Delta adjusts Same Day Confirmed again!!
From a SkyMiles rep on Flyertalk:
We’re starting a new thread because we have some updates to the New same-day confirmed and same-day standby options and we don’t want them to get lost in what is now a lengthy thread.
In April we updated you on modifications to our same-day travel change program and continued to listen to your feedback after the change was made. While the modified program was designed to balance the needs of our customers and our business, we recognize the need for a few refinements based on overall feedback to the policy changes.
The same booking class (e.g. Q, K, L or U) still needs to be available for same-day confirmed changes, but we are making some modifications to give you more flexibility:
- Effective immediately, we will waive the $50 same-day confirmed fee for Diamond, Platinum and Gold Medallion members. This change increases the number of free options available for same-day travel changes.
- By late August, you will also be able to request a same-day change up to 24 hours before your original flight departure time, rather than only on your day of departure. This will better align with existing check-in reminders and make it more convenient for you.
Diamond, Platinum and Gold Medallion members may continue to stand by free of charge on your original day of departure. We also continue to offer $50 same-day confirmed and standby options for Silver Medallion members, general SkyMiles members and non-members.
You can find more information at delta.com/samedaytravel later this morning when we update the related delta.com pages.
The same booking class requirement is a pain for those of us who book cheap fare buckets that are often sold out on the day of the flight, but with the 24-hour in advance instead of just 12:01 am day-of this could help a good bit. I rarely know I can make an earlier flight until my meetings end early and I get to the airport, but for others who make have earlier schedule changes this is good. Every once-in-a-while my meetings for the following day are cancelled and it’s better to be able to change that early using SDC than to sit around a random city all day or pay $$.
Not a true enhancement until the fare bucket requirement is removed and it’s a slap in the face again to Silvers to have another benefit that does not apply to them, but since many of the SDC elite benefits haven’t applied to them in a while this is not much different.
As we say on FT, it’s another big takeaway that was partially returned. Just give us back what we had delta.
This severely restricts the ability and flexibility to make changes and at a stroke this takes away two main benefits of flying delta and for the first time in 5 years I’m not considering maintaining my Diamond status.
I know have more incentive to have mid-level status on multiple airlines as then i do to have Elite status with Delta.