Delta Air Lines will
reduce loyalty program mileage earned on some unpublished fare categories,
including group fares, consolidator fares, tour or cruise package fares and
student fares. The changes to SkyMiles accrual will take effect for tickets
booked on or after Sept. 1.
Negotiated
corporate, government and sports fares, in addition to bookings through Delta
Vacations, "will continue to earn full mileage credit," according to
the carrier, as will all published fares. A spokesman
noted that a published fare is any fare filed via the Airline Tariff Publishing
Company, which feeds global distribution systems and online travel agencies.
Delta established a
sliding scale of mileage accrual rates for impacted unpublished fare
categories, with lower-bucket fares offering lower earning levels. For example,
full-fare economy tickets will earn 75 percent of the standard mileage credit,
while discounted fares in the Q, K and L classes will earn 50 percent. Deeply
discounted economy tickets in the U, T and E classes will earn 25 percent.
Delta noted its revised policy "aligns with mileage
polices of our transatlantic joint venture partners."
Indeed,
it's not uncommon for airlines to limit or prohibit mileage accrual on select
ticket purchases. For American Airlines, select unpublished fares, including consolidator fares, "are not eligible for mileage accrual regardless of the booking
class," according to its policy. United Airlines does not allow for
mileage accrual on "unpublished fares, such as priceline.com and Hotwire."