Delta’s “maintain climbing” motto can now apply to the worth of sure SkyMiles Rewards.

Evidently with out discover, Delta Airways elevated the worth of SkyTeam Accomplice Rewards to match his personal flights, as first reported by Thrifty traveler. Whereas this can be a technical or comparable error of quick length, it follows a Accomplice Reward Costs Enhance in 2021 and the airline’s choice to ax companion candy spots earlier this 12 months. And and not using a revealed reward chart, Delta has positioned itself to not be tied to a set pricing mannequin.

This consists of flights on well-liked Delta companions like Air France/KLM, Korean Air and Virgin Atlantic.

This implies companion rewards that would have price 120,000 Delta SkyMiles to fly enterprise class now go as much as 330,000 miles a technique. Coach fares for journeys inside Europe that was once simply 35,000 miles now price 65,000 a technique. This is able to imply a reasonably substantial devaluation if this value holds. TPG reached out to Delta for remark, however didn’t hear again by put up.

This is what it’s essential to find out about this potential Delta SkyMiles devaluation.

SkyTeam award costs match Delta’s personal flights

For a number of years, Delta has used a dynamic pricing mannequin on its flights, which signifies that award costs fluctuate, as do money costs. Nevertheless, one vibrant spot was that SkyTeam reward costs had been extra steady, resembling reward charts for the reason that airline’s retirement.

At current, nonetheless, SkyTeam companion costs are roughly consistent with flights on Delta’s personal operated flights.

Let us take a look at a KLM operated flight from Chicago O’Hare Worldwide Airport (ORD) to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS).

Previous to this obvious devaluation, this flight would seemingly have price 35,000 SkyMiles in financial system class. Now, nonetheless, the flight is priced at 56,000 SkyMiles. By the best way, that is the identical value as the most cost effective Delta flight from Minneapolis-St. Paul Worldwide Airport (MSP).

The identical holds quickly to be a part of SkyTeam Virgin Atlantic flights.

The Virgin Atlantic flight from Boston Logan Worldwide Airport (BOS) to London Heathrow Airport (LHR) prices the identical fare as Delta’s personal flight.

Check out the favored route from New York to London. The value is sort of stunning, each for Delta and for flights operated by Virgin Atlantic.

In all these circumstances, Delta flights are actually the identical value as flights operated by companions.

SkyTeam cities with out Delta service

Notably, the reward charges we’ve verified stay unchanged on flights that wouldn’t have Delta service and are solely operated by a companion airline.

For instance, Delta doesn’t serve Taoyuan Worldwide Airport (TPE) in Taipei, so award costs on China Airways flights departing from america stay the identical as earlier than.

On the finish of the road

In our check analysis, Delta Air Strains affords reward costs operated by SkyTeam companions on the identical lower than best reward costs as by itself flights.

On the brilliant facet, assuming that is all intentional when Delta handles SkyMiles gross sales, it is potential that companion reward costs might drop, however that is simply hypothesis at this level.

TPG has contacted Delta for remark. For now, it seems to be like SkyMiles are value lower than earlier than for individuals who appreciated to redeem them for flights with companion airways.