Hyatt, Delta confirm rumored changes

Both Delta and Hyatt confirmed changes to their elite benefits today, confirming changes which had been rumored over the past several week.

Hyatt’s change means that Diamond Elite guests now get a choice of 1,000 bonus points or a local F&B amenity upon arrival at all properties worldwide, not only in the US, Canada & Caribbean. More points is always good, right?

Delta’s change is a bit more controversial. The carrier is altering its policy for “same-day change” of plane tickets. Here are some highlights of the new policy:

• You can only be rebooked in the same class of service as your original flight.
• You may request a day-of-flight change any time prior to the departure time of your original flight
• Your requested flight is same-day confirmed eligible if the departure time(s) fall between 12am (on the same day as the originally booked ticket) and 2am (the following day) to account for overnight flights. 
• Award Tickets are same-day confirmed eligible.
• Origin, destination or co-terminal (LGA to JFK) changes are not same-day confirmed eligible.
• You can use the same-day confirmed option for travel within the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands on Delta and Delta Connection® flights.

And, of course, the fee structure:

Silver Medallion members, general SkyMiles members and non-members:

• $50 USD Same-Day Change Fee — If your requested flight is same-day confirmed eligible
• Applicable Change Fee — These fees vary based on your ticket and its fare rules, and will be due if you have a restricted fare and your requested flight is outside of same-day travel eligibility. Change fees are dictated by the fare rules.

Diamond, Platinum, and Gold Medallion members:

• $50 USD Same-Day Confirmed Fee Waived — If the requested flight is same-day confirmed eligible and falls within 3 hours before or after the original ticketed departure time.
• $50 USD Same-Day Confirmed Fee- If the requested flight is same-day confirmed eligible and falls outside 3 hours before or after the original ticketed departure time.

Delta’s new policy is decidedly middle-of-the-pack at best in terms of benefits for top elites. And the need for the same fare class to be available can be quite limiting, though United has a similar policy and mostly addresses that by opening up most fare buckets close to departure. This is going to be an interesting one to watch.