Delta Skymiles AmEx?

[MAJPLO]

Anyone here have this card? I noticed something about a free checked bag if you have their card. I can't tell if you have to actually use that card to book your flight in order to get the free checked bag. Anyone know?

 

[sam_gordon]

Everyone in the traveling party gets 1 free bag. You do NOT have to have booked with the card to get that benefit. You also automatically get Zone 2 boarding IIRC.

 

[DebbieB]

I've had it for several years. As long as your frequent flyer number is on the reservation, you get the free bags, I think up to 6 people. I've got a free bag when I paid with my corporate credit card.

 

[Greysword]

I have the Delta Platinum AMEX card, and I like the features it provides.

- 1 free checked bag for up to 8 people in the party (must be with card holder).

- Zone 1 boarding (boards with Silver Medallions and pretty much guarantees overhead bin space and time to settle in the main cabin).

- SkyClub lounge access for $30 (most useful in emergency if need to rebook a delayed or canceled flight. Agents in lounge deal mainly with elites and the lines are shorter than at the gate for rebooking).

- Platinum version has a BOGO free certificate that can offset the annual fee.

Here is a link on the Delta Points blog comparing the AMEX Delta Platinum card to Silver medallion elite status: http://boardingarea.com/deltapoints...ave-a-5th-medallion-classes-bronze-medallion/

In the end, the Zone 1 boarding is the best benefit, followed by a free bag, BOGO cert, and lounge access in emergencies.

Good luck!

 

[MAJPLO]

Thanks for all the info. A couple other questions.... Is it the frequent flyer (SkyMiles) number or some other number that has to be linked to each person's reservation/ticket? If DH books himself and one passenger separately from the other two in our party do all four of us still get the checked bag free? Do they "share" frequent flyer credits like Southwest does? If so then how does my reservation work using my ff# but needing DH's ff# for the free bag? I'm new to Delta. Can you tell? :

 

[DebbieB]

Thanks for all the info. A couple other questions.... Is it the frequent flyer (SkyMiles) number or some other number that has to be linked to each person's reservation/ticket? If DH books himself and one passenger separately from the other two in our party do all four of us still get the checked bag free? Do they "share" frequent flyer credits like Southwest does? If so then how does my reservation work using my ff# but needing DH's ff# for the free bag? I'm new to Delta. Can you tell? :

The free bags are only on the reservation made by the cardholder. If others are on a separate reservation, they don't get the free bags. Each person has a separate frequent flyer account, you have to use your own number.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

I've had it for several years. As long as your frequent flyer number is on the reservation, you get the free bags, I think up to 6 people. I've got a free bag when I paid with my corporate credit card.

Hmm, this might make it worth it just to get the free bag, if I don't actually have to use the card. The annual fee is $95, correct?

- Zone 1 boarding (boards with Silver Medallions and pretty much guarantees overhead bin space and time to settle in the main cabin).

I was flying SFO-MSP yesterday, and I was shocked at the number of people who had Zone 1 boarding. I prefer to check my luggage and only take a backpack on board, and I like to minimize my sitting time as much as possible, so I hung back and waited for Zone 2 to be called before boarding (I was in EC yesterday). It was a Boeing 757, so not a small plane by any means. I swear, 75% of the passengers boarded the plane in Zone 1. I did a quick headcount before I got on at the start of Zone 2 boarding, and there were only about 25 people still waiting to board. They were already announcing the overhead bins were full before all the Zone 1 people boarded. It was crazy! What's the point of "priority boarding" if everyone is special?

 

[Redarrow5150]

Just got this card a few weeks ago and have already put $1,000 on it for the 30,000 miles. How long does this take for the miles to show up in your account? I'm thinking after receiving the first statement about 6 weeks?

 

[MAJPLO]

Update: we got the card and didn't intend to use it for the flight. However, a $50 statement credit was offered for any Delta purchase. So we booked DH and DS using the new Delta card then separately booked for myself and DD using a different card (need points for return flights on another carrier). Using the frequent flyer number to link the reservations didn't make me feel better so I just called and a rep linked all four tickets to make sure each of us has the free bag benefit. : it was a long hold time on the phone but was pretty efficient once I got a person on the line.

 

[Greysword]

Update: Using the frequent flyer number to link the reservations didn't make me feel better so I just called and a rep linked all four tickets to make sure each of us has the free bag benefit. : it was a long hold time on the phone but was pretty efficient once I got a person on the line.

Delta customer service is pretty good. If you arrive at the check-in desk with your family and ask them about it, they will make sure you get the credit manually, even if the computer glitches. This is true for Zone 1 boarding, too.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Giving zone 1 boarding just because you have an airline branded cc is ridiculous! On United, you get boarding zone 2, which makes more sense.

 

[DebbieB]

Giving zone 1 boarding just because you have an airline branded cc is ridiculous! On United, you get boarding zone 2, which makes more sense.

The way Delta boards, Medallions except silver are before zone 1. So zone 1 really isn't "first".

http://www.delta.com/content/www/en...rogram/medallion-benefits/at-the-airport.html

Priority Boarding

With our zone boarding process, Medallion members are invited to board early on most flights1. This gives you more time to locate your seat and store your carry-ons before general boarding.

Via our Delta Sky Priority lane, all passengers in BusinessElite®, First, or Business Class will be invited to preboard (Zone PREM). All Diamond, Platinum, and Gold Medallion® members, SkyTeam ElitePlus customers, Alaska Airlines® MVP® Gold members and Virgin Australia Velocity Platinum and Gold members are then invited to board (Zone SKY). Silver Medallion members, SkyTeam Elite and Virgin Australia Velocity Silver members customers can begin boarding after that using the Sky Priority™ boarding lane when traveling in Economy Class (Zone 1) .