May 22, 2012
ATLANTA, May 22, 2012 ? Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) and Aerol?neas Argentinas announced the introduction of new reciprocal benefits for their frequent flyers that include accrual and redemption of miles. During the fall of 2012 Aerol?neas Argentinas will also join the SkyTeam global alliance, which will allow the carriers to provide additional customer benefits.
?We are excited to launch a new partnership with Aerol?neas Argentinas which will greatly increase our customers? ability to earn and redeem miles on each carrier,? said Jeff Robertson, Vice President Loyalty Programs for Delta. ?The addition of Aerol?neas Plus as a SkyMiles partner deepens our commitment to Latin America and provides additional benefit to the customers we serve in the region.?
Members of the Delta SkyMiles and Aerol?neas Plus loyalty programs can now earn miles and also redeem miles for Award Travel on more destinations than ever before.
?The accrual and redemption of miles with Aerol?neas Argentinas is yet another step Delta is taking to become the best U.S. carrier in Latin America and is the beginning of many great endeavors to come,? said Nicolas Ferri, Delta Vice President for Latin America and the Caribbean. ?Our strategic alliances show our commitment to Latin customers, demonstrate our desire to provide benefits when they fly and thank them for their loyalty.?
Since 1997, Delta?s presence in South America has grown significantly. Delta offers 91 weekly nonstop flights to 8 countries in South America and has a total of 1,430 weekly flights between the U.S. and Latin America and the Caribbean. The frequent flier agreement with Aerol?neas Argentinas is key to our growth strategy in the region.
?Now Aerol?neas? customers are able to obtain miles for travel to over 300 destinations around the world,? said Mariano Recalde, president of Aerol?neas Argentinas. ?Furthermore, Delta customers are able to obtain miles for travel throughout the Southern Cone. We also look forward to joining SkyTeam at the end of summer.?
Now in its 31st year, SkyMiles is one of the longest-running and most successful loyalty programs in the travel industry. Last year, frequent flyers redeemed more than 275.4 billion miles in the SkyMiles program for more than 11.7 million award redemptions. In 2011, 8.2 percent of revenue miles flown on Delta were for award travel. For more information on the SkyMiles program, Medallion status and mileage redemption options, visit delta.com/skymiles.
About Aerol?neas Argentinas
Aerol?neas Argentinas, the Republic of Argentina’s national airline, is one of South America’s leading companies. Aerol?neas Argentinas flies to 19 international destinations in America, Europe and the South Pacific. Along with Austral Lineas Aereas, Aerol?neas operates flights to 33 destinations in Argentina, with flights to more cities in the Argentinean territory than any other airline. Since March 2010, it provides dynamic links between Argentina and the region through its new hub in Aeroparque. Aerolineas is implementing an ambitious fleet renewal program, which began in 2009 with the addition of 12 Boeing Next-Generation 737-700s and the acquisition of 20 Embraer 190s. In November 2010, the company began the process of joining SkyTeam, one of the most prestigious airline alliances worldwide. For more information about the company, visit www.aerolineas.com
About Delta
Delta is working to become the best U.S. carrier in Latin America and the Caribbean. As part of that goal Delta has established a long-term exclusive alliance with GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes investing more than US $100 million in GOL. Likewise, Delta has invested more than US $65 million in Aerom?xico as part of a long-term exclusive commercial alliance and entered a code sharing agreement with Aerol?neas Argentinas solidifying its footprint in Latin America. Executive Travel magazine recognized Delta with the Gold Leading Edge Award for the Best Flight Experience to Mexico. Delta provides service in Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport reaching out to 32 countries and 54 destinations in the region offering more than 1,000 weekly flights between Latin America and the U.S. Spanish speaking Delta customers can receive assistance in Spanish through its Twitter channel @DeltaAssist_ES providing real-time, on-the-go travel assistance from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. EST.
Delta Air Lines serves more than 160 million customers each year. During the past year, Delta was named domestic “Airline of the Year” by the readers of Travel Weekly magazine, was named the “Top Tech-Friendly U.S. Airline” by PCWorld magazine for its innovation in technology and won the Business Travel News Annual Airline Survey. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to nearly 350 destinations in 62 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs 80,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 700 aircraft. A founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance, Delta participates in the industry’s leading trans-Atlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 13,000 daily flights, with hubs in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-LaGuardia, New York-JFK, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City and Tokyo-Narita. The airline’s service includes the SkyMiles frequent flier program, a world-class airline loyalty program; the award-winning BusinessElite service; and more than 50 Delta Sky Clubs in airports worldwide. Delta is investing more than $2 billion through 2013 in airport facilities and global products, services and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes, check bags and review flight status at delta.com.