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Traveling with non-status friends/separate PNRs

Traveling with non-status friends/separate PNRs

Old Jan 26, 2019, 1:58 pm
  #1  
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Traveling with non-status friends/separate PNRs

I am GM with Delta and have the Delta Amex Reserve card. Im flying with 2 non-status members next week to PUJ in the main cabin. The hotel/flight were purchased through Delta Vacations and needed to be on 2 PNRs as Im traveling as a single which the system couldnt seem to handle for a couple and single traveling together.

Im new to Skymiles and after reading the gold benefits section of Deltas website, I dont fully understand if we can all use the Sky Priority Check in and security line together - either as a GM or as an Amex Reserve card holder if we are on the same itinerary but different PNRs.

With waived baggage fees for companions the website says ...for up to 8 companions when traveling on the Medallion members reservation. What constitutes a reservation? I paid for all of the reservations with my Reserve card, if that makes any difference. Will I be able to take them to the Skyclub (paying the guest fees) as a benefit of the Delta Reserve card? Sorry for the long question, I will greatly appreciate and information.
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Old Jan 26, 2019, 2:28 pm
  #2  
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Yes for the SC if you pay the guest fee(s).

I'd call and try to link the PNRs (= reservation in this context), although it probably won't make much difference. I think DL can do this even though the trip was booked by Delta Vacations and not DL.

It's not an official benefit, but you should be able to check in together in the SkyPriority line. The same for security, although your odds of success are greater if the line dragon is employed by DL, which should be the case if you're departing from DTW. Similarly, many agents will waive the fees if you check in together or you might be able to check some of their stuff on your ticket if you're comfortable doing that.
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Old Jan 26, 2019, 2:39 pm
  #3  
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Originally Posted by PolandExpat

With waived baggage fees for companions the website says ...for up to 8 companions when traveling on the Medallion members reservation. What constitutes a reservation?
The same PNR. Delta has frequently made an exception for a spouse on a different PNR.
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Old Jan 26, 2019, 6:25 pm
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If they are willing to, you could have one of your companions added to the FC UG list if you call and split their PNR and add one of them as your “companion” to the UG list. Although I will note that they would be behind all other DL elites including FOs so I wouldn’t count on it.
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Old Jan 26, 2019, 8:06 pm
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Originally Posted by MCO Flyer
If they are willing to, you could have one of your companions added to the FC UG list if you call and split their PNR and add one of them as your companion to the UG list. Although I will note that they would be behind all other DL elites including FOs so I wouldnt count on it.
Companions typically clear along with you at your status level; would it be different here?
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Old Jan 26, 2019, 8:15 pm
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Originally Posted by dlflyer00


Companions typically clear along with you at your status level; would it be different here?
Yes, because they are not on the same PNR. Non-Status companions on different PNRs clear at T-24 behind all silvers. You must be on the same PNR to clear with the highest companion.
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Old Jan 27, 2019, 7:19 am
  #7  
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Originally Posted by PolandExpat
I am GM with Delta and have the Delta Amex Reserve card. ... Will I be able to take them to the Skyclub (paying the guest fees) as a benefit of the Delta Reserve card?...
I thought the ability to "pay" for a guest was going away??
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Old Jan 27, 2019, 12:19 pm
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Originally Posted by NoStressHere
I thought the ability to "pay" for a guest was going away??
No, it's just the $59 day-passes that have been discontinued. Amex cardholders can still pay $29 for self-and-guest entry (Gold and Plat Skymiles cards) or pay for guests (Reserve and Amex branded Platinum).
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Old Jan 27, 2019, 8:50 pm
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Thank you for all your responses. Just to clarify, I don’t care at all about an upgrade. These 3 things are my concern and based on responses so far, I seem to be out of luck:
  • Will everyone’s baggage fee be waived? I’m not even sure if this will be an issue as this is an international flight. I did call Delta to link the PNR’s at the moment I booked the vacation.
  • Can we all use the Sky Priority check in line? Maybe I’m confused that this is a GM benefit, when in fact it’s not.
  • With my Amex Reserve card, will I be able to pay for my companions entry despite being on separate PNR’s?
Again, thanks tomeveryone for their help!
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Old Jan 27, 2019, 9:02 pm
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Originally Posted by PolandExpat
Thank you for all your responses. Just to clarify, I dont care at all about an upgrade. These 3 things are my concern and based on responses so far, I seem to be out of luck:
  • Will everyones baggage fee be waived? Im not even sure if this will be an issue as this is an international flight. I did call Delta to link the PNRs at the moment I booked the vacation.
  • Can we all use the Sky Priority check in line? Maybe Im confused that this is a GM benefit, when in fact its not.
  • With my Amex Reserve card, will I be able to pay for my companions entry despite being on separate PNRs?
Again, thanks tomeveryone for their help!
The answer to all of these questions is yes. You will have your baggage fees waived by checking in at the same time and the agent will waive the bag fees. You all can use the Sky Priority Check In line as long as you check in at the same time. Youre Amex card allowes you to pay for 2 guest, doesnt matter if you are on the same PNR or not. Hope this helps!
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Old Jan 27, 2019, 10:19 pm
  #11  
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Originally Posted by MCO Flyer
Yes, because they are not on the same PNR. Non-Status companions on different PNRs clear at T-24 behind all silvers. You must be on the same PNR to clear with the highest companion.
It would be only one companion per elite, regardless of whether on the same PNR or not. OP is traveling with two, so they can't both gat companion upgrades.
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Old Jan 27, 2019, 11:11 pm
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
It would be only one companion per elite, regardless of whether on the same PNR or not. OP is traveling with two, so they can't both gat companion upgrades.
I stated this in my earlier post above the one you quoted.
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Old Jan 28, 2019, 7:58 am
  #13  
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Thank you to everyone, particularly MCO Flyer!
MCO Flyer likes this.
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Old Jan 28, 2019, 8:21 am
  #14  
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Originally Posted by PolandExpat
Thank you to everyone, particularly MCO Flyer!
Note to self: Don't waste time responding to OP's questions in the future since you responded first of all of the questions that were asked, by about six hours, but OP kindly "particularly" thanked someone else.
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Old Jan 28, 2019, 10:12 am
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This weekend, I traveled with my non-status girlfriend on a separate reservation (SEA-SAN-SEA). I am GM. When I booked the tickets, by phone with DL reservations, I arranged for us to get two seats side-by-side in an exit row even though she, as a non-status flyer, would not normally have access to exit row seating without paying a fee. The agent "linked" our reservations. Prior to travel, when I went to Delta.com and clicked on "view trip", it showed us in those adjacent seats in an exit row. I unselected the "request an upgrade" boxes.

Then yesterday at the boarding gate in SAN, upon presenting our boarding passes for boarding at the gate, the machine spit out a different seat assignment for her. When we asked why her seat had been arbitrarily changed without our knowledge, after check-in, the agent had us step aside and he did some gymnastics on the computer that took about 4 minutes, and was able to restore her original seat assignment.

I hear lots of stories about Delta arbitrarily splitting up passengers whose reservations are supposedly linked. It seems rather frustrating. Seems to me that once you have a seat assignment, you ought to have a seat assignment, period, end of story.

Last edited by andrewk829; Jan 28, 2019 at 10:13 am Reason: typo
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