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We wrote last year that Delta One seats suddenly weren’t available to book with Delta Amex Reserve Companion Certificates.
That’s no longer the case, though. Inventory permitting, you once again may use your Delta Reserve Companion Certificate for Delta One reservations.
But the deal might not be as sweet as you may think.
Quick Primer: Delta Reserve Companion Certificates
Four co-branded Delta American Express Cards give cardholders an annual Companion Certificate starting the second year of card membership:
The Delta Platinum cards’ Companion Certificates are valid only for select Main Cabin (coach) fares: L, U, T, X, and V.
But both flavors of Reserve Cards have Companion Certificates valid for Delta One, First Class, Comfort+, and Main Cabin trips with available fare classes I, Z, W, L, U, T, X, and V. Delta adds, “For Delta Comfort+ travel, tickets are available in W and S classes of service, but only when L, U, T, X, or V classes of service are available in the Main Cabin.”
(Here’s a relatively deep dive into Companion Certificates, in general.)
Last Year: Delta One Tickets Excluded
I tried using one of my Delta Reserve Companion Certificates last year to book a Delta One trip for my in-laws. And that’s how I found out Delta quietly eliminated Delta One as a Companion Certificate option. “Standard” First Class remained bookable on flights with that product. But Delta One was no longer eligible.
And that really stunk.
This Year: Delta One’s Back — But is it Still a Great Deal?
Reader Jeff S. emailed me that he recently found Delta One seats available with a Delta Reserve Companion Certificate. (Thanks, Jeff!)
I did my own trip search just to confirm, contrast, and compare.
Sure enough, Delta One is again an option for Delta Reserve Companion Certificate redemption. But here’s the catch: refundable tickets are your only option.
What’s the big deal? Well, refundable tickets are more expensive than non-refundable tickets.
I priced out a Los Angeles (LAX) to New York-Kennedy (JFK) trip for October 21-23. Here’s the cost for two people to sit in Delta One — with the Companion Certificate applied:
Again, that’s a fully refundable ticket. The paying passenger’s fare was about $2,214. (The companion is charged tax and fees.)
But a non-refundable ticket costs about $1788. That’s about $426 cheaper than the refundable ticket — which, of course, is your only option when booking a Delta One reservation with your Companion Certificate.
Here’s the total for two people flying two non-refundable tickets on the same itinerary.
The Companion Certificate still provides nice savings in this example ($1334). It more than covers both cards’ respective $550 annual fees. (To see rates and fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, please visit this link. To see rates and fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, please visit this link.)
But giving cardholders the cheaper, non-refundable option would be nice, too. (Hey, let us takes our chances!) Unless Delta or Amex are just trying to squeeze more money out of us.
So I think the Delta Reserve cards’ Companion Certificate perk is still a pretty good deal — even for Delta One. But it could be just a little sweeter.
Final Approach
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Cards’ Companion Certificates are once again valid for Delta One reservations. But know ahead of time that your only option will be a refundable fare — which is more expensive than a non-refundable ticket.
But given that you’re paying for one ticket, it’s still a good deal.
To see rates and fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, please visit this link. Terms apply.
To see rates and fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, please visit this link. Terms apply.
To see rates and fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, please visit this link. Terms apply.
To see rates and fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card, please visit this link. Terms apply.
Advertiser Disclosure: Eye of the Flyer, a division of Chatterbox Entertainment, Inc., is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. Some or all of the card offers that appear on the website are from advertisers. Compensation may impact how and where card products appear on the site. This site does not include all card companies or all available card offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities. Some of the links on this page are affiliate or referral links. We may receive a commission or referral bonus for purchases or successful applications made during shopping sessions or signups initiated from clicking those links.
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.
And here’s the bummer. AIRCRAFT CHANGE! You opt to pay the high refundable fare to get into Delta One, and somewhere along the line, the aircraft is changed and you end up in regular First, or an inferior Delta one (not the suites, but the herring bone, etc.) I guess if it’s refundable you can ask for a refund, but then when you try to rebook on the same flight number (but different aircraft), you learn there are NO UPGRADE seats any more.
