Delta SkyMiles Joins with WorldPerks

Two frequent flier programs will merge sometime late in 2009; Northwest’s WorldPerks and Delta’s SkyMiles. Delta SkyMiles program will carry the banner for the two companies and eventually all points towards the program will be earned via American Express® credit cards.

These changes come about after the acquisition of Northwest by Delta Air Lines this past fall. Delta already enjoyed a partnership with American Express and the latest move is expected to help American Express sign up more midwest based merchants to accept its card and brings a hefty one billion dollars to Delta’s coffers.

The WorldPerks program had been run by U.S. Bancorp since 1994, but Bancorp has indicated that the loss will not be material to their business and confirms that programs such as corporate lending, treasury services, and debit and merchant processing programs that it provides to Delta will continue.
Cliff Cook, a chief marketing office with U.S. Bancorp, indicates that the company has other airline accounts in the words, including a co-branded card with Korean Air.