Yesterday’s news that Delta was announcing some changes to SkyMiles 2015 was met with some raised eyebrows. In the end, depending on your travel patterns, the changes could be a net positive. The addition of 10,000 mile one-ways in select markets is a net positive, assuming they are available for a route you desire. However, there’s one thing from Delta’s partner MQD earning tweak that I want to highlight here – come April 1, you will not be earning MQDs for flights taken on Alaska Airlines.

delta skymiles, alaska air, mqd

From now until March 31, 2015, you’ll continue to collect MQDs for Alaska flights that are Delta 006 ticketed.

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While this might impact me on one or two flights a year, I know there are some for whom this is not a small deal, so take note. While you’ll be earning MQDs on more partner flights with the change, there has been a negative change with the Alaska Airlines partnership – no more MQDs effective April 1, 2015. For me, this is just one more indicator of the direction Alaska and Delta are headed.

-MJ, March 10, 2015