Getting Aggravated with Delta and Sky Miles!

[smvdelv]

I have had a Delta Sky Miles Card with American Express for years, and while I have never been able to use my FF miles for travel during peak weeks (school vacations), I have never really had trouble redeeming them for travel in August or October - until this past year!
We travel out of Boston and it seems that Delta is no longer offering ANY nonstop flights for 25, 000 miles - no matter what time of year I put in.
Is anyone else noticing this change? What else can I use my skymiles for?
I am considering getting rid of this card and strictly using my Disney Visa - at least it gives me spending money for my trips!
With Jet Blue now flying out of Boston, and with better fares and flight times, I don't see myself using Delta Song much longer.
But what am I going to do with these Sky Miles?

 

[Tiffany]

Originally posted by smvdelv
I have had a Delta Sky Miles Card with American Express for years, and while I have never been able to use my FF miles for travel during peak weeks (school vacations), I have never really had trouble redeeming them for travel in August or October - until this past year!
We travel out of Boston and it seems that Delta is no longer offering ANY nonstop flights for 25, 000 miles - no matter what time of year I put in.
Is anyone else noticing this change? What else can I use my skymiles for?
I am considering getting rid of this card and strictly using my Disney Visa - at least it gives me spending money for my trips!
With Jet Blue now flying out of Boston, and with better fares and flight times, I don't see myself using Delta Song much longer.
But what am I going to do with these Sky Miles?

Yes. We have found the same thing. We hung on to them and then found a use for them as we did some last minute (to us) planning on going to Disney this Memorial Day weekend. When we checked airfare both Song and JetBlue were selling tickets for more then $300 per ticket so we took the plunge and used 50,000 miles each for tickets this May.

If I can buy a ticket for around $200 then I would not use more then 25,000 miles on a ticket but we were in the $680 range for two tickets so we figured why not. We do not travel to other places so it was not like we were saving for Europe or something like that.

 

[Esmerelda]

I too got rid of my Delta AE quite a while back....Delta is not my cup of tea in the flying department (oucchhh...touchy subject for me...)

best of luck to you,
Esmerelda

 

[RobinMarie]

I just want to say, "AMEN" to your frustrations! I have never had difficulties booking flights either until I tried for the last two vacations. I took the plunge and used 50,000 miles for our 430.00 flights next month.

It was very annoying! Good luck to you!

 

[Lewisc]

All airlines are making it easier to get FF miles (credit cards, partners, bonus) but harder to redeem them. The trend is to force you to use double miles to get what you want.

One of the best programs is SW. They have a few blackout dates. Otherwise if there is a seat on the plane you can have it. If I can get a good airfare I'll pay if not I'll us a RR ticket.

 

[CarolA]

I agree with Lewis. The problem is that there are LOTS more miles out there since now you get them for Credit cards, home mortgage refinace etc.... The airlines do not appear to have increased the number of seats so the squeeze is on.

The best way to use them is to book 330 days in advance.

I wound up using my last American Airlines miles for magazines.

 

[pumpkinboy]

Originally posted by CarolA
...The best way to use them is to book 330 days in advance. ...

I suspect that the 330 day thing is the ONLY way you'll get direct flights at 25k miles from SkyMiles. The only way to do it otherwise would be to travel somewhere you will need to take a connecting flight (eg Hilton Head SC, Padre Island TX, Albuquerque NM, Butte MT). Also best to reserve it early. International flights work well too.

I plan on using my miles to bring my folks down to FL from Maine. They prefer to fly out of Portland (the "Jetport" ), so it's a connection anyway. Direct Logan to MCO just isn't gonna happen most of the time. Maybe February vacation reserved 330 days ahead would be worth it, but I dunno.

 

[Lewisc]

Originally posted by CarolA
The best way to use them is to book 330 days in advance.

I wound up using my last American Airlines miles for magazines.

According to flyertalk Continental adds FF seats when they feel like it. Sometimes 330 days out and sometimes a month before.

 

[CarolA]

Actually, I have had some good success at LAST minute travel. I do think the airlines release some seats after they give up on people paying full price. I have gotten seats at low milage a month before and even a few days before.

That said, that is hard for families to work around. I am single and can make a decision at the last minute... I know others can't.

 

[dijid]

I could have written your post! I live in Cincinnati - one of Delta's hub. They fly hundreds of nonstop flights from here daily. Thought the Delta AmEx was a good idea for us. Last fall we looked into a trip to Mall of America. Couldn't get nonstop flights for 25,000 miles. Ok. So we'll save those miles for WDW this Spring. Couldn't believe how ridiculously hard it was to get flights at the 25,000 level. We were given options that had 2 connections (from OH to FL - Give me a break!) We finally found that by being completely flexible with our dates, we could fly NS on Tuesdays. What kills us is that airfare was only around $200-$250 rt when we were looking. Tons of available flights. We also looked into going to visit my parents in Phoenix and still couldn't find NS flights. Funny thing was I had lots of options a year ago when I used miles to visit my sister in Barcelona. I almost came here to post about my frustrations. I was upset to see the www.deltasucks website wasn't really working.

A few days after our horrible experience we applied for a new credit card. No more Delta AmEX!

 

[CarolA]

Once you book your tickets keep trying. I have a ticket booked for my mother to London in May. I want to change the return. I fully expect to be able to do that, but I doubt I will be able to until a few weeks prior.

So if you book the 3 stop flight, call back every few weeks and ask to waitlist. It generally works.

In Delta's defense they really are not any worse or better then anyone. The ONLY airline that I know of with a really good way to get seats is SW. And they don't do International.

You do tend to have more options on International since you can often fly the main airline and thier international partners. For example on Delta you can also fly Air France. On American you can fly British Air. That gives you twice as many flights and the international programs are not as generous with mileage give aways as the US.

 

[tn4mickey]

We used FF last year to fly from southeastern Washington to northeast Tennessee. Flying from small airport to small airport you have to change planes twice at hubs. On this flight we went from Pasco-Salt Lake City-Tulsa-Oklahoma City-Atlanta-TriCities. I really think they punish you if possible for using FF miles! Luckily a friend had the same experience a few months before so we were prepared.

 

[ncbyrne]

We have the AMEX skymiles card and have always gotten non stop flights from Newark to EWR using 25,000. But you have to plan way ahead. We book exactly 330 days out and are flexible on the day of the week and hour of the day. Our upcoming trip is on Song. We fly out early afternoon on Sunday May 2, and come back in mid morning, Wed, May 12.

 

[Cora]

I called May 2003 for this April 2004 at the 330 day mark. In order to get may FF flights Bos-MCO I had to take a stop. This was using the 25,000 amount. I agree, what a pain. We're going next April to Ft. Lauderdale for a cruise and I'm debating what to do. I will have just enough for 2 FF tix at the 25,000 mile mark...I guess I'll decide in the next 2 months.
Cora

 

[Love Tigger]

Has anyone had any problem with getting first class FF reservations? DH & I want to fly from JFK to LAX next year on a non-stop first class flight. I need to transfer some AE reward point to do this but I'd like to know if I'm going to run into problems doing this.

TIA