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VS make DL earning table even more confusing!

PostPosted: 03 Jan 2024, 15:56
by mitchja
Not sure if anyone has noticed but VS have updated the DL tier point earn table here. Firstly the flight length threshold has been reduced from 3000 miles to 2000 miles but now mentions that the >2000 miles column excludes domestic flights.

It's even more confusing now as they seem to have now now also listed different tier point earnings for First Class and Business Class even though DL doesn't offer First class on International flights only on Domestic?

So what's the difference between First Class domestic and Business domestic?? Clearly If you are on an I fare - it's now 20 TP's less >-(

I've booked DL First Class ATL>FLL return (directly with DL); I’m on a D fare one way, I fare the other way. Before the changes that would have been 40 TP's each way. My outbound flight was the D fare which did indeed earn me 40 TP's. Be interesting to see what I get for the return FLL>ALT flight tomorrow!?!

(for reference I took a screen shot of the old DL earning table which is below)

Old DL earnings.jpg
OLD DL earning table
Old DL earnings.jpg (324.91 KiB) Viewed 1863 times

Re: VS make DL earning table even more confusing!

PostPosted: 03 Jan 2024, 16:19
by CommanderB
Yeah I found this confusing too.

If you made your booking based on the old tier points you can probably argue the toss and get the original tier points given this was done with no communication and no notice.

I've found that strategy to be reliable before.

Re: VS make DL earning table even more confusing!

PostPosted: 03 Jan 2024, 16:53
by mitchja
My Flying Club flight transaction from the Delta booked D fare says business class, which it always does for DL domestic flights:

Delta Airlines, ATL - FLL, Full Business Class 3814 40


…and when I flew in Oct on the same route, but on a VS codeshared Z fare that time, the transaction is identical apart from half the points/TP’s:

Delta Airlines, ATL - FLL, Full Business Class 1907 20


I’ll wait and see what posts for an I fare ;-)

Tip when flying Delta- sign up for a DL SkyMiles account (but don’t add to bookings) to get the free on-board WiFi.

Re: VS make DL earning table even more confusing!

PostPosted: 04 Jan 2024, 01:09
by matt.hibb
I had a gut feeling something was going on here when I couldn't easily find the DL earnings table a couple of weeks ago.

In terms of business class, the only change appears to be I fares.

I think I can make sense of it... maybe...

There are domestic and international routes offering "first class". Think Canada and the Carribbean. And I imagine there are examples above and below 2,000 miles for both categories.

If you look at DLs website, when you're booking a first class itinerary, the branding is red. But switch to something else, even less distance, that offers delta one and the branding goes purple. I imagine this is where the line is being drawn.

I hope so anyway because I have an upcoming flight that I had to book via Delta's site. It's MAN-JFK on VS and then into YYZ on DL. All I fares. The booking says upper class for the VS legs and first class for the DL legs. But since this is part of an international business ticket where I chose delta one from the booking engine on the DL site, I'm hoping this falls into the business/delta one category for all flights.

Re: VS make DL earning table even more confusing!

PostPosted: 04 Jan 2024, 11:48
by matt.hibb
Tried to get some sense out of a Flying Club agent on this.

They're adamant that anything under 2000 miles or US domestic is now 20 tier points on an I fare.

So either the published table is wrong and it's impossible to get 40 tier points. Or the agent is wrong. In essence I feel I got nowhere.

At least we can rely on the IT systems to get it right... oh wait...

Re: VS make DL earning table even more confusing!

PostPosted: 06 Jan 2024, 09:08
by mitchja
Well I’m pleased to say that the DL flight transaction hit my account overnight and the domestic first class I fare has earned me 40 TP’s so it looks like either VS are honouring flights booked before the changes came in or that table is incorrect.

Re: VS make DL earning table even more confusing!

PostPosted: 25 Jan 2024, 15:52
by matt.hibb
I earned 40 TP's for my JFK-YYZ flight on an I fare.

I suspect the published table is wrong?

Re: VS make DL earning table even more confusing!

PostPosted: 06 Feb 2024, 11:43
by matt.hibb
Another data point
Flew YYC - MSP - ATL - MAN all on the same I fare itinerary
I got 40 TP's for each of YYC - MSP and MSP - ATL

Re: VS make DL earning table even more confusing!

PostPosted: 06 Feb 2024, 12:58
by territt
My last lot of flights from JFK to Ric are 40tp each way like normal but for some reason are showing as economy tickets when I was in first.