Yep! American does this ALL THE TIME
Lol, these companies always have to find a way to be sleezy. Like why even bother giving benefits at all?
I used my delta reserve companion ticket to go to LA for Thanksgiving in Delta One and had no issues, other than it was only available on certain flights. If not traveling on the same reservation I don’t think you’re allowed to use the companion ticket. I also don’t believe the certificate is refundable either if you make changes to the reservation.
In any event, it’s a free ticket so not sure what the issue is. I say take it, use it and say thank you that two fly for the price of one, refundable fare or not.
Dang, that’s not cheap. Last year my husband and i flew to Warsaw Poland in Delta One for $2,300 each. I’ve been trying to find a delta one ticket to Europe this year but no luck yet 🙁
Fingers crossed!
Side note: I wish the Companion Certificates were valid for international trips.
Bought a nonrefundable delta one ticket back in Nov for NYC to LAX on 767-400 and was able to use my delta reserve companion certificate. I did call in and asked a rep to book it, not sure if that made a difference. Had a aircraft change for the outgoing flight so had to call and they made a change to another flight, no charge despite it being more expensive than the fare I originally bought for.
was the availability showing up on delta.com when searched using companion cert? I see 2+ availability showing up for I and Z class for refundable delta one but if I search using companion cert, nothing shows up. but then even the W class comfort+ won’t show up either so may be I have to call in anyways. I am definitely searching using reserve cert and at least W class should work.
Found this out months ago but hesitated on buying because plans weren’t finalized.. now this and TPG articles are out and just like that nothing shows up any dates JFK-LAX with companion pass. Too much exposure, Delta must’ve closed the loophole.
Hi Chris,
Trying to actually ‘use’ the ‘benefit’ of a Reserve Companion cert yesterday I first looked before logged in and saw that there was W fare for both outbound and return segments, so I Start Over, login and go to purchase, only to get a “Oops! We’re sorry, the search you entered may not meet the Terms and Conditions for the certificate you’re redeeming…’, so I went to the trusty Eye of the Flyer, string searched and found this recent article from you where you mentioned what the rep at the supposed DM desk (an hour 15 callback time was actually two hours 55min, nice!) said to me, “For Delta Comfort+ travel, tickets are available in W and S classes of service, but only when L, U, T, X, or V classes of service are available in the Main Cabin.”. When I read their Companion Ticket Summary terms it doesn’t say anything about that, so I’m assuming I need to read through the legalsleaze of the Terms and Conditions tab?
How does having to “ALSO HAVE” LUTXV space available when buying a W even make sense? I find their reasoning as asinine as if I got the same answer to, ‘I want to use a Companion fare to buy first class, there’s I or Z space but ‘no LUTXV space’.
WTH? Is this just more Delta #SHENA? When I told the supposed DM line lady ‘what you’re telling me isn’t what I see’ she said ‘call American Express then’, who proceeded to give me wrong / stale information, like ‘send email to charter@delta.com‘ (doesn’t exist anymore) and ‘call 800 452 2720’ where I knew that number from memory, tell the person that is my plan to call on Monday when they open and he said ‘no, they’re open 24/7’, I say ‘They’re not’. He’s insistent they are. So when he and I are done, as I got nowhere, including the ‘hot potato’ of him telling me ‘You need to call Delta’, I call the number and sure enough ‘please call back during our normal business hours…’
So do you know if anyone that really gives a damn works at Delta anymore? They #KeepDescending ever faster.
We have 2 first class companion certificates and have tried everyday for months to find seats. We tried different dates, cities without luck. Called Delta twice and was told “seats sold out”. Called American express reserve card was told “call Delta”. So we have paid over $500.00 dollar’s for a card, however not able to use the “benefit of a first class certificate”. My husband is a lawyer and noted a class action suit against Delta for this problem. We intend to cancel our American express card, and will no longer use Delta.