delta travel companion certificate

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Certificates, eCredits, & Gift Cards

In-page links.

• Certificates & eCredits , Go to footer note
• Gift Cards , Go to footer note
• Companion Certificates , Go to footer note

 Certificates & eCredits

Whether they're printed on paper or sent to you electronically, Delta Certificates and eCredits give you a number of ways to save big on your upcoming trips.

• What types of Certificates and eCredits are there? , Go to footer note
• Can I see a list of the Certificates and eCredits I already have? , Go to footer note
• How many Certificates or eCredits can I redeem toward my ticket? , Go to footer note
• How do I redeem an individual Certificate or eCredit? , Go to footer note
• Can I combine the Certificates and eCredits I already have? , Go to footer note
• If my eCredit covers the cost of my ticket, why do I need to provide credit card information? , Go to footer note
• What happens when I use a Companion Certificate and eCredit but need to cancel my flight? , Go to footer note

What types of Certificates and eCredits are there?

Delta eCerts  can be redeemed for a variety of money-saving offers on eligible flights, including:

• A specific dollar amount off the cost of an eligible fare
• A specific percentage off the cost of an eligible fare
• A specific percentage off the number of miles required to purchase an Award ticket
• A travel certificate that covers the cost of a ticket and requires the customer to only pay applicable taxes and fees
• A complimentary upgrade to the First or Business Class cabin
• Companion Certificates are good for one eligible round-trip flight – after renewing your eligible Delta SkyMiles® American Express Card and can be combined with available eCredits.  Learn more about Companion Certificates.

eCredits are a specific monetary value that can be applied as payment toward the cost of a Delta ticket and any government-imposed taxes and fees. Examples of an eCredit include:

• Unused or partially used tickets
• Remaining value of an unused post-purchase seat upgrade or Preferred Seat
• Delta Travel Voucher received when a ticket exchange results in residual (remaining) value
• Delta Dollars received for denied boarding compensation from an oversold flight
• Transportation Credit Voucher received as compensation for a service issue
• Miscellaneous Charge Order generally received when an ticket exchange results in residual value and the original form of payment for the ticket was other than a credit card
• eGift Certificates

Currently, eCredits may only be applied toward future Delta ticket purchases, but this is the first step in the direction of offering you more flexibility with eCredits in the future. When you redeem Certificates or eCredits at delta.com there is no transaction fee. You can also redeem them at any Delta ticketing location, but additional fees may apply. Most Certificates and eCredits cannot be redeemed at travel agencies, other airlines or other travel websites, please refer to the terms and conditions for details. 

Can I see a list of the Certificates and eCredits I already have?

Certificates and eCredits associated with your SkyMiles number can be viewed by logging in to  My Profile  on delta.com and navigating to Certificates, eCredits and Vouchers. Only Certificates or eCredits that were associated to your SkyMiles number when it was issued will be displayed.

If you wish to view Certificates or eCredits not associated with your SkyMiles number visit  delta.com/redeem  and enter your Certificate or eCredit number. You can view up to six individual numbers at one time. 

How many Certificates or eCredits/Gifts can I redeem toward my ticket?

Maximum allowances eCredits:

The maximum number of combinable eCredits allowed with the initial purchase is 5 per ticket.

The maximum number of combinable eCredits allowed with a ticket change is 2 per ticket. 

How do I redeem a Certificate?

Redeeming a Certificate: (Companion Certificate/Complimentary travel certificates/dollars off eCert/percent off eCert)

• Certificates must be selected or entered prior to shopping for your flights.
• Click the Redeem a Certificate link below.
• Enter your Certificate number along with any other required information.
• When using a Certificate, your eligible flight options will be identified as "Certificate applied".

Redeem a Certificate

Can I combine the eCredits and Certificates I already have?

You can combine an eCredit with a Companion Certificate, available through the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve, Reserve Business, Platinum or Platinum Business American Express Card. If you wish to combine your Companion Certificate and eCredits, you must first select your Companion Certificate and then add your eCredits at check out. 

If my eCredit covers the cost of my ticket, why do I need to provide credit card information?

Credit card information is required for all flight purchases. 

What happens when I use a Companion Certificate and eCredit but need to cancel my flight?

If either the unused primary ticket or companion ticket is canceled, both tickets will be canceled, and the companion ticket can be reissued. Companion Certificates are valid for 1 year from the original date the certificate was issued.

For unused, canceled tickets paid for via an eCredit, your original eCredit is restored to your account after the deduction of any applicable cancellation fees.

Whether they're purchased online or at a store, Delta Gift Cards can help you save big on upcoming trips.

For original bookings, the maximum number of Delta Gift Cards allowed on the initial purchase from www.delta.com is 5. If you need to redeem more than 5 Gift Cards please contact our Reservations team. The maximum allowed is 5 per ticket when booking over the phone.

When making ticket changes, the maximum number of Delta Gift Cards allowed on www.delta.com is 5 per booking. If you need to redeem more than 5 Delta Gift Cards please contact our Reservations team. The maximum allowed is 5 per ticket when booking over the phone.

Please refer to the  Terms and Conditions , Go to footer note  of the Delta Gift for additional details. 

How do I redeem a Delta Gift Card?

Redeeming a Delta Gift Card

• Delta Gift Cards can be selected/entered prior to shopping or on the payment page.
• Click the Redeem a Delta Gift Card  link below to get started.
• Enter your Delta Gift Cards number along with any other required information.
• Delta Gift Cards will be applied as a form of payment at time of purchase.

Redeem a Delta Gift Card

Purchase a Gift Card

Terms & Conditions

Companion Certificates

To learn more about Companion Certificate,  click here.

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How To Get and Use the Delta Companion Certificate

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Table of Contents

What is the delta companion certificate, how to get a delta companion certificate, how to use the delta companion certificate, final thoughts.

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Key Takeaways

• Delta Companion Certificates are issued to eligible cardholders and can be used to book a second ticket for a companion, paying only taxes and fees.
• A companion certificate is issued once per year to holders of the Delta Platinum card, Delta Platinum Business card, Delta Reserve card, and Delta Reserve Business card.
• The certificate can be used for domestic, Caribbean, or Central American flights.

What’s better than getting a great deal on a plane ticket? Getting 2 plane tickets for the price of 1! Getting a 2-for-1 deal on a plane ticket is possible with a companion ticket .

Southwest Airlines’ Companion Pass is probably the most well-known companion ticket perk, but did you know that Delta also offers a companion ticket? It’s not quite the same, but it still has a lot of value.

Here’s how to get a Delta Companion Certificate and use it for maximum value!

The Delta Companion Certificate is a great perk that comes with select Delta credit cards . This perk allows you to essentially get a 2-for-1 deal on a plane ticket. When you purchase 1 ticket, you can use the Delta Companion Certificate to purchase a second ticket, and you only have to pay the taxes and fees (no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights and no more than $250 for roundtrip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments).

Here are a few rules from Delta to keep in mind when using your Delta Companion Certificate:

• The ticket is good for domestic, Caribbean, or Central American ticket
• Companion tickets can be transferred, so you can book for someone else. But once the ticket is issued, it’s not transferable.
• Companion tickets can’t be applied to fares that have already been purchased.
• If you cancel your reservation , your companion ticket won’t be reissued.
• The companion ticket must be for the exact same flight as the original paid ticket. You can’t use the companion ticket to purchase a fare for a friend on a different flight.
• Travel for the Companion Certificate must be booked and completed by the date on the certificate.
• The paid ticket and companion ticket are both eligible for upgrades as long as both passengers are either Delta SkyMiles members or elite members of a SkyTeam alliance partner airline. Any upgrades will be processed according to the passenger with the highest Delta status.
• Companion ticket fares may require an advance purchase of up to 14 days, a 3-night minimum stay, or a 30-day maximum stay.
• Some flights may be excluded, and stopovers and open jaws aren’t eligible for companion flights.
• Blackout dates are subject to the rules of the primary ticket fare purchased.
• The primary, paid ticket on the itinerary earns Delta SkyMiles , but the companion ticket does not.
• Delta eCredits can be applied as payment toward the cost of the primary ticket, companion ticket, and any government-imposed taxes and fees.

Bottom Line: A Delta Companion Certificate allows you to purchase a second ticket on select domestic flights for only the price of the taxes and fees on the second ticket.

You can earn a Delta Companion Certificate simply by having the right Delta credit card in your wallet.

American Express offers 4 co-branded personal Delta credit cards and 4 co-branded Delta business credit cards in total, but not all of them come with the Delta Companion Certificate.

The Delta Companion Certificate is only available with the following cards:

• 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 certificate varies slightly depending on what credit card you hold.

Delta Platinum Credit Cards [Personal and Business]

Both the Delta Platinum card and Delta Platinum Business card come with the companion ticket benefit. This perk offers 1 round-trip, Main Cabin companion ticket per year after you pay your annual fee. The Companion Certificate will be available for redemption in your renewal month.

You’re responsible for paying the taxes and fees on the companion ticket. The companion ticket is valid for L, U, T, X, and V classes of service only (these letters refer to different levels of economy fares ) and may not be available on all flights or in all markets. Both the first ticket and the fees for the second ticket must be charged to your Delta card.

Delta Reserve Credit Cards [Personal and Business]

If you have either the Delta Reserve card or the Delta Reserve Business card , you’re eligible for 1 round-trip, Main Cabin, Comfort+, or first class companion ticket per year after you pay your annual fee.

You’re responsible for paying the taxes and fees on the companion ticket. The companion ticket is valid for L, U, T, X, and V classes of service ( economy ) and I and Z classes of service ( first class ). For Delta Comfort+ travel, tickets are available in W and S classes of service, but only when L, U, T, X, OR V classes of service are available in the Main Cabin.

Both the first ticket and the fees for the second ticket must be charged to your Delta card and/or eCredits.

Bottom Line: A Delta Companion Certificate is a perk that comes with the personal and business versions of the Delta Platinum card and Delta Reserve card. If you aren’t sure which of these credit cards is right for you, check out this guide to the best credit cards for Delta flyers.

Your Delta Companion Certificate can only be used on Delta.com ; it can’t be used on Delta flights that are purchased on any other website.

Once you’re logged in to your account, you’ll be able to see your companion ticket in the My Profile section. There is also a SkyMiles Quick Link for View vouchers, eCredits, & Certificates that can get you there.

From there, you can select your companion certificate and then search for flights as you normally would. The system should automatically filter out the flights that aren’t eligible for a companion certificate ticket.

There isn’t a price limit to the ticket you can purchase with your Delta Companion Certificate. So, the higher the price of the ticket, the more value you get from this perk.

Let’s say you and a friend want to travel from New York to Los Angeles for a long weekend, but the tickets are $500 each. While you might not want to spend $1,000 for this trip, with the Delta Companion Certificate, you can purchase both tickets for just $500 (plus the taxes and fees on the second ticket).

You can easily get hundreds of dollars of value from this 1 perk!

The Delta Companion Certificate is a great deal. This perk allows you to buy a second seat on a Delta flight for the price of the taxes and fees. That means you and your companion can fly for essentially the price of just 1 ticket!

The companion ticket is available as a perk on 4 Delta Amex credit cards: the Delta Platinum card , Delta Platinum Business card , Delta Reserve card , and Delta Reserve Business card .

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles ® Platinum American Express Card, click here . For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles ® Platinum Business American Express Card, click here . For rates and fees of Delta SkyMiles ® Reserve American Express Card, click here . For rates and fees for the Delta SkyMiles ® Reserve Business American Express Card, click here .

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Delta Companion Certificate: What You Need to Know

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Table of Contents

What is a Delta Companion Certificate?

Credit cards with a delta companion certificate perk, how does the delta companion ticket work, how to use a delta companion certificate to book a flight, is the delta companion certificate worth it.

The Delta Companion Certificate lets you book two round-trip tickets within the U.S. for the cost of one plus taxes and fees up to $75.

It comes with some Delta co-branded cards but not all.

Not all Certificates allow premium cabin fares, and none allow international travel.

Getting two tickets for the price of one sounds too good to be true, but the Delta Companion Certificate makes it possible — with some caveats. The certificate, which comes with many Delta co-branded credit cards, can help reduce the cost of traveling in pairs.

Yet squeezing the most value from these certificates takes some know-how and persistence. We have some pointers to help you maximize this potentially lucrative benefit.

» Learn more: The NerdWallet guide to Delta Air Lines SkyMiles

The Delta Companion Certificate can be used to book a domestic round-trip ticket for a companion traveling with you on the same itinerary for just the cost of taxes and fees up to $80.

