Delta Reserve American Express Not Worth It

[artringwald]

I signed up for the Delta Reserve American Express a year ago. It cost $550/year but I thought it would be worth it because at the end of the first year you are awarded a first class companion coupon. My year was up and I found out I couldn't use the coupon for the flight I wanted at the end of January. Only 2 of the 20 first class seats had been booked, and no seats were available for use with the coupon. We could have taken a very early or very late flight. None of the seats for those flights had been taken, and it said only 2 seats were available for use with the coupon.

What good are the companion coupons if they only allocate 2 seats per flight that you can use them? I already cancelled my renewal.

 

[dougp26364]

I signed up for the Delta Reserve American Express a year ago. It cost $550/year but I thought it would be worth it because at the end of the first year you are awarded a first class companion coupon. My year was up and I found out I couldn't use the coupon for the flight I wanted at the end of January. Only 2 of the 20 first class seats had been booked, and no seats were available for use with the coupon. We could have taken a very early or very late flight. None of the seats for those flights had been taken, and it said only 2 seats were available for use with the coupon.

What good are the companion coupons if they only allocate 2 seats per flight that you can use them? I already cancelled my renewal.

You just answered a question I had, Should I upgrade to the Delta Reserve card?

We have the card below it, which is $299/year (I think). It co es with a companion certificate for an economy seat. To date I’ve never found a flight where the companion certificate could be used. I’ve kept it for the discounted access to their lounge. However, as airlines work to reduce crowding in those lounges, it questionable as to whether or not we’ll keep that card.

 

[Carolinian]

I dumped DL Amex when I comped my elite ff status over to NW. That was the regular Amex card. In the states, I found that many places did not take Amex and it was even worse in Europe. My new NW mile earning card could be used more places to earn miles. When I was working full time in Europe, one of the countries I worked in had only one place in the whole country that took Amex, then they got into some dispute with Amex and quit taking it. Since my corporate card was an Amex, it was virtually useless.

Of course, the whole ff game is now so beaten down, I don't bother with miles or elite status on any airline, just fly price and convenience, and my credit cards are all cash back cards, a much better bet with the new ff regimes that have emerged from the airline mergers.

 

[Carolinian]

(duplicate).

 

[bnoble]

The companion fares are typically only for the lower fare classes within a cabin. We have two domestic ones per year from the mid-level card, and I am usually able to make use of them, but generally not during holidays or peak-season travel to some places. Others work pretty well. For example, we have an Easter week trip to MSY that has no inventory, but an early Spring Training trip to PHX does. I did get a late Spring Break trip to LAX last year as well. We are out of DTW.

When I had enough work travel to routinely hit the mid-level elite status, I made a point of focusing travel on DL. Now that that is no longer true, I'm more willing to branch out when the price difference is substantial. I am considering downgrading my DL card because of it. I will still keep one for comped checked luggage.

 

[artringwald]

Delta really drives me crazy with all their different rules. Here's some of the things I learned the hard way. There are at least 5 ways to use their loyalty program benefits to pay for part or all of your tickets:

• Shop with miles
• Miles + cash
• Pay with miles
• Companion certificates
• eCredits

Shop with miles: You need to have enough miles to pay for the entire trip. If you use miles, you can’t combine them with any other options.

Miles + cash: Good to use if you almost have enough miles. Essentially, you’re buying more miles to combine with what you already have.

Pay with miles: Requires a Delta Gold card or higher. You can cash in some of your miles to reduce the amount due. Not all fare codes are eligible for pay for miles, and the number of seats for their use may be limited.

Companion Certificates: Delta Reserve American Express ($550/year) gives you a coupon good for a companion coupon that can be used with any type of fare. Lesser cards are restricted to the main cabin fares. To use a certificate, you have to go to your profile, select the certificate menu, and click the box for companion coupon BEFORE you select your trip dates and times. They can only be used for round trips in the continental US. After you select your flights and your companion, you can add eCredits to reduce the amount due. They have an expiration date. The number of seats available for Companion certificates is definitely limited. To use them, book as early as you possibly can.

eCredits: eCredits are issued when you make flight changes/cancelations that Delta won’t refund to the original payment method. To use them, book your flights and click the Use eCredits button above the payment window. You can add up to 5 eCredits. Even if multiple travelers are on the same booking, the eCredits can only be applied to the price of the ticket for the person that owns them. If multiple travelers on the same booking have eCredits, they have to be entered under the name of the owner. If the amount of the eCredit more than the owner’s ticket, you will be issued a new eCredit for the difference. So eCredits can be used in combination with Companion Certificates, but the companion’s eCredits will only go toward the fees/taxes, and a new eCredit will be issued for the difference.

Of course, Delta is free to change the rules at any time.

 

[artringwald]

Here's an update to all the rules with the change in red.

