Delta AMEX (and possible AMEX card upgrad) questions.
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Right behind you.
Posts: 69
Delta AMEX (and possible AMEX card upgrad) questions.
Hi all. I looked for a similar thread, so I apologize if this is a duplicate.
I currently have a Delta Gold Skymiles card. (Had it for some time.)
I have (in the past) received a discounted companion fare voucher. (For $99). I see that this is no longer advertised. Has this benefit gone away? (As in, will I get one for this year?
Also, I see they are not advertising it for the Platinum card. So, if I upgrade from the Gold card to the Platinum card, will I lose it?
I currently have a Delta Gold Skymiles card. (Had it for some time.)
I have (in the past) received a discounted companion fare voucher. (For $99). I see that this is no longer advertised. Has this benefit gone away? (As in, will I get one for this year?
Also, I see they are not advertising it for the Platinum card. So, if I upgrade from the Gold card to the Platinum card, will I lose it?
#2
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Berkeley, CA
Programs: UA Silver, Southwest A-List, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 818
Hrmm interesting catch. Quickly searching I noticed the same thing, no reference to the companion certificate any more. Sucks because I was thinking of upgrading to the Platinum Card too and just became eligible to do so.
#3
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Join Date: Aug 2009
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Why upgrade? Why not to be safe book with the cert, get the BIZ Plat card to get new card bonus (you don't need to be a biz), then once you have that cancel the Gold personal? Then you get another free cert with the biz plat. Next year, get the plat personal and get the new card bonus again and a new cert. The next year rinse and repeat!^
#4
Join Date: Aug 2007
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Posts: 964
Why upgrade? Why not to be safe book with the cert, get the BIZ Plat card to get new card bonus (you don't need to be a biz), then once you have that cancel the Gold personal? Then you get another free cert with the biz plat. Next year, get the plat personal and get the new card bonus again and a new cert. The next year rinse and repeat!^
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
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There are a lot of factors in play when it comes to your credit card rating. Many people successfully churn credit cards and have high credit scores. There's quite a bit of discussion on this in the MilesBuzz forum, and plenty of suggestions to check out other credit-related forum websites.
#6
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: WN peon (was A+), IHG Plat Hilton HHonors Gold DL SkyPesos PM (still a peon) US Chmn, Hawaiian Haole
Posts: 1,166
Hi all. I looked for a similar thread, so I apologize if this is a duplicate.
I currently have a Delta Gold Skymiles card. (Had it for some time.)
I have (in the past) received a discounted companion fare voucher. (For $99). I see that this is no longer advertised. Has this benefit gone away? (As in, will I get one for this year?
Also, I see they are not advertising it for the Platinum card. So, if I upgrade from the Gold card to the Platinum card, will I lose it?
I currently have a Delta Gold Skymiles card. (Had it for some time.)
I have (in the past) received a discounted companion fare voucher. (For $99). I see that this is no longer advertised. Has this benefit gone away? (As in, will I get one for this year?
Also, I see they are not advertising it for the Platinum card. So, if I upgrade from the Gold card to the Platinum card, will I lose it?
#7
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Berkeley, CA
Programs: UA Silver, Southwest A-List, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 818
Seems like the certificate benefit is not on the gold or reserve pages either.
Either way though, new card or upgrade, I guess I'm less motivated by going to Platinum. I don't think I'll meet the $25k spend requirement so I was just targeting the 5k MQM signup bounus and the free companion voucher. If the latter is off the table, then I'll have to think twice if its worth it for a one time MQM bonus.
#8
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Join Date: Aug 2009
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#9
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: Marriott/SPG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 887
Certs by the way are only good for certain fare classes in Reserve:
"Seats are only available in A and I classes in First Class service, and only available in L, U, T classes in Economy Class service and may not be available on all flights or markets."