The Companion Certificate is issued to eligible Delta cardholders every card anniversary, so you can use it once a year per card. The benefit does not roll over if unused.

Only a handful of Delta's co-branded airline cards offer the Companion Certificate as a built-in card perk.

on American Express' website

Terms apply.

★ LIMITED TIME OFFER

Heads up! For a limited time, select Delta Air Lines credit cards are dangling larger welcome offers for new cardholders — 40,000 miles larger than the previous offers, to be exact, for a total of 80,000 to 100,000 miles, depending on the card. (Terms apply.) NerdWallet calculates the average value of Delta miles at 1.2 cents apiece, meaning these offers could be worth $960 to $1,200. Good until Oct. 23, 2024. Learn more and apply here.

If you’re not sure which Delta card to get , consider the value you expect to get from the certificate each year against each card’s annual fee and other benefits. Try to pick the card that offers an annual fee you can afford yet offers the perks you’re after.

» Learn more: The best airline credit cards right now

The Delta companion fare is automatically issued to your SkyMiles account each year following your card renewal. Look under “Certificates, eCredits & Vouchers” under the “profile” section of your SkyMiles account.

There are a few rules you need to follow when trying to use the companion certificate.

Eligible fare classes vary by card

Delta Companion Certificates from eligible AmEx Delta Platinum cards are valid on domestic, Caribbean and Central American main cabin fares only.

If you're a Reserve credit card holder, the Companion Certificate has more reach. A Reserve Delta AmEx companion ticket can be used for domestic, Caribbean and Central American first class, Comfort+, or main cabin fares.

Delta Companion Certificate restrictions

The Delta Companion Certificate can't be used on basic economy fares , and tickets can only be booked in fares L, U, T, X, or V. Not all flights have availability; be sure to book early as these are some of the lowest Delta fare classes and among the first to sell out.

Both travelers must be booked at the same time and on the same reservation, and travel must be reserved and completed by the expiration date on the certificate. If either ticket is canceled, the other will be as well.

Finally, the Companion Certificate is only valid on round-trip tickets. One-way and open-jaw flights are not eligible.

» Learn more: Top airline credit cards with companion tickets

Only the primary traveler earns miles

Will both travelers earn miles and any related elite status perks ? Only the primary ticket will earn miles for travel. However, the primary member and companion are both eligible for any relevant seat upgrades based upon the Medallion member’s status.

Can the companion traveler benefit be shared with someone else?

Can you give your Delta companion ticket to someone else? While the Companion Certificate is transferable, neither the primary ticket nor the companion ticket are transferable once issued.

It can expire

One of the strictest Delta Companion Certificate rules is that travel for any companion pass must be booked and completed by the expiration date listed on the certificate. Note that its validity is not based on the calendar year.

Available destinations

A Delta Companion Certificate is valid for one round-trip ticket with the payment of applicable taxes and fees on certain routings within the 48 contiguous United States.

Residents of Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico or the United States Virgin Islands must originate from there to the 48 contiguous United States and have an address on their SkyMiles account in Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico or the USVI to use the perk.

That's bummer news for those of us who live in the contiguous United States and dream of traveling to our far-flung neighbors: We can't use the Delta companion ticket to Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico or USVI, regardless of card level.

Your certificate is tucked away in your SkyMiles account. One way to find it is to log into your account. Alternatively, you can navigate to this Delta page and jump to your certificate with the 8-digit certificate code from the email you received that includes the certificate. If you’re in the Delta app, the certificate will be in the “My Wallet” section.

Here a step-by-step guide on how to access your certificate and use it to book a flight:

Log into your account on delta.com, click on your name in the upper right corner and select “Profile.”

2. Click on "Certificates, eCredits & Vouchers" on the left side menu under “My Profile.”

3. Your Companion Certificate will be under “Use Certificates and eCredits." To use it, select the Certificate checkbox and click "Continue" at the bottom of the page.

4. You will then see a search box with “round trip” and “2 passengers” pre-selected, along with details of your companion certificate shown at the top of the page.

In our example, we’ve searched for a roundtrip flight from Washington, D.C. to Atlanta for two passengers. We also did the same exact search without using a certificate to compare the price of the flights with and without this benefit.

Using the certificate, the flights for two cost $402.60.

If you look into the trip details, you will see that the price of the flight for “Passenger 2” is $0.

If you don't have a Delta Companion Certificate, the cost of these same flights is $745.60, which is $343 higher than the cost with the certificate.

As this example demonstrates, the companion ticket can provide significant savings if you take advantage of it.

Tips for redeeming your companion ticket

There’s really just one trick to using the Delta Companion Certificate: Use it on the most expensive domestic round-trip ticket you plan to buy. Since the cost of the additional fare is not affected by the original fare, the value of the certificate scales with the cost of the ticket.

Of course, that doesn’t mean you should go out of your way to book an unnecessarily expensive ticket. Rather, you should use it on a relatively expensive trip you’re already planning to take. In the example above, using the certificate resulted in two tickets costing $402.60, representing a savings of $343.

Because of the destination limitations of the certificate, this usually boils down to timing. Using it for family travel during the holidays, for example, is a great way to cut down on the high cost of airfare in December. Wedding travel and other plans with inflexible dates during peak season is another good target.

The Delta Companion Certificate is a nice benefit that can help somewhat offset the annual fee on Delta AmEx cards. Though the destinations are limited and the certificates are time-bound with expiration dates, Delta loyalists who want to save money on their next flight with a companion can get value from the certificate.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options

75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

How to use Delta Companion Certificates to save hundreds of dollars on your next flight with your Plus-One

Ben Nickel-D'Andrea covers credit cards and luxury travel. With more than a decade of experience with points and miles, Ben brings his expertise as a freelance travel writer breaking down complex rewards programs with easy-to-understand writing. He has a background in linguistics and languages, and loves traveling in first or business class all over the world. 

Glen Luke Flanagan is a deputy editor at Fortune Recommends who focuses on mortgage and credit card content. His prior roles include deputy editor positions at USA TODAY Blueprint and Forbes Advisor, as well as senior writer at LendingTree—all focused on credit card rewards, credit scores, and related topics. 

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.  

Premium airline credit cards bestow some eye-popping perks to cardholders to ensure they reserve an honored spot in their wallet for these cards—and are willing to pay the typically expensive annual fee. One of the most exclusive and rewarding benefits is a companion certificate. We’re going to walk you through the Delta Companion Certificate today. 

If you have an eligible co-branded Delta credit card that offers this perk, it can essentially wipe out the cost of your Plus-One’s ticket so you only have to pay the taxes and fees. When used strategically, it can save you a significant amount and help you enjoy your travels more.

What are Delta Companion Certificates?

A companion certificate is a benefit offered by some co-branded airline credit cards. Generally, it allows you to purchase one ticket for yourself at full price and get a second one (with certain restrictions) for your travel buddy on the same itinerary while paying just taxes and fees. 

Depending on factors such as routes and dates, this perk could potentially save you hundreds of dollars on that second ticket. Some well-known companion certificates in the travel credit card space include the Southwest Companion Pass , the Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare from Alaska Airlines, and of course, the Delta Companion Certificate. 

Delta offers two different companion certificates through four of its premium American Express cards—two on the personal side and two on the business side. These are as follows:

• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card ($650 annual fee)
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card ($650 annual fee)
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card ($350 annual fee)
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card ($350 annual fee)

As these are premium cards, they all charge expensive annual fees. But along with the yearly companion pass, these cards offer many other perks (such as a free checked bag) that may help wipe out the cost of the annual fee for frequent Delta flyers who can maximize the benefits. 

While both companion certificates are used in the same way, the one offered on the SkyMiles Platinum and SkyMiles Platinum Business cards is more restrictive and can only be used when flying main cabin. By contrast, the certificate that comes with Reserve and Reserve Business cards has no restrictions when it comes to the class of service you’re booking, allowing you to choose which cabin you’d like to fly, including first class.

To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card , see this page  

To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, see this page  

To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, see this page  

To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card, see this page 

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

See Rates and Fees

Intro Bonus

at Bankrate

Reward Rates

• 3x Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases
• 1x Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
• 15% discount on Delta award flights
• Travel protections including accident insurance, rental car coverage, trip cancellation and delay insurance
• Consumer protections including cell phone insurance, extended warranty, purchase and return protection

How to use your Delta Companion Certificates

Taking advantage of your companion certificate could not be easier. Once you have received the companion certificate from your eligible Delta Amex credit card—which happens upon renewal of your card every year—log in to your Delta SkyMiles account and head to your profile. From there, click “Use Certificates and eCredits” and select the certificate check box before clicking “continue.”

You will be presented with a flight search engine that looks much like any Delta flight search, but this one comes pre-populated with specific information to use your companion certificate, like searching for two passengers and pre-filtering out any ineligible fare classes for which your certificate can’t be redeemed. 

Depending on what card you have, you may have the option to select a first class or Comfort+ ticket, making these certificates a lot more valuable. Otherwise, your certificates are restricted to main cabin tickets, but you’re still saving the cost of the companion’s fare.

After selecting your flights, the checkout screen will show you the price of both of your tickets. Note in the example below that the $446.40 includes your full ticket plus only the taxes and fees for your companion.

Delta will also remind you here in this section that your companion won’t be earning miles for their ticket, and if you cancel your ticket after purchasing, you will not be able to reuse your companion certificate.

How to get Delta Companion Certificates

The only way to have access to a Delta Companion Certificate is by holding any of the four premium American Express cards that include the annual certificate as cardholder perk. 

Get a Delta Companion Certificate for less money

Delta SkyMiles Platinum or Platinum Business American Express cardholders earn a certificate that’s good for a main cabin, round-trip flight to a domestic, Caribbean or Central American destination each year after renewal of their card. 

You’ll pay $350 a year for the personal card and the same $350 a year for the business card, so this is the most affordable path to a Delta Companion Certificate. 

Debating if a SkyMiles Platinum might be the card for you? Here’s our guidance on how to analyze whether the Delta SkyMiles Platinum is worth it or not. 

Get a Delta Companion Certificate good for first class

Delta SkyMiles Reserve or Reserve Business American Express cardholders receive the most valuable of certificates, allowing them to redeem for a first class, Comfort+ or main cabin round-trip flight to a domestic, Caribbean or Central American destination each year after renewal of their card. The personal card is $650 per year and the business card is also $650.

However, while the price tag might give you sticker shock, note that these cards also come with coveted Delta Sky Club access (terms apply). Frequent travelers loyal to Delta probably won’t find another card that can match these two in terms of luxury perks. If you’re on the fence, take a look at our guide on deciding whether the Delta SkyMiles Reserve is worth it for your situation.  

How much taxes and fees will cost

Regardless of which card you have, your companion certificate lets you get your ticket at full price—and, for the friend or family member traveling with you, pay only the taxes and fees. For domestic itineraries, you can expect to pay up to $80 round trip, and for international ones, the taxes and fees can amount to up to $250 for a round-trip flight.

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card

• 3x Earn 3 miles per dollar at hotels
• 2x Earn 2 miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets.
• 1x Earn 1 mile per dollar of eligible purchases.
• Statement credits toward Delta Stays, Resy and rideshare purchases
• Consumer protections including cell phone insurance, extended warranty, and purchase protection

How much are Delta Companion Certificates worth?

Companion certificates do not have a set dollar value associated with them and instead, the value you get varies depending on the destination you use them for and the dates—effectively making them a great tool to lower your travel costs to expensive destinations, provided the certificates can be used for those specific flights.

For example, by using a companion certificate from the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Amex, you could (at the time of writing) book a flight from Los Angeles to New York City over New Years in first class for a cost just slightly higher than you would pay for two main cabin tickets if you weren’t using your companion certificate.

The takeaway

For cardholders who don’t see the steep annual fees from these premium Delta credit cards as a barrier to enjoying the benefits they confer, the companion certificate alone can potentially bring enough value to make it worthwhile to carry one of these cards. The money you save on your travel buddy’s airline ticket can likely offset the annual fee if you’re savvy about how you redeem your certificate, making any other credits and benefits on your card an overall win.

Frequently asked questions

Can i redeem miles for my ticket when using a companion certificate.

No, when using a companion certificate, you must pay for your own ticket with your American Express card. You will not be able to redeem Delta SkyMiles to cover your ticket in this case. 

Do Delta Companion Certificates expire?

Yes. Your companion certificate will have an expiration date on it. You must both book and complete your trip by the expiration date listed. 

