Companion Certificates Nearly Impossible To Use In 2022?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: CMH
Programs: Delta SkyMiles (Silver), AAdvantage, Sun Country, FmrUS Airways Dividend Miles, Northwest WorldPerks
Posts: 353
Companion Certificates Nearly Impossible To Use In 2022?
I'm just finishing one trip on an Amex Platinum Companion Certificate and have another coming up on which I'm hoping to use another (in an effort to burn the Certificates still left/extended from COVID). The only days I could find for CMH-ATL-DAB and back in May were 5/3-5/19 and, admittedly, the next one is relatively short notice (having a roof installed on a house sometime in June), but is anyone else noticing extreme difficulty in finding days where certificate-eligible fares are available? It seems like every day pairing I've searched for both trips gets met with "Oops! We're sorry...".
I'm assuming it's some combination of "everybody wants to travel" emptying out the fare buckets mixed in with a dose of "the airlines are trying to get every penny they lost during COVID back"?
I'm assuming it's some combination of "everybody wants to travel" emptying out the fare buckets mixed in with a dose of "the airlines are trying to get every penny they lost during COVID back"?
#2
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: DL PM; IHG PlatAmb; Hilton Dia; Marriott Plat; Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 7,382
We've tried to use companion certificates five times in 2022. There was availability on our first choice flights four of the five times (DCA-DTW, DCA-ATL, DCA-MSP, and DCA-LGA). Only time there wasn't was for DCA-DTW-GRR where there was no availability in the right fare classes for the return.
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,178
It would be helpful to know routes and dates. Other threads have noted that fares are exceptionally high this summer and many flights are simply going to lack availability in required L/U/T/X/V fare classes for certs. Airlines do not set aside a fixed number of seats for sale in each fare bucket. During higher demand periods, they may never allocate any bucket inventory in these class even for flights that are far out and have few or no seats currently sold on them.
If you do a search without a cert selected for 2 passengers and are finding flights with availability in L/U/X/T/V fare classes, you might be able to call and have an agent book them (it's not entirely clear if system has inventory availability limits for certs beyond L/U/T/X/V class inventory).
If you do a search without a cert selected for 2 passengers and are finding flights with availability in L/U/X/T/V fare classes, you might be able to call and have an agent book them (it's not entirely clear if system has inventory availability limits for certs beyond L/U/T/X/V class inventory).
#4
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Athens, AL, USA
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott Titanium, IHG Plat, Hyatt Explorist, Delta PM, AA Plat
Posts: 122
I'm finding zero availability out of my home airport (HSV), but have had good luck flying out of the next closest large airport (BNA). The L/U/X/T/V is already gone for the summer here.
#6
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 190
I have noticed it's much harder to find availability these days as well. Pre-Covid I don't recall ever really having any issues finding space on flights. But this year it seems like when I first look, there are always plenty of flights but as soon as I pull up certificate, it's all gone. Wonder if the expiration date extensions have resulted in a glut of people trying to use them.
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,090
I have noticed it's much harder to find availability these days as well. Pre-Covid I don't recall ever really having any issues finding space on flights. But this year it seems like when I first look, there are always plenty of flights but as soon as I pull up certificate, it's all gone. Wonder if the expiration date extensions have resulted in a glut of people trying to use them.
#9
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Houston, TX
Programs: Delta Silver, AA, United Silver, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 70
I tried to too for a trip in September to Nashville (9/10-9/17). No luck. Though 9/10 - 9/18 works with cert, but we'd rather get back on Saturday than on Sunday. Also when I search for the flights without cert, they are much cheaper than with cert. Also looked for a trip in August to MSP (8/11-8/14) and still no luck. So far no luck with using the cert I have leftover from last year.
#10
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Houston, TX
Programs: Delta Silver, AA, United Silver, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 70
I tried to too for a trip in September to Nashville/Asheville, NC (9/10-9/17). No luck. Though 9/10 - 9/18 works with cert, but we'd rather get back on Saturday than on Sunday. Also when I search for the flights without cert, they are much cheaper than with cert. Also looked for a trip in August to MSP (8/11-8/14) and still no luck. So far no luck with using the cert I have leftover from last year.
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: CMH
Programs: Delta SkyMiles (Silver), AAdvantage, Sun Country, FmrUS Airways Dividend Miles, Northwest WorldPerks
Posts: 353
Just as jeff191 said, I've never had trouble using them prior to this year, but the only dates I was able to find for CMH-DAB in June are 6/1-14 and 6/7-21, which have several options available. Everything else is sold out/giving me the Oops! of doom.
#12
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: South Bend, Indiana
Programs: Delta Death March, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Plat, Marriott/Hilton Gold Life
Posts: 1,586
I'm just finishing one trip on an Amex Platinum Companion Certificate and have another coming up on which I'm hoping to use another (in an effort to burn the Certificates still left/extended from COVID). The only days I could find for CMH-ATL-DAB and back in May were 5/3-5/19 and, admittedly, the next one is relatively short notice (having a roof installed on a house sometime in June), but is anyone else noticing extreme difficulty in finding days where certificate-eligible fares are available? It seems like every day pairing I've searched for both trips gets met with "Oops! We're sorry...".
I'm assuming it's some combination of "everybody wants to travel" emptying out the fare buckets mixed in with a dose of "the airlines are trying to get every penny they lost during COVID back"?
I'm assuming it's some combination of "everybody wants to travel" emptying out the fare buckets mixed in with a dose of "the airlines are trying to get every penny they lost during COVID back"?
They do sell out fast (L/U/T/X/V class)
#13
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: ANC
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 1,879
Previously I always had good luck in finding L/U/T/X/V inventory for flights to LAS from ANC, and most of the time we used the companion certificates for a Vegas trip when we wanted to get away for a few days. Searching a range of random dates from close in to far out its hard to find inventory anymore. Some options are there, but very hard to find if you dont have flexible dates.
#14
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Georgia
Programs: DL DM/2MM
Posts: 1,045
DL doesn't limit the number of seats available like they do for other certs (RUCs, GUCs) but there must be discount fare classes available. (L/U/T/X/V). I used 2 on the same flight ATL-TUS-ATL earlier this year but summer travel is selling out these discounted fares which are revenue managed just like they've always been. I assume you're not trying to book close to your flight date?