No Result
View All Result
Eye of the Flyer
  • BANK & Travel Cards ★
    • Credit Cards
    • Travel Rewards Cards
    • Airline Credit Cards
    • Hotel Credit Cards
    • Cash Back Credit Cards
    • No Annual Fee Credit Cards
    • Small Business Credit Cards
    • 0% Intro APR Cards
    • Balance Transfer Cards
    • Bad or Poor Credit
    • No Credit
  • Rookie
  • Elite Mileage Runs
  • Merchandise
  • αbout US ✉
  • BANK & Travel Cards ★
    • Credit Cards
    • Travel Rewards Cards
    • Airline Credit Cards
    • Hotel Credit Cards
    • Cash Back Credit Cards
    • No Annual Fee Credit Cards
    • Small Business Credit Cards
    • 0% Intro APR Cards
    • Balance Transfer Cards
    • Bad or Poor Credit
    • No Credit
  • Rookie
  • Elite Mileage Runs
  • Merchandise
  • αbout US ✉
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result

Why a Delta Flight Attendant (Initially) Wouldn’t Accept a Medallion Drink Coupon

Chris Carley by Chris Carley
December 17, 2021
in Airlines
28
Tip Top Proper Cocktails' Old Fashioned served during a Delta Air Lines flight.

Tip Top Proper Cocktails' Old Fashioned served during a Delta Air Lines flight.

Eye of the Flyer, a division of Chatterbox Entertainment, Inc. has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Eye of the Flyer and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.


One of my family members shared this rather interesting story with me.

Bottoms up?

Delta Medallion elite status members receive four coupons each year that may each be redeemed for a complimentary adult beverage on a Delta or Delta Connection flight. (At least, trips that actually feature cabin service.) The coupons are loaded digitally into the Fly Delta app. Flight attendants use handheld devices to scan and verify the QR codes embedded on the tickets when presented onboard.

Delta alcoholic beverage drink tickets as seen on the FlyDelta app.

I usually end up sitting in Comfort+ or First Class — where alcoholic beverages are complimentary. So when I partake in an airborne happy hour, my drinks are often free. No coupon is required.

That leaves me with a drink ticket surplus. Many other Medallions encounter the same situation. Some generous Medallions contact me directly and we pool our resources to give away Delta drink tickets here on the blog during an occasional contest.

Because Delta generously extended drink ticket expiration dates from last year, both my wife and I had a bunch of free drinks sitting in our virtual wallets.

We took screenshots of the coupons and gave most of them away. Several were prizes here on the blog. Some went to a couple of my clients who either don’t have Delta status or are Silvers and rarely get upgraded, even to C+. A few drink coupons were given to friends and family when they took Delta trips.

I never heard of any encountering problems screenshots of Delta drink tickets.

At least, until a few weeks ago.

”I’m Just Doing My Job”

This experience occurred to one of my family members. Let’s call her Aunt Abigail (not her real name; I generally protect the identity of the poor souls related to me).

Aunt Abby flew roundtrip from Orange County (SNA) to Salt Lake City (SLC) to visit her daughter and son-in-law, who are expecting their first child very soon. (For the record, I have December 19 in the Guess-the-Baby’s-Birthdate pool.)

My wife and I sometimes send Aunt Abby a drink ticket before her trips. She enjoys a white wine or Tip-Top Margarita during the quick-ish hops between SNA and SLC. (She also holds a Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card to save money on her first checked bag and because it gets her Main Cabin 1 boarding — even on Basic Economy tickets. But Southwest could earn Aunt Abby’s business pretty soon. And with that, so might Chase.)

Abigail ordered a white wine split on her flight home a few weeks ago. She diligently had her drink coupon screenshot ready. Business as usual.

A Delta Air Lines drink coupon

 

Until the Delta flight attendant said she couldn’t accept a screenshot.

“Really?” Aunt Abby told me she asked the flight attendant. “I mentioned to her that my niece and nephew are whatever level Medallions, usually give me drink tickets, and there’s never been a problem using them before.”

She told me the flight attendant said, “I’m sorry, I’m just doing my job.”

