Our SkyMiles members have been asking us for a mileage-earning check card for awhile now, so we looked for a banking partner that shared our commitment to delivering world-class customer service and providing more options to customers. SunTrust is the ideal partner with a strong, complementary network in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic.

A traditional check card typically rewards one point or mile for every $4 spent, which is why we’re pretty excited that our new check cards will be one of the fastest-earning programs in the U.S. (And don’t fret if SunTrust doesn’t bank in your area, because we’re looking to soon add other check card partners too.)

What does this mean for you? The lowest annual fees in the industry, added security, fast access to cash at over 2,700 SunTrust ATMs and ease of use at Visa® merchants worldwide.

There are three options available:

• Classic: earns one mile for every $2 purchased and 2,500 bonus miles for the first signed purchase; annual fee is only $20.
• Platinum: earns one mile for every $1 purchased, plus for your first signed purchase you get 5,000 bonus miles and a complimentary Delta Sky Club Day Pass; annual fee is $55.
• Business: earns one mile for every $1 purchased, plus you get 5,000 bonus miles and a complimentary Delta Sky Club Day Pass for the first signed purchase; annual fee is $55.

Enrollment is now open, so sign up at any SunTrust location, call 1-877-SUNTRUST or visit suntrust.com/skymiles for more information.

What do you think about our newest mileage-earning option?

‘Till next time,

Mark Goblirsch
Manager – Co-branded Check Cards

Annual fees apply. One-time Enrollment Bonus Miles will be awarded after the first use of your SunTrust SkyMiles^® Check Card for a signature-based purchase. Enrollment Bonus is only available to new SunTrust SkyMiles^® Check Cards customers and cannot be combined with any other enrollment offer. Complete rules available at www.suntrust.com/skymiles. All SkyMiles^® program rules apply. To review the rules, please visit www.delta.com/skymiles. All Sky Club membership terms, conditions, and house rules apply to Sky Club use and membership. For the complete Sky Club terms, conditions, and house rules, please visit delta.com/skyclub. Offers and benefits subject to change without notice. Other restrictions may apply. The SunTrust SkyMiles^® Check Cards are issued by SunTrust Banks, Inc., and available in AL, AR, FL, GA, MD, MS, NC, SC, TN, WV, VA and DC.

In a comment to my post about More Options for Medallions, a great question was posed about Coach Choice Seats and how Medallion Preferred Seats are affected.

While it’s true the Choice Seats project opened a new revenue stream for Delta, it did not come at the expense of existing Preferred Seats. The number of preferred seats Delta offers is the same before and after choice seats implementation. Over 90% of seats on Delta flights are still available when booking, or any time after, at no charge.

The SkyMiles team insured the integrity of the Preferred Seats program throughout the business requirements phase of the Choice Seats application development. Medallion members can continue to book Preferred Seats at any time prior to departure, and the number of seats allocated has not changed. Consequently, Medallions may also book Choice Seats for no fee, but only in the 24 hours prior to the flight.

As a side note, if someone purchases a Choice Seat, but ends up sitting in a different spot, the fee will be refunded.

Shani Nizan
delta.com

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UPDATE 11/17: Thank you for participating in the Delta Blog! Delta has been listening to your concerns and has responded. For more information see my comment below.

Hey everyone,

Over the last few months, I’ve talked about our plans to revamp the SkyMiles Award redemption structure, and if you’ve searched for Award Travel at delta.com recently, you’ve experienced firsthand the changes we’ve made.

I’m excited to announce that after months of strategizing, planning and testing, our new three-tiered Award structure has been implemented and is officially up and running at delta.com.

So what does this mean for you?

First, it means that we listen to your feedback. You tell us you want more redemption options. You want to be able to go where you want to go when you want to go there. So we’ve given you the ability to decide when you fly and how many miles you’ll pay to get to that final destination.

With our new Award structure, the tiers are 25,000, 40,000 and 60,000 miles for travel within the continental U.S. (48 states), Alaska and Canada – and you can mix and match prices and cabins to create your ideal itinerary. That means you now have more flexibility and more options when you redeem miles. And, with last-seat Award availability again at 60,000 miles, if there’s an open seat on the plane and you have enough miles, it’s yours!

So visit delta.com/awardticket and try it out. What do you think? We’re listening.

Thanks for your loyalty,

Jeff Robertson
Vice President – Loyalty Programs

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UPDATE 10/21: New comment from Jeff below. For an insiders view of the Award Ticket Calendar on delta.com check out Drew’s Award Ticket Calendar Demystified post here.

UPDATE 11/21: New comment from Jeff below. Thank you all for your feedback.