If you're a frequent Delta flyer, odds are you've got a co-branded Delta credit card in your wallet. While the *delta skymiles gold card* is the most popular choice, two cards with higher fees are worth considering for one big reason: An annual Delta companion certificate.
These Delta companion certificates can be reason enough to keep a top Delta card in your wallet – even after annual fees on these cards went up earlier this year. Think of these certificates as a buy-one, get-one benefit for flights each year: Use them wisely, and you can get plenty of value, often outweighing the annual fee.
But it's gotten harder to use them over the last few years, running searches that turn up blank again and again. So while a BOGO flight once a year sounds nice, what good is this benefit if you can't even use it?
Trust me: It can be done – and we're here to help. Delta has made it a bit easier by introducing a price calendar feature when searching for flights using your Delta companion certificate. And now, these certificates are even more powerful, allowing you and a pal to fly not just within the mainland U.S. but out to Hawaii, down to Mexico, throughout the Caribbean, and beyond.
Whether you've already got a Delta companion ticket in your account or you're eyeing the latest big Delta credit card offers, we'll give you some hints to make sure you use them wisely.
What is a Delta Companion Certificate?
What's a Delta companion certificate? If you can use it, it's one of the best benefits of any Delta credit card – think of it as a buy one, get one free coupon for Delta flights.
Exactly what you can get depends on which card you've got. Let's go over some basics:
- The *delta skymiles platinum card*‘s annual companion certificate is good for one main cabin roundtrip fare
- The *delta reserve card*‘s annual companion ticket can also be used for Delta Comfort Plus, Delta Premium Select, and first class airfare.
Keep in mind that you'll only get this perk after your first full year with either of these two Delta credit cards. That means you'll need to wait a year after opening one of these cards – then renew it again – to get a companion ticket.
But both of these companion certificates are far more powerful than they were just a year ago.
While adding a slew of new benefits and raising annual fees earlier this year, Delta expanded which destinations are eligible to use a companion certificate beyond just the continental U.S., to now include flights to Hawaii, Alaska, and even Central America and the Caribbean, too.
Just know, you may not be able to use your existing companion certificate for a trip to Hawaii or Mexico just yet. These expanded destinations are only available on certificates issued Feb. 1, 2024, and onwards. So if you've already got a certificate from the last year set to expire anytime before Feb. 1, 2025, you're stuck flying within the continental U.S. on this go around.
One last restriction to keep in mind: You must book roundtrip flights. Even a multi-city reservation – into one city and home from another – will not work, nor will open-jaw flights. You can, however, fly in and out of different airports within the same city using a companion pass – like flying into Newark (EWR) and home from New York City-LaGuardia (LGA).
How Do these Delta Companion Tickets Work?
Once you've earned your companion certificate, pay close attention to the expiration date and be sure to use it before then. It's not enough to book before it lapses – you have to actually take and return from the trip before that expiration date. And remember: These companion tickets are a use-it-or-lose-it benefit!
One final important restriction to keep in mind: You have to charge the first fare (and the taxes and fees of the second) to an American Express card. It doesn't necessarily need to be the Delta Platinum or Reserve SkyMiles card. However, using a Visa, MasterCard, or any other credit card will not work.
Simple enough, right? But all this doesn't mean that you can buy any roundtrip ticket and use your Delta companion certificate to bring a buddy for free…
Which Fares Qualify?
While it can still be an incredible benefit, there are some serious strings attached to these Delta companion tickets that can make it hard to find and book the right fare. Unfortunately, you cannot use SkyMiles to book the first ticket: Paid fares only.
While you may only see first class, Comfort Plus, and economy seats when you walk on a Delta plane, airlines sell an alphabet's worth of different ticket types called fare classes – each with its own rules, restrictions, and price. And only a handful of the two-dozen-plus fares are eligible to use these companion certificates:
- With the Delta Platinum Card, you can only book fare classes L, U, T, X, and V in the main cabin.
- On the Delta Reserve Card, you can book all those fares plus fare classes I, Z, and W – first class and Comfort Plus tickets. For certificates issued Feb. 1, 2024 and onward, Premium Select fare classes A and G are also eligible.
Depending on where you live and when you're flying, these restrictions can make it more difficult to get a lot out of the companion pass. Delta Basic Economy fares are off-limits, and many of the fares that do qualify are often some of Delta's cheaper tickets.