This is very much worth stressing: Aunt Abby said the conversation’s tone never became contentious or snotty. No one got snappy, snippy, or rude. The flight attendant was polite.

Abby said she asked the flight attendant if she wouldn’t mind please just trying to scan the screenshot.

“I told her if the drink ticket didn’t work that I’d pay for the wine. And yes,” she added with a wry grin my way, “with my Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card.” (Here’s what and why she knew I’d ask.)

The flight attendant scanned the drink coupon. Whaddya know? It worked!

Delta Policy on Drink Tickets

Was the flight attendant really doing her job? Or was this some onboard SHENA?

Truth be told, it looks like the flight attendant was correct. But there’s some murky wording pertaining to beverage vouchers.

On Delta.com, it says, “Duplicated vouchers will not be accepted.” Screenshots probably are considered duplicates.

Plus, in-flight beverage vouchers “cannot be sold or bartered, transferred…”

Technically, I guess, I transferred the vouchers to Aunt Abby (and others when regifting the coupons to them).

Drink coupon information on Delta.com
Drink coupon information on Delta.com

But here’s where things get weird.

The Fly Delta app states, “Voucher must be printed when flying on Delta Connection carriers operated on an aircraft without a First Class cabin.” (Looking at you, CRJ-200s.) But a few sentences below that, there’s wording reading, “Duplicated or altered vouchers will not be accepted.”

Drink coupon information on the Fly Delta app
Drink coupon information on the Fly Delta app

But isn’t a printed copy considered a duplicate?

(Interestingly, the app doesn’t say anything about prohibiting the transfer of drink coupons.)

So which is it?

We asked Delta for a comment. We’ll let you know if they provide us with one.

Has This Happened to You?

There have been times I sat in Main Cabin and used drink tickets for myself and/or a travel companion. On a couple of occasions, flight attendants’ hand-held scanners didn’t work. Even when I reached for my wallet — with the drink already on the tray table — the flight attendants just waved their hands and basically said, “Meh, don’t worry about it. Cheers.” So, there doesn’t really seem to be any hard and fast rule enforcement when it comes to drink coupon enforcement.

That said, have you ever experienced any drink ticket issues because you used a screenshot or a printed copy? Delta flight attendants who read the blog: what’s your take on this? Please share in the below Comments section!

 

To see rates and fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, please visit this link. Terms apply.

Eye of the Flyer, a division of Chatterbox Entertainment, Inc. has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Eye of the Flyer and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.


Responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

Related

Previous Post

Hooray for (tommie) Hollywood? [A review of Hyatt’s new tommie Hotel in Los Angeles]

Next Post

WATCH: Rene’s EPIC First Cruise in Two Years — the Haven Experience!

Chris Carley

Chris Carley

Chris Carley is the owner, editor, and lead writer of Eye of the Flyer (formerly known as Rene's Points).

Next Post
My First International Vacation in Almost TWO Years! It is Amazing — and Strange — to be Out and About Again.

WATCH: Rene's EPIC First Cruise in Two Years -- the Haven Experience!

Comments 28

  1. FNT Delta Diamond says:
    2 years ago

    I’m never able to use my coupons. Sky West refuses to provide any service — not even water! — on the short Delta Connection CRj-200 flights even though the plane is catered with booze and soft drinks.

    Reply
    • Chris says:
      9 months ago

      Any chance you’d have a few extra that you aren’t going to use? I don’t have any level of status outside of the delta card

      Reply
      • Chris Carley says:
        9 months ago

        Keep your eyes peeled on this blog.

        Reply
  2. Wayne says:
    2 years ago

    I’ve never had occasion to use drink coupons because 95% of the time I get upgraded to FC. The remaining 5% of my flights are upgrades to C+. I print all of my drink coupons on card stock and bring a few of them with me to give away at the gate. I’ve never encountered any issues with them.

    Reply
  3. CarolK says:
    2 years ago

    No wifi on CRJ200s so the only option is to print them. Someday maybe I should try using one.

