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Delta Extends Corporate Benefits to Meetings

Delta Air Lines introduced Delta Edge Meetings with the goal of helping companies (who book flights via Delta) to save money and time when it comes to the planning of face-to-face meetings and events.

"Our corporate partners see the value of face-to-face meetings but they're not pleased with the cost and complicated experience that all too often comes along with corporate event planning," said Bob Somers, senior vice president, global sales. "This is an issue that corporate travel managers and event planners have had to deal with for years. They asked for a solution and we listened, collaborating with key customers."

Delta Edge Meetings, which will be available starting on August 1, is designed specifically for Delta corporate accounts to integrate with their existing corporate sales agreements, allowing corporate travel managers to easily manage meetings with full visibility to travel spend on Delta.

"Delta Meetings simplifies the process for the travel manager and provides benefits to manage meetings," said customer Jan Shoemaker, manager, global travel services at Land O' Lakes.

Jennie Ho, managing director, specialty and Canada sales, led the team that implemented this program, at the intersection of the meetings group and corporate travel management. Companies participating in Delta Edge will see the same benefits they currently enjoy under their corporate sales agreements.

"We wanted to make sure that every meeting attendee flying on Delta would receive the same benefits as their company's business travelers, like complimentary access to Preferred Seats,” explained Ho. ”This program ensures that the benefits of each company's relationship with Delta are reaching all meeting participants."

The program also automatically provides corporate travel managers with Delta's best available pricing by comparing Delta Edge Meetings discounts and their company's corporate sales agreement discounts. And meetings travel counts toward fulfillment of the targets under a customer's corporate sales agreement.

After meetings are registered with Delta, corporate travelers can book their meeting and corporate travel using the same channel. Travel managers then have the option to receive reporting and additional incentives.