Delta’s Bombshell Bonus Deal

It came to me in a news flash e-mail from reward travel guru Richard Ingersoll, otherwise known as the Frugal Travel Guy. His story about the latest Delta promotion is sending shockwaves throughout the frequent traveler community.

It Is Good!

According to this link Delta will be offering a 150% mileage bonus on virtually all non-airline miles that post to your account between November 13 and December 31st, 2008. To be clear, this is NOT a mere 50% bonus on top of your redemption, but a full %150 in addition to whatever SkyMiles you would have earned.

Are You Serious?

Details are still emerging, but here is what appears to be the case: If you have the Starwood Preferred Guest American Express card, for example, you can redeem 20,000 Starpoints for 62,500 Delta Skymiles. How is that possible? 20,000 Starpoints are redeemed normally for 25,000 SkyMiles. Add 150% and you have another 37,500 SkyMiles, for a total of 62,500.

What Partners Count

There is a huge list at the registration link that includes multiple hotel, car rental, credit cards, shopping, dinning, and financial partners. Starwood Preferred Guest is specifically mentioned, as are many top hotel brands. What partners don’t count? Delta and all it’s airline parnters are excluded. If you have get on a plane, the bonus does not count. American Express Membership Rewards are not listed under credit cards in the terms and conditions. At this time, it appears that this program is inelligible for the bonus.

How To Really Cash In On This

To go crazy, transfer points from other programs to Delta’s SkyMiles. The rules, as currently posted, specifically allow this:

Convert Partner Points to Miles:

Club Rewards from Diners Club International; Banco Santander Brazil—SuperBônus Program; HSBC Clube de Beneficios; Hertz #1 Awards; Choice Privileges; EA$Y CHOICE; Hilton HHonors; Hyatt Gold Passport; Sirius by Jumeirah; Marriott Rewards; Priority Club Rewards; Radisson goldpoints plus; Sofitel Compliments Points; Sol Meliá MaS Rewards; Starwood Preferred Guest; Taj Inner Circle; Wyndham Rewards.

Now, I have no idea what a Taj Inner Circle is, but I do have points laying around in many of these other programs. If you have a Diner’s Club card, or cards offered through Hilton, Hyatt, Marriot, Radisson, or of course Starwood, I can’t imagine another way to get more value from your existing points than to transfer them to Delta by year’s end.

Be Sure To Register

One of the tricks for this promotion is that you have to register at this link.

Will I Really Get A 150% Bonus

Well, actually the full 150% is only available if you earn/redeem 10,000 points in the time period. That is a lot if you are merely earning miles on a Delta Credit card, yet not that much if you already have the miles in a partner program. If you earn/redeem less than 5,000 SkyMiles, the bonus is only 50%. Between 5,000 and 10,000, the bonus is 100%. These lesser amounts still represent a good deal, but the 10,000 and up is so unique and earth shattering, I will probably be cashing in everything I have with every program. Of course it doesn’t hurt that my main goal in life at this moment is several international award tickets on Delta.