Can I use my companion certificate for first class flights?

Depending on the Delta credit card you have, you will be able to leverage these companion certificates for first class flights. If you hold the Delta SkyMiles Reserve or the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business, your companion certificate will be good not just for main cabin but also first class and Comfort+, and you can redeem them for round-trip domestic, Caribbean or Central American flights.

But, if you have the Delta SkyMiles Platinum or the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business, your companion certificates only allow for use in main cabin flights to the same destinations.

Do I earn miles or MQDs when using a Delta Companion Certificate?

Whoever is booked as the primary traveler—the one paying full price on the ticket—will accrue miles as they normally would. Their companion, however, will not have a mileage accruing ticket as they’re flying on an ineligible fare. 

Can I use my Delta Companion Certificate for someone else?

Yes, you can gift the companion certificate, as you do not need to be the primary passenger—essentially, you book primary and companion tickets for two travelers who are not yourself. 

Keep in mind the two passengers flying on this companion reservation have to be flying on the exact same flights for the same dates in order to use a companion certificate.

Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefits guide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.  

Please note that card details are accurate as of the publish date, but are subject to change at any time at the discretion of the issuer. Please contact the card issuer to verify rates, fees, and benefits before applying.  

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How to Use the Delta Companion Certificates: Step-by-Step Guide

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How to Use Delta Companion Certificates

Who doesn’t love getting 2-for-1 flights? I sure do. Delta offers this benefit to cardholders of either the Delta SkyMiles Platinum or Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express cards. Both of these cards provide you with a Delta Companion Certificate every account anniversary that can be worth $100s, far outweighing the annual fee. In this post we’ll detail how to search and book flights with your Delta Companion Certificate.

Updated 5/14/22: Details on using a Delta voucher / credit added below.

Delta Companion Cert Basics

The Delta Companion Certificates come in two flavors. The one you earn from the Delta SkyMiles Platinum cards allows you to book a companion for just the cost of taxes and fees when flying Main Cabin (L, U, T, X, and V fare classes). Both the business and personal Delta Platinum cards offer a companion certificate, and the benefit is identical.

The Delta SkyMiles Reserve cards (both personal and business) offer a certificate with even more flexibility. The Reserve version can book you into Main Cabin, Comfort+, or even First Class (I, Z, W, L, U, T, X, and V fare classes). You cannot use it to book Delta One, however.

All Delta Companion Certificates are only valid for travel within the lower 48 U.S. states unless you live in Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands. In the latter case, you can use them to book flights originating in those places to the lower 48 U.S. states. You cannot use a Delta Companion Certificate to book flights internationally.

You also have to hold your Delta credit card for at least a year, as you are awarded one companion certificate on each account anniversary. There is no option for earning more than one certificate, however nice that sort of benefit would be. When booking, you’ll pay no more than $75 in taxes and fees for your companion.

Step-by-Step Booking: How To Use A Delta Companion Certificate

To search and book a flight using your certificate, you’ll need to log into your account at delta.com. Unlike the Southwest Companion Pass , you cannot apply a companion certificate to a booking you’ve already made. You need to book both tickets at the same time, and your companion must be taking the exact same flights.

Navigate to My Profile and use the side menu to view any certificates that you have available. This is what you should see. If you have more than one like I do, you’ll be able to tell the difference between which card it is from.

But you don’t need to actually go here to book your travel. This is just to check the status of your certificates. To book using your Delta Companion Certificate, simply click Book. Click Advance Search. You’ll see a link at the bottom labeled Use Certificates, eCredits, or Delta Gift Cards.

You’ll then see your available certificates to use. Click the check box to the left, and then click the Continue button to search for flights.

You’ll then be taken to a search form that is set up specifically for Delta Companion Certificate use. It will be set to Round Trip and showing 2 Passengers. You just need need to fill in origin, destination, and dates. If you are using a Delta Reserve certificate, it will let you change the selection among Main Cabin, Comfort+, and First Class.

You can select the flights you want and move on to finish booking. You’ll see the final total for two people, all taxes and fees included.

You Can Now Use Your Delta Credit / Vouchers With Companion Certificates

I (Mark) recently made a booking using my Delta Reserve companion certificate. I had $90 in credits from rebooking a flight that had the price drop. A nice new perk of the improvements Delta made since the pandemic. It was nice to see that using the certificate while using a companion certificate was now an option. In the past I don’t believe that is so.

It should be noted that you can not use a Delta eCredit and a Delta gift card or vice versa. Luckily both will trigger the charge the way you need it to in order to use the Amex airline incidental credits . You just can’t use both if you are sitting on a pile of gift cards too, which is mildly annoying.

Booking A Delta Companion Flight: Final Thoughts

Hopefully this walkthrough is helpful for showing you how to book using a Delta Companion Certificate. These certificates are one of the best perks of the Delta credit cards. Delta has been generous in extending their expiration period through the COVID-19 pandemic. Certificates earned over the past year and a half have been extended through June 30, 2022.

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More Than 30 Rules, Tips, and Other Tidbits About the Delta Companion Certificate

The Companion Certificate awarded annually to several Delta SkyMiles® American Express Card members can be a great benefit. But a few restrictions, rules, and “Can I…?” questions may make it confusing or difficult to redeem them.

Below are some questions and answers we hope will help!

What is the Companion Certificate?

The companion certificate is a perk some cardholders receive annually — beginning the second year of membership.

You do not receive the companion certificate (or “BOGOF,” as we call it, for “Buy One, Get One Free”) the first year you hold the card.

Put simply, it allows someone to fly a free (plus some tax/fees) on one roundtrip with a paying passenger who applies the companion certificate.

Which Delta Amexes Come with the Companion Certificate Feature?

These cards all have Companion Certificates.

• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card

When Do I Receive It?

Generally, a few days after your second year’s annual fee is billed.

Can the Companion Certificate Be Used on All Delta Flights?

The Companion Certificate can be redeemed for Delta-marketed or -operated flights to select destinations. This includes Delta Connection but  not codeshares.

If your Certificate was issued on or after February 1, 2024, you’re in luck. You can use it to travel to:

• Including Alaska and Hawaii
• Dominican Republic
• Puerto Rico
• Grand Cayman
• Turks and Caicos
• Saint Kitts
• St. Maarten
• El Salvador

If it was issued prior to February 1, you’re limited to just the continental United States.

Where Do I Find the Delta Amex Companion Certificate? Is It a Physically Certificate That’s Mailed to Me?

The Companion Certificate is a digital award. There are two ways to locate your Companion Certificate.

Delta’s Website

• Bookmark this page that takes you directly to “Credits and Certificates.” Use that link when logged in to Delta.com SkyMiles account. Done!

The Fly Delta App

On the Fly Delta app, go to “Account.” Then select “Certificates and eCredits.”

Can I Use the Companion Certificate Multiple Times?

No. They are single-use certificates. Once you redeem one, it’s gone for the year.

Can I Have More Than One Companion Certificate at a Time?

Yes! I held all four of the above credit cards and received a Companion Certificate for each. However, you won’t have multiple certificates for an individual card at the same time.

Well, unless something in the below paragraph happens.

Do Delta Amex Companion Certificates Expire?

Yes. And this part is VERY IMPORTANT:

Your trip must be completed by the state expiration date. This is not like other Delta certificates (bump vouchers, etc.) that give you a year during which you can book travel for a date up to another year in advance.

We heard that a couple of years ago that if your Companion Certificate expired, Amex would do you a favor and reissue it for 13 months. We’re not sure if that’s something they still do.

Does the Cardholder Have to Fly on the Companion Certificate Reservation?

The cardholder doesn’t even need to know the people flying on the companion certificate. (I did this for my neighbor’s grandsons so they could come home for Christmas after their grandfather died. I never met ‘em and I don’t remember their names.)

The cardholder — or someone with access to the cardholder’s SkyMiles account — must book the ticket.

Is the Certificate Good Only for Non-Stops? Or are connections OK?

Trips with connections are fine. (I’ve done it many times) Delta will show you what trips are available for Companion Certificate travel.

It does not work, however, with multi-city trips or open-jaws.

If There Are Two Seats Open on a Delta Flight, Can I Use the Companion Certificate?

The companion certificates are limited to certain fare classes. The companion cert page (again, accessed via this link ) will show you what itineraries are eligible for booking.

The Platinum and Reserve companion certs are eligible for L, U, T, X, and V fares in Main Cabin/coach.

The Reserve’s cert may be used for:

• First Class I and Z fares
• Delta Premium Select travel A and G fares
• Comfort+ W and S fares (but only when L, U, T, X, or V classes of service are available in the Main Cabin)
• Main Cabin L, U, T, X, and V fares

Inventory may not always be available for flights you want. That’s pretty much my only gripe about the companion certificate.

I was told that fare classes must be the same one way if you have a connection.

For example, I often use my Companion Certificates so my wife and daughter can fly from Los Angeles (LAX) to Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) to Fargo (FAR) for our family trips once or twice a year.

The LAX to MSP flight and then our MSP to FAR connection both have to be, say, an “L” fare. But the returns would need to be the same fare class, but not necessarily an “L.” In this example, FAR to MSP and then MSP to LAX could be a “U.”

If you have a Delta Reserve Amex or Delta Reserve Business Amex Companion Certificate, you can mix and match cabins. In other words, you can fly First Class one way and then return in Main Cabin (if necessary.)

Are There Any Other Trip Requirements?

Most companion certificate fares require:

• advance purchase of up to 14 days
• three-night minimum stay
• 30-day maximum stay

How Do I Redeem the Companion Certificate?

Go to the Credits and Certificates page you bookmarked. Click the checkbox next to where the cert says “OPEN.” And continue from there.

So, I Can’t Call Delta and Have a Phone Agent Book a Companion Certificate Flight for Me?

Technically , no.

I’ve been told you can’t. René said it’s worked just fine. I’ve also spoken to a few Delta agents who are happy to help book Companion Certificate reservations. And there is a phone number dedicated to Companion Certificate reservations help. (We’ll get to that in a second.)

Given that Delta IT is, you know, Delta IT, you might not see all the available fare classes available for companion certificates. You may want to conduct your own search separately from the Credits and Certificates page, find a qualifying itinerary, and then call Delta to see if they can help book it.

What is the Companion Certificate Desk Phone Number?

855-551-2113. Give that number a call if you need help with Companion Certificate reservations.

Does the Companion Pay Any Fees?

Yes. Taxes, surcharges, and other miscellaneous charges are not waived. The limit is $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for trips with up to four flight segments), and no more than $250 for roundtrip international flights to eligible destinations (up to four flight segments).

Personally, I’ve never come close to paying that much.

Do I Have to Pay with a Delta Amex?

The Companion Cert’s terms & conditions say “Primary Ticket and Companion ticket must be purchased with your (Delta SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express.)”

The only card type you must use is an American Express card .

Delta Amex cards reward you only two or three SkyMiles per dollar spent on Delta (depending on which Delta Amex you hold).

You can do way better than that — if your main goal is earning points.

Pay with any darn Amex card you want. Personally, I use The Platinum Card® from American Express because I earn 5X American Express® Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year).

However, both Delta Reserve Amexes award cardholders $1 MQD for every $10 in eligible purchases. The Delta Platinum Amexes award $1 for every $20 in eligible purchases. So, if earning status through credit card spending is one of your priorities, then you might want to use your Delta Amex.

Can I Use Delta eCredits to Pay for the Primary Traveler’s Fare?

Yes! But they need to be in the primary traveler’s name.

Can I Pay with SkyMiles?

Nope. The primary fare has to be paid for with real money. Here’s one instance where Delta doesn’t want you using SkyMiles as currency.

Unfortunately, it’s not like Southwest’s companion pass which can be used with award tickets.

Can I Redeem the Companion Certificate for Flights Involving Co-Terminals?

You should be able to use the Delta Amex Companion Certificate for trips involving co-terminals. For example, depart from New York’s Kennedy Airport (JFK) and return to LaGuardia (LGA). In another sample trip, you’d travel to Hollywood-Burbank (BUR) and depart from Los Angeles (LAX).

How Many People Can Be on My Companion Certificate Reservation?

Just two: the paying passenger and the complimentary companion.

However, you can certainly book travel for others (friends, family, etc) taking the same flights as you. Just be sure to link everyone’s reservations.

You can do this two ways: call Delta reservations or use Delta’s chat/message function.

They will need:

• The trips’ confirmation numbers
• SkyMiles numers (if applicable)
• Travelers’ names
• Travel dates
• Departure and destination cities

Can I Use Multiple Companion Certificates for a Group of Four People on a Trip?

