The Super Simple Way My Family Earned Bonus SkyMiles This Weekend

Here is a topic I’ve written about before — but it bears repeating because there’s the potential to earn plenty of bonus SkyMiles for just a few seconds of work.

7,500 Bonus SkyMiles – Because of “Delayed” Luggage

My wife, daughter, and I enjoyed a long weekend trip to the Denver area and met with friends and family.

We booked our Delta reservations as usual: Mrs. Carley and our daughter generally travel on one confirmation/PNR, and I travel on a separate one. There are several reasons for this:

• My wife and I can clear into Comfort+ (inventory permitting) almost immediately after booking. This includes a companion.
• We’re both eligible for First Class upgrades because no more than two people are flying on our respective PNRs.
• Heaven forbid my daughter was on my PNR and, for some reason, had to be separated from her mom for a flight because we wound up sitting in different cabins because of upgrade availability or something.

Our checked luggage showed up on the baggage carousel at least 21 minutes after our flight parked at our gate. (Which didn’t matter, considering the Denver airport is enormous, and we needed about 20 minutes to get to baggage claim.)

Perfect! Why?

Delta offers SkyMiles members 2,500 bonus miles per PNR if their bags are more than 20 minutes delayed getting to baggage claim for flights in the US 50 and Puerto Rico. Delta doesn’t automatically award you the bonus miles — you have to submit a claim manually. Here’s where you can do that.

We checked three bags under my PNR and one under Mrs. Carley’s.

So, I submitted one claim for her and another for me.

Bingo.

About five seconds later, 2,500 SkyMiles showed up in each of our accounts.

Because a client hired me for a job, I flew home a day earlier than the rest of my family. Delta had the nerve to deliver my checked luggage to the LAX baggage claim. (Can you believe that? So rude. 😉 ) So, I didn’t have a case for 2,500 bonus miles.

Mrs. Carley and our daughter had a completely different experience the following day. Their checked bag was, like, 25 or 30 minutes late to the carousel. I submitted their claim before they were on the car ride home.

Delta runs pretty good flash sales — and SkyMiles award travel now permanently accrues MQM, MQD, and MQS. While 2,500 SkyMiles might not seem like a big deal, they can add up quickly if you regularly travel and check bags.

Submit a Claim Even if Your Bag Might Be On Time

Hear me out.

I generally submit a Bags on Time claim when my luggage shows up around the 20-minute mark. Think 18 or 19 minutes. There were times I swore my bag made squeaked in juuuust before the 20-minute deadline but I submitted a claim anyway. Sure enough, I was credited 2,500. Maybe it was my error (which would surprise no one).

Or maybe it was Delta’s.

After all, the airline seems to think it’s flying the A320neo starting May 20. Not the A321neo. (Thanks to reader “Joanie” who sent me this screenshot.)

Worst case scenario: you’re out about a minute. Best case: you receive 2,500 bonus SkyMiles.

Final Approach

If you check luggage on Delta Air Lines flights, remember to submit claims for the great Bags on Time feature. It’s an easy way to score bonus miles and make a sometimes dull situation (waiting for luggage) easier.