smallbizzguy

Gold Medallion, Delta reserve amex.

Booked a trip for myself and three others to Mexico. In order to be upgrade eligible, I have to split my ticket and knock two people off of it. When I do this on domestic flights, I normally just check in everyone's bags under my Wife and I, since we are allowed two bags each.

Flying to Mexico, I see that everyone I booked for, including myself is offered one free bag, so if I split the reservation to try for upgrades, will the other two people on my initial reservation have to pay the baggage fee? This is my first time flying international when I booked more than 2 tickets at a time.

Thanks in advance.

Duke787

Depends how the check-in agent is feeling. Technically by the rules they don't have to give bags to your companions if you split the PNR (either via the GM or via the Delta AMEX Reserve) but in reality, I've found agents usually let it slide as long as you (the DL AMEX holder and the GM are present).

Have you looked at your flights? When are they? If it's spring break time period, it's doubtful you would get the upgrade anyway so it's not worth splitting up the tickets.

The Situation

You should all check in at the counter together. In that scenario, likely that the agent would waive the bag fee departing the U.S. Might be helpful to kindly mention that you are traveling together and ask if the baggage fees can be waived for your companions too. Returning to the U.S., I would be less optimistic.

LondonElite

You’ll be super popular with your pals if you get upgraded and they hang out in the back!

robert4travels

Another option is to try for a gate upgrade. Meaning:
- Don't split the reservation. So everyone in your reservation get the expanded baggage allowance and preferred seats.
- At check in or at the gate, check if there are still seats available in the class you want to be upgraded in, and ask for an upgrade there, or ask to be placed on the upgrade list.
- Since this is a published benefit, they will do it and will not split up the reservation.

I have done this in the past for an upgrade to comfort+: was flying with 4 people in my reservation (was actually an international flight with Delta) and saw on the seat map and upgrade list that there were still seats available in comfort+. Gate agent upgraded me and one of my companions into comfort+ while the other two stayed in the main cabin.

Biggest disadvantage of course is that you can't try for the upgrade at the window (3 days for Gold), but most flights are full anyway nowadays so it's rare that you get such an upgrade anyway.

flyerCO

As long as you all checkin together they'll get the free bag. If they checkin separately then no.

robert4travels

When flying with my family and two are on a separate (award) ticket, having the medallion baggage allowance for them has been denied to me in the past (granted, I was only a Silver then, but still). Also preferred seats together was denied to me in the past when I called in to ask for them. Same for bringing more than one guest into the Sky club.

Delta got a lot stricter in handing out benefits since last year.

flyerCO

Sky club has nothing to do with being in same PNR. FWIW DL agents regularly dont know how to handle things. Baggage I know us allowed, conditioned on checking in together. There's a waiver code that can be selected for thus by agent. As for seats, I've found phone agents are hit or miss, airport will do it. (As long as not BE ticjet)

smallbizzguy

We are two couples, and we are not sitting near each other anyway, I booked us exit row on opposite sides of the plane.

I was thinking since it's spring break, that a majority of these people will not be medallions, but It's not a huge ordeal if I don't get upgraded, in fact after reading these comments, I'll just attempt it at the gate.

Thank you for clarifying the process!

The Situation

Although there are a lot of non-medallions travelling, there are also a lot of medallions traveling. At my work, regardless of whether or not you have kids, lots of us travel during spring break since all of our coworkers are out and we don't miss much. Additionally, there are a lot of pax in paid F during major breaks. Its really difficult to predict how good a chance of upgrade you have.

smallbizzguy

I hate to bump this post back up, but I have a question. I just hit PM, so I followed the welcome to Platinum link, I came across the baggage rules for international flights..

Because of my Delta reserve, everyone gets one free bag.

Then on the international travel rules for medallion members, it states "To reward your loyalty, your first checked bag fee is waived with Delta Medallion Status or as a SkyTeam® Elite & Elite Plus Member. A Medallion Member traveling in Comfort+, Main Cabin, or Basic Economy between the U.S./Canada and any International destination can check one additional bag up to 50 lbs. over the standard cabin allowance"

So I'm PM, Delta Reserve card holder, does that mean if I split my ticket, myself and my wife would each be able to bring 2 free bags per person?

I'm not a total idiot, but I sure feel like one trying to figure out the baggage rules of what perks overlay with other perks. Thank you.