Are There Blackout Dates For Delta Companion Tickets?

Do Delta Companion Tickets Have Blackout Dates?

Companion tickets are given by Delta Airlines to their loyal customers who are considered Medallion elite status levels. Companion certificates that are awarded to Medallion members let them take along a travel companion for the price of the taxes only. This can amount