Use Delta Platinum companion ticket with ticket purchased by MR Pay with Points?
Oct 24, 2018, 3:40 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2004
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Use Delta Platinum companion ticket with ticket purchased by MR Pay with Points?
Can I use a companion ticket for a flight that is booked with MR points with AMEX business platinum? Sorry if this has discussed elsewhere I searched but I could not find anything
Oct 24, 2018, 5:31 pm
#2
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We will need to know more about the companion ticket. Is this a benefit offered by American Express, or a specific airline? Are the terms of the companion ticket posted online for you to link?
Oct 25, 2018, 2:08 am
#3
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 42
I would guess in the airline's system, it would show the same as having paid in cash (credit card, whatever). So if the answer to your question is yes for paying for a ticket in cash, probably. If the answer is you need to pay with that airline's co-branded credit card, then no. That's the best I can say without knowing any more than you're shared.
Oct 25, 2018, 8:14 am
#4
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Oct 25, 2018, 8:25 am
#5
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Sorry, I do not recognize the reference to any current American Express Platinum (USA) benefit. There was such a benefit about a decade ago, but it ended. Is it part of this benefit?
The Travel Collection
The Travel Collection
Oct 25, 2018, 8:43 am
#6
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Sorry, I do not recognize the reference to any current American Express Platinum (USA) benefit. There was such a benefit about a decade ago, but it ended. Is it part of this benefit?
The Travel Collection
The Travel Collection
Oct 25, 2018, 8:57 am
#7
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Thank you for the clarification. I have edited the thread Title to reflect my understanding of the question. Let me know if I have it wrong.
When you use Membership Rewards to Pay with Points the full cost of the ticket is charged to your card, and points are redeemed in a separate transaction to offset the charge. Delta should see it as a regular revenue ticket, but one booked through a travel agency. Do the terms of the Companion Certificate require booking the entire transaction directly with Delta?
When you use Membership Rewards to Pay with Points the full cost of the ticket is charged to your card, and points are redeemed in a separate transaction to offset the charge. Delta should see it as a regular revenue ticket, but one booked through a travel agency. Do the terms of the Companion Certificate require booking the entire transaction directly with Delta?
Oct 25, 2018, 9:25 am
#8
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 539
It seems like the answer is No as you need to go through Delta to use the companion certificate:
https://www.delta.com/content/www/en...tificates.html
https://www.delta.com/content/www/en...tificates.html
Oct 25, 2018, 11:22 am
#9
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 3,020
You have to start the companion booking through your wallet online. There the companion ticket is identified and tied to your booking. There's no option to redeem miles only to pay in the usual manner (including gift cards) As an aside I've found this to be a fairly useless benefit. I have never been able to find a schedule in F that works ideally for me and when I do I find the combined cost (because you do pay tax on the companion) doesn't offer very much saving at all. My son who has the Y companion benefit has found the same thing. Many times it's cheaper to buy 2 coach tickets than to use the companion.
Oct 25, 2018, 12:21 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,020
If I'm understanding this, yes, I do this every time.
I book through Delta, with the companion cert, using my Business Amex for payment.
Then, after the charge posts, I call Amex and reimburse the flight charges with points at 1.5c/point (since Delta is my chosen airline).
It's a great benefit for me.
Am I not understanding the question correctly?
I book through Delta, with the companion cert, using my Business Amex for payment.
Then, after the charge posts, I call Amex and reimburse the flight charges with points at 1.5c/point (since Delta is my chosen airline).
It's a great benefit for me.
Am I not understanding the question correctly?
Oct 25, 2018, 1:01 pm
#11
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Join Date: Jul 2004
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I guess you're right
It seems like the answer is No as you need to go through Delta to use the companion certificate:
https://www.delta.com/content/www/en...tificates.html
https://www.delta.com/content/www/en...tificates.html
Both flights have to be booked at the same time through Delta only, no outside agencies,including Amex.
You have to pay for everything with the Amex card associated with the certificate.
You can not use any gift cards to book these flights.
This seems to contradict a lot of stuff that is scattered around the FT site about this benefit. I guess I will just try to use them as directed by the agent I spoke with. Of course, this is impossible since I cancelled the card I got the companion pass with a couple of months ago!
Thanks for all the thoughtful replies.
Oct 25, 2018, 1:29 pm
#12
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I called the number at the bottom of the link. I was told that:
Both flights have to be booked at the same time through Delta only, no outside agencies,including Amex.
You have to pay for everything with the Amex card associated with the certificate.
You can not use any gift cards to book these flights.
This seems to contradict a lot of stuff that is scattered around the FT site about this benefit. I guess I will just try to use them as directed by the agent I spoke with. Of course, this is impossible since I cancelled the card I got the companion pass with a couple of months ago!
Thanks for all the thoughtful replies.
Both flights have to be booked at the same time through Delta only, no outside agencies,including Amex.
You have to pay for everything with the Amex card associated with the certificate.
You can not use any gift cards to book these flights.
This seems to contradict a lot of stuff that is scattered around the FT site about this benefit. I guess I will just try to use them as directed by the agent I spoke with. Of course, this is impossible since I cancelled the card I got the companion pass with a couple of months ago!
Thanks for all the thoughtful replies.
You do have to pay with some Amex, however.
Oct 25, 2018, 1:49 pm
#13
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Programs: CO, UA, AA, WN, DL Gold
Posts: 2,981
If I'm understanding this, yes, I do this every time.
I book through Delta, with the companion cert, using my Business Amex for payment.
OK,this might be a case where it depends on the agent you get. If he/she refuses HUCA?
Then, after the charge posts, I call Amex and reimburse the flight charges with points at 1.5c/point (since Delta is my chosen airline).
So, you get 1.5 paying your bill with MR? I must say I have never heard of this.
Am I not understanding the question correctly?
Yes, I think you are. But your experience contradicts what the DL agent told me.
I book through Delta, with the companion cert, using my Business Amex for payment.
OK,this might be a case where it depends on the agent you get. If he/she refuses HUCA?
Then, after the charge posts, I call Amex and reimburse the flight charges with points at 1.5c/point (since Delta is my chosen airline).
So, you get 1.5 paying your bill with MR? I must say I have never heard of this.
Am I not understanding the question correctly?
Yes, I think you are. But your experience contradicts what the DL agent told me.
Oct 25, 2018, 2:44 pm
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,020
Well, I never book these by phone. I book them online. No HUCA needed.
That's from here:
https://www.americanexpress.com/us/c...rdArt-Platinum
I guess I skipped a step there: you redeem for points at 1 to 1 cent, but then get 35% of those back, in a month. That technically puts the per point value at 1.54.
35% Airline Bonus‡Use Membership Rewards® Pay with Points for all or part of an eligible fare and get 35% of those points back, up to 500,000 points back per calendar year.*
*Eligible fares include First and Business Class tickets with all airlines available through American Express Travel, as well as any fare class with your selected qualifying airline.
*Eligible fares include First and Business Class tickets with all airlines available through American Express Travel, as well as any fare class with your selected qualifying airline.
https://www.americanexpress.com/us/c...rdArt-Platinum
I guess I skipped a step there: you redeem for points at 1 to 1 cent, but then get 35% of those back, in a month. That technically puts the per point value at 1.54.
Oct 25, 2018, 2:49 pm
#15
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The published terms of the 35% refund also require purchasing the ticket through American Express Travel. What do you say when you call to Pay with Points for a ticket that you purchased at delta.com ?