Once you find a fare class that works, you should know that the paid fare will earn SkyMiles and Delta Medallion Status credits, but the free fare will not. If you've got Delta status, you will still be eligible for complimentary upgrades.
How to Use a Delta Companion Pass
Once you've earned a companion certificate, you'll get an email from American Express informing you that the certificate is now available. Log in at Delta.com, and you'll find it's been automatically placed in your Delta profile wallet under “Certificates, eCredits & Vouchers.”
Clicking on the certificate in your profile will allow you to begin the booking and redemption process. Unlike the Southwest Companion Pass, there is no need to designate your travel companion ahead of time: You can bring anyone with you.
Once you've found it, make sure your companion certificate applies, and voila – a nearly free plane ticket! You'll pay just the government-imposed taxes and fees in addition to the price of the first fare. The final amount will vary based on your destination.
That said, there are a few other quirks to keep in mind…
Can You Use a Companion Ticket Booking with SkyMiles?
No. Sadly.
Delta does not allow travelers to use SkyMiles to book the first ticket when applying a Delta companion certificate. It has to be a paid fare, and you have to pay with an American Express card.
Can You Use Delta eCredits?
Yes! This is one of the best developments we've seen recently. In the last few years, Delta added the ability to apply Delta eCredits to the paid ticket even when redeeming a companion fare.
To do so, just select your companion certificate as normal, then begin your search and select your flights. Once you make it to the checkout screen, select “Use eCredits” and Delta will allow you to pull in credits to offset the cost of your paid fare.
Delta allows you to apply up to four eCredits online during these transactions, though you might be able to use even more at once by calling Delta to book your tickets instead. You can even apply your companion's eCredits to cover the taxes and fees for that ticket.
So long as there's a balance left over, just finish up by paying with an Amex card and you're set!
Can Someone Else Use a Certificate?
Yes … usually.
While a cardholder may always prefer to use the perk that they're paying for, that's not always possible. Fortunately, there's no requirement on these certificates that the cardholder booking the flights is one of the people actually taking the trip.
For instance, a Delta Platinum cardholder could book a flight for their spouse and child using the companion certificate for one of the fares.
Are there any other rules for using Delta's companion certificates?
While we've already covered almost everything you need to know, there are some subtle items to note about the Delta Companion Pass.
- It's only eligible on Delta, Delta Connection carrier and Delta Shuttle flights – which excludes all other Delta-designated codeshare flights and flights on partner airlines.
- Companion tickets cannot be used on tickets with fees of more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments), and no more than $250 for roundtrip international flights to the list of eligible destinations.
- Delta Companion Certificates are for new purchases only – they can't be applied to the cost of previously issued tickets.
What if I need to cancel my flight booked with a companion certificate?
If a wholly unused primary ticket or the companion ticket are cancelled, the companion certificate redeemed will be automatically reissued after the cancellation is processed and will retain its original expiration date.
Tips to Use & Maximize Your Companion Fare
In theory, these Delta companion certificates are worth their weight in gold. It's a BOGO ticket and an easy way to offset the annual fee on your top-dollar Delta SkyMiles card.
But in practice, redeeming these certificates can feel like a chore. We've heard from countless frustrated travelers who have tried to find flights to use this perk only to come up empty-handed time and time again.
Here's some advice on how to find the fares that work, then squeeze all the juice out of your Delta companion ticket when you can.
Select ‘My Dates are Flexible' When Searching on Delta
Delta now offers a price calendar function when you're searching for flights using a companion ticket, allowing travelers to pull up to a month's worth of flights in one quick glance. That change can help you zero in on flights that are eligible for this perk, especially when shifting by just a day or two from an initial search.
Just start the search process by going into your Delta profile and selecting the companion certificate you want to use. As you enter your travel dates, be sure to select the “My dates are flexible” box when starting your search with your Delta companion certificate.
Previously, if you chose dates that weren't eligible to use a Delta companion certificate, your search would show up blank. Here's what you get now instead.
With this calendar view, you can now see that returning just a day or two earlier makes these certificates available to use. Better yet, it also highlights the cheapest fares available over that initial one-week span. You can take things even further by selecting “Price Calendar” after you search, pulling up a full month's worth of flights for whatever trip length you set.
Using ITA Matrix is still more powerful (more on that in a minute), but this makes it much easier to put those certificates to use without leaving Delta.com.
A Next-Level Tip to Find the Right Fares
There's also a next-level tool that can easily help you zero in on flights that work: It's called ITA Matrix.
Think of it like Google Flights on steroids … and then some. While it's a fairly advanced platform, it has a ton of powerful features that you won't find on Google Flights or other sites. Most importantly, it allows you to search for specific fare classes … including the specific ones you need in order to use your companion certificate.
Let's say I'm trying to use my companion certificate for a few nights in New York City, but all my searches through Delta are coming up blank. Using some of ITA Matrix's advanced controls, I can tell it to show me exactly when the eligible flights are available.
First, head to ITA Matrix and plug in the basics of your trip. It helps immensely if you're flexible, so I'd recommend selecting “See calendar of lowest fares” rather than inputting exact dates.
Now it's time to tell ITA Matrix we only want to see flights that can be booked using your BOGO ticket. ITA Matrix allows you to search only for specific fare classes. Just click “Advanced controls,” and then copy and paste the following bits of code in the outbound and return extension code fields.
- Platinum cardholders booking economy fares, enter f bc=L|bc=U|bc=T|bc=X|bc=V
- Got the Reserve Card and want to make sure you're flying first or Delta Comfort Plus? Enter f bc=I|bc=Z|bc=W
In this case, I'm searching only for the main cabin economy fares that can be booked with a Platinum Card companion certificate by telling ITA Matrix to only show fares with the booking codes L, U, T, X, or V.
It may take up to a minute or so, but eventually, ITA Matrix will pull up a calendar with results. Click airlines and narrow down your results to only show Delta flights.
At $400 or even north of $500 per person, Delta flights aren't cheap over this span – but getting two tickets for the price of one takes the sting out of those fares.
So from there, I head over to my Delta account, select my companion certificate, enter those dates, and hit search. Sure enough, it did the trick!
While you'll still need to be flexible, there's perhaps no better way to cut through the painstaking trial-and-error process of trying to find flights to use your Delta companion ticket than this.
Be Flexible & Plan Ahead
The closer you get to departure, the harder it's going to get to find flights that qualify for these companion certificates. If you're searching for a flight just a month or less in advance, your odds of finding something that will work are fairly slim.
We can't tell you exactly how far in advance you need to search, but you'll definitely have better odds by searching at least three to nine months out. In our experience, that's the sweet spot.
And remember: You have to book and take the trip before your companion certificate expires. If your return date falls beyond the expiration window, it won't work.
Book the Most Expensive Ticket You Can!
Start thinking big to make the most out of your Delta companion ticket. Cross-country routes and even some short-haul flights tend to be the most expensive and will get you the greatest value when redeeming your companion certificate.
Here's the bottom line: Try to book a flight that costs $350 (see rates & fees) or more per ticket if you hold the Delta Platinum Card, or $650 or more (see rates & fees) if you hold the Delta Reserve. That's the key to making the annual fee on either the Platinum or Reserve Delta SkyMiles card worth it.
Regardless of any other benefits the cards provide, this one can cover the entire cost of your annual fee.
Pair it with an International Fare Deal
Consider using your Delta companion ticket to lower the costs of an international getaway.
Last year, we sent our Thrifty Traveler Premium members a jaw-dropping deal on flights to Tahiti (PPT): Just $498 roundtrip! That's a fantastic deal, less than half the normal price of flights to paradise.
But those cheap nonstop fares were only available from Los Angeles (LAX). If that's not your home airport, the cost of getting yourself and your travel buddy there to make the trek to Tahiti could make the deal look less attractive. Enter the Delta companion certificate.
Using your Delta companion ticket to book positioning flights is a smart move. It means you can book that cheap international ticket from a different city, then use your companion certificate to fly from your hometown to catch that international flight for less.
Bottom Line
Delta companion certificates are some of the best benefits on the card_name and the card_name.
Understanding the ins and outs of these companion tickets is critical to coming out ahead. Booking at least three months in advance, being flexible with your travel dates, and using the right tools are the key to maximizing Delta companion certificates. As these two-for-one tickets get even more valuable, it's time to learn how to put them to use.