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| · September 22, 2003 · |
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· Delta Air Lines Announces New SkyMiles Upgrade Policy, Other Medallion Program Benefits Medallion Members To Receive Complimentary Upgrades To Premium Cabin From Select FaresATLANTA (September 22, 2003) - Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) today announced a new upgrade policy and additional benefits for its SkyMiles Medallion members effective Jan. 1, 2004. "Feedback from our Medallion members indicated that our initial upgrade changes announced last December needed to more appropriately reward them when traveling on higher-value economy fares," said Vicki Escarra, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Delta. "We believe these new enhancements strike a better balance between the needs of our Medallion members and those of Delta." Complimentary Upgrades Platinum Medallion members - SkyMiles members who earn a minimum of 100,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) in a calendar year - will receive unlimited, complimentary 500-mile upgrades at the time of booking, based upon availability, when purchasing Y, B and M economy fare class tickets. Gold Medallion and Silver Medallion members - SkyMiles members who earn more than 50,000 MQMs and 25,000 MQMs, respectively, in a calendar year - will receive unlimited, complimentary 500-mile upgrades, based upon availability, when purchasing Y and B economy fare class tickets. Gold Medallion members will be eligible for this benefit 100 hours prior to departure. Silver Medallion members will be eligible 72 hours prior to departure. 500-mile upgrades are valid on most Delta flights within or between the United States and Bermuda, Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico. More Platinum Medallion Benefits In addition, Platinum Medallion members will earn the following new benefits at select MQM thresholds: - Two or four additional Platinum Medallion Upgrade certificates (PMUs) at 125,000 or 150,000 year-end MQMs, respectively; - The option to award Medallion status to a friend or apply Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) toward Medallion status for 2005; Platinum Medallion Upgrades may be used to upgrade from select fares on worldwide itineraries, regardless of distance flown. These new Platinum Medallion Upgrades will be awarded in early 2004 and will be in addition to the six PMUs provided to Platinum Medallion members upon qualification. For a complete overview of all Medallion program benefits and changes, please visit delta.com/skymileschanges. These program modifications complement changes to Delta's SkyMiles Medallion program announced last December. The new qualification system rewards members for fares purchased as well as distance traveled, which allows members purchasing higher fares to reach elite levels faster than before. The ability to earn and accumulate SkyMiles for Award Travel through eligible flights or partnership activity has not changed. On all eligible fares, members continue to earn a minimum of 500 miles per flight that may be applied toward Award Travel and upgrade awards. All SkyMiles rules and conditions apply to these new benefits. Delta reserves the right to change the terms of the SkyMiles program at any time. Delta SkyMiles members earn miles by flying Delta, Song, Delta Express, Delta Shuttle, Delta Connection, Delta AirElite and Delta's worldwide partners, including the airline's SkyTeam partners. The program offers additional mileage-building opportunities through SkyMiles partners such as the Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express, AT&T telecommunication services, EarthLink™ Internet services, participating hotels, car rental companies, restaurants, floral purchases and financial, mortgage and realty services. SkyMiles may be redeemed for upgrades, Crown Room Club memberships and Award Travel to more than 400 worldwide destinations. Delta Air Lines, the world's second largest airline in terms of passengers carried and the leading U.S. carrier across the Atlantic, offers 5,883 flights each day to 447 destinations in 81 countries on Delta, Song, Delta Express, Delta Shuttle, Delta Connection and Delta's worldwide partners. Delta is a founding member of SkyTeam, a global airline alliance that provides customers with extensive worldwide destinations, flights and services. For more information, please go to delta.com. Media Contact: Corporate Communications 404/715-2554 |
| Produced by Judi Janofsky, Rich Steck and the Golf Press Association |