Delta Air Lines and GOL Announce Shared Benefits for SkyMiles and SMILES Members

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Jul 06, 2010, 02:19 ET

ATLANTA, July 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) and GOL (NYSE: GOL and BM&FBOVESPA: GOLL4) today announced an agreement to offer members of Delta's SkyMiles and GOL's SMILES frequent flyer programs the ability to earn miles on all flights operated by each carrier beginning today. Redemption benefits are scheduled to begin during the second half of the year.

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"This new agreement will offer SkyMiles members the opportunity to earn mileage on eligible GOL flights, increasing their ability to redeem miles for upgrades, award travel tickets and other awards," said Luiz Teixeira, Regional Manager of Sales for Delta in Brazil.

"With this agreement, SMILES will become even more attractive to passengers traveling to North America and Asia. We are offering our clients the opportunity to earn miles and issue tickets with Delta, one of the largest airlines in the world. On the other hand, GOL will offer SkyMiles members 62 destinations in Brazil, South America and the Caribbean," said Marcelo Bento, Yield & Alliances Director for GOL.

Delta and GOL recently filed requests with the governments of the United States and Brazil for authorization to implement a codeshare agreement. When approved, the agreement will provide Delta and GOL customers improved access beyond the carriers' respective hubs by allowing Delta to place its code on flights to more than 40 GOL markets departing from Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo to other cities throughout Brazil. The codeshare agreement also will cover GOL flights between Brazil and Paraguay and Uruguay.*

Delta's SkyMiles program has more than 140 worldwide partners with more than 81 million members worldwide and is among the longest running and most successful loyalty programs in the travel industry. The award-winning SkyMiles program offers members multiple mileage-earning opportunities when flying Delta, Delta Shuttle, the Delta Connection carriers, Delta AirElite and all SkyTeam member airlines. For more information, visit: delta.com/skymiles.

Last year, frequent fliers redeemed more than 230 billion miles in the SkyMiles program for more than 11 million award redemptions. In 2009, 8.5 percent of revenue miles flown on Delta were for award travel, among the best of U.S. network airlines according to data filed in airlines' 10-K annual reports.

GOL's SMILES program currently has over 6.8 million participants and offers members the chance to obtain upgrades, providing them with even more benefits, such as: differentiated service at check-in, extra baggage allowances, access to SMILES VIP lounges, as well as to their exclusive customer service center. For more information, visit: smiles.com.br.

Delta currently offers 30 nonstop weekly flights between the United States and Brazil. These include service between Atlanta and Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia and Manaus; and service between New York-JFK and Sao Paulo. In October, Delta will begin service between Sao Paulo and Detroit.

About GOL

GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A. (NYSE: GOL and BM&FBOVESPA: GOLL4), the largest low-cost and low-fare airline in Latin America, offers more than 860 daily flights to 50 destinations that connect all the important cities in Brazil and 12 major destinations in South America and Caribbean. The Company operates a young, modern fleet of Boeing 737 Next Generation aircraft, the safest and most comfortable of its class, with high aircraft utilization and efficiency levels. Fully committed to seeking innovative solutions through the use of cutting-edge technology, the Company - via its GOL, VARIG, GOLLOG, SMILES and VOE FACIL brands - offers its clients easy payment facilities, a wide range of complementary services and the best cost-benefit ratio in the market.

About Delta Air Lines

Delta Air Lines serves more than 160 million customers each year. With its unsurpassed global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 368 destinations in 66 countries on six continents. Delta employs more than 70,000 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. 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-JFK, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City and Tokyo-Narita. The airline's service includes the SkyMiles frequent flyer program, the world's largest airline loyalty program; the award-winning BusinessElite service; and more than 45 Delta Sky Clubs in airports worldwide. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes, check bags and review flight status at delta.com.

Terms and conditions

All SkyMiles program rules apply to SkyMiles program membership, miles, offers, mile accrual, mile redemption and travel benefits. To review the rules, please visit delta.com/memberguide. Taxes and fees for award travel are the responsibility of the passenger and must be paid at the time the ticket is booked. Award travel seats are limited and may not be available on all flights or in all markets. Alliance partner airline benefits subject to change and subject to the terms and conditions of each partner. Offers and benefits subject to change without notice.

* Subject to government approvals.

SOURCE Delta Air Lines