    Reply
  4. Thorough says:
    2 years ago

    A printed version isn’t he same a printed copy. But a duplicate print would be identicals of the printed version. Terms and conditions are sticklers for language and friction and you keep using printed copy and i didn’t see where they ever used that wording.
    It makes the difference as to why a printed version is not duplicate copy of digital version and a screenshot is a duplicate of digital version. Similar to making a copy of the printed version. One is a duplicate the other isn’t.

    Reply
  5. Micah Maloof says:
    2 years ago

    I flew for Delta for decades and I gave away the house. Are you nice? Good-looking? Thankful? Good-looking? Appreciative? Good-looking?Asked about my day? Good-looking? It’s ALL yours. I’ll get you drunk before you make your exit. It’s very simple. What coupon.

    Reply
    • Chris Carley says:
      2 years ago

      Wait a second — are you telling me looks have something to do with it?! 🙂

      Reply
  6. ChickB says:
    2 years ago

    I suspect that in this particular case what DL is saying is that if you use the cert, someone else can’t use it later – that’s the way they mean duplicate in this case

    Their transfer language is about selling the things, not giving them away. If they meant anything else they’d say ‘can only be used by the person to whom it was issued’, and it would be linked to your SM account.

    My .02.

    Reply
  7. MannyS says:
    2 years ago

    Used a coupon for the first time not so long ago. Wasn’t sure how they worked, but the FA asked to scan the code and then asked me to clear the QR code and show her that it was off the screen.

    It was odd, but I suspect there might not be a way to verify redemption until the FA Mobile devices are back on the ground.

    The wifi is just now improving, but I bet they don’t want to hold up the drink process waiting for WiFi

    Reply
  8. Jesi Owens says:
    2 years ago

    I screenshot all my coupon qr codes as a platinum member as soon as I get them so they’re accessible in case the wifi had an issue. I’d be unhappy if that wasn’t accepted in air.

    Reply
  9. Andrew says:
    2 years ago

    Is this is where journalism has gone? You wrote an entire article regarding a drink coupon. Next time, find something qorth writing about
    If you can afford to fly and afford to drink alcohol, you should be able to afford to buy yourself a drink. PERIOD. Stop bumming drink vouchers from other members. Simple as that. And use this space for more important topics. And an FYI, I have Diamond status with Delta and have lots of these coupons. It’s a drink people. If you don’t have a coupon that’s not truly yours, pay for the damn drink.

    Reply
    • Chris Carley says:
      2 years ago

      “Next time, find something qorth writing about”

      I’d love to hear your suggestions for topics qorth writing about.

      Reply
      • Whiskey says:
        2 years ago

        Well done, Chris. Saved me the trouble.
        Happy Holidays

        Reply
        • Chris Carley says:
          2 years ago

          Happy holidays to you, as well. (I’m enjoying your namesake on the rocks right now.)

          Reply
  10. SEA Steve says:
    2 years ago

    FA Retired (recently).
    When I was trained, back in the day, we were asked, “What is the first question you’re asked when you get off a plane?” Answer: How was your flight? At the time it cost $30,000 for a full page ad in the NY Times. It cost $0.15 for a mini. “Wonderful! The flight attendant bought me a drink!” The trainers said to do what we could to bring the passengers back.
    I never forgot that. Coupons too. Especially if they came from frequent travelers.

    But don’t go crazy. And don’t let me feel taken advantage of. Pretty simple

    Reply
    • Chris Carley says:
      2 years ago

      Thanks for the comment, SEA Steve. Enjoy your retirement!

      Reply
  11. Barry Graham says:
    2 years ago

    I am glad to see that the flight attendant was doing her job. It’s clear that these are not meant to be traded.

    Having said that, I’ve never needed to use these coupons and can’t see why I ever would. They were much more valuable when they also could be used for snack boxes.

    Reply
    • Chris Carley says:
      2 years ago

      When were they valid for snack boxes?

      Reply
      • Barry Graham says:
        2 years ago

        Chris, it was sometime around 2013 or 2014. I remember noticing that the new ones no longer had anything other than free drinks.

