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Savvy shoppers all over the world instantly recognize the word BOGO — buy one, get one free. While the concept typically describes sales in your local store, the same idea extends to air travel. In particular, many airlines offer the chance for fliers to earn companion certificates. In turn, this helps minimize the cost of a ticket for an additional traveler.
Not all companion certificates are created equal, though. Earning some requires considerable credit card spending; others only reduce ticket costs to $99, rather than $0. Thankfully, a Delta companion certificate involves neither of those stipulations, making it much easier for travelers to use and enjoy.
How to Earn a Delta Companion Certificate
The easiest thing about Delta's companion certificate is earning it. Simply hold one of the eligible Delta credit cards for a year. Then, on your cardmember anniversary, Delta issues the companion certificate. The following Delta credit cards offer companion certificates:
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
The companion certificates from these cards have differences, however. Platinum cards earn companion certificates valid for round-trip Main Cabin travel. Reserve cardmembers can book domestic round-trip travel in any cabin. However, Delta Reserve also comes with a heftier annual fee.
- Earn 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Enjoy Delta Sky Club® access at no cost and bring up to two guests or immediate family at a rate of $50 per person per visit. Effective 2/1/25, Reserve Card Members will receive 10 Visits per year to the Delta Sky Club; to earn an unlimited number of Visits each year starting on 2/1/25, the total eligible purchases on the Card must equal $75,000 or more between 1/1/24 and 12/31/24, and each calendar year thereafter.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge when you book a Delta flight with your Reserve Card.
- With Status Boost®, earn 15,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $30,000 in purchases on your Card through 12/31/23, up to four times per year getting you closer to Medallion Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion Status and are different from the miles you earn towards flights. Effective 1/1/24, this benefit will no longer be available, and there will be a new way to earn toward Medallion Status with the Card. Learn more at delta.com/skymilesprogramchanges.
- Eligible Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Receive a domestic First Class, Delta Comfort+® or domestic Main Cabin round trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Official Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases.
- Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $550 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- Rates & Fees
- 3X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 1X miles on every eligible dollar spent on purchases.
How to Access a Delta Companion Certificate
Delta companion certificates are easy to earn and even easier to access — both online and in the mobile app. To access companion certificates through Delta.com, log into your SkyMiles account and navigate to My Profile. From there, along the left-hand side of the screen, select “Certificates, eCredits & Vouchers.”
An alternative way to get to a similar landing point is to first log in. Then, you can hover over “SkyMiles” along the top of the screen and select “Certificates and eCredits” at the bottom left of the drop-down menu.
Those using the Delta app may access companion certificates just as easily. Certificates and eCredits are found on the “My Wallet” tab.
How to Use a Delta Companion Certificate
To book flights using a Delta companion certificate, check the box of the certificate you want to use and select “continue.” Conveniently, Delta displays expiry dates for each individual companion certificate, so members can specifically choose to use the certificate expiring soonest.
If you click the red drop-down arrow on the right-hand side, that will reveal additional information about the companion certificate. You can find the issue date, certificate number, and reference code here. Most importantly, you'll also see eligible booking classes.
For certificates earned from a Platinum Delta Amex or Business Platinum Delta Amex, eligible fare classes include L, U, T, X, and V. Certificates earned with a Delta Reserve or Business Delta Reserve enjoy additional eligible fare classes of I and Z for first class and and W or S fares in Comfort+ — so long as the L,U,T,X, and V fares are available in Main Cabin.
Delta Companion Certificate in Action
Once you select a companion certificate, you can search for and book a flight. The search process operates quite similarly to a normal flight search, complete with flexible date and price calendar options. These search options will help you to identify fare class availability and the greatest savings.
For example, flights from the East Coast to ski destinations out West usually cost a pretty penny. If that travel is over a holiday weekend, the price climbs even more. Thanks to Delta's companion certificate, the cost of such flights can be cut in half. For an example trip between Raleigh–Durham (RDU) and Salt Lake City (SLC) over Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend in January, Delta offers the least expensive flights among full-service carriers, but it's definitely not cheap:
Fortunately, there are eligible fare classes for using a Delta companion certificate on these flights. As a result, would-be travelers save over $600!
Why are savings not exactly half of the cash price? This is because companion tickets require the payment of taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip flights. Only the base fare is affected by the companion certificate.
Final Thoughts
When used optimally, the Delta companion certificate more than covers the card's annual fee. Thankfully, Delta makes these certificate easy to access and easy to redeem. Additionally, flexible flight search functionality lets certificate holders identify and book the flights that work best for them. Also, it can help them realize the most value.
Anyone who travels domestically on Delta with at least one other companion stands to gain from these companion certificates. This includes those who live outside the United States but travel to the U.S. mainland at least once a year. Provided the fare class availability exists, Delta companion certificates unlock quality value for SkyMiles members. Plus, you're still eligible for complimentary upgrades if you have Delta Medallion elite status.
FAQ
What fare classes are eligible for Delta companion certificate use?
All certificates can book L, U, T, X, and V fares, while Reserve cardmembers also can book W, S, I, and Z fares.
Where can I fly with my Delta companion certificate?
Travelers can apply Delta companion certificates on round-trip travel within the 48 contiguous United States. Residents of Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands who earn companion certificates can use them on travel that originates from those respective locations to the 48 contiguous states.
Are there any blackout dates for my Delta companion certificate?
There are no blackout dates for these certificates. However, use depends on fare class availability.
Can I use my Delta companion certificate if I am not traveling?
Yes, companion certificates can be redeemed regardless of whether or not the certificate holder is a traveler.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (Rates & Fees)
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I have the Delta Platinum CC. The biggest issue with using this cert is finding seats in the correct fare bucket. The buckets this cert needs, are fast to go and sometimes are not even released at all. It is very frustrating as this used to be the best feature of these CC. I have complained to Delta and sometimes they release more seats in those buckets. But it shouldn’t be this way. I am considering cancelling this CC because it is so hard to use this feature. The AF being $250, you are paying for cert.