Delta announced a new spending requirement Thursday for gaining elite status in the airline's SkyMiles program.

CNN: Delta puts dollar amount on elite status

As a reminder, my main cards are the Amex Platinum Delta SkyMiles card and the Chase Freedom Visa card.

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Frequent travelers should stick to legacy carriers, because their programs offer more opportunities to earn points through credit cards, such as American Airlines' AAdavantage Citi Mastercard or Delta's Gold Delta SkyMiles American Express.

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That forced the department that controls ticket pricing to work closely with managers of the SkyMiles program, airline executives say, such as changing how many seats are offered at Delta's lowest "Saver" mileage level.

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In a bit of good news for those who hunt for frequent flier miles, American Express is giving away 100, 000 miles Delta SkyMiles a week to card holders in the Midwest, the Detroit News reports.

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"Adding a revenue component to the SkyMiles Medallion program ensures that our most valued customers receive the best program benefits and a more exclusive experience, " said Jeff Robertson, vice president of the SkyMiles program, in a statement.

CNN: Delta puts dollar amount on elite status

"Based on customer feedback and behavior, the improvements we've made to delta.com and our kiosks are hitting the mark as customers are enjoying the more intuitive layout, new features, and the ability to take advantage of many of the elements that can be added to their flight experience, such as an Economy Comfort seat, extra SkyMiles and in-flight Wi-Fi, " Hauenstein said.

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