I’ve done it multiple times — but booked separately and on multiple reservations . (Keep in mind the fare price may go up after the first booking. Or an eligible fare may not even be available.)

For example, my mother-in-law and I use a companion certificate to book flight 1234. We’re issued confirmation number ABC123.

My wife and daughter will use another companion certificate to book the same flight; they’ll be on confirmation CBA321.

Then we link the reservations using the above method.

Can I Get Upgraded?

If the primary/purchasing passenger is a Delta Medallion, yes. Upgrades clear according to status level and the usual rules .

However, the companion must be at least a SkyMiles member or partner airline elite member . Otherwise, the twosome will not be eligible for upgrades.

If I’m a Platinum or Diamond, Can I Apply Upgrade Certificates?

You can apply both Regional Upgrade and Global Upgrade Certificates (for Delta One) to your Companion Certificate booking.

Where in a Delta Airplane Can I Sit Using a Companion Certificate?

The standard, cash fare seating rules apply to companion certificate bookings.

If you’re a general SkyMiles member, you can reserve any available non-preferred Main Cabin seat.

Silvers and Golds can get any available Main Cabin preferred seat (i.e. exit rows).

Platinums and Golds can get any available Main Cabin seat (including preferred) and then upgrade (almost instantly) to C+ if they wish.

Can I Earn SkyMiles?

The person flying as the paying passenger will earn:

• Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQD)
• SkyMiles/redeemable miles (according to their status tier).

The companion doesn’t earn anything — but is flying for almost free. They’re fine.

Can I Change a Companion Certificate Reservation?

Yes, but you’re subject to any fare differences. Remember to track your fares using Google Flights — you might be able to earn back some flight credit!

You’ll also have to call Delta directly to have them change the reservation for you.

What If I Have to Cancel My Trip? Do I Get the BOGOF Credit Back to My Account?

You’re not supposed to. That said, we’ve heard that if you cancel a ticket booking using a Companion Certificate, you  might be able to call Delta and have it reopened or reissued.

Even if I Cancel Within 24 Hours of Booking?

You  should be able to get it back. But I suggest you call Delta directly.

Bad News! My Companion Got Sick and Can’t Go. Can I Still Use the Ticket Even Though I’m the Primary/Paying Passenger?

Technically , no. The terms basically say if one person has to cancel, the trip’s off. And, of course, you lose the Companion Cert until your next one is issued.

However, we’ve heard of people calling Delta and asking them to split the reservation into separate confirmation numbers. Tell them the situation and very politely ask if they’ll help. Documentation (doctor’s notes, etc.) may help.

Don’t Put Yourself In that Situation

Emergencies pop up from time to time. Stuff happens, as the saying goes.

But don’t put yourself in a situation where you may have to cancel a trip, especially like this one.

Please listen to my advice on this : I speak from experience and cannot stress this enough: do not apply a Companion Certificate to travel involving a friend, family member, associate, or colleague who:

• has an erratic schedule
• is flaky and unreliable
• isn’t in good health

No joke: we’ve expressly forbidden a certain person in my close travel group from ever again being on a Companion Certificate itinerary.

Will I Lose My Companion Certificate if I Cancel My Delta Amex Card?

Amex will say yes and tell you not to cancel your card.

You won’t.

Once it’s in your account, it’s yours.

Can I Sell My Companion Certificate?

I wouldn’t do that. You run the risk of Delta canceling your Companion Certificate and SkyMiles account altogether.

What Else Should I Know?

As a parent, I love the Companion Certificate. As long as one of the tickets is priced at $351 (for the Delta Platinum Amex companion cert), we come out ahead of the annual fee. ( See Rates and Fees. )

For the Reserve card’s Companion Cert, being able to buy first class can come in quite handy. If your schedule is fairly inflexible but there’s no Main Cabin Companion Cert inventory, two higher-priced coach seats may cost about the same as using the BOGOF for a First Class seat and a free companion seat. Plus, the primary earns MQD, which are important if they’re chasing status.

Use your certificates and have fun!

You can read the rest of the Companion Certificates rules and regulations here .

This is a Lot of Information! Does Anyone Help with Booking Delta Amex Companion Certificates?

Absolutely.

Our good friend Adam and his team at point.me are experienced with booking Delta Amex BOGOF trips and happy to help you!

Questions? Data Points?

Anything you’re still wondering? Anyone have data points to contribute?

Please share in the Comments section below!

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, please visit this link . For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, please visit this link . For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, please visit this link . For rates and fees of Delta SkyMiles® Business Platinum American Express Card, please visit this link . For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please visit this link .

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Delta adds premium select service to flights between lax and jfk. but…, chris carley.

Chris Carley is the owner, editor, and lead writer of Eye of the Flyer (formerly known as Rene's Points).

Delta Adds Premium Select Service to Flights Between LAX and JFK. But...

Great summary, thank you!

>> We heard that a couple of years ago that if your Companion Certificate expired, Amex would do you a favor and reissue it for 13 months. We’re not sure if that’s something they still do.

Not in my case. I was not able to use mine last year and it expired and was not reissued.

You called Amex and they said no?

Chris, do you know if Curaçao is included for the companion pass? I see Aruba and Bonaire listed.

Curaçao is not listed as being eligible.

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• Different cards offer different certificates
• You can't fly just anywhere
• Companion certificates only work with select fare classes
• You must pay with your Delta card

Bottom line

4 delta credit cards offer an annual companion plane ticket — an incredible value if you know how to use it.

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us and terms apply to offers listed (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate credit cards to write unbiased product reviews .

• Four Delta credit cards offer a companion certificate each year on your account renewal anniversary
• Delta companion certificates are essentially a buy-one-get-one coupon for domestic flights.
• When you book yourself a round-trip ticket, bring a companion for just the cost of taxes and fees.

Delta credit cards come with great perks for Delta flyers, like free checked bags and priority boarding on Delta flights, airport lounge access, and discounts on certain inflight purchases.

One of the most valuable Delta benefits is the ability to bring a friend or family member with you for just the cost of taxes and fees. This benefit comes in the form of an annual companion certificate — and four co-branded Amex Delta credit cards offer it:

• 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

It's possible to get a lot of value from each of these bonuses — read our post on how to earn and redeem Delta miles  for tips.

You'll earn a companion certificate after your first year of holding one of these cards, then receive another one each year that you renew your card membership. Depending on how you use your companion benefit, you could save hundreds — or even thousands — of dollars each year.

You can easily offset your credit card's annual fee if you take full advantage of this certificate each year. For example, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card charges a $650 annual fee.

The amount you save will depend on the amount you spend. If you book a $1,000 seat for yourself, you can bring a friend for just the cost of taxes and fees, saving nearly $1,000. If you and a travel buddy wanted to fly from Atlanta to Seattle in business class, for example you might pay $1,500 per ticket. But with the companion certificate, you could buy one ticket and bring your buddy along for just the cost of taxes and fees — effectively cutting your price per ticket in half.

This certificate can be particularly beneficial for travelers who are purchasing travel for work on their own dime, then filing for reimbursement later on. 

Delta credit cards offer different companion certificates

Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels. Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets. Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.

20.99% - 29.99% Variable

Earn 90,000 bonus miles

Good to Excellent

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Earns bonus miles at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Annual companion certificate can help you recoup most, if not all, of the annual fee
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. You get a free checked bag and priority boarding on Delta flights
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. High annual fee

Delta's mid-tier card is a good choice for frequent flyers who can take advantage of money-saving benefits like a free checked bag and priority boarding on Delta flights, an annual companion certificate, and a statement credit for the TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee. However, if you're unlikely to maximize these perks or you don't fly Delta that often, a travel credit card with a lower annual fee is a better choice.

• Earn 90,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $4,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Receive a Companion Certificate on Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean, or Central American round-trip flights each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Ticket requires payment of the government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for round-trip domestic flights and no more than $250 for round-trip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
• Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year and get closer to Status with MQD Headstart.
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express 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.
• Earn $1 Medallion® Qualification Dollar for each $20 of purchases made on your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card in a calendar year and get a boost toward achieving Medallion Status for next Medallion Year.
• Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
• Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
• Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
• $120 Resy Credit: When you use your enrolled Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $10 back each month in statement credits.
• $120 Rideshare Credit: earn up to $10 in statement credits each month after using your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
• Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights.
• Receive Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
• Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card Members with an eligible ticket will be added to the Complimentary Upgrade list, after Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members and Reserve Card Members.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• $350 Annual Fee.
• Terms Apply.

Earn 3x Miles on Delta purchases made directly with Delta. Earn 1X Miles on all other purchases.

Earn 100,000 bonus miles

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Annual companion certificate benefit, which is valid for domestic first class and Comfort+ as well as the main cabin
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Access to Delta Sky Clubs and American Express Centurion Lounges when you're flying Delta
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Earns 3x miles on Delta purchases
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Very high annual fee
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Doesn't offer bonus miles on non-Delta purchases

The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is one of the best airline credit cards for frequent Delta flyers who can use benefits like airport lounge access, which can make the $650 annual fee worthwhile.

• Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Enjoy complimentary access to the Delta Sky Club. Effective 2/1/25, Reserve Card Members will receive 15 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. Once all 15 Visits have been used, Eligible Card Members may purchase additional Delta Sky Club Visits at a per-Visit rate of $50 per person using the Card.
• Receive four Delta Sky Club® One-Time Guest Passes each year when you fly Delta so you can share the experience with family and friends.
• Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge when you book a Delta flight with your Reserve Card.
• Earn $1 Medallion® Qualification Dollar for each $10 of purchases made on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card in a calendar year and get a boost toward achieving elevated Medallion Status for next Medallion Year.
• Receive a Companion Certificate on First Class, Delta Comfort+®, or Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean, or Central American round-trip flights each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Ticket requires payment of the government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for round-trip domestic flights and no more than $250 for round-trip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
• $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
• $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express 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.
• With your Card receive upgrade priority over other Medallion Members within the same Medallion level and fare class.
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members with an eligible ticket will be added to the Complimentary Upgrade list, after Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members.
• Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
• $650 Annual Fee.

Earn 3x Miles on purchases made directly with Delta and hotels. Earn 1.5x Miles on transit, eligible U.S. shipping, and purchases of $5,000 or more (up to $100,000 per calendar year). Earn 1x Miles on all other purchases.

Limited Time Offer: Earn 100,000 bonus miles

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Annual companion certificate benefit helps you recoup the annual fee
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Application fee credit of up to $85 for TSA PreCheck and up to $100 for Global Entry
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Doesn't earn bonus miles on everyday purchase categories like dining and office supply stores

If you own a small business and fly Delta often, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card could save you money. With elite-like perks and an annual companion certificate potentially worth hundreds of dollars, this is a great rewards business card for Delta loyalists.

• Limited Time Offer: Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after spending $8,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 10/23/24.
• Enjoy a Companion Certificate each year after renewal of your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card. The Companion Ticket requires payment of the government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights and no more than $250 for roundtrip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
• Earn 1.5X miles* on eligible transit and U.S. shipping purchases, plus single eligible purchases of $5,000 or more. Terms and miles cap apply. *If your purchase qualifies for a category that has a higher mileage accelerator, only the higher accelerator will apply.
• Get closer to elevated Status next Medallion® Year with MQD Headstart and MQD Boost: receive $2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $20 of purchases with your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card.
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card Members save 15% 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.
• With the $120 Resy Credit, earn up to $10 per month in statement credits on eligible Resy purchases using your enrolled Card.
• Earn up to $10 back each month after using your enrolled Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers.
• Not a Medallion Member? Card Members with an eligible ticket will be added to the Complimentary Upgrade list, after Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members and Reserve Card Members. Ticket must be purchased on or after February 1, 2024 to be eligible to receive a complimentary upgrade.
• Elevate your travel experience with an annual statement credit of up to $200 after using your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
• Terms and limitations apply.

Earn 3x miles per every eligible dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta. Earn 1.5x miles on eligible transit, U.S. shipping, U.S. office supply stores, plus all eligible purchases after spending $150,000 in a calendar year. Earn 1x miles on other purchases.

