Delta Raises Business Class Award Prices to Europe... Again

Stop me if you've heard this one before: Delta has made an unannounced devaluation to its award chart. Yet again the victim is flights to Europe. In August 2016, Delta increased the minimum amount of business class awards to Europe from 62,500 to 70,000 miles. Since then, except for the rare business class award flash sale, the price to Europe has been 140,000 SkyMiles round-trip.

But now Delta is starting the second half of 2018 by bumping that minimum amount from 70,000 to 82,000 miles each way — or 164,000 miles round-trip. And again this change comes with no notice — in contrast to United's four months of notice before its latest changes went into effect in November 2017. For American's last change in March 2016, it also gave four months of notice.

Of course, since Delta removed its published award charts in February 2015, the airline would probably argue that there's nothing for them to give notice of. Since then, Delta has charged a wide range of award rates for its own flights, and many flights typically cost much more than the unstated minimum amount.

To make things worse, it seems that Delta is having some IT issues rolling out the new price. For example, I found some 75,000-mile options on the flexible date calendar:

However, whenever I've clicked through to price these award options, all have repriced to at least 82,000 miles each way... and sometimes much, much more:

With this continued devaluation, Delta again shows that it's not the program to use to book Delta award flights. Sometimes it's much better to use Flying Blue miles. Other times, Virgin Atlantic's Flying Club is the best way to book Delta award flights, whether it's domestic transcon lie-flat business flights for 22,500 miles or a Delta One Suite to Europe starting at 50,000 miles each way.

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Instead, use your SkyPesos SkyMiles for awards on partners such as Joon and on international partner redemptions in South America, Asia and Oceania.

Are you finding any options cheaper than 82,000 for Delta business class to Europe?

H/T: God Save The Points