This. But as javabytes points out, the additional Plat cards are not free. Still it would be worth doing the cost/benefit analysis as the airline fee credit, Global Entry and other benefits can make the card very inexpensive.

Important to note, the GE reimbursment also extends to additional card members.^

 

US Airways is included in PP. At least for now. I haven't heard whether that's ending next year as well, but I can only imagine that it must be.

And while you could access it through PP, you'd be better off using your AmEx lounge access benefits anyway because it allows guests whereas PP would charge $27 each.

 

Little off topic, but does anyone think PP is going away soon too? There really isn't much value there anymore.

 

Perhaps not much domestically however internationally it can be quite useful. Especially at smaller non-hub airports with few options if any.

 

US Lounge benefit still applies to additional cards. Priority Pass remains for additional Platinum Cards, but not for additional Gold Cards (looks like in the past, a supplementary Gold card from a Platinum account would receive this as well)

 

Huh? As of March 22, Platinum card members will no longer receive access to AA or US lounges. This would apply to additional as well as primary cards.

 

I agree with RFDMinnesota, who was not judging "others" but the SkyClub product. I don't think anyone can argue that it has declined in quality now that the monetization philosophy took over. If some finds that it offers "warm smiles and a quiet retreat you can call your very own" (that's per the DL website, not from anyone who has been to ATL B10) then fine.

To the OP: If you truly want to renew your membership, let your current one expire and don't renew until you are actually flying and want to use a club. This will add some days to your next expiration date. You have six months from expiration before you have to pay the initiation fee again. For a Platinum, the fee is $350 (each) or 40,000 miles (each). The American Express options mentioned earlier (Delta Reserve or non-cobranded Platinum) may work better for you if you are paying cash for your membership(s).

 

Good point.

One should also try to renew when one's status is as high as possible, so that if someone will drop from PM to GM, renew by February 28.

There's also the chance of a special or targeted offer if you let the SC membership expire.

 

Sorry, I confused US with "United States" instead of "US Airways" since the US Cardholder benefits are somewhat different than other countries. I assumed we were talking about Skyclub Renewal and not about access to other airline clubs.

 

We're more generally discussing the benefits of the (USA based) AmEx Plat regular charge card for comparison with the value of a SC membership.

BTW, this is why I always write USA on FT, to avoid confusion with US for USAirways.

 

Thanks guys for your words of wisdom. We have had dual club membership for a long time from the time of Northwest. When Delta took over they removed many international clubs such as from Shanghai etc from the list of clubs in the network. But since were we were elite plus sky team we still had club access when traveling international.

My wife had e-mailed Delta asking how to renew our dual skyclub membership for another 3 years. The response was a link to the Delta skyclub web page for a single membership renewal for one year. Since Delta is also not interested in taking our money and also the fact that many of the airports such as MSP, ATL are far better with free Wi-Fi and great food choices (compared to the skyclubs), I agree that an after tax income Delta club membership is not worth the money. So, we decided not to renew our dual membership after many years of club membership at NW/DL. As a Delta stockholder I am not impressed at Delta throwing money that wants to come its way. The skyclub has always received a third party treatment on the Delta web site, almost as an after thought.

 

You made the decision not to renew. Others will choose to renew with the one year rates. It's impossible to extrapolate based on your personal choice whether the changes will be revenue negative or positive. I think it's clear that club crowding is an issue to many and long term this will likely reduce crowding and improve the retention rate of those paying the higher fees.

 

I almost wonder if Delta is trying to rid itself of the SC all together. It certainly seems that way through devaluations and new policies which almost seem to discourage renewals and memberships. Maybe the master plan is for Amex to eventually takeover the SC spaces and turn them all into Centurions, then give access to DL Diamonds and "former" SC members. Pretty wild thought but it would seem to almost make sense at this point. It would certainly improve the quality of the lounge offering.

 

If they did that and didn't allow Sky Team Elite Plus access then KLM and AF (and others) would probably try to restrict Delta travelers from their clubs.

It would be interesting to see numbers on the revenue the SCs get from Amex (Amex Plat, Amex DL Reserve and day pass from Amex cardholders) versus actual paid SC members. It wouldn't surprise me if more people like the OP decided to get access thru Amex -- either Plat or Reserve -- because the prices are similar and the cards have extra bennies. I guess this would apply to GM and above as FO wouldn't get access on international trips -- but there aren't many FOs who do lots of international (as they wouldn't be FO if they did a lot )

I have 3 years remaining on my membership after I stop being DM (or Delta drops DM membership -- at least until 2018 at this point). When I am no longer DM I will probably drop to the lowest DL Amex that gets the waiver and go back to the Amex Plat. And if by then that no longer gets SC access then for purely domestic trips I'll just hang out in an airport bar/restaurant -- I find myself doing that more and more anyway (except for when originating in ATL -- then I hang out at Taco Mac Metropolis and pray MARTA runs ontime )

 

This seemed the appropriate thread to post the experience I just had with Delta Sky Club.. My 8 yr daughter and her au pair flying back First Class (she is also skymiles member) are having a longer lay over in MSP due to delay in outgoing flight. I asked my 8 yr old to walk down to the Sky Miles Club as I was going to purchase them a day pass so they could wait in a more comfortable setting. I myself am a USAir Chairman and love the USAir clubs. I was appalled that both women behind the desk refused to even take the cell phone from my daughter as I wanted to speak with her about arranging day passes for them. I then called Delta Sky Club and spoke with a supervisor who validated that it is the policy of the Club that employees can not speak with people on cell phones. I received attitude from all the employees and was wondering if this is typical of Delta?