Limited Time Offer: Earn 110,000 bonus miles

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Annual companion certificate that works in first class
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Access to Delta Sky Club and American Express Centurion Lounges when you're flying Delta (Effective 2/1/25, Reserve card members will receive 15 visits per year to the Delta Sky Club and must spend $75,000 or more in total eligible purchases on the card to earn an unlimited number of visits each year going forward)
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Earns 3x miles on eligible Delta purchases
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. No bonus miles on non-Delta purchases

This premium Amex card is a good choice for small-business owners who fly Delta very frequently and can take advantage of upscale perks like Delta Sky Club and Amex Centurion Lounge access, an annual companion certificate, and complimentary upgrades. However, it has the highest annual fee of any Delta business card, so if you aren't able to use these benefits, it won't be worth it.

• Limited Time Offer: Earn 110,000 Bonus Miles after spending $12,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 10/23/24.
• Enter Delta Sky Club® at no cost. Effective 2/1/25, Reserve Card Members will receive 15 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.
• Earn 3 miles per dollar on eligible Delta purchases.
• Get closer to elevated Status next Medallion® Year with MQD Headstart and MQD Boost: receive $2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 on purchases with your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card.
• Receive a Companion Certificate on First Class, Delta Comfort+®, or Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean, or Central American roundtrip flights each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Ticket requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights and no more than $250 for roundtrip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
• With the $240 Resy Credit, earn up to $20 per month in statement credits on eligible Resy purchases using your enrolled Card.
• Earn up to $10 back each month after using your enrolled Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers.
• Save 15% when booking Award Travel on Delta flights. Not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
• Not a Medallion Member? Card Members with an eligible ticket will be added to the Complimentary Upgrade list, after Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members.
• As a benefit of Card Membership, you can check your first bag free on Delta flights, saving up to $70 on a round-trip Delta flight per person. For a family of four that’s a potential savings of up to $280 per round-trip flight.
• When you purchase a Delta flight with your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business Card, you will receive complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge or Escape Lounge – The Centurion® Studio Partner.
• Elevate your travel experience with an annual statement credit of up to $250 after using your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
• Enjoy travel without foreign transaction fees from American Express with your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card.

The companion certificate is essentially a buy-one-get-one coupon. You'll only pay for the taxes and fees of your companion when flying Delta, Delta Connection, and Delta Shuttle flights.

Depending on which card you have, you can use the certificate for travel in economy, or in any class:

• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card: Companion Certificate valid for domestic, Caribbean, or Central American travel in Main Cabin ($350 annual fee)
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card: Companion Certificate valid for domestic, Caribbean, or Central American travel in Main Cabin ($350 annual fee)
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card: Companion Certificate valid for domestic, Caribbean, or Central American travel in Main Cabin, Delta Comfort+, or First Class ($650 annual fee)
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card: Companion Certificate valid for domestic, Caribbean, or Central American travel in Main Cabin, Delta Comfort+, or First Class ($650 annual fee)

As you can see, both Delta Reserve credit cards demand a significantly higher fee because they also offer Delta Sky Club access  and  Amex Centurion lounge access when you're flying Delta. Reserve card members receive 15 Delta Sky Club visits per year, and can earn unlimited visits each year if they spend $75,000 or more on the card on eligible purchases within the prior calendar year.

If you're not sure which of these cards is best for you, check out our comparison of the Delta Platinum and Reserve cards to help decide.

You can't fly just anywhere with a Delta companion certificate

Delta companion certificates can only be booked via Delta's certificate redemption page, and have limitations on where you go, what fare class you book, and which carriers you can travel with.

Here's what you should know: 

Companion certificates are limited to the U.S., Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America

As of February 2024, Delta companion certificates are valid for round-trip flights to all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Mexico, Antigua, Aruba, Bermuda, Bonaire, Grand Cayman, Cuba, Jamaica, Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Dominican Republic, Saint Kitts, St. Maarten, St. Lucia, Costa Rica, Belize, Guatemala, Panama, Honduras, and El Salvador.

Most companion certificate fares require an advance purchase of up to 14 days, for round-trip travel with a minimum of three days and a maximum of 30 days. 

Travelers are eligible for upgrades, based on the highest level of elite status held between both travelers.

Delta companion certificates only work for Delta-operated flights in select fare classes

Holding a companion certificate doesn't mean you can book any flight within the contiguous U.S. You can only purchase flights on Delta, Delta Connection, and Delta Shuttle flights.

You must also pay attention to the specific "fare class" of each cabin. Fare classes are letters airlines use to categorize each seat on the plane that determine qualities such as price, ticket flexibility, eligibility for upgrades, and more.

The following fare classes are eligible for Delta companion certificate travel:

• Main Cabin (Economy):  L, U, T, X, and V fares
• Comfort+: W and S fares, but only when L, U, T, X, and V fares are available in Main Cabin (Delta Reserve cards only)
• Delta Premium Select: A and G fares
• First Class: I and Z fares (Delta Reserve cards only)

The permitted economy fare classes cover most of the cheaper and mid-priced coach fares, as well as some pricier ones. You shouldn't have much trouble finding eligible flights in economy class as long as you're booking at least one month in advance.

You must use your eligible Delta credit card to pay for companion certificate travel

When reserving a companion certificate, you must book with your Delta Platinum or Delta Reserve credit card to activate the benefit. You must also book both seats at the same time. However, you can use Delta eCredits toward companion certificate travel, if you have them. 

You can't combine any web-special fares or eCoupons with your payment method. Also, you cannot use Delta miles in tandem with a Delta companion certificate. You must purchase your fare with your eligible card to qualify.

The Delta companion certificate can be one of the most valuable ongoing credit card benefits in the travel credit card world — but only if you can use it, and know how to do so effectively. 

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, please click here.

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, please click here.

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, please click here.

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card, please click here.

Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards .

Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.

**Enrollment required.

Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Trip Delay Insurance, Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance, and Cell Phone Protection Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. Global Assist Hotline Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. If approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, Card Members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. Extended Warranty, Purchase Protection, and Baggage Insurance Plan Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

Watch: While Delta's business is 'extremely robust,' the airline's marketing chief stays focused on the data

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UponArriving

Delta Companion Certificate Rules and Guide [2022]

While Delta has some awesome flight attendants that go out of their way, Delta also provides a unique credit card benefit called the Delta companion certificate. Issued once a year, you can use the companion certificate to have someone fly with you for free. It’s basically your own BOGO flight deal.

In the article, I will explain how to get the Delta companion certificate and how to use the Delta companion certificate along with the limitations, rules, restrictions, and what all you can do with the certificate.

Table of Contents

What is the Delta companion certificate?

The Delta companion certificate is a certificate that can be used to buy two roundtrip tickets for the price of one plus taxes and fees of the companion ticket. That means you essentially get an extra ticket for free when you buy one ticket, which can save you hundreds of dollars.

The Delta companion certificate is given as a benefit to cardholders that hold certain Delta co-branded American Express credit cards. It’s a similar concept to the Alaska Airlines companion pass that is given by their co-branded credit card.

Below I go into detail about the Delta companion certificate outlining everything you need to know.

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

How to get the Delta companion certificate

The only way to get a Delta companion certificate is to hold one of the Delta co-branded American Express credit cards that offer the companion certificate as a benefit.

Platinum Delta SkyMiles Credit Card

• 2 miles per dollar on Delta purchases
• Priority boarding
• First checked bag free
• 20% off in-flight purchases
• Annual fee $250 (not waived)
• Annual 1 time main cabin companion certificate
• Annual miles and MQMs after spend requirement

The Platinum Delta SkyMiles Credit Card allows you to earn the companion certificate along with other benefits like annual MQMs and waiving the MQD requirement. These are all on top of standard benefits like a free first bag and priority boarding.

Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business American Express Card

The business version of the Platinum Delta SkyMiles Credit Card has the same benefits as the personal card. It is great if you don’t want to take a Chase 5/24 slot.

Delta Reserve Credit Card

• Annual fee $450 (not waived)
• Annual 1 time first class, Comfort+ or main cabin companion certificate
• Delta SkyClub access

The Delta Reserve Credit Card gives you more unique benefits when flying Delta than other Delta co-branded cards like Delta SkyClub access, increased MQMs, and more flexible companion certificate as it allows you to redeem for first class, Comfort+, and main cabin.

Delta Skymiles Reserve Business American Express Card

The business version of the Delta Reserve Credit Card is exactly the same as the personal version with all the same benefits. This card would be great if you don’t want to take a Chase 5/24 slot.

Related: How much are Delta SkyMiles worth?

When you get your Delta companion certificate

Each of these cards gives the Delta companion certificate as a benefit once you have the card for one year and it renews with the annual fee hitting your statement.

For example, if you apply for one of the cards above on July 30th, 2022, you will receive the annual companion certificate when your annual fee hits July 30th, 2023.

This means you have to pay two annual fees, one at sign-up (if it’s not waived the first year) and then again at your card application anniversary date.

Once you are eligible to receive the companion certificate, it will show under your account’s eCertificates and eCredits page or by typing in the certificate number manually.

Delta companion certificate ticket rules and restrictions

Rules for the Delta companion certificate are pretty strict and are as follows:

Destination and itinerary restrictions

• The companion certificate can only be used within the contiguous 48 states, unless you’re a resident of Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands then you can originate from your state or territory outside of the contiguous 48 US states.

The companion certificate can only be used within the contiguous 48 states.

That makes it rather limiting if you wanted a more expensive use to Hawaii or Alaska as getting one ticket for free to Hawaii or Alaska can save you hundreds. However, if you’re a resident of Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands you can originate from your state or territory.

An example would be, if you live in Hawaii and want to go to New York, you can use the companion certificate originating from Hawaii, but cannot use it from New York to Hawaii.

• Must be used for a roundtrip ticket.

Roundtrip tickets also make it rather limiting as you might just want one-way or multi-city, but cannot use the certificate for either of those.

Expiration and deadline

• Valid for one year from the issuing date. Cannot be extended and must be used before the certificate expiration date.
• Travel must be completed before the expiration date.

The biggest thing to remember is that these expire and cannot be rolled over to the next year.

Eligible fare classes

• Platinum Delta SkyMiles Credit Cards can only use the companion certificate for fare classes L, U, T, X, and V (economy class, aka main cabin and not basic economy.)
• Delta Reserve Credit Cards can only use the companion certificate for fare classes I and Z (first class) and W (Comfort+) and L, U, T, X, and V (economy class, aka main cabin and not basic economy.)

Rules like these limit the companion certificate when it comes to peak travel season to popular destinations, like Christmas or Thanksgiving, as only discounted fare classes work with the certificate.

Back when I wanted to use my companion certificate to get from Detroit (DTW) to Los Angeles (LAX) I couldn’t use the certificate during Christmas 3 weeks in advance as the fare classes weren’t available. Luckily, other times of the year I have no trouble using the certificate on short notice.

Passenger requirements

• The certificate must be redeemed from the account it was issued by, but travel doesn’t have to be completed by the certificate holder.

The one positive aspect about the companion certificate, besides saving you money, is the fact it can be used for anyone. The only thing you have to remember when using the certificate is the fact it must be used from the account that it is issued for.

For example, I can use the certificate that is issued for me for two of my friends and I don’t need to be flying with my friends.

Payment methods

• You cannot use eCredit with the companion certificate.
• You must use an American Express credit or charge card to pay for the flight.

Upgrades and mileage earnings

• The companion doesn’t earn any miles, MQMs, MQSs, or MQDs only the primary ticket can earn miles, MQMs, MQSs, and MQDs.
• Medallion complimentary upgrades and regional upgrade certificates can apply to companion certificates allowing you to get upgrades as a medallion elite.

Luckily you can receive your Medallion benefits when using the companion certificate, but you cannot use miles or pay for upgrades when using the companion certificate.

Taxes and fees

• The companion only has to pay taxes and fees up to $75.

Steps of how to use the Delta companion certificate

It’s fairly easy to use the Delta companion certificate if you’re following the rules stated above.

Step 1: Finding your Delta companion certificate

To use the Delta companion certificate go directly to eCertificates and eCredits and login at the bottom of the page. Yes, you can search for the certificate by the certificate number first, but Delta requires the certificate holder to login. So, it’s best to log in at the beginning.

If you want to find just your Delta companion certificate, you can find it in the email sent to you from Delta when your companion certificate is issued. This would also be around the same time as the credit card anniversary.

You can see your issued certificates and eCredits when you are logged in. It will show what fare classes you can use your certificate for, expiration date, and the conditions. Remember you cannot use other eCredits with your companion certificate.

Select the companion certificate you want to use and click continue.

Step 2: Searching for a Delta companion ticket

When the certificate is applied, the certificate should show at the top of the page after hitting continue. This will display all relevant information like the expiration date and certificate number.

