anthony
You must have AA confused with Delta. AA DOES give complementary upgrades on their JFK-SFO/LAX transcons - I just flew that route last week (LAX) and was upgraded. I'm an EXP on AA (You would need 500 mile stickers for GLD/PLT as is the case on other AA flights).