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The Super Simple Way My Family Earned Bonus SkyMiles This Weekend

Chris Carley by Chris Carley
April 13, 2022 - Updated on April 14, 2022
in Airlines
5
Phoenix, Arizona - April 8, 2019: Delta Air Lines Airbus A321 airplane at Phoenix Sky Harbor airport (PHX) in the United States. (Photo: ©iStock.com/Boarding1Now)

(Photo: ©iStock.com/Boarding1Now)

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. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.


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.

The current Delta baggage claim area at LAX.
The current Delta baggage claim area at LAX.

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.)

Delta A320neo

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.

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. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.


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

Tags: Delta Air LinesDelta Air Lines Sky Miles
Previous Post

Delta Sky Clubs Are Becoming So Crowded Passengers are Waiting to get in. What Next?

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Caesars Reinstates My Wyndham-Matched Diamond Status! (For Now)

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
Luxurious hotel Caesars Palace at twilight, located at the Paradise area in the Las Vegas Strip, as seen over the Bellagio Lake.

Caesars Reinstates My Wyndham-Matched Diamond Status! (For Now)

Comments 5

  1. Corbett says:
    1 month ago

    I add my thanks to Joanie for the A320neo screen shot. Typo of the week! I also would like to echo your suggestion to claim the 2,500 miles regardless of the 20 minutes because the process now is supposed to scan bag-by-bag as the luggage is transferred from the cart to the belt. More often than not, the Priority bags appear last. This has become such a problem that Delta no longer accepts complaints about it. On the one hand, as a Platinum Medallion, I am deeply insulted by the carelessness of the ground crew but I sure love me some free miles to reward my Pushaw at the treatment of frequent flyers with great disregard.

    Reply
  2. DEE says:
    1 month ago

    Is it easy to find on the app? While you are waiting?

    Reply
    • Chris Carley says:
      1 month ago

      Look at the time when your plane parks and the door opens. Then compare it
      to the time on your Fly Delta app when it days your bag is arriving at baggage claim. Or just do what I do and click the link in the post and submit claim anyway.

      Reply
  3. SAW says:
    1 month ago

    WHAT please is PNR? Thanks

    Reply
    • René says:
      1 month ago

      @SAW – Search is your friend! https://eyeoftheflyer.com/?s=PNR

      Reply

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