Why you should bail out of SkyMiles, yesterday…

It wasn’t even a year ago that Delta jacked up the cost of ‘SkyChoice’ awards. These are ‘unrestricted’ awards, which usually require twice the number of miles that ‘saver’ awards do. But Delta’s new rate amounted to a 150% premium.

Now you may not even be able to get one, period. According to Delta’s website, “Effective Dec. 1, 2007, SkyChoice Award Ticket Reservations will no longer be available on every Delta flight in which a seat is available for sale. SkyChoice Award Ticket Reservations will continue to be available on most Delta flights, but seats will be limited and possibly unavailable on some flights.”

What does this mean? That SkyMiles are going to be even harder to redeem. That seems like a breach of loyalty.

Delta already plays other games like charging high rates for upgradeable economy fares—often more than a domestic First Class fare. For instance, an ‘upgradeable’ (M fare) economy class ticket from Los Angeles Atlanta costs $1,138 round-trip, plus 20,000 miles for the upgrade. But the straight First Class fare is $826 round-trip—both $312 and 20,000 miles less.

Fly New York-London later this year in Business Class for $1,000 round-trip, or buy an upgradeable economy ‘M’ class fare for $1,466, and spend 50,000 miles. Say what?

Solution: Fly Delta if you must, but credit the miles to one of its partner carriers. Europe travelers: Throw in with Air France. Read last month’s FCF and you’ll find out why. Domestic, Asia and South America travelers: earn the miles in Continental’s OnePass program. Sure, you’ll be passing on the opportunity of elite status’ ‘free’ upgrade privileges on Delta, but that does that matter if they’re so difficult to get?