Below that, enter in the departure and arrival airport information you desire with the dates you wish to travel. Once you’re finished, click “find flights”.

Notice the passenger count is already set to 2 passengers; that cannot be changed to more passengers.

When searching for the flights, the results shown is what you can use the certificate on. That means if the flight you are looking for is not showing, then there is no availability based on the fare classes not being available.

Notice I am using the companion pass issued by the Delta Platinum SkyMiles Credit Card. That means only main cabin economy tickets will be available for me. If I was using the Delta Reserve companion certificate, then it would be showing first class, Comfort+, and main cabin economy.

Step 3: Paying for the Delta companion ticket

After selecting your departing and returning flights, you will see the summary page. Only taxes and fees are charged for the companion.

Be aware, you can only use American Express credit or debit cards when the companion certificate is applied. You cannot use eCredit or gift cards when it’s applied.

However, you can use any American Express issued card, it doesn’t have to be one of the Delta co-branded American Express cards. I love to use my American Express Platinum Charge Card so I can earn 5X Membership Rewards points when purchasing tickets directly from airlines.

Delta companion certificate FAQ

Unfortunately, no. You cannot pay with miles when you have your companion certificate applied. You can only pay with any American Express issued card. I recommend paying with the American Express Platinum Charge Card as it gives you 5X Membership Rewards points for each dollar spent on airfare bought directly from an airline’s website.

Nope. You must be traveling within the contiguous 48 US states. However, if you’re a resident of Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands you can originate from your state or territory traveling to the contiguous 48 states.

No, you cannot use miles to upgrade from economy to first class when it’s a companion certificate issued ticket. The only way to upgrade is Medallion complimentary upgrades or using regional upgrade certificates.

Nope, you can you use the Delta companion certificate any time of the year without blackout dates. However, it’s still based on the fare classes being available. Platinum Delta SkyMiles Credit Cards can only use the companion certificate for fare classes L, U, T, X, and V (economy class, aka main cabin and not basic economy.) Delta Reserve Credit Cards can only use the companion certificate for fare classes I and Z (first class) and W (Comfort+) and L, U, T, X, and V (economy class, aka main cabin and not basic economy.) If those fares aren’t available, you cannot use the companion certificate.

Terms and conditions state certificates and eCredit cannot be bought or sold. If found out, Delta has the right to terminate your account. Yes, it’s highly unlikely for Delta to terminate your account for selling a companion certificate, but keep in mind you cannot transfer these tickets as they make the certificate holder login making it hard to sell.

You cannot transfer the companion certificate to someone else, but it can be used by the certificate holder for others without the certificate holder flying.

Yes, you can keep your companion certificate. Once the certificate is issued, you can keep your companion certificate until the expiration date. That means you can cancel your Delta co-branded American Express card after the companion certificate is issued and still keep the certificate.

Yes, in fact, you can hold all 4 Delta co-branded American Express credit cards receiving 4 companion certificates.

The Delta companion certificate was one of my favorite credit card bonuses when I used to fly a lot in the USA. However, it’s rather limiting when it comes to restricting the travel to roundtrip only. Still, it can give you great value and savings when ticket prices are a little too high.

This article was originally published by Steve Smith.

Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and the credit card app, WalletFlo . He is a former attorney turned travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, and CNBC. Read my bio .

22 comments

I have an upcoming flight where I’m the “companion” and my wife is the primary ticket holder. However, there is now a good chance she won’t be able to make the trip now and the cancelation fee is more than we originally paid for the trip. If she can’t make the flight, can I, as the companion, still travel without the primary ticket holding on the flight? I heard if the primary ticket holder doesn’t travel, they will cancel her ticket which will cancel the companion ticket and then I’ll just be screwed! Do you know anything about this?

Chad…Did you ever get an answer to your question? I am in the exact same situation and can’t find the answer anywhere. Can my daughter fly using a companion certificate if I can’t make the trip?

Chad what did you find out on your question about if the primary on the campanion ticket can’t go, can the companion still go on the flight?

Hi, I just called AMEX to cancel my Delta Platinum and they said my companion certificate would be void upon cancellation. Just letting you know. They said I could downgrade to a $0 annual fee card to keep it

Thanks for the helpful datapoint!

Thanks for this recap – I know it says in the Terms that a Companion Certificate is not refundable… but is that even if the trip is cancelled within the 24 hours?! I booked… and then realized I messed up my dates. So, “no problem” I thought… I will just cancel and rebook. But I am now learning that there seems to be NO way or method that anyone can put back a Companion Certificate once transacted. And of course, you simply can’t talk to anyone about this… on hold for 4 hours now… for the 9th day in a row… really lousy…

I figured this out literally 2 minutes after I clicked book. It’s a scam. Geez I have enough stress in my life without delta making it complicated. Another buyer beware.

Does anyone know if the companion also gets their first checked bag free? I can’t seem to find this info anywhere.

Yes they do. They get the same benefits as the companion as they are on the same reservation.

I am trying to book a flight to Seattle Washington for August and it’s only October and it shows already sold out. I see that all the and so find it hard to believe. In the past I have called and over the phone some how all of a sudden there is availability. So I will try that again, but find it frustrating that they are not straight with us and make it easy. I ke when I just try to book regular there are plenty of economy class seats left.

Does anyone know if you have taken the first part of your trip and need to either change the return date, do they allow that. Also what if on the return only the primary is flying back due to a change of plans, will they allow you to board without your companion

Following! I may have a similar situation brewing.

See my comment September 8, 2022 at 7:28 am. Per a Delta Rep, you must stay with your companion the entire roundtrip.

I got a different answer from Delta than Charles G.

If the primary traveler does not show up for the return flight, the Companion will be permitted to board and complete the return flight. The primary traveler will be marked as a no-show after the flight departs. No credit or refund will be issued for the primary traveler, but the Companion can complete the return leg without having the primary traveler along for the ride.

Joe R. – did you actually try that yet and did it work? I need to send my companion home on the return flight without me (the primary). Will he be able to fly? And how do I handle the fact that the system seems to automatically check me in for my flight? Any help you can give is appreciated! Thanks.

I am purchasing a RT ticket ATL-Rochester, NY to visit a friend. After a few days in Rochester, I plan to use my companion certificate to fly us to Phoenix. There are no nonstop flights between these destinations. The return flight has a layover in ATL where we switch planes. I’d love to get off the flight at that point since I live in ATL. Otherwise, I return to Rochester with my friend, sit in the airport for 5 hours, and return to ATL! I contacted a Delta service rep, and it appears the certificate holder must stay with his/her companion on the entire leg of the trip. Bummer!

It doesn’t seem to be true that you get your companion certificate on your card renewal date. My card anniversary was last week, and the certificate is not showing up on my Delta account. Amex customer service says it takes 8-12 weeks to post. I was planning to use the certificate for a flight next month, but it looks like it could be 4 months until it’s available.

Can you use a companion certificate if the primary is using an Award Ticket?

I have several Companion Certificates that will expire soon and would like to use 2 of them for an upcoming flight that I would be bringing 2 guests along with me. I’m finding it hard to do this on Delta site. Is it possible to use 2 certificates?

Can I use a companion certificate to fly into one city but fly out of a different city? I don’t see that it’s an option, but double checking.

Joe R. – did you actually try that yet and did it work? I need to send my companion home on the return flight without me (the primary). Will he be able to fly? And how do I handle the fact that the system seems to automatically check me in for my flight? Any help you can give is appreciated! Thanks.

Did anyone successfully send their companion without the primary on the return flight? I need to travel for business and my daughter will need to return home without me (primary). I’m find with them marking me as no-show and losing the money for the return trip, I just need her to be able to return home.

Comments are closed.

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How To Earn, Use, and Maximize a Delta Companion Certificate

Reviewed by Tyler Glatt

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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 retail store, the same idea extends to air travel. In particular, many airlines, including Delta, offer fliers the chance 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, and 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.

Here's what you need to know about how to earn and redeem a Delta companion certificate — and then how to maximize it.

Page Contents

How To Earn a Delta Companion Certificate

How to locate your companion certificates, how to use a delta companion certificate, how to maximize a delta companion certificate, final thoughts, what fare classes are eligible for delta companion certificate use, where can i fly with my delta companion certificate, are there any blackout dates for my delta companion certificate, can i use my delta companion certificate if i am not traveling.

The easiest thing about Delta's companion certificate is earning it. All you need to do is hold an eligible Delta credit card for a year. Then, on your cardmember anniversary, Delta will issue you a companion certificate — and on each anniversary after that. 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-tier cards receive a companion certificate on Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean, or Central American round-trip flights to select destinations each year. Note that domestic now includes Hawaii and Alaska for non-residents, too.

Reserve-tier card members can book round-trip travel to the same destinations in any cabin. However, the Reserve cards also charge a higher annual fee.

• Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Enjoy complimentary access to the Delta Sky Club. Effective 2/1/25, Reserve Card Members will receive 15 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. Once all 15 Visits have been used, Eligible Card Members may purchase additional Delta Sky Club Visits at a per-Visit rate of $50 per person using the Card.
• Receive four Delta Sky Club® One-Time Guest Passes each year when you fly Delta so you can share the experience with family and friends.
• Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge when you book a Delta flight with your Reserve Card.
• Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year and get closer to Status with MQD Headstart.
• Earn $1 Medallion® Qualification Dollar for each $10 of purchases made on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card in a calendar year and get a boost toward achieving elevated Medallion Status for next Medallion Year.
• Receive a Companion Certificate on First Class, Delta Comfort+®, or Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean, or Central American round-trip flights each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Ticket requires payment of the government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for round-trip domestic flights and no more than $250 for round-trip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
• $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
• $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express 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.
• With your Card receive upgrade priority over other Medallion Members within the same Medallion level and fare class.
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members with an eligible ticket will be added to the Complimentary Upgrade list, after Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members.
• Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• $650 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.

Related: The Ultimate Guide to Delta SkyMiles

Delta companion certificates are easy to earn and easily accessible — both online and in the airline's 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 ” at the top of the screen and select “ Certificates & 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.

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, you'll see additional information about the companion certificate. Here, you can find the issue date, certificate number, and reference code. Most importantly, you'll also see eligible booking classes.

For certificates earned from a Platinum Delta Amex or Delta Business Platinum 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 W or S fares in Comfort+, provided the L, U, T, X, and V fares are available in Main Cabin.

Once you select a Delta 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, companion certificates now work for flights to and from Hawaii. Delta happens to fly the longest scheduled domestic routing in the U.S. between Boston and Honolulu. The 5,095-mile flight doesn't come cheap, and if that travel is over a holiday weekend, the price climbs even more.

Thankfully, a companion certificate virtually halves the cost for two travelers. For a sample one-week trip between Boston (BOS) and Honolulu (HNL) spanning Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend in January, Delta's direct flight offers the quickest possible trip:

Fortunately, there are eligible fare classes for using a companion certificate on these exact flights. As a result, would-be travelers save over $800!

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 round-trip domestic flights and, at most, $250 on international flights. Applying the companion certificate eliminates the base fare and the $32 per passenger U.S. Transportation Tax.

When used optimally, the Delta companion certificate more than covers the card's annual fee. Thankfully, Delta makes these certificates 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 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 .

All certificates can book L, U, T, X, and V fares, while Reserve cardmembers also can book W, S, I, and Z fares.

The certificate now includes round-trip flights to Hawaii, Alaska, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and the continental United States.

There are no blackout dates for these certificates. However, use depends on fare class availability.

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 )

The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

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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.

This is my experience as well. More than once, I searched Delta’s site for qualifying fares classes to use companion certificate, but when I started over, and had to check Use certificate, miraculously, nothing matched my request.

P2 and I had Delta Platinum cards, and I always had to use ITA searches to find legs that met the fare class requirements. Then with that data, chat with an agent to get it booked with a companion certificate. Once, I had the agent reply that it was weird that the certificate search yielded no results, but when he manually built the itinerary, it worked.

I am glad that I am not the only one who constantly finds difficulty using these certs. I definitely think Delta plays with inventory so cardholders can’t use the cert. I complained to Delta, that at 11 month mark, there should be seats that allow use of the cert because inventory should be available in every fare bucket, at 331 day mark. When I have called the same thing happens, suddenly there are available seats.

