Delta discovers consumer loyalty through Tailwind program at Tour Championship event
Delta Air Lines is making a significant shift in its brand strategy, moving from a traditional airline focused on reliable conveyance to one that curates high-touch experiences for its customers. The latest move in this direction is a partnership with the PGA Tour, making Delta the official global airline of the professional golf circuit.
This partnership expands the breadth of experiences that SkyMiles members can bid on through the relaunched SkyMiles Experiences platform. Some of the golf-themed packages up for bid include a weekend of golf at TPC Sawgrass, the venue for The Players Championship, and a chance to play in the Bank of Utah Championship Pro-Am at Black Desert Resort.
The partnership also offers access to tournaments and the Tour-owned TPC Network of courses. At the ongoing Tour Championship at East Lake, Delta offered loyalty members a putting clinic with Hall of Famer Davis Love III, who has been instrumental in introducing Michael Jordan to golf.
SkyMiles members are 58% more likely than the general population to regularly watch, listen to, or attend golf events. This trend is not surprising, given the sports-focused initiatives Delta has been pursuing. The airline already has existing golf partnerships, including with the Masters, the LPGA's Mizuho Americas Open, and several individual ambassadors.
The pivot by Delta is a loyalty play designed to keep customers invested not just in where they are taken, but in how that journey lives on afterwards. By offering unique experiences like golf outings and clinics, Delta is aiming to create lasting loyalty through experiences rather than just itineraries.
Michael Jordan, a well-known basketball legend, first learned golf from Davis Love III and his university teammate Buzz Peterson, who also taught him how to gamble. The broken driver that Michael Jordan received from Davis Love III became a prized possession. He kept it in play from 1985 to 1997.
Beth Daniel, another golf great, improved her putting game by starting to look at the hole from fifteen feet and in. However, there are no publicly available details regarding which celebrity golfers serve as personal ambassadors on Delta's current roster.
In the following year, Beth Daniel won seven tournaments, a testament to the impact of her improved putting technique. As Delta continues to push SkyMiles beyond flights and seat upgrades into the realm of curated, high-touch experiences, golf enthusiasts among its loyalty members can look forward to more exciting opportunities.
