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AMEX cancels companion ticket benefit for DL Gold AMEX card

AMEX cancels companion ticket benefit for DL Gold AMEX card

Old Nov 11, 2012, 5:58 pm
  #1  
jk2
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AMEX cancels companion ticket benefit for DL Gold AMEX card

As title says, AMEX discontinues companion certificate benefit for DL Gold AMEX cards as January 25, 2013. However, if account was opened from January 25, 2012 to January 24, 2013, you will receive one companion certificate the first time you renew the card.

This is a quite strange move from AMEX, because they promote DL Gold card very aggressively, and now there are no real benefits of this card (except a free bag).
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Old Nov 11, 2012, 6:25 pm
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There never was a benefit to this card. The companion certificate was for a $99 fare; for $55 dollars more a year you can get the platinum card that gives a free companion certificate plus MQMs. You save $44 dollars and earn MQMs with the platinum card, why would you go gold?
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Old Nov 11, 2012, 7:01 pm
  #3  
jk2
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Originally Posted by DLcoop1977
There never was a benefit to this card. The companion certificate was for a $99 fare; for $55 dollars more a year you can get the platinum card that gives a free companion certificate plus MQMs. You save $44 dollars and earn MQMs with the platinum card, why would you go gold?
Well, mostly because there is no annual fee for the first year for DL AMEX Gold, sign up bonus was always better than for DL AMEX Platinum. As for me, companion ticket was never a good deal, because of fare restrictions and availability. Plus, if you are GM,PM or DM, you will not get any upgrades, your companion will not earn miles. This is why I love Citi ThankYou card, where companion ticket is real benefit - both travelers can get upgrades, will get miles and any airlines are possible.
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Old Nov 11, 2012, 11:59 pm
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Is it me, or is Amex taking a step back from the point game. No big promos, cancelling the 20% book with points and now this. So sad...
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Old Nov 12, 2012, 7:24 am
  #5  
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Thread moved to SkyMiles forum, the primary discussion venue for all Delta topics including credit cards and their associated benefits.
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Old Nov 12, 2012, 7:31 am
  #6  
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I signed up for a Gold Amex when I moved from CO to DL in Jan 2010. Later on a nice American Female at ATL persuaded me to sign for the Plat Amex. I never used the Companion Cert anyway. But my strategy for the last couple of months has and will be to pay down the Gold (should be done next month) and close the account. I will just have the DL PLat then. This news has not made the decision anymore difficult.
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Old Nov 12, 2012, 8:04 am
  #7  
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Originally Posted by lakers6902
Is it me, or is Amex taking a step back from the point game. No big promos, cancelling the 20% book with points and now this. So sad...
No big promos? I opened this DL Gold AmEx last month, met the minimum spend and got 70K bonus miles. Big enough for me.
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Old Nov 12, 2012, 8:20 am
  #8  
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Originally Posted by jk2
As title says, AMEX discontinues companion certificate benefit for DL Gold AMEX cards as January 25, 2013. However, if account was opened from January 25, 2012 to January 24, 2013, you will receive one companion certificate the first time you renew the card.

This is a quite strange move from AMEX, because they promote DL Gold card very aggressively, and now there are no real benefits of this card (except a free bag).
Source?
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Old Nov 12, 2012, 8:38 am
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Aren't these companion certs viewable somewhere on the website? I can't seem to find the one from the SM Platinum card.

As a side note, at some point over the past couple of months, it appears that the free checked bag benefit of my platinum card no longer "stacks" with the free bags associated with medallion status. I used to show 3 bags for free, now just the standard 2. Not that big of a deal to me personally, but it does seem as if AmEx + DL are rolling back benefits of these cards.

I'd be more concerned if I wasn't going to drop this card like a bad habit soon.
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Old Nov 12, 2012, 8:41 am
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Originally Posted by nittany987
As a side note, at some point over the past couple of months, it appears that the free checked bag benefit of my platinum card no longer "stacks" with the free bags associated with medallion status. I used to show 3 bags for free, now just the standard 2. Not that big of a deal to me personally, but it does seem as if AmEx + DL are rolling back benefits of these cards.
Where does one see how many free bags an itin allows? I have never been able to find that info except during OLCI.

There is a page describing all baggage details, ofcourse, but I wonder if there's a page that simply says how many checked bags a particular itinerary allows!
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Old Nov 12, 2012, 8:43 am
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Originally Posted by mn567
Where does one see how many free bags an itin allows? I have never been able to find that info except during OLCI.

There is a page describing all baggage details, ofcourse, but I wonder if there's a page that simply says how many checked bags a particular itinerary allows!
Not sure if there's another source, but I've just seen this at check in. Not much help, I know...
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Old Nov 12, 2012, 8:44 am
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I was on a flight yesterday with them hawking the Gold Card, they said it was a $95 flight ticket, I think they are changing this to a 95 credit on a future flight at least that is the way the DL FA made it sound, but we know they are not the most accurate people out there (not just FA's, DL people in general)
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Old Nov 12, 2012, 9:02 am
  #13  
 
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Not to stir the pot, but on the AMEX website I can't find anything about the companion certificate for the DL Platinum card either...could they be completely eliminating that benefit or just an omission?
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Old Nov 12, 2012, 9:05 am
  #14  
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Originally Posted by ATLpat
Not to stir the pot, but on the AMEX website I can't find anything about the companion certificate for the DL Platinum card either...could they be completely eliminating that benefit or just an omission?
Seems these guys noticed it's been missing since at least March.

http://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Cred...e/td-p/1278621

Not sure what it means...
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Old Nov 12, 2012, 9:14 am
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Originally Posted by ATLpat
Not to stir the pot, but on the AMEX website I can't find anything about the companion certificate for the DL Platinum card either...could they be completely eliminating that benefit or just an omission?
Just talked to AMEX rep. Yes on the cancel of the DL GOLD card $99 cert 25JAN2013.

As to Plat DL AMEX you will still get the buyone-getone-free coach and DL Reserve will be the same but in 1st or coach!
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