Delta has a huge scammy side of their business and this cert definitely qualifies for that. I used to trust Delta as they were more reliable in the flying experience, but after a couple things they did to us, I try to avoid Delta now. We were able to use this year’s cert rather easily to Puerto Vallarta, MX. But the $350 AF for a sometimes unusable cert does not work for me. Forget the bags, every airline’s CC gives free checked bags. It is the 2 fer cert that attracts new cardholders! I guess Delta doesn’t care after they suckered in customers…

Travel on Point(s)

• How To Quickly Search & Use Delta Companion Certificates

• July 24, 2024
• Mark Ostermann

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Travel on Point(s) is an independent, advertising-supported website. This site is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites like Creditcards.com and Bankrate.com. This compensation does not impact how or where products appear on this site. Travel on Point(s) has not reviewed all available credit card offers on this site. Reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any partner entities.

How To Use Delta Companion Certificates

While the Delta credit cards are some of the worst cards out there, in terms of earning on every day spend, they are one of the most popular cards on the market. The amount of swipes that end up on Delta Amex cards is actually staggering. While the cards don't earn all that well, they do offer some decent perks at times. One of those perks, of the premium cards at least, are the Delta companion certificates. These allow you to take a flight BOGO of sorts (besides taxes and fees). But, how do you use Delta companion certificates? Even more than that, how do you quickly search for flights that qualify for this credit card “perk”? In the past it was so bad that many went unused each and every year? Not any more, since I am here to give you the keys to the kingdom on just that!

Table of Contents

What Credit Cards Earn Delta Companion Certificates?

While Delta cards come in as many colors as Joseph's technicolor dreamcoat, not every card comes with a Delta companion certificate. It is reserved (pun intended) for the premium cards in the Delta credit card lineup. That would include the following cards:

• Good for main cabin roundtrip fare
• Acceptable on fare classes L, U, T, X, V
• Good for main cabin, comfort plus, or domestic first class
• Acceptable on fare classes L, U, T, X, V, I, Z ,W

These companion certificates are issued on your credit card's anniversary. Basically when your annual fee is charged you should see these bad boys hitting your account. They will only show up after the first 12 months, so on your second annual fee. The first annual fee being the one you paid when signing up for the card, assuming it wasn't waived as a part of the welcome offer.

My Experience

My experience using my Delta companion certificates was easier than ever this year. That is because a few years ago Delta revamped the system for these, which made searching for eligible awards so much easier. I'll give you a step by step guide on how to use Delta companion certificates after recently doing just that.

Step 1: Locate Your Delta Companion Certificates

I find this easier to do on the computer. Actually, I book almost all of my flights on a computer. It is just a better process for me. Anyway, back to finding your Delta companion certificates that were earned from paying the annual fee on your credit card.

Once you log into your Delta Skymiles account you will want to click My Profile and then select Certificates, eCredits & Vouchers from the drop down menu.

Step 2: Select The Delta Companion Certificate You Want To Use

You may have more than one Delta companion certificate, so be sure to select the correct one if you do. When you select the companion certificate it will also show you what fare classes are acceptable for booking. (Just in case you forget which ones are listed in the breakdown above). Not that it matters as much anymore though, with the improved search functionality Delta rolled out they take the guess work out of it.

Select your Delta companion certificate and hit Continue . (It hides at the bottom there which I missed early on)

Step 3: Search Your Desired Routes

Once you have selected your Delta companion certificate and hit continue, you will be taken to the standard Delta search screen. You will want to enter in your desired airports and dates for flying. Be sure to select the My Dates Are Flexible box to get an idea of how available flights are that are compatible with the companion certificates. Once you have done that select Search .

Step 4: View Your Delta Fare Calendar

On the next screen you should see a list of flights for the next week or so, assuming you clicked the my dates are flexible box. As you can see here, every single day has flights that are available to be used with a Delta companion certificate. This is notated under the fare amount for the day in green, where it says certificate applied. The lowest fare on the calendar will also be highlighted in green ($411 above). Pick the dates that work best for your needs and select Continue to see the flight times and routes available to you.

Step 5: Select Your Preferred Routing

The next step on how to use your Delta companion certificates is selecting the best flights for your schedule. I was doing the search with a Delta Reserve companion certificate, so that means every class of service offered should be available. At least if it the flight's fare code is one of the acceptable options.

If you look above the first two flights have main cabin, comfort+ and first class listed, but only 5 of the 6 options are available to book. That is because the first class flight that leaves at 8:54 AM didn't fall into one of the allowed fare buckets.

If you were using one of the Delta Platinum cards, then only the main cabin flights that work would be shown.

I decided to stick with the main cabin option because the other two were too much of a markup for me to use my companion cert on. This credit card perk saved me around $400 (after paying taxes and fees) on our flight though!

Step 6: Using Delta eCredits With Companion Certificates

The last thing I wanted to show you was a really consumer friendly change that Delta made a while back. You can now combine flight credits with your companion certificate. Plus, the ecredits can work towards the taxes and fees for the companion certificate user. I should clarify that is only the case if they have credits in their name as well. My son and I both had a chunk of flight credits from a previous flight cancellation, so we were able to drop the amount due to $0 after applying both of our available credits.

Other Nice Quirks Of The Delta Companion Pass Program

There are some other quirks of the Delta companion pass program that I wanted to highlight.

Delta recently made these certificates a lot more useful after adding these destinations as bookable options (any certificate issued after 2/1/24):

• Central America
• The Caribbean

Here are some other notable quirks you should know about when figuring out how to use your Delta companion certificates:

• That can be confusing, but they have improved that verbiage on the newer certificates.
• We had a couple of people confirm this in the Facebook group.
• Sometimes you can still end up in a Delta One seat when the aircraft is on a positioning flight etc. though.
• But, you can select who is considered the primary passenger.
• This is probably the most unique / cool thing about these Delta companion certificates.

If there are any other quirks of the Delta companion pass program let me know in the ToP Facebook Group and I will add them in.

How To Use Delta Companion Certificates: ToP Thoughts

Hopefully this guide on how to use Delta companion certificates makes the process a bit easier for you. I know many people used to let these go unused because they were so hard to search and find flights that worked. That shouldn't be the case anymore with the new updates and changes. These can help offset some of those annual fees if you think the cards are a long term keeper for your needs. The certificates should post within the annual fee refund window if you don't plan on keeping the card another year, which is a nice farewell gift.

Let me know what flights you have booked with your Delta companion passes over in the ToP Facebook Group .

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Is the Delta Reserve Amex worth the annual fee?

Editor's Note

The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is the most premium cobranded card Amex and Delta Air Lines offer, with a steep annual fee of $650 (see rates and fees ).

When you get into cards with $400-plus annual fees, you should receive premium benefits and outsize value.

So, let's take a look and see if the Delta Reserve card is worth the annual fee.

Welcome offer

For a limited time, the Delta SkyMiles Reserve card offers new cardmembers 100,000 bonus miles after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases in the first six months of cardmembership.

TPG's September 2024 valuations peg Delta SkyMiles at 1.2 cents per mile, making this offer worth $1,200. This offer ends Oct. 23.

Not everyone may be eligible for a welcome offer, especially if you are upgrading from other SkyMiles Amex cards. Fortunately, American Express will inform you if you're ineligible for this card's welcome offer before performing a hard pull on your credit.

Related: The best time to apply for these popular American Express cards based on offer history

Earning rates

The Delta Reserve card earns Delta SkyMiles . This card earns 3 miles per dollar on all Delta purchases and 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases. Based on TPG's September 2024 valuations , these rates equate to a 3.6% and 1.2% return on spending, respectively.

Other cards have a higher return on spending than 1.2% on everyday purchases, but if you are a Delta frequent flyer, the Sky Club access and other benefits can help to offset this.

Related: Best premium credit cards

Earn Medallion status faster

The Delta Reserve comes with a helpful way to qualify for Medallion status .

For every $10 you spend, you will earn 1 Medallion Qualification Dollar. Additionally, cardmembers receive 2,500 MQDs deposited into their SkyMiles account every Medallion qualification year.

This is a great way to get a jump-start on earning those valuable MQDs that help you earn Medallion elite status.

Related: Secure a better seat! The ultimate guide to getting upgraded on Delta flights

Useful credits

Ride-hailing statement credit.

The Delta Reserve has a monthly up-to-$10 statement credit (up to $120 every calendar year) after you use your card to pay for an eligible ride-hailing service. This credit is valid on select ride-hailing services in the U.S. Enrollment is required; terms apply.

Related: Uber unveils new family, group features to simplify the travel experience

Resy statement credits

Food lovers will appreciate that the Delta Reserve has monthly up-to-$20 Resy credits . Cardmembers can receive up to $20 monthly in statement credits on eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants (up to $240 per calendar year).

Any restaurant on Resy is eligible for the credit if you pay using your Delta Reserve card. Enrollment is required; terms apply.

Amex states: "Eligible Resy purchases include purchases at U.S. restaurants that offer reservations on Resy.com and the Resy app, purchases made directly on Resy.com or in the Resy app, and purchases made via Resy Pay. Restaurants must be live on Resy.com or the Resy app at time of purchase to be eligible for the statement credit and are subject to change at any time. Purchases of Resy OS restaurant management software are not eligible."

Related: Better food and more options: Why I value Priority Pass' airport restaurant credit over lounge access

Delta Stays statement credit

Delta Reserve cardmembers receive an annual statement credit of up to $200 each calendar year for Delta Stays bookings. You must book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta to receive the credit. If used to its maximum value, this can get you one to two nights for free at a hotel or vacation home, depending on the destination's cost.

Lounge access

Currently, Reserve cardmembers have unlimited access to Delta Sky Clubs. You can bring up two guests for $50 per person. You will not be allowed in the lounge if you are a cardmember flying on a basic economy ticket.

However, starting Feb. 1, 2025, Delta Reserve cardmembers will receive only 15 visits to Delta Sky Clubs annually. Once you have used all 15 visits, you can use your card to purchase one-time passes for $50.

However, if you spend over $75,000 on the card in 2024, you will receive unlimited visits in 2025. This will continue year by year moving forward if you continue to meet the spending requirement each year. Cardmembers also receive four guest passes per year.

Cardmembers receive access to Centurion Lounges or Escape lounges when you book a Delta flight on your card. This access is unlimited for the cardmember, and they may bring up to two guests for $50 per adult and $30 per child aged 2-17.

Related: Best credit cards for airport lounge access

Companion certificate

Cardmembers of the Delta Reserve get a companion certificate each year after renewal. This companion certificate allows you to buy two round-trip tickets for the price of one, plus taxes and fees of no more than $80 for round-trip domestic flights and no more than $250 for round-trip international flights.

This companion certificate is valid in first class, Comfort+ or Main Cabin on domestic (including Alaska and Hawaii), Caribbean and Central American round-trip routes. Terms apply.

If you use this certificate on a first-class ticket, you can recoup the cost of the annual fee from this benefit alone. Additionally, you can get outsize value by using it to travel in Main Cabin to a popular destination during peak season.

Related: Delta Vacations enhances earning rates and redemption value for SkyMiles members

Other benefits

The Delta Reserve card comes with myriad other useful benefits, such as:

• Complimentary upgrades: Cardmembers who don't have Delta SkyMiles Medallion status are eligible to receive complimentary upgrades for Delta One (within the 50 U.S. States), first class and Comfort+ after Medallion members
• 15% off all Delta-operated award flights in any cabin of service (I use this perk frequently when I am looking to book last-minute domestic transcontinental flights)
• Priority boarding in Zone 5
• Free checked bags (first bag free for the cardmember and up to eight people traveling on the same reservation)
• A $120 credit (starting Oct. 1, 2024) for Global Entry every four years or up to an $85 credit for TSA PreCheck every 4½ years
• 20% back on inflight purchases of food and drink (inflight Wi-Fi purchases not included)
• Travel protections
• Enrollment is required for select card benefits; terms apply

Related: Your complete guide to shopping protections on American Express cards

Bottom line

The Delta Reserve card is the top-tier card in the SkyMiles Amex family. It offers lounge access and other benefits, such as the companion certificate.

If you are a Delta loyalist and value Sky Club access and a faster path to Medallion elite status, this can be a great fit, with numerous benefits to help offset the high annual fee.

If you don't fly Delta frequently, however, there are other cards you should consider adding to your wallet .

To learn more, read our full review of the Delta Reserve card .

Apply here: Delta SkyMiles Reserve

Related: The complete guide to credit card annual fees

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve, click here .

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‘I still imagine being there:’ A trip through memories of Ukrainian cities in tatters from Russia's war

Russia’s now-10-year war against Ukraine has affected every inch of the country, but no other region has taken the brunt of Russian aggression like Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, comprised of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.

