Combining reservations
 

Booked the family on several different reservations because I transferred some AMEX MR points, used SkyMiles, and paid cash (to take advantage of statement credits).
I saw somewhere that Delta can combine the reservations so we are all under the same confirmation #. Not a huge deal, but if it's possible it definitely would make everything easier.
Has Delta done this for you or did I get bad information?

There's no way to combine reservations. You can get them linked, which amounts to a note in each reservation that references the other, but it's still up to DL agents to notice that and act on it in the event of IRROPs etc.

There's no way to combine PNRs, unfortunately. Res agents will offer to "link" them, but that won't do much aside from having a comment in the notes section. At the end of the day, it's not a big deal - if you have status with DL and want to get everyone in preferred seats, for example, DL res can do that for free once they see you're on the same flight as the rest of the group.

Ok, I figured as much. The only downside is getting free checked bags, but I've never had a problem talking to the check in agent and explaining that we're all traveling together and they just waive the bag fee.

Agreed - I've never had an issue with this before - I've even had check-in agents proactively offer without me having to ask.

Ironically, the one place I got pushback was JFK of all places - hardly some contracted outstation - where the agent was adamant that unless the rest of my family was on the same PNR, they wouldn't get any free bags. On the return at STT, the agent tagged them all without skipping a beat (and generally, I find that the ground staff at STT tend to move in reverse, as is common at so many Caribbean/Latin American stations).

Yep, I haven't had a ton of experience with JFK but the times I have been there the Delta people have been pretty miserable. Most everywhere else it seems like they bend over backwards for their customers.

I think big issue I've seen at JFK, flyers that insist they're entitled to things they're not. Thus even when they're wrong agents still instinctively argue they're right.