2 Delta credit cards come with an annual companion plane ticket - it can be an incredible value if you use it right

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2 Delta credit cards come with an annual companion plane ticket - it can be an incredible value if you use it right
Delta 757-200 Comfort Plus

David Slotnick/Business Insider

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If you have the premium Delta Reserve card, you can use the companion certificate for a Comfort+ seat.

Delta's co-branded cards come with some great perks for Delta flyers, like free checked bags, priority boarding, discounted lounge access, and in-flight discounts.

Two of the consumer cards - the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card and the Delta SkyMiles Reserve card - offer a benefit that's even more valuable, but most people aren't fully aware of how it works - or even that it exists.

After your first year with either card, each year on your cardmember anniversary you'll get a companion certificate. Here's how it works.

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Keep in mind that we're focusing on the rewards and perks that make these credit cards great options, not things like interest rates and late fees, which will far outweigh the value of any points or miles. It's important to practice financial discipline when using credit cards by paying your balances in full each month, making payments on time, and only spending what you can afford to pay back.

Delta companion certificate details

The companion certificate is essentially a buy-one-get-one coupon. When you book a flight for yourself anywhere within the continental US, you can get a second ticket for only the cost of minimal taxes and fees.

Depending on which card you have, you can use the certificate for travel in economy, or in any class:

  • Delta Platinum card ($250 annual fee) - Companion certificate is valid for travel in the main cabin (Delta's term for the economy cabin)
  • Delta Reserve card ($550 annual fee) - Companion certificate is valid for travel in the main cabin, Delta Comfort+, or first class

The Delta Reserve card commands a steeper fee because it offers complimentary Delta Sky Club access and Amex Centurion lounge access when you're flying Delta. For more information on the differences between the various options, see Business Insider's comparison of Delta co-branded cards.

The companion certificate benefit is also available on the small-business versions of these two cards, with the same rules about which cabin you can use it in:

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The certificate is restricted to specific fare classes within each cabin:

  • Main cabin: L, U, T, X, and V fares
  • Comfort+: W
  • First class: I, Z

That's getting technical, but know that for the main cabin this covers most of the cheaper and mid-priced economy fares, as well as some pricier ones. I have the Delta Platinum card, and in numerous searches I've run from New York City-area airports, I've had no trouble finding eligible flights in the main cabin, as long as I'm booking at least 25-30 days in advance.

How I've used the companion certificate

For me, the companion certificate blows away the Delta Platinum card's $250 annual fee, which isn't waived the first year. My wife and I fly domestically at least a few times a year, whether to visit family or friends or go on vacation, and I just save the pass until we're taking a flight that costs more than $250 each.

I opened the Delta Platinum card in January of 2017, and in the fall, I used my first companion certificate. My wife and I got a new puppy and had to fly to pick him up and bring him back home.

Booking was easy. Once the pickup date was set, I logged into my Delta account, found the pass stored in my account management page, and clicked on it to search for eligible flights. I also searched for the same flights in a different browser to price compare - everything matched up.

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From that point, it was just as if we had paid for the tickets normally. As an added bonus: We were both still eligible for complimentary first-class upgrades since we both hold Medallion elite status with Delta.

Delta Connection CRJ-900 First Class

David Slotnick/Business Insider

The flight was on a small CRJ-900 regional jet, which has a 12-seat first-class cabin in a 1-2 configuration. When our complimentary upgrades processed, we were both automatically assigned seats on the side with one seat per row. The flight was only an hour, but it was nice to have a little more space, and to enjoy a cup of coffee pre-departure and in-flight snacks.

We landed in Rochester where we were picking up Murray, and met him (and a wonderful person who had been taking care of him for the past few weeks) outside the airport. We had a few hours until our return flight, so we hung around outside and tried to tire Murray out.

Delta Pet In Cabin Rochester Airport ROC

David Slotnick/Business Insider

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We went to the check-in counter to get our boarding passes and pay Delta's in-cabin pet fee - although I had to call reservations ahead of time to add a pet to our trip, I had to pay the fee in-person so the agents could confirm that Murray was in an approved carrier. It wasn't busy at check-in, and Murray was a hit with the whole Delta crew.

We were upgraded again as we boarded our Embraer E170 for the flight back home - this time we were seated next to each other. We declined the pre-departure beverages this time since we had Murray, and eventually coaxed him to pull his head into the carrier. After that, he settled down for a nap. We put his carrier under the seat in front of me for take-off, and pulled it back out after to make sure he was okay.

Airplane Dog Murray

David Slotnick/Business Insider

Ultimately - especially after the experience using my companion certificate - I'm planning on keeping my Delta Platinum card as long as that benefit remains. The card pays for itself as long as you fly Delta domestically with companions each year, so I have no reason not to keep it.

Considering that eligible domestic fares can be as high as the $500s and $600s - for instance, on trans-continental flights - that $250 annual fee in exchange for a companion pass is a phenomenal deal.

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Limited-time offers on the Delta Platinum and Reserve

If you could use the companion certificate, now is an especially good time to apply for the Delta Platinum card or the Delta Reserve card, because they're offering increased welcome bonuses until April 1.

  • Delta Platinum card: Earn up to 100,000 miles: 80,000 miles after you spend $3,000 in the first three months, plus another 20,000 miles after your first cardmember anniversary
  • Delta Reserve card: Earn up to 100,000 miles and 20,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs): 80,000 miles and 20,000 MQMs after you spend $5,000 in the first three months, plus another 20,000 miles after your first cardmember anniversary

$250 annual fee: Click here to learn more about the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card »

$550 annual fee: Click here to learn more about the Delta SkyMiles Reserve card »

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. 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.

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

Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.

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