There are at least 5 ways to use their loyalty program benefits to pay for part or all of your tickets:

• Shop with miles
• Miles + cash
• Pay with miles
• Companion certificates
• eCredits

Shop with miles: You need to have enough miles to pay for the entire trip. If you use miles, you can’t combine them with any other options.

Miles + cash: Good to use if you almost have enough miles. Essentially, you’re buying more miles to combine with what you already have.

Pay with miles: Requires a Delta Gold card or higher. You can cash in some of your miles to reduce the amount due. Not all fare codes are eligible for pay for miles, and the number of seats for their use may be limited.

Companion Certificates: Delta Reserve American Express ($550/year) gives you a coupon good for a companion coupon that can be used with any type of fare. Lesser cards are restricted to the main cabin fares. To use a certificate, you have to go to your profile, select the certificate menu, and click the box for companion coupon BEFORE you select your trip dates and times. They can only be used for round trips in the continental US. After you select your flights and your companion, you can add eCredits to reduce the amount due. They have an expiration date that applies to the dates you fly, not when you book it. The number of seats available for Companion certificates is definitely limited. To use them, book as early as you possibly can.

eCredits: eCredits are issued when you make flight changes/cancelations that Delta won’t refund to the original payment method. To use them, book your flights and click the Use eCredits button above the payment window. You can add up to 5 eCredits. Even if multiple travelers are on the same booking, the eCredits can only be applied to the price of the ticket for the person that owns them. If multiple travelers on the same booking have eCredits, they have to be entered under the name of the owner. If the amount of the eCredit more than the owner’s ticket, you will be issued a new eCredit for the difference. So eCredits can be used in combination with Companion Certificates, but the companion’s eCredits will only go toward the fees/taxes, and a new eCredit will be issued for the difference.

Of course, Delta is free to change the rules at any time.

 

[elaine]

How are shop with miles and pay with miles different? We have Amex.

 

[rboesl]

There is a recent change that was missed in the summary. Companion certificates can be used on flights to Caribbean and Central America (that includes Mexico) destinations. Not just continental US.

 

[artringwald]

There is a recent change that was missed in the summary. Companion certificates can be used on flights to Caribbean and Central America (that includes Mexico) destinations. Not just continental US.

I was issued a companion certificate, and I noticed the change was not applied to existing certificates. If you get a new platinum certificate, here are the flights you can use it on. It now includes Hawaii and Alaska.

Companion Certificate is valid for one roundtrip First Class, Delta Premium Select, Delta Comfort+® or Main Cabin Companion ticket with the purchase of certain adult roundtrip fares on published routings originating within the United States, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) to the following destinations: the United States, Puerto Rico, USVI, 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.

 

[artringwald]

How are shop with miles and pay with miles different? We have Amex.

With shop with miles, you need enough miles to pay for the whole ticket. You can also buy more miles if you're close to the points you need. You don't need a Delta Amex card. If you have a Delta Gold card or higher, you can use your miles to pay for part of the trip.

 

[BennyBoy00]

I just used my companion cert today. The terms of the cert say it is only valid on these fare classes: L,U,T,X,V. Those are the lowest fare classes that are offered. The number of seats offered in each fare class is always limited. Buy in advance for the best availability, or sometimes when they announce sales, they will open up seats in those lower fare classes for the sale price.

For the first class companion cert, the terms say that it is only valid on first class or comfort+ fares when there is availability in economy fare classes L,U,T,X,V. Basically meaning if you can use it on one of those economy fares, you can also use it on a first class ticket on the same flight. But if those economy fares are sold out, then you cannot use it for a first class ticket even if there were ZERO first class tickets sold on that same flight.

 

[artringwald]

I just used my companion cert today. The terms of the cert say it is only valid on these fare classes: L,U,T,X,V. Those are the lowest fare classes that are offered. The number of seats offered in each fare class is always limited. Buy in advance for the best availability, or sometimes when they announce sales, they will open up seats in those lower fare classes for the sale price.

For the first class companion cert, the terms say that it is only valid on first class or comfort+ fares when there is availability in economy fare classes L,U,T,X,V. Basically meaning if you can use it on one of those economy fares, you can also use it on a first class ticket on the same flight. But if those economy fares are sold out, then you cannot use it for a first class ticket even if there were ZERO first class tickets sold on that same flight.

I don't see how they could possibly make it more complicated. Oh no, I shouldn't have said that.

 

[jp10558]

This is exactly why I stay with the HHonors Amex and always walk away disappointed when I look at the flight ones. Since 2008 with Hilton, if you got the points or you got the free night, you can use it if there's a room you could book with cash. I have never had them refuse a booking.

And look, keeping track of the 1 year expiration date is enough work IMO. Trying to track a lot of extra rules just makes it about impossible to use.

 

[GrayFal]

I have only had this card two years. My anniversary date is October. I was able to book business round trip Seattle in July and round trip Las Vegas in March/April. You do have to plan ahead for the usage. we are retired and can be flexible