Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) CEO Ed Bastian said Monday that the airline plans to moderate some of the recently announced changes to its rewards program after backlash from customers.
Last month, Delta announced sweeping changes that would make it harder for travelers to earn elite status and gain access to airport lounges starting in January 2024.
Specifically, the changes would restrict access to its Sky Club for credit card holders in a move designed to combat overcrowding. American Express Platinum and Platinum Business cardholders would be limited to six Sky Club visits per year unless they spend $75,000 on the card during the calendar year.
A month later, Delta’s CEO has changed his tune.
“No question we probably went too far,” Bastian said at the Rotary Club of Atlanta on Monday.
Bastian said Delta plans to announce the revised program changes in the coming weeks.
There has been an increase in Delta travelers with elite status, with the number of Diamond Medallion status members doubling over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic, he added.
“It’s gotten to the point, honestly, where we have so much demand for our premium product and services that are far in excess of our ability to serve it effectively in terms of our assets,” Bastian said.
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