Last edited by ElPresidente; Jan 27, 2012 at 4:20 pm
#11
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: BNA and FLL
Programs: National Executive Elite, IHG Diamond Elite, Hilton Gold, SW A List, Marriott Gold
Posts: 964
I'd love to hear more about this churning business as I have some balances I'd love to consolidate and get back on a 0% promo rate.
Can you point me to any good reading about the churn techniques?
#12
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: IHG Spire Ambassador, CC Gold, Marriott Gold, HH Gold, DL PM
Posts: 526
@MSP_Monopoly - I would start with Frugal Travel Guy's blog. He has some posts in 2008 that lay out much of the technique.
Back to the AMEX companion tickets - here is a link that compares cards with companion tickets for AMEX - the only card left with a companion ticket is the AMEX Platinum (not Delta). The companion ticket is one of the main reasons that I got the Delta Platinum AMEX.
They should continue to be a benefit of the Gold/Platinum/Reserve card, but not on new offerings. My Mother just used her annual $99 certificate for my sister. It saved over $350 for the 2 tickets. She was planning on upgrading to the Platinum at her anniversary date, but I guess she won't now.
Back to the AMEX companion tickets - here is a link that compares cards with companion tickets for AMEX - the only card left with a companion ticket is the AMEX Platinum (not Delta). The companion ticket is one of the main reasons that I got the Delta Platinum AMEX.
They should continue to be a benefit of the Gold/Platinum/Reserve card, but not on new offerings. My Mother just used her annual $99 certificate for my sister. It saved over $350 for the 2 tickets. She was planning on upgrading to the Platinum at her anniversary date, but I guess she won't now.
#13
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Look up - On a ✈ DELTA ✈ jet NOW!
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Posts: 4,174
@MSP_Monopoly - I would start with Frugal Travel Guy's blog. He has some posts in 2008 that lay out much of the technique.
Back to the AMEX companion tickets - here is a link that compares cards with companion tickets for AMEX - the only card left with a companion ticket is the AMEX Platinum (not Delta). The companion ticket is one of the main reasons that I got the Delta Platinum AMEX.
They should continue to be a benefit of the Gold/Platinum/Reserve card, but not on new offerings. My Mother just used her annual $99 certificate for my sister. It saved over $350 for the 2 tickets. She was planning on upgrading to the Platinum at her anniversary date, but I guess she won't now.
Back to the AMEX companion tickets - here is a link that compares cards with companion tickets for AMEX - the only card left with a companion ticket is the AMEX Platinum (not Delta). The companion ticket is one of the main reasons that I got the Delta Platinum AMEX.
They should continue to be a benefit of the Gold/Platinum/Reserve card, but not on new offerings. My Mother just used her annual $99 certificate for my sister. It saved over $350 for the 2 tickets. She was planning on upgrading to the Platinum at her anniversary date, but I guess she won't now.
#14
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Join Date: Aug 2009
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As a follow up - just called AMEX, talked to "Allen", and was told the DELTA PLAT and RESERVE companion ticket is NOT, repeat NOT going away. You will get it after your first year when you renew. Time will tell and the rep could be wrong.
It no longer shows up in the T&C as before: https://www304.americanexpress.com/p...PageDisclosure or for the Reserve card T&C https://www304.americanexpress.com/p...PageDisclosure
Here are the OLD T&C btw: http://boardingarea.com/blogs/deltap...amex-delta.png
It no longer shows up in the T&C as before: https://www304.americanexpress.com/p...PageDisclosure or for the Reserve card T&C https://www304.americanexpress.com/p...PageDisclosure
Here are the OLD T&C btw: http://boardingarea.com/blogs/deltap...amex-delta.png
Last edited by Renes Points; Jan 27, 2012 at 4:22 pm
#15
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Berkeley, CA
Programs: UA Silver, Southwest A-List, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 818
Thanks for digging into this one deltagoldflyer! I appreciate the extra effort you put it. I'll probably bide my time a bit until the dust settles, but hopefully that agent is correct and it was just an oversight.