You May Have “Hidden” Unused Airfare Credit with Delta Air Lines

There’s a chance you have Delta Air Lines unused tickets sitting in the airline’s system — but aren’t aware of their existence.

Some Canceled Tickets Are Missing in Customer-Facing SkyMiles Profiles

Earlier this week, I needed to book an upcoming Delta trip. I found flights that worked for my time and budget.

There were a few Pay With Miles tickets I booked last year but had to cancel for one reason or another. All of them carried cash balances. I canceled the trips in full and received eCredits for their entire values.

I decided to apply those toward my purchase this week.

I found one of my canceled Pay With Miles ticket numbers and tried applying it at checkout at Delta.com.

That didn’t work.

I searched my email and collated five other canceled Pay With Miles ticket numbers. None of them worked.

Check your email? you may say. Why not just look at your Delta SkyMiles account to see your vouchers and canceled tickets?

And that, my friend, is the kicker: canceled Pay With Miles tickets do not appear on Delta’s “Use Certificates, eCredits, or Delta Gift Cards” page.

Even more frustrating: from personal and anecdotal experience, it seems most Delta customer service reps do not know that we can’t see canceled Pay With Miles tickets in our SkyMiles accounts.

After all, it’s only logical that we should be able to see them, right?

It’s almost like Delta doesn’t want you to use them — and just let the funds expire. (To Delta’s credit, unused eCredits were extended to the end of 2023.) Either that or this is another Delta IT issue.

”Missing” But Found: Almost $2,600 in Delta Credit

I hopped onto Delta’s messaging system at Delta.com. After almost an hour and a half of going back and forth trying to book my trip using my unused ticket, the chat rep disappeared. Gee, thanks.

So, I called the Medallion line and spoke with a wonderful Delta rep named Cliffie.

I asked her how many unused tickets and eCredits she saw in my account. I mentioned that I saw only two in my Delta.com and Fly Delta app account. Those were from previously canceled full revenue tickets — they weren’t Pay With Miles tickets.

I also knew of three canceled Pay With Miles tickets.

Alas, no.

It turns out there were seven unused tickets in my account. In fact, we found one canceled Pay With Miles ticket worth $1,000 (that was from a canceled First Class mileage run to Lihue during 2021). That paid for my upcoming trip — and carried a handsome balance.

I asked Cliffie if she would please provide me the ticket numbers and values of my available credits.

In total, those seven tickets visible to her (but not me) totaled $2,688 worth of unused tickets. I got me some travelin’ to do.

But Why?

My guess for this problem? It’s SkyMiles and revenue computer programs or scripts not talking to each other — either by accident or maybe Delta IT hasn’t figured out a way.

When you cancel a Pay With Miles ticket, the cash position does not automatically convert to travel funds or eCredits the way revenue tickets do.

That’d be too easy.

What to Do?

So, even though you have the canceled ticket number, you still need to waste your time — and Delta’s.

If your schedule permits, call Delta when you need to cancel a Pay With Miles ticket. Tell them you want the cash portion converted to a Delta eCredit or travel voucher.

(A friend of mine told me to “‘ask the rep to please destroy or suspend the ticket and create an MCO or Miscellaneous Charge Order. This way, the ticket can be converted to a travel voucher or credit.”)

I tried doing that with a different agent. Her answer? “Uh, what?”

I’m especially surprised this is even an issue — considering that Pay With Miles is a feature available only to Delta SkyMiles® American Express cardholders and Amex is such a major boon to Delta’s income.

You’d think both companies would want to keep their shared customers happy.

Keep Good Records

Here’s where I could’ve saved some time.

As René can attest, I’m not the world’s greatest record keeper. That stuff isn’t as fun as working on pictures, going on trips, and writing! 😉

Whenever you cancel a Pay With Miles ticket, make note of the ticket number and that it’s a Pay With Miles ticket. This helps you reference it when you have to call Delta and book the trip.

Had I done that, I would’ve known my canceled tickets’ numbers and values. Yes, I’d still need to call Delta and go through the process of having them book my trip or convert the funds to vouchers. But at least I’d know what’s available.

Please, Delta: Fix This Stuff

Delta provides a very solid product. I like their planes, their investments in new and upgraded terminals are fantastic, and so many Delta employees really Strive for Five.

But, it’s little things like available funds not showing up for your customers that looks shady, unprofessional, and cheap — whether it’s intentional or not.