Traveling with non-status friends/separate PNRs
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: DTW
Programs: DL Skymiles - Platinum
Posts: 520
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.
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.
#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.
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.
#3
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#4
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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.
#5
Join Date: Nov 2018
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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 wouldnt count on it.
#6
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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.
#7
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#8
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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).
#9
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Join Date: Jul 2004
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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?
#10
Join Date: Jul 2015
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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?
#11
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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.
#12
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#14
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#15
Join Date: Dec 2005
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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.
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