Delta annual companion ticket: How you can earn it and save money

Who doesn't love a good buy one, get one deal? If you have the right credit cards, these BOGO deals even exist on airline tickets.

We keep several credit cards in our wallets because they offer some form of an airline companion certificate for when we need to buy tickets with cash and want to ensure a good deal.

For example, the lineup of Delta American Express cards includes several that come with an annual companion certificate at each renewal. These cards also offer elevated welcome bonuses, making this the perfect time to learn what they can do to help you travel more for less.

Related: Best Delta credit cards

Which Delta cards offer a companion ticket?

Delta SkyMiles Platinum and Reserve consumer and business cardholders receive an annual Delta companion ticket with each annual card renewal.

Here's the full lineup of cards and their current welcome bonuses.

*Enrollment is required.
**Enrollment in the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Program is required.

It's possible to earn multiple companion vouchers if you have multiple eligible Delta cards.

However, it's worth noting that these companion tickets are not granted in the first year. You must renew your card (and pay the annual fee) to get the perk.

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Delta companion ticket rules

Companion tickets can only be used on select round-trip tickets within the contiguous U.S., including Alaska and Hawaii, as well as destinations in Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America.

To use the vouchers in that way, you must have an eligible address on file with Delta SkyMiles in those locations.

If you have the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex, the companion ticket is only eligible for Main Cabin flights, while the Reserve companion ticket can be used for first-class, Premium Select, Comfort or Main Cabin tickets.

This annual award is automatically deposited into your SkyMiles account the month you pay the card's annual fee, and it's typically valid for a year from the date it was issued. The ticket must be booked and the trip must be taken before the certificate expires. You still need to pay the taxes and fees on the second ticket, but otherwise, it's a buy one, get one flight deal.

Related: Is Delta Air Lines premium economy worth it between New York and London?

How to use the Delta companion ticket

Using a Delta companion ticket is very simple.

First, log in to your online Delta SkyMiles account, and after you select "Profile" (located as a drop-down option when you click on your name on the upper right-hand side), you'll find your companion certificates listed in the "Certificates, eCredits & Vouchers" section.

From there, you can select a certificate to use and then proceed to search for eligible Delta flights by hitting "Continue" at the bottom of the page.

You can only search for flights for the two people on the trip who are using the certificate, so any additional children or travelers may have to be booked separately. You can then have their itineraries linked to yours by calling Delta at 1-800-221-1212.

Saving hundreds with the Delta companion ticket

To show you the real value of the Delta companion ticket, let's use a real-world example of a recent national parks-focused trip to Utah.

The round-trip, nonstop flights from Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) to Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) cost about $466 on Delta. That wasn't a great deal, but it was during a school break, so deals were hard to come by.

The Delta companion certificate was a great way to save money when prices were high. One round-trip ticket cost $466, but a second ticket could be reserved for only an additional $20 in taxes and fees when using the companion certificate.

Traveling from Houston to Salt Lake City for two passengers for $486 with the companion voucher was a much better deal than one ticket for $466. Multiply that number by two for the other two family members on the reservation (because two eligible vouchers were available at the time) to get around $900 in savings for the trip, thanks to these Delta companion vouchers from Amex cards.

If you use the Delta companion ticket in a similar manner, it can easily be worth more than the annual fee for keeping the Delta Platinum Amex in your wallet.

Know, though, that the primary (paid) ticket on the reservation using the Delta companion ticket will accrue SkyMiles, but the companion ticket won't. Therefore, the tickets are eligible for upgrades consistent with the SkyMiles program. If you cancel your itinerary after purchasing your ticket, you usually won't be able to reuse your companion certificate, so be sure of your plans before applying your companion certificate.

Related: The top credit cards for families

Bottom line

Delta's annual companion ticket, which comes with the Delta Platinum and Reserve family of SkyMiles cards, is an excellent perk that can make flying on Delta much more affordable, especially for families. If you're looking to save money when flying Delta, consider applying for one of Delta's Amex cards to take advantage of this and other benefits available to cardholders.

Apply here: Delta SkyMiles Platinum
Apply here: Delta SkyMiles Reserve
Apply here: Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business
Apply here: Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Amex, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business Amex, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Amex, click here.