        Reply
      • René says:
        2 years ago

        @Chris – My rant a few years back: https://eyeoftheflyer.com/2016/02/14/it-is-time-for-delta-to-bring-back-snack-options-for-hoou-coupons-keep-up-with-aa-ua/

        Reply
        • Chris Carley says:
          2 years ago

          Ah, yes. Back in the day when I was a free agent. 🙂

          Reply
  12. MICHAEL ELLIOTT says:
    11 months ago

    My problem is that they will not serve the main cabin on the flights that I take. DTW to STL even though they will serve the first class and the Delta plus. If they are not going to honor them why give them out?

    Reply
  13. Zest D says:
    9 months ago

    I have a bunch of drink vouchers if anyone is flying by Jan 31 and wants some let me know

    Reply
    • Chris Carley says:
      9 months ago

      Thank you, Zest!

      Reply
    • Ceecee Wokarn says:
      9 months ago

      i’m flying delta in a week and a half. would love some vouchers!
      thank you internet stranger 🙂

      Reply
      • René says:
        9 months ago

        @Ceecee – Keep watching the blog as we will have a giveaway likely this weekend for those who need drink coupons this month.

        Reply
  14. The Don of Chill says:
    2 weeks ago

    Thanks so much Chris and for the great comments everyone! Wife and I flying Delta JFK to MCO on Sept 30 if anyone has some vouchers they can spare. Thanks!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe

Subscribe To Our NewsletterJoin our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

➤ Search Eye of the Flyer

No Result
View All Result

GREAT Travel and Cash Back Card Offers!

Eye of the Flyer may receive a commission from the links below. See our Privacy Policy

See CardRatings’ Top Credit Cards for This Month!

 

card_name

card_name: bonus_miles_full. Plus, select airport lounge access, statement credit opportunities, and more! (Read why we love this card.) Read more and learn here how to apply. (card_name.)

card_name
card_name BEST EVER OFFER RETURN! Earn $900 bonus cash back (90,000 bonus points) after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening on the card_name ($900 bonus cashback awarded as 90,000 points) Learn more here.

Hilton Aspire Card from American Express

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: A Free Night Award each year, complimentary Diamond status, and several great statement opportunities. Plus, earn 150,000 bonus Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases on the card within your first 3 months of Card Membership approval. Learn here how to apply. (See Rates and Fees. Terms apply. All information about the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card was collected independently by Eye of the Flyer.)

card_name

The card_name is the new must-have “it” card for travel lovers! bonus_miles_full. Plus, earn $300 annually in statement credits for travel purchased through Capital One AND 10,000 bonus miles every year, after the first anniversary. The $395 annual fee can EASILY be earned back (here’s how) — and then some! Learn here how to apply.

card_name

Check out the card_name: you can bonus_miles_full Category-wise, the card earns 3X points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. (Earn 1X per $1 on all other purchases.) Read more and learn here how to apply.

  Earn cash back with Rakuten (formerly known as Ebates) Earn cash back with TopCashback! RebatesMe Earn cash back with DOSH!

Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Eye of the Flyer with appropriate and specific directions to the original content.

Subscribe

Subscribe To Our NewsletterJoin our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Resources

  • ✍ Editors Disclaimer
  • 💰 Advertiser Disclosure
  • 🔒 Privacy Policy
  • BANK & Travel Cards ★
  • Rookie
  • Elite Mileage Runs
  • Merchandise
  • αbout US ✉

Copyright © 2023 Eye of the Flyer. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • BANK & Travel Cards ★
    • Credit Cards
    • Travel Rewards Cards
    • Airline Credit Cards
    • Hotel Credit Cards
    • Cash Back Credit Cards
    • No Annual Fee Credit Cards
    • Small Business Credit Cards
    • 0% Intro APR Cards
    • Balance Transfer Cards
    • Bad or Poor Credit
    • No Credit
  • Rookie
  • Elite Mileage Runs
  • Merchandise
  • αbout US ✉

Copyright © 2023 Eye of the Flyer. All Rights Reserved.

Cleantalk Pixel