While the initial eight years of Russia's invasion only affected a handful of eastern Ukrainian cities, towns, and villages, some 200 have now been heavily impacted by Russia’s full-scale invasion of 2022, according to Ukrainian authorities.

At least 35 settlements continue to experience active combat, while others have ceased to exist almost entirely, such as Volnovakha , Bakhmut , or Marinka in Donetsk Oblast.

“The town of Marinka no longer exists,” then-Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zalyzhnyi told a news conference in late December 2023.

Each damaged or destroyed town and city carries with it a human toll. Thousands have been killed and over a million have been displaced from the country’s eastern regions since 2014.

Between 2014 and 2021, Russia’s war killed 3,400 civilians and injured 9,000, according to the UN. The number of civilian casualties almost tripled when Russia unleashed its full-scale invasion, with 9,700 dead and 17,750 wounded.

Half of the casualties after 2022 were recorded in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.

Ukrainian authorities say, however, that the civilian casualties in occupied territories are impossible to count. Ukraine has said that in Mariupol alone, at least 11,000 civilians could have been killed during Russia’s months-long siege between February and May 2022.

It’s unclear if these places will ever be rebuilt. Even if they are, they changed forever.

The Kyiv Independent has compiled a series of photographs showcasing the stark contrast between what these places looked like before and after the full-scale invasion, alongside locals' memories of cities destroyed or on the brink of destruction.

Mariupol, Donetsk Oblast

When Kateryna Kovalchuk stole a book on Mariupol's old architecture from the school library, little did she know that 15 years later, it would serve as her sole connection to her hometown.

Russia’s months-long siege of Mariupol devastated the strategic port city before its forces seized control of it in May 2022. The UN estimates that at least 90% of the city’s residential buildings were damaged or destroyed by the onslaught.

Kovalchuk flips through the book to show the Kyiv Independent her favorite building, the House with Lions. The Art Nouveau mansion built at the turn of the 20th century was impossible to miss among the austere Soviet buildings around it.

She recalls taking walks before the full-scale invasion, saying that she liked to imagine what the city must have looked like 100 years ago.

“I still imagine being there,” Kovalchuk told the Kyiv Independent.

All of Mariupol’s main streets lead to a city garden overlooking the Azov Sea, a popular spot with locals.

From the garden, one also had a view of the gigantic Azovstal steel plant, the Ukrainian military’s last stronghold in Mariupol that is now synonymous with Ukraine’s defense of the city in the early days of the full-scale invasion.

Russia’s brutal siege of Mariupol, once home to 500,000 people, heavily damaged the Azovstal plant, Kovalchuk’s home, and the House with Lions.

Kovalchuk said she doesn't recognize the footage of the hometown she used to explore.

"What scares me the most is that (sometimes) I can't even recognize any landmarks," she said.

Andrii Kiurdzhiev also hung out at the observation deck in the city garden. He loved watching people calmly staring at the horizon during the eight years he lived in Mariupol.

Two years after fleeing, he is still attached to Mariupol’s seaside.

“I can’t imagine how it is possible to live in a city without the sea,” Kiurdzhiev told the Kyiv Independent.

Avdiivka, Donetsk Oblast

Andrii Kiurdzhiev fled his native Avdiivka in June 2014 after Kremlin-backed proxies captured the town and a string of others in April 2014.

To escape the fighting around Avdiivka, he moved 100 kilometers south to the city of Mariupol, which had recently been liberated by Ukrainian forces in June 2014 after a month under Russian proxy control.

Ukraine managed to retake both places in the summer of 2014. But as of the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Russia has captured both cities, practically razing them to the ground in the process.

After months of intense battles, Ukrainian troops were forced to withdraw from Avdiivka in late February 2023 as it became increasingly clear that Russian forces were close to encircling them.

Once home to almost 30,000 people, the city has been flattened to something resembling a large plot of land scattered with the occasional carcass of a destroyed building.

The coke plant — central to the town’s life and the Ukrainian military’s last stronghold in the city — has been taken over by Russian troops.

Kiurdzhiev worked at the plant maintaining one of its turbines. After shifts, he said he would grab his guitar and ride his bicycle to a nearby quarry.

The apartment building where Kiurdzhiev used to live collapsed after it was struck in a Russian attack in October 2023. After seeing footage of the rubble that used to be his home, Kiurdzhiev said he just hoped his bicycle was still in the basement.

Remembering the town, he says it felt like a “dream suburban city compared to American standards, just without the white picket fences.”

After losing two homes to Russia’s 10-year war, Kiurdzhiev says he’s emotionally drained.

"I have no home, nothing. Now I need to survive and search for a new place to call home rather than lamenting the loss of the old one," Kiurdzhiev told the Kyiv Independent from Lviv, where he lives now.

Kurakhove, Donetsk Oblast

West of Avdiivka, daily Russian missile attacks constantly hit the small but strategic town of Kurakhove in Donetsk Oblast.

Before the war, the predominantly industrial Kurakhove, located on the banks of a large water reservoir, had little to offer its residents. Iryna Ivanchenko and her friends spent most of their time outdoors in nature.

She says they used to go to the bank opposite their homes and walk through the bushes to a hilltop. They’d watch the sunset and stare up at the sky full of stars for hours, she remembers.

Today, civilians can't reach this high ground as it's considered militarily strategic.

"Many places related to my childhood have been destroyed, including the House of Culture where I used to dance, my kindergarten, and school," Ivanchenko told the Kyiv Independent.

“I'm afraid of losing my home and never being able to return because the Russians are razing cities in Donbas to the ground,” she said.

Ivanchenko said that after her classroom survived a Russian attack, she held onto some hope that the school could be rebuilt.

But the last time she was in Kurakhove to visit her parents who have remained in July 2023, the classroom hadn't made it through another Russian attack.

“I don’t have any place now where I could bring my future children and say, your mom spent time here or studied here,” she said.

Niu-York, Donetsk Oblast

A similar strategically important hilltop is located some 50 kilometers east of Kurakhovke in the town of Niu-York, Donetsk Oblast.

The high point offers a 360-degree view of an area that has been a war theater for the last 10 years.

The Russian-occupied city of Horlivka and the road connecting it with Toretsk are visible to the naked eye six kilometers east down the hill. Other occupied or destroyed settlements are also in sight.

The hilltop was an unofficial landfill before a group of young people got together to clean it up in May 2021, said Khrystyna Shevchenko, a local who led the NGO Youth Initiative of Ukrainian Niu-York.

“Coming here to the hilltop, young people understand (the real) a dream of liberating Horlivka as well as a free and independent Ukraine,” Shevchenko told the Kyiv Independent.

The group also worked on efforts to rename the city from its Soviet name Novhorodske to its original name, Niu-York.

German settlers in the 19th century had given the area the name Niu-York after the American city. The Soviets renamed it to sound Russian. Its original name was officially reinstated in July 2021.

The war had been near for years, but this didn’t get in the way of local teenagers from using the hill as a place to party. It was a must-see spot for visitors.

Half of the city’s pre-war population of 24,000 had already fled by the time Russia expanded its invasion in February 2022. The city is now mostly abandoned, Shevchenko said.

The NGO’s 22 members had their meetings at the local Palace of Culture, a sort of community center popular in Soviet times that are still used across Ukraine for a variety of functions and gatherings.

The building now stands in rubble like many other buildings around.

Shevchenko said the stage inside and the arch above it survived, hoping it also could be rebuilt.

"We dream of being able to reconstruct a place where all the local children can come and be together," she said.

Sievierodonetsk, Luhansk Oblast

Before the war, it was a two-hour ride from Niu-York to Sievierodonetsk in Luhansk Oblast. The road goes through the now-destroyed Bakhmut , Soledar , and Klishchiivka along with dozens of other devastated villages.

The industrial city of Sievierodonetsk had served as the regional capital since the 2014 Russian occupation of Luhansk, the region’s official capital. It was attacked on the first day of the full-scale invasion in Feb. 24, 2022.

The day before the start of the full-scale war, Yevhen, who refused to provide his last name for security reasons, took the last pictures of his favorite lake where a decade earlier he had taken his first-ever photograph.

He took his usual route through leafy streets and by the chemical plant in the industrial zone where he would stop for a coffee.

Yevhen said he returned home without any feelings of anxiety that something might happen.

His intuition failed him. Yevhen awoke around 8 a.m. on Feb. 24, 2022 to his mom calling to tell him that Russia invaded Ukraine . Following the call, two loud explosions shook his nine-story apartment building.

“I panicked so hard as I hadn’t heard explosions for eight years. I thought the building would collapse,” Yevhen told the Kyiv Independent.

The explosions were occurring closer to his home every day. The final warning call that it was time to leave was on March 5, 2022 when a barrage of artillery hit his neighborhood. Three days later, his cat, Tymosha, probably saved Yevhen’s life.

Minutes before their apartment was hit, Tymosha’s meows woke up Yevhen. They took shelter and survived an attack that ruined their apartment. After living in a basement for a month, Yevhen fled the area with his mom and Tymosha.

The Battle of Sievierodonetsk quickly turned into fierce urban warfare . Russian forces devastated the city with artillery and guided bombs before it fell under their control in June 2022.

“I watched a video of my apartment building burning. Watching (footage of Sievierodonetsk) I realized that I walked those streets. Now they're gone,” he said barely above a whisper.

Rubizhne, Luhansk Oblast

In neighboring Rubizhne, Oleksiy Artiukh used to start his mornings with breakfast, football programs on TV, and occasionally gazing out the window at the playground below.

He had purchased his apartment a year before the full-scale invasion, planning a future in the developing city surrounded by forests, lakes, and the winding Siverskyi Donets River.

When Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed Russians shortly before the start of the full-scale invasion recognizing the parts of Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts occupied since 2014 as “independent states,” Artiukh knew it was time to leave.

"On Feb. 23, 2022, I came to my parents for the last time to bid farewell," Artiukh told the Kyiv Independent.

It was also the last he saw of his now-late grandmother, with whom he spent a lot of time growing up.

A week after he left, Russian troops launched an assault on Rubizhne and urban warfare ensued. The street outside of his old office had turned into a front line.

Those who remained were left with the grim task of burying their loved ones, killed during the urban warfare and shelling, in makeshift graves right in front of their apartment buildings.

One day, scrolling through Instagram, Artiukh stumbled upon a photo of a playground where his windows once overlooked. The image depicted four makeshift crosses protruding from the ground, accompanied by the caption, "My house is no longer a playground."

"At the moment, there were makeshift graveyards of both adults and children in nearly every yard," Artiukh said.

In mid-May 2022, Russian troops occupied the heavily damaged city following more than two months of intense street fighting.

"Now, only remnants remain of the city. The shops and cafes are gone, destroyed by fire and looting, but the store signs are still hanging," said Artiukh.

Popasna, Luhansk Oblast

Yuliia Kanzeba spent her childhood playing piano and drums at the music school near her home in downtown Popasna, a town in Luhansk Oblast with a pre-war population of 20,000 residents.

“I lived at the music school,” Kanzeba told the Kyiv Independent as she spoke with enthusiasm about classical and rock music.

Russia's war has silenced Popasna’s children from playing music. The shelling sounds orchestrated by the Wagner Orchestra, the self-proclaimed nickname of the notorious mercenary outfit Wagner Group, took over.

The Kremlin-backed Wagner Group reduced every settlement to rubble as they advanced toward Popasna .

Two months into the Battle of Popasna, the governor reported grim news: No building had survived the onslaught.

The music school was damaged, and part of Kanzeba's five-story residential building crumbled in a Russian air strike.

"My part of the building is still standing. The invincible part," she said.

Kanzeba remembers the memories of her last visit to her family home two weeks before the invasion. Now, she scours Russian propaganda videos, searching for glimpses of her home.

Such footage is rare since the Russian occupying forces are stationed in her building. The idea of it pains her.

When Wagner seized control of the ravaged town in May 2022, Moscow declared it would not rebuild Popasna.

Despite the bleak outlook, Kanzeba wants to return. She said she will go immediately when Popasna is liberated.

She knows it will be difficult to witness her home, located on Peace Street. "There may be no peace in the city (now), but the street is still there," Kanzeba said.

Russia’s war has destroyed 64 settlements in Luhansk Oblast, equivalent to one-tenth of the region.

“The list shouldn’t be considered final and exhaustive until complete liberation,” Roman Mamedov, regional administration spokesperson, told the Kyiv Independent.

Read also: Alone: Photo project shows wives of fallen soldiers coping with loss, shattered dreams

We’ve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent .

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