AMEX Delta Companion certificate Consolidated Thread

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Jul 22, 2017, 9:44 pm

#1786

FlightNurse

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Feb 2005

Location: PHX & AGP

Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Gold

Posts: 11,463

Quote:

Originally Posted by gooselee

1. In a thread about the success/failure of using the certs, where the underlying question many people are interested in is "Is the Amex that provides these certs worthwhile?", I think it's absolutely valid to discuss successes and derived value. For those of us that get good value from the certs, our experience and valuation is just as valid as anyone elses.

The only person who can preserve these certs as being worthwhile are those who are redeeming them. Someone needed to get to FL for a cruise and was traveling on the east coast, myself, getting to FL from the west coast, and a friend of mine used it as part of his European vacation (getting from PHX to ATL. Now one if the things I laugh at are people who complain that the flights they want are not bookable with the certs, just like using miles, not all flights are going to be available being flexible is the key. Currently I have the PLT card as I don't fly DL a lot, and really want the Cert, so the $95/fee I'm OK with.

Jul 22, 2017, 10:22 pm

#1787

mspflier

Join Date: Sep 2009

Programs: DL DM 1MM; Marriott Titanium

Posts: 225

Quote:

Originally Posted by gooselee

2. If you have no use for your Reserve certs, there are many on this thread (including me) who will happily take them off your hands.

Are they transferrable? I have one that expires soon and I probably won't be able to use it...

Jul 22, 2017, 10:43 pm

#1788

RaflW

Join Date: Jan 2013

Location: midwest

Programs: DL PM, Marriott Gold

Posts: 920

Quote:

Originally Posted by mspflier

Are they transferrable? I have one that expires soon and I probably won't be able to use it...

Yes, but gift it to someone who'll use it. Sale prohibited.

Quote:

Transferability:
The Companion Certificate is transferable, Primary ticket and Companion ticket are not transferable once issued. Companion Certificate may not be bartered or sold. Companion Certificates or Companion tickets acquired through prohibited sale/barter transactions are void and will not be honored for travel.

Also, to the further above comments, I used the Plat cert this year for a trip to MCO. Tickets were $395 per person well in advance in Y. More than got my annual fee in travel value. We got C+ on the way down, and F on the way back, too. Sometimes an enhancement is actually an enhancement.

Jul 24, 2017, 5:47 am

#1789

mattp1987

Join Date: May 2013

Location: RMS

Programs: DL Plat, UA Gold, Bonvoy Titanium, Hilton Credit Card Diamond

Posts: 8,789

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zorak

Dunno what the reduced inventory/fare bucket conspiracy theorists will make of this:

Cheapest search result for 1 pax in Y: $678 (K outbound, Q/X broken fare inbound or $683 for straight K/Q)

Cheapest search result for 1 pax in F: $985 (A)

Reserve cert cost for 2 pax: $752 for the primary + $45 in fees for the companion (the $752 was quoted for basically all itineraries regardless of 0, 1, or 2 segments in coach)

I don't see how this pricing makes any sense, but I'm calling it a success

I had a similar experience booking SAT-LAS. I think coach for one person was $5XX but don't really recall. I do remember that F (really A) for one person was pricing at $900, but I paid ~$740 including the taxes/fees on the second ticket using the certificate.

Aug 2, 2017, 11:24 am

#1790

djwags

Join Date: Oct 2016

Posts: 9

Can you book a roundtrip such as this:
MSP to MCO
RSW to MSP
With the Platinum companion certificate?

Aug 2, 2017, 11:29 am

#1791

xliioper

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Jul 2003

Posts: 23,070

Quote:

Originally Posted by djwags

Can you book a roundtrip such as this:
MSP to MCO
RSW to MSP
With the Platinum companion certificate?

Nope.

"Routing/Blackout Dates - Stopovers, open jaws, and circle trips are not permitted. Blackout dates subject to the rules of the primary ticket fare purchased."

Aug 2, 2017, 12:39 pm

#1792

jrl767

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Nov 2009

Location: SEA (the REAL Washington); occasionally in the other Washington (DCA area)

Programs: DL PM 1.57MM; AS MVPG 100K

Posts: 21,375

Quote:

Originally Posted by djwags

Can you book a roundtrip such as this:
MSP to MCO
RSW to MSP
With the Platinum companion certificate?

Quote:

Originally Posted by LBJ

Nope.

