Joint Credit Accounts

Delta and Northwest Credit Cards Are Joining Accounts

April, 14th the final decision to accomplish the merger between the two carriers Delta and Northwest was finally announced. After blowing hot and cold and lingering out the agreement for quite a while the airlines agreed on the terms of the merger and are waiting for the regulatory approval to start operating.

Customers of the two carriers with their frequent flyer program affiliated credit cards are not as yet certain about the definitely positive result of the merger, but the airlines insist it will be neutral or favorable.

There are still however, some questions that bother customers and that the airlines will try to resolve.

Travelers' favorite frequent flyer programs involving credit cards from American Express (Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card) and US Bank (WorldPerks® Visa®) are now joining accounts and the lot of the miles accumulated through both the programs seems vague.

The customer's fears of losing the so hard-earned miles are being settled by the companies' assurance that the rewards will be combined in a separate account and preserve their redemption capacity.

The really good and much appreciated by customers effect of the merger is the appearance of a broader network and thus far more opportunities to earn and use miles. Namely, you can earn miles when using credit card for rent paying or discharging mortgage and redeem them for free tickets, seat upgrades, hotel stays and lots of merchandise.

Now, if we compare the after-merger conditions of the two carriers' customers, the Delta SkyMiles account holders turn out to have more advantages. On the complete merger of the airlines, the Delta feature will dominate.

Some of the changes are already made known to the customers. In short, the Delta's Pay with Miles program will substitute the Northwest's Cash and Miles. The new program-affiliated credit card will be the American Express-issued SkyMiles card with all its typical features, such as limited acceptance and higher credit card fees on the one hand and extended bonus miles offers and benefits of the Pay with Miles on the other.

Hopefully, users of the Cash and Miles program will be provided with an adequate replacement.

What bothers customers is whether the increased number of the miles (as a result of the two accounts combined) and so a growing potential to redeem them for award seats will see a proportionate supply of the latter.

The thing is the companies are determined to shed their superfluous flights, so that the new network bears fewer expenses on their operations. So, the new and bigger demand for reward seats might and probably will stay unsatisfied.

Another concern expressed by customers is whom the new program will favor most - business travelers or less frequent flyers? Which category will pay the most and how expensive will the program be after all?

The current customers' loyalty depends on the answers to these questions. We will fallow the issue closely, so that to keep you informed.

Jennifer Brown

Jennifer Brown, an external business consultant working with a Fortune 500 company, has years of experience to her credit. Despite having a busy schedule through the day, she takes time out to write articles dealing with credit cards, payday loans and other financial aspects. She has completed her Bachelor degree in Financial Services from Columbia University and has been actively involved in various activities for the betterment of society.