AMEX/DELTA "Free" companion ticket worthless
Feb 26, 2015, 8:40 pm
#31
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: CT
Programs: DL DM 2MM, MR LTT, Hilton D, Hertz PC. National Emerald Exec, UA Silver(thanks to Marriott)
Posts: 2,026
It is in May. Both are A fares. The 2K fare is A if using Amex cert, the $600 fare is A not using cert, same dates.
What is annoying is this is an E175 so it is dumb down F anyway. In the end I bought coach and will probably be UG anyway but again the cert will expire unused as all but 1 has in the last 4 yrs
Last edited by BusTrav8yrs; Feb 26, 2015 at 8:55 pm
Feb 26, 2015, 8:45 pm
#32
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: CT
Programs: DL DM 2MM, MR LTT, Hilton D, Hertz PC. National Emerald Exec, UA Silver(thanks to Marriott)
Posts: 2,026
Well if all you saved was 275 then it was not the Amex reserve F cert you used if that covers the cost of the card because the Reserve fee is 450 and that is not the issue here, I know it is easier to use the coach cert. The issue is using the First Class companion cert.
Last edited by BusTrav8yrs; Feb 26, 2015 at 8:51 pm
Feb 26, 2015, 9:11 pm
#33
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: ATL
Programs: Delta PlM, 1M
Posts: 6,363
Well if all you saved was 275 then it was not the Amex reserve F cert you used if that covers the cost of the card because the Reserve fee is 450 and that is not the issue here, I know it is easier to use the coach cert. The issue is using the First Class companion cert.
I have no reason to believe your claim that the Dl Reserve cert is worthless. I have used mine very effectively, others have used theirs.
The fact that you find a flight where it does not work does not make it worthless.
This is very similar to miles. The "metric" for how to measure their value is neither the best case now the worst case. It is what can reasonably be expected to be the value if used reasonably over their lifetime.
And no single "worthless on this flight" or "great on this fllght" posts will define this. The real question is "how easy are they to use".
Likely not enough data to get a real value, but full fare and worthless are both not right.
Feb 26, 2015, 9:40 pm
#34
Join Date: Mar 2007
Programs: Delta PM/CRC, AA GLD/AC, SPG Gold
Posts: 405
I have had a similar experience to the OP and others who have replied- in years past I've had a very positive experience/value from the certificate. I've booked reasonable A fares and had a companion come along. The thing that is so unnerving to myself, and others it seems, is that you now find a nice A fare and then try to book the companion cert and the website completely removes the fare you had - replacing it with one, in my case, nearly triple what I was trying to book. I called delta and tried to get the agent to work on it for me, but she couldn't fix it either, kept coming up with the super-expensive fare. I finally gave up - on the entire trip.
Feb 26, 2015, 9:46 pm
#35
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: IND
Programs: DL PM & 2MM™, Lifetime HHonors Diamond
Posts: 20,889
Feb 27, 2015, 1:32 am
#36
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: SJU
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 152
AMEX/DELTA "Free" companion ticket worthless
Just booked FC on a Reserve companion certificate for SJU-SEA in June for $1,300. 10,000 MQM for one of us and FC the entire trip for both. Awesome deal.
Feb 27, 2015, 1:45 am
#37
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: LAS HNL
Programs: DL DM, 5.7 MM, UA 3.1 MM, MARRIOTT PLATINUM, AVIS FIRST, Amex Black Card
Posts: 4,479
I have used the annual companion ticket that comes with my AMEX Delta platinum card fairly successfully in past years. However, this year, it is worthless. I have pled my case to both AMEX and Delta with no luck. Recent example: A round-trip first-class ticket, class "A," from SLC to BOS costs about $1,150. However, when you use the "Free" companion ticket, the cost skyrockets to $2,250. I fly mainly out of Salt Lake and no matter where I have tried to use it, it has been absolutely worthless for first-class fare - at least out of SLC.
So if you are purchasing the AMEX/DELTA platinum credit card with the idea of re-couping some of the card's annual fee by using the "free" companion first-class fare, you may want to only sign up for the card for other reasons.
So if you are purchasing the AMEX/DELTA platinum credit card with the idea of re-couping some of the card's annual fee by using the "free" companion first-class fare, you may want to only sign up for the card for other reasons.
Feb 27, 2015, 6:43 am
#38
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM, Marriott Gold, Hertz PC, National Exec
Posts: 6,736
Feb 27, 2015, 9:49 am
#39
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: MCO
Programs: Delta - PM, HH - Gold, SPG - Gold, Marriott - Plat
Posts: 1,060
Successful use
Haven't always been able to use certificate, but successfully used my wife's reserve companion certificate a couple of days ago.
Was looking to go MCO-PHX (no direct flights) end of April. Coach was $427 on a number of flights, with FC on those flights running around $1100+. Checked the flights using the certificate and got FC for both at $1013 on a desirable route. Only one flight each way has a meal, but seemed like a good deal for a little less than $100 for each of us. Total miles and MQMs are greater. Also, couldn't get upgrades if we bought coach.
Was looking to go MCO-PHX (no direct flights) end of April. Coach was $427 on a number of flights, with FC on those flights running around $1100+. Checked the flights using the certificate and got FC for both at $1013 on a desirable route. Only one flight each way has a meal, but seemed like a good deal for a little less than $100 for each of us. Total miles and MQMs are greater. Also, couldn't get upgrades if we bought coach.