Airlines’ gift to new parents: Loyalty status

Delta has now made reinstating status an official option for loyalty-program members who have major life events, including childbirth, adoption and caring for a friend or family member, as well as matters like relocation, changing jobs or getting a graduate degree. Adopted in May, the policy called Reclaim My Status promises to reinstate your membership at the pre-life-event level for a conditional 3-month period, which is fully granted for that year if you fly at a pace equivalent to the same level of membership. While many airlines offer reinstatement on a case-by-case basis, Delta’s policy is considered the most generous in terms of the life circumstances it allows for and one of the easiest to navigate, handled through an online application. In the first week of its launch, Delta said it received approximately 5,000 applications. <br/>