Do you need the AMEX Gold Delta SkyMiles CC to book rewards flight?
Sep 3, 2014, 3:02 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 3
Do you need the AMEX Gold Delta SkyMiles CC to book rewards flight?
Hi all,
I've been searching all over for an answer on this, but I did not find a definite answer. Hope someone here could help me.
So, I have this AMEX Gold Delta SkyMiles credit card and I was able to get around 30,000 miles/points when I signed up 2 years ago. But now I dont want to pay the annual fee anymore since I no longer travel much so I would like to cancel the card or maybe downgrade it to a NO annual fee CC. So my question is, will i still be able to redeem a travel rewards using those miles without the Credit Card? or are they going to be forfeited once I closed they CC?
TIA
I've been searching all over for an answer on this, but I did not find a definite answer. Hope someone here could help me.
So, I have this AMEX Gold Delta SkyMiles credit card and I was able to get around 30,000 miles/points when I signed up 2 years ago. But now I dont want to pay the annual fee anymore since I no longer travel much so I would like to cancel the card or maybe downgrade it to a NO annual fee CC. So my question is, will i still be able to redeem a travel rewards using those miles without the Credit Card? or are they going to be forfeited once I closed they CC?
TIA
Sep 3, 2014, 3:12 pm
#2
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Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, MM, NR; HH Diamond, Bonvoy LT Gold, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Diamond, others
Posts: 12,159
If the miles are in your Delta account, you can use them for travel rewards. You can't use "Pay With Miles" unless you have a linked Amex card.
Sep 3, 2014, 6:46 pm
#3
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Western NY
Programs: DL PM
Posts: 480
Once the miles are deposited in your skymiles account you're clear to cancel the card. The DL branded AmEx is needed to have the option to "pay with miles", as was pointed out already, however a similar program enabling a ticket to be paid for with miles + cash is planned as part of the 2015 Delta SkyMiles program overhaul.
However, before you cancel it's often worth a call in to AmEx to see if you qualify for any retention offers. As an aside, in case they offer you miles instead of a statement credit, generally I view 10,000 RDM as worth at least $100, since you can use 10,000 miles to knock $100 off a ticket w/the PWM option on the card assuming you travel at all. Although it's more restricted if you have medallion status as PWM is upgrade INeligible and doesn't accrue MQM unless it's a first/biz class ticket - thus I use my PWM for F/J tickets when I occasionally splurge on such or for a short haul hop on a single class cabin regional jet.
Hope this helps!
However, before you cancel it's often worth a call in to AmEx to see if you qualify for any retention offers. As an aside, in case they offer you miles instead of a statement credit, generally I view 10,000 RDM as worth at least $100, since you can use 10,000 miles to knock $100 off a ticket w/the PWM option on the card assuming you travel at all. Although it's more restricted if you have medallion status as PWM is upgrade INeligible and doesn't accrue MQM unless it's a first/biz class ticket - thus I use my PWM for F/J tickets when I occasionally splurge on such or for a short haul hop on a single class cabin regional jet.
Hope this helps!
Sep 3, 2014, 7:00 pm
#4
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
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There have been reports here, based on some people experimenting [there was a thread where this was discussed, including the attempts to do some definitive experiments] with searches using different accounts, that having an DL AmEx credit card can increase award availability although it isn't clear how significant the difference actually is. Note that this is not a published benefit of the DL AmEx cards and AFAIK DL has not announced this or acknowledged it. YMMV.