Having a Delta credit card gets you a free checked bag every time you fly the airline - here's how to use the perk

Advertisement
Having a Delta credit card gets you a free checked bag every time you fly the airline - here's how to use the perk

Personal Finance Insider writes about products, strategies, and tips to help you make smart decisions with your money. Business Insider may receive a commission from The Points Guy Affiliate Network, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

Advertisement

52684534_2419660888053079_7685507066072399872_o

Delta Air Lines

One of the perks that comes with Delta's three main credit cards - the Gold Delta SkyMiles, Platinum Delta SkyMiles, and Delta Reserve cards - is a free checked bag for the cardholder and up to eight travel companions on the same reservation.

For travelers who tend to check bags, the savings can add up quickly. Delta charges $30 each way for a checked bag on a domestic flight. For a family of four taking a long vacation, just having the credit card can help save $240 - $30 each bag, each way would mean a total of $240 for the whole family.

Using the benefit is easy.

Advertisement

When you apply for the Delta AmEx card, you're prompted to enter your Delta SkyMiles number. From that point on, as long as the card is open, the benefits are tied to your SkyMiles account.

Just make sure that you're logged in to your Delta account when booking tickets - or, if you're booking through a third-party portal like Expedia, just enter your Delta number during the booking process. If you go to add a bag when checking in for your flight, you'll see a cost of $0.00. The same will apply for anyone else on the same reservation with you.

The key is making sure that you're on the same reservation. If you book separately, your travel companions won't have access to free checked bags unless they have their own Delta credit card (or hold elite Medallion status).

Learn more: 9 lucrative credit-card deals new cardholders can get this month - including up to 75,000 Delta SkyMiles

If you're thinking about getting a Delta credit card, now is the perfect time. All three cards are offering limited-time welcome bonuses that match the highest ever publicly offered.

Advertisement

The Gold Delta SkyMiles card offers 60,000 Delta SkyMiles when you spend $2,000 in the first three months. The Platinum version is offering 75,000 SkyMiles and 5,000 Medallion Qualification Miles when you spend $3,000 in the first three months. Delta's premium card, the Delta Reserve, also offers 75,000 miles and 5,000 Medallion Qualification Miles, although you'll need to spend $5,000 in three months.

$95 annual fee: Click here to learn more about the Gold Delta SkyMiles card from Business Insider's partner: The Points Guy.

$195 annual fee: Click here to learn more about the Platinum Delta SkyMiles card from Business Insider's partner: The Points Guy.

$450 annual fee: Click here to learn more about the Delta Reserve card from Business Insider's partner: The Points Guy.

Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Personal Finance Insider team. We occasionally highlight financial products and services that can help you make smarter decisions with your money. We do not give investment advice or encourage you to adopt a certain investment strategy. What you decide to do with your money is up to you. If you take action based on one of our recommendations, we get a small share of the revenue from our commerce partners. This does not influence whether we feature a financial product or service. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. If you have questions or feedback, we'd love to hear from you. Email us at yourmoney@businessinsider.com.

Business Insider may receive a commission from The Points Guy Affiliate Network, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

{{}}