2 Delta credit cards come with an annual companion plane ticket - it can be an incredible value if you use it right
- Two Delta credit cards, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card and the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, come with an annual companion certificate each year when you renew the card.
- It's basically a buy-one-get-one coupon for domestic flights. When you book a round-trip ticket for yourself, you can get a second one for someone else for the cost of only minimal taxes and fees.
- With the Delta Platinum card, the certificate is good for travel in the main cabin. With the more premium Delta Reserve card, you can use it for Delta Comfort+ or first class.
- This perk more than outweighs the card's annual fee, which is why I'm keeping the card indefinitely. I used my first year's companion pass to fly with my wife to pick up our new puppy, Murray.
- See Business Insider's list of the best airline credit cards »
Delta's co-branded cards come with some great perks for Delta flyers, like free checked bags, priority boarding, discounted lounge access, and in-flight discounts.
Two of the consumer cards - the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card and the Delta SkyMiles Reserve card - offer a benefit that's even more valuable, but most people aren't fully aware of how it works - or even that it exists.
After your first year with either card, each year on your cardmember anniversary you'll get a companion certificate. Here's how it works.
Keep in mind that we're focusing on the rewards and perks that make these credit cards great options, not things like interest rates and late fees, which will far outweigh the value of any points or miles. It's important to practice financial discipline when using credit cards by paying your balances in full each month, making payments on time, and only spending what you can afford to pay back.
Delta companion certificate details
The companion certificate is essentially a buy-one-get-one coupon. When you book a flight for yourself anywhere within the continental US, you can get a second ticket for only the cost of minimal taxes and fees.
Depending on which card you have, you can use the certificate for travel in economy, or in any class:
- Delta Platinum card ($250 annual fee) - Companion certificate is valid for travel in the main cabin (Delta's term for the economy cabin)
- Delta Reserve card ($550 annual fee) - Companion certificate is valid for travel in the main cabin, Delta Comfort+, or first class
The Delta Reserve card commands a steeper fee because it offers complimentary Delta Sky Club access and Amex Centurion lounge access when you're flying Delta. For more information on the differences between the various options, see Business Insider's comparison of Delta co-branded cards.
The companion certificate benefit is also available on the small-business versions of these two cards, with the same rules about which cabin you can use it in:
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card ($250 annual fee)
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card ($550 annual fee)
The certificate is restricted to specific fare classes within each cabin:
- Main cabin: L, U, T, X, and V fares
- Comfort+: W
- First class: I, Z
That's getting technical, but know that for the main cabin this covers most of the cheaper and mid-priced economy fares, as well as some pricier ones. I have the Delta Platinum card, and in numerous searches I've run from New York City-area airports, I've had no trouble finding eligible flights in the main cabin, as long as I'm booking at least 25-30 days in advance.
How I've used the companion certificate
For me, the companion certificate blows away the Delta Platinum card's $250 annual fee, which isn't waived the first year. My wife and I fly domestically at least a few times a year, whether to visit family or friends or go on vacation, and I just save the pass until we're taking a flight that costs more than $250 each.
I opened the Delta Platinum card in January of 2017, and in the fall, I used my first companion certificate. My wife and I got a new puppy and had to fly to pick him up and bring him back home.
Booking was easy. Once the pickup date was set, I logged into my Delta account, found the pass stored in my account management page, and clicked on it to search for eligible flights. I also searched for the same flights in a different browser to price compare - everything matched up.
From that point, it was just as if we had paid for the tickets normally. As an added bonus: We were both still eligible for complimentary first-class upgrades since we both hold Medallion elite status with Delta.
The flight was on a small CRJ-900 regional jet, which has a 12-seat first-class cabin in a 1-2 configuration. When our complimentary upgrades processed, we were both automatically assigned seats on the side with one seat per row. The flight was only an hour, but it was nice to have a little more space, and to enjoy a cup of coffee pre-departure and in-flight snacks.
We landed in Rochester where we were picking up Murray, and met him (and a wonderful person who had been taking care of him for the past few weeks) outside the airport. We had a few hours until our return flight, so we hung around outside and tried to tire Murray out.
We went to the check-in counter to get our boarding passes and pay Delta's in-cabin pet fee - although I had to call reservations ahead of time to add a pet to our trip, I had to pay the fee in-person so the agents could confirm that Murray was in an approved carrier. It wasn't busy at check-in, and Murray was a hit with the whole Delta crew.
We were upgraded again as we boarded our Embraer E170 for the flight back home - this time we were seated next to each other. We declined the pre-departure beverages this time since we had Murray, and eventually coaxed him to pull his head into the carrier. After that, he settled down for a nap. We put his carrier under the seat in front of me for take-off, and pulled it back out after to make sure he was okay.
Ultimately - especially after the experience using my companion certificate - I'm planning on keeping my Delta Platinum card as long as that benefit remains. The card pays for itself as long as you fly Delta domestically with companions each year, so I have no reason not to keep it.
Considering that eligible domestic fares can be as high as the $500s and $600s - for instance, on trans-continental flights - that $250 annual fee in exchange for a companion pass is a phenomenal deal.
Limited-time offers on the Delta Platinum and Reserve
If you could use the companion certificate, now is an especially good time to apply for the Delta Platinum card or the Delta Reserve card, because they're offering increased welcome bonuses until April 1.
- Delta Platinum card: Earn up to 100,000 miles: 80,000 miles after you spend $3,000 in the first three months, plus another 20,000 miles after your first cardmember anniversary
- Delta Reserve card: Earn up to 100,000 miles and 20,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs): 80,000 miles and 20,000 MQMs after you spend $5,000 in the first three months, plus another 20,000 miles after your first cardmember anniversary
$250 annual fee: Click here to learn more about the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card »
$550 annual fee: Click here to learn more about the Delta SkyMiles Reserve card »
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