"Routing/Blackout Dates - Stopovers, open jaws, and circle trips are not permitted. Blackout dates subject to the rules of the primary ticket fare purchased."

if you're booking far enough out, this is where DL's not-infrequent Saturday schedule changes have the potential to be your friend ...

Aug 2, 2017, 2:26 pm

#1793

iflyalexair

Join Date: Sep 2010

Location: NYC

Programs: Delta DM, 2MM

Posts: 1,254

Quote:

Originally Posted by djwags

Can you book a roundtrip such as this:
MSP to MCO
RSW to MSP
With the Platinum companion certificate?

As someone else mentioned by copying and pasting the routing rules, this itinerary is known as an open jaw, which is not permitted on these certificates.

Aug 2, 2017, 2:33 pm

#1794

shukar

Join Date: Mar 2010

Location: ATL

Programs: DL: 2MM/DM Marriott: LT Platinum

Posts: 249

Quote:

Originally Posted by shukar

I just booked using two certificates (I have two AMEX cards) on a end of July ATL-BOS-ATL trip for a family of four. So far two of us are upgraded to Comfort+.

Both myself and companion were upgraded to Business class on the outbound trip. On the return leg, I had a change of dates (but not the companion) and I ended up having to buy one-way new ticket for the companion as I didn't want to take a chance that DL would let the companion travel without me on the same flight.

Aug 2, 2017, 4:26 pm

#1795

JohnnyRockets

Join Date: Apr 2015

Location: USA

Programs: DL Gold / AA Gold

Posts: 609

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrl767

if you're booking far enough out, this is where DL's not-infrequent Saturday schedule changes have the potential to be your friend ...

Quote:

Originally Posted by iflyalexair

As someone else mentioned by copying and pasting the routing rules, this itinerary is known as an open jaw, which is not permitted on these certificates.

I think jrl767 meant is booking MCO or RSW and hope for a schedule change.

Under those circumstances I believe you might be able to pull it off.

What I know is that they will not separate you even for a schedule change. (although I didn't try to push it) Had an long delay, call to request separate flight was told a big NO NO. Can't separate on the app either. Also SDC/SDS still can't separate.

Aug 4, 2017, 5:17 pm

#1796

jerryhze

Join Date: Feb 2013

Location: DTW

Programs: DL Diamond/AA Platinum, Hyatt/Hilton Diamond

Posts: 245

Is it possible to combine the companion certificate with unused ticket credit?

Aug 5, 2017, 12:04 am

#1797

JohnnyRockets

Join Date: Apr 2015

Location: USA

Programs: DL Gold / AA Gold

Posts: 609

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerryhze

Is it possible to combine the companion certificate with unused ticket credit?

I don't think so. If I remember correctly, the payment method is ONLY AMEX (likely DL AMEX too).

Aug 5, 2017, 12:11 am

#1798

gooselee

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Oct 2011

Location: ATL

Programs: DL Scattered Smothered Covered Medallion, Some hotel & car stuff, Kroger Plus Card

Posts: 10,745

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnnyRockets

I don't think so. If I remember correctly, the payment method is ONLY AMEX (likely DL AMEX too).

Definite "no" on combining Amex cert with flight credit (or really any payment method other than Amex).

However, a DL Amex is not required, despite what the T&Cs say. I have used a non-DL Amex on many companion cert redemptions in the past (and certainly will continue to do so with the 5X on the unbranded Plat card). You must use an Amex, but you can use any Amex you want.

Aug 5, 2017, 1:42 pm

#1799

rubesl

Join Date: May 2010

Programs: Delta Kryptonium

Posts: 1,144

Just booked DTW - MIA RT in F, going 1/2/18 & returning 1/13 using the Reserve Companion cert., total for both seats was $708.

Aug 5, 2017, 4:56 pm

#1800

monitor

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Oct 1999

Location: So Fla & NYC

Programs: DL DM/2MM, UA MM, BV LT Titanium, HH Diamond

Posts: 23,766

Quote:

Originally Posted by rubesl

Just booked DTW - MIA RT in F, going 1/2/18 & returning 1/13 using the Reserve Companion cert., total for both seats was $708.

That certainly sounds like a proper "A" fare for those dates.

That cert really does work. Yesterday I was able to book FLL-PSC using one of them for $1100. Definitely a standard "A" on that route and I felt that I was lucky to get it since the return was for a Sunday daytime in mid-October.