Companion Certificates | Delta Air Lines Have you already qualified for Delta Platinum or Medallion status for 2023? Advertiser Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links below. Delta allows Platinum members to pick four Regional Upgrade Certificates. Id be lucky if they sent a moped to pick me up. You may use upgrades both for yourself and up to one traveling companion on the same itinerary. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this sites author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. How Not to Waste Your Delta Regional and Global Upgrade Certificates For more about upgrading with Delta, be sure to check out: The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. Delta Platinum Medallion members can pick four one-way Regional upgrades from the list of Choice Benefits. But they arent. Currently, it's only available when making a new booking at Delta.com, though the airline plans to expand it eventually to existing flights as well as on its smartphone app. Upgrade to The Platinum Card | Amex UK - American Express They can now apply for Medallion upgrade certificates online for new bookings. I believe you have until the end of the medallion year. It's almost never worth burning your upgrade certificates on short-haul flights. Back in October, Delta teased this new online feature while announcing some big changes to earning and using Medallion status for 2023 including higher spending requirements and a few new and improved choice benefits for top elites. As part of the new one-cabin rule, Delta now promises last-seat upgrade availability in long-haul premium economy and in domestic and short-haul international first class. I have made diamond tush in seat for 2022 Im curious to see if I get a ride which is for me. If so, youve certainly taken advantage of all the upgrades and other benefits that come with it. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post. Copyright 2023 Eye of the Flyer. But next year, you can only confirm into Premium Select from Main Cabin. Before that, the only way to search for upgrade space was by calling Delta and asking an agent to manually check routes and dates for you. But as of publication, the ability to redeem upgrade certificates online is limited to only new flights booked on Delta.com. The Bulkhead Seat provides the tips and tricks hes learned along the way as well as his thoughts on airlines, hotels, destinations, attractions, restaurants, and ways to get more out of loyalty programs. This can include requests for wheelchair assistance, special meals, or other needs such as traveling with a service animal. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The one time I was picked up was at an LAX shuttle bus stop between T2 and T3 (when it was still operating). UPGRADE CERTIFICATE SELF-SERVICE TOOL If you selected Global and/or Regional Upgrade Certificates as your Choice Benefit, log in to your SkyMiles account to see availability and apply them yourself when booking your next trip. After factoring in the wait time for a representative (and finding one who was well versed in redeeming upgrades), this manual process has been a major drawback to Delta's upgrade system. Delta Vacations Experience (flight + hotel) Delta Vacations experience e-Certificates must be used on Delta Vacations flight + hotel packages within 12 months of issuance. Then spend on my AA cards enough to get upper status with and/or I might even ask do a status match. Even though AA can be a dumpster fire at times, I really havent had a bad experience with any of my travel with them this year at all. For example, you currently can purchase a Main Cabin ticket and upgrade straight to Delta One (skipping over Premium Select Deltas premium economy offering) if inventory permits. Delta Confirms: No, You Don't Have to Buy Comfort+ to Apply a Regional Speaking of Delta's competitors, the airline is playing catch-up with United, which allows Premier members to apply PlusPoints United's upgrade currency to both new and existing bookings on United.com and via the mobile app. The biggest change deals with upgrade limitations. If you have status, reserve card puts you above non-reserve card people within your status tier. I achieved lifetime Platinum with AA before I switched to Delta, and I havent looked back. These instruments allow fliers to skip to the front of the pecking order for upgrades when booking paid flights. Travelers on Delta Air Lines can earn miles that never expire and are redeemable for free flights, seat upgrades and more. AmEx Platinum Delta Skymiles card upgrade offer. The companion certificate allows you to invite someone to fly with you on an eligible round-trip domestic flight. The new policy relating to GUC has already affected my International travel plans. Still good service, but SkyMiles is no Frequent Flyer program. Im disappointed about the GUC devaluation and Im going to have to take a hard look at other airlines. 2023 Thrifty Traveler. Delta Airlines reserves what are known as its upgrade certificates, specifically for upper-level Delta Platinum and Diamond Medallion elite members. Your upper level management had totally mishandled this situation and at the same time alienated their core base of loyal Delta customers. Im in a DL hub city, so its easy for them to get my business when my client is paying (even in main cabin, DL has the best, most consistent experience domestically), but on the margin Ill probably shift some personal travel to United (silver status from Marriott, so I can still check a bag if I want) or LCCs, depending on the price. How to not 'waste' your Delta upgrade certificates - The Points Guy But now, you can search for availability directly on Delta's website. Can You Use Delta Global Upgrade Certificates For First Class? Your card will reimburse you up to $85 for TSA PreCheck or $100 for Global Entry. Now that you know how these upgrades work, let's take a look at how to get the most value from them. big changes to earning and using Medallion status, Is Delta Medallion Status Worth it? The specific choices which each level of elite member can choose are follows: Lounge Access: Medallion members have access to Delta Sky Club lounges, as well as partner lounges. This isn't the only positive development for Upgrade Certificates in recent months. All rights reserved. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). One of the best perks of Delta Platinum and Diamond Medallion status is the opportunity to earn Upgrade Certificates. You can quickly and easily select the flights you want to use your certificates. On popular routes like New York-JFK to Los Angeles (LAX), you may only need to be flexible with the time of your flight. In turn, you'd spend three hours in domestic first class instead of a long-flight in lie-flat business class. Talk to a Delta agent at the airport and make sure you are added properly (your priority will be higher with the certificate than just with your elite status). Travel On The Fly 2023 Day trip to Cefalu #sicily #italy #thebulkheadseat, Incredible views @skyfalllounge @delanovegas #lasvegas #vegasbaby #thebulkheadseat, Grabbing a snack before my flight to NYC @delta #skyclub #ord #travel #thebulkheadseat, Sunset in Exuma @exumabahamas #bahamas #sunset #sunset_pics #sunsetphotography #travel #thebulkheadseat, Dim Sum Brunch @duckduckgoatchi #chicago #chicagoeats #eeeeats #thebulkheadseat, Chinatown NYC at night #newyork #newyorkcity #chinatown #nightphotography #nightimages #thebulkheadseat #travel. In April 2020, Delta announced that Upgrade Certificates set to expire between March 1 and June 30, 2020, would have their expiration dates extended to Dec. 31, 2020. . See our Privacy Policy, Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: A Free Night Award each year, complimentary Diamond status, and several great statement opportunities. In addition, upgrade availability is often in greater supply than low-level award availability, meaning you have a better chance of being able to work your way into a premium cabin in the first place. In this article, I'll give you a brief overview of what these certificates are, how to use them and how not to waste them on your future travels. There are some different options for requesting/obtaining a Delta upgrade certificate, either for regional travel or for global travel. The certificates work on the same routes as complimentary Medallion upgrades (see the table above). So now I will have 8 certificates to use before 1/31/2023. Sure, Platinum isnt as glittery as Diamond. But it still has some shine. is a senior reporter at TPG. Dont count on it. If available, you'll find the new Upgrade Certificate Request window during the checkout process on Delta.com about halfway down the page. Delta extends Upgrade Certificates. I do enjoy reading all the complainers, though. In a statement confirming the new feature, Delta spokesperson Drake Castaeda shared that: Delta first teased this new feature back in October, at the same time when it unveiled higher Medallion thresholds for earning status in 2024 and beyond. As you'd expect, they're valid on all paid published Main Cabin and Delta Comfort+ fares, on Pay with Miles tickets, and on Companion Certificates. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). Learn more. Additionally, members with ones that would expire after June 30, 2020, will receive an additional six months beyond the current expiration date. They can be earned through Deltas frequent flyer program or purchased directly from the airline. How to Earn & Use Delta Upgrade Certificates (2023) - Thrifty Traveler A Delta Companion Certificate is a perk of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve and Platinum American Express Cards that you receive each year for renewing your Card. The international destinations which are eligible are those relatively close the continental US such as Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. Editorial Note: Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Required fields are marked *. Find the right card for you. Diamonds usually enjoy better customer service, as well. If you didnt know, Delta Medallion is the frequent flyer program of Delta Air Lines. But will I go out of my way and pocket to qualify for Diamond Medallion status in the future? If you have a reservation involving multiple legs, make sure to tell the phone agent to place upgrade priority on the leg that matters most to you. Still, these upgrade certificates are among the most valuable choice benefits available. I have had Diamond status since the beginning, with Delta and NW, and always top tier before Diamond existed. Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. It is recommended that these requests be made at least 48 hours before the flight in order to ensure that the necessary arrangements can be made. Once you apply an upgrade certificate, you should then receive an email and a push notification in the Delta app confirming your upgrade request and whether you have been assigned a new seat or added to the waitlist once you've completed the checkout process. However, can you pay cash for Main Cabin, wait for the complimentary upgrade to Comfort+, then go ahead and apply the upgrade cert to get First or Delta One? As the names imply, theyre redeemable for either domestic or international travel. Also, I have been picked up by Porsche ONE time and that was with another flyer I didnt know. Once its burned, its burned. This was especially true following the change to the AmEx spend waiver, which meant I had to go out of my way to snap up the clients that paid for business class on international travel in order to get my MQDs, rather than preferring close, convenient domestic clients. So, What Is a Delta Regional Upgrade Certificate (RUC)? We'll run a soft credit check to find special offers, but it wont affect your credit score. Seems like Deltas loyalty to medallion members has faded they say it hasnt, but those are just words. There are multiple ways to avoid wasting the value of your upgrade certificates. 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Instead, you have to call Delta Reservations and request that a certificate be applied after you book your ticket. A Delta airlines Regional Upgrade Certificate is a certificate that allows a passenger to upgrade their flight booking from a lower class to a higher class within a specific region. If you often travel with Delta frequently, you can earn a myriad of perks through its Medallion status program. These are good for an upgrade to first class (or even Delta One on transcontinental flights) within the continental U.S., as well as some flights to Hawaii, Mexico, and throughout the Caribbean. SkyMiles Medallion Benefits | Delta Air Lines Id have the Porsche get you if I was Delta, too). Related: How to earn Delta elite status with credit cards. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. Limitations to Delta's Upgrade Certificates Bottom Line Show more Delta Air Lines. Ill make no particular effort to reach Diamond in the future. when your business is ready to travel, you can earn more miles to get you there. If you're a top-tier Delta flyer, you'll now be able to request an upgrade using any unexpired Regional Upgrade Certificates or Global Upgrade Certificates when making a new reservation. See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. In April 2020, Delta announced that Upgrade Certificates set to expire between March 1 and June 30, 2020, would have their expiration dates extended to Dec. 31, 2020. What Does Delta Comfort Plus Seating Get You? Where depends on if you have status. I suspect I was a tag along and the other rider was the primary benefactor. Global Upgrade Certificates can be used on Delta-marketed, Aeromexico-operated flights when the Diamond Medallion Member also has an international Delta flight included in the same itinerary. All the tips and tricks you need to use Delta Upgrade Certificates in The new "Upgrade Certificate Request" window appears during the checkout process on Delta.com. Delta announced yesterday several changes to its Upgrade Certificates (which are Choice Benefit selections for Diamond and Platinum Medallions.). Your chances of getting the gate-to-gate ride are higher as a Diamond than Platinum. The specific choices which each level of elite member can choose are follows: If you are a Diamond elite trying to decide between these alternatives, there are two primary considerations. What Is a Delta Regional Upgrade Certificate (RUC)? (Explained) Upgrade certificates are available as choice benefits to Delta Platinum and Diamond elite members. AmEx Platinum Delta Skymiles card upgrade offer. Worth it? They have better routing and partnerships for my travels quite often anyway. From there, you can select the flight you wish to upgrade and use your certificate to upgrade your seat. Earn Miles Faster: Medallion members earn miles faster than non-Medallion members when flying Delta or its partner airlines. I was still considering pursuing Diamond Medallion this year after I evaluated what ExPlat with AA was like. For selections made for 2024 Choice Benefits, recipient status is valid through January 31, 2025. Used to have Complimentary Domestic Upgrades 95% of the time. The only problem? The rules differ depending on the operating carrier and there is no option to waitlist, so you just have to call and hope for space to be available. I still manage to be a diamond every year, but fly a lot of AA. (Remember, Delta now allows Upgrade Certificates to be used on award bookings and on several passengers with whom you travel .) If youre logged into your SkyMiles account (with Platinum or Diamond Medallion status), youll see which flights have space. My loyalty goes to the better value!!! The Delta Amex Platinum comes with a companion certificate when you pay the annual fee of renewal. If your upgrade does not clear immediately, you can be waitlisted. Most of the people complaining will still be there when they realize that its better than the alternative. The airline plans to roll out the feature to the My Trips page in the coming months, and it also plans to bring this functionality to the Fly Delta app soon. In addition to Delta Award Travel tickets, Miles + Cash tickets on Delta-operated flights can be upgraded using Upgrade Certificates. document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) The Bulkhead Seat All Rights Reserved. I dont think you have a full year for upgrade certs once issued. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Medallion Upgrades | Delta Air Lines Also, keep in mind that upgrade certificates expire 12 months from the date of issuance or at the end of the Medallion year associated with that Choice Benefit selection. Youll have to buy Premium Select then hope theres a Delta One upgrade available. That was a huge benefit, and it is really hard to justify being with them when they do things like this. But GUC took a significant devaluation yesterday: starting February 1, 2022, GUC are valid only for one-cabin-higher upgrades on many international flights. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. Delta says that these updates will be automatically reflected in your SkyMiles account by March 8, 2021. Earn 50,000 Bonus Miles and a $200 Statement Credit. They fly a lot usually on their companys dime. However, they can now also be applied to award tickets and Miles + Cash tickets on Delta-operated flights. 2023 RewardExpert.com. From Priority Pass to room upgrades, we've got you covered. Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. Availability of Upgrade Certificates is not guaranteed, but Diamond and Platinum Medallion Members have exclusive access. Related: Which 2021 Delta Choice Benefit should you pick for a pandemic travel year? Just as with the region rules, global upgrade certificates have no restrictions and can be upgraded into any cabin. The ability to apply Medallion upgrade certificates is now available online for new bookings. (Not a knock, Chris. And I still see all of my certificates in my wallet. Anthony is a road warrior who loves all things travel. Alternatively, those who fly international often may opt for four Global Upgrade Certificates. Many of the credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. Worth it? . However, if I do decide to go for Diamond, I will do it by racking up MQDs on personal mileage runs on Delta partners, and those trips will probably be enough international travel for me and the GUCs will have less value. Thanks . You can apply an upgrade certificate to a flight without upgrade space and be added to the upgrade waitlist. Many elites haven't been able to use them due to reduced travel during the pandemic. The ability to redeem upgrade certificates online is limited to new flights booked on Delta.com. If you have upgrade certificates in your account, you'll see upgrade availability underneath the flight info. Specifically, Global and Regional Upgrade Certificates can be selected as Delta Choice Benefits when earning or requalifying for elite status. See CardRatings Top Credit Cards for This Month. 4 Global or 8 Regional or 2 Global AND 4 Regional. Thanks! Last year, Delta launched a new feature showing when there was confirmable space available for using either global or regional upgrade certificates. Very disappointing. The My Trips page will soon show upgrade availability and allow you to add them to existing reservations. Plus, you can now use the certificates on award and Miles + Cash bookings. Plus, your own feed of TPG content. The number of certificates required for an upgrade will depend on the type of ticket you have and the route you are flying. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. Please view our advertising policy page for more information. American? If you don't clarify that you'd like priority on the SLC to HNL leg, your upgrade may clear on the ORD to SLC leg. As a quick refresher, Diamond Medallion Members may choose any of the following three options as one of their selected Choice Benefits: Platinum Medallion Members may choose four Regional Upgrades as their single Choice Benefit. I was just looking at potential flights next year with upgrade certs-this is great news! Waived Fees: Medallion members are waived from certain fees, such as baggage fees or change fees on certain fares. Which 2021 Delta Choice Benefit should you pick for a pandemic travel year? Youre then waitlisted for Delta One upgrades which may clear within 24 hours of a flight. Big fan! But actually redeeming those certificates has been a pain until now. Premium cabins and luxury hotels are where he is most often found. Please view our advertising policy page for more information. Improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips. But they have Diamonds in their eyes. How to earn Delta elite status with credit cards, The ultimate guide to getting upgraded on Delta, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. With that said throughout the entire pandemic ive seen my loyalty to Delta shift to be more of who has FC/BC that fits my needs and schedule. As you can see, so long as you are logged in to your Delta account, Delta will notify travelers who have a certificate to use whether or not an upgrade is available with a notification under the flight routing on Delta.com. I would like to subscribe to The Points Guy newsletters and special email promotions. Of course, not all Delta flights will have upgrade space available at the time of booking. Ill probably just pay for international business on the airline with the best price and schedule. That same convenient functionality will soon be available on the Delta mobile app, too. The regional ones will get you a confirmed upgrade to first class on any domestic Delta flight, including transcontinental flights, Central America and some South American flights, and even Delta One flights to Hawaii starting April 1, 2018. Choice Benefits : Delta Air Lines For travelers seeking to fly in a premium cabin, upgrade certificates can save an enormous number of miles relative to booking an award ticket. Hi all, a couple questions on the Platinum regional upgrade certificates. Diamond Medallion Status and Delta 360 | Delta Air Lines The worst part is a lot of those FC seats go empty, so its not even like they see revenue from this move. Obviously, it's best to try and confirm an upgrade at the time you book your flight. Related: These are the best Delta credit cards. Additionally, even the free domestic first class upgrades seem a bit more available than they have with Delta. These certificates can be redeemed for an upgrade to First Class (or Delta One on transcontinental flights) within the continental U.S., as well as some flights to Hawaii, Mexico, and throughout the Caribbean. Im going to discuss different kinds of Delta upgrade certificates in this article and answer related questions from site visitors like you.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'travelonthefly_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_4',630,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-travelonthefly_com-medrectangle-3-0'); Delta airlines offers two types of upgrade certificates for passengers upon request: Regional Upgrade Certificates (RUCs) and Global Upgrade Certificates (GUCs). Our story has been updated. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Regional upgrades are only eligible to be used on Delta operated flights, but global upgrades can be used on partners. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered. Companion upgrades are not limited to a maximum of three. In summary, make sure to choose your upgrades wisely and try to be flexible when applying upgrades to your flights. Until recently, Delta flyers looking to redeem one of these certificates had to call in to have it applied. One of the best perks of Delta Platinum and Diamond Medallion status is the opportunity to earn Upgrade Certificates. Global Upgrade Certificates (GUC) are available only to Diamond Medallions and one of the reasons people pursue that top-tier status. Most expiring certificates were only extended until the end of 2020. If you're booking flights for multiple people, Delta will only show that an Upgrade Certificate is available to use if there is availability for the entire party. Anthony is a road warrior with a love of all things travel. You can also request to be placed on a waitlist if a confirmed upgrade isn't yet available. How To Use Delta Upgrade Certificates Which Routes Can I Use for My Delta Upgrade Certificates? 4 Global Upgrade Certificates or 8 Regional Upgrade Certificates, or a combination of 2 Global and 4 Regional Upgrade Certificates which can be used on tickets booked as a part of a Delta Vacations package; $500 American Express Statement Credit on Basic Delta SkyMiles Platinum and Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Cards, or Basic Delta . What Are Some of the Benefits of Being a Delta Medallion Member? I was offered 50k miles to upgrade to Platinum. First, do you want to focus your upgrades on domestic travel or international travel? Delta's good news today is that it is extending Upgrade Certificates and now allows you to search upgrade availability online. The second rule is that Basic Economy fares (E class) are not eligible. Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Delta Sky Club Lounges when Flying Delta; Escape Lounges - The Centurion Studio Partner; Eurostar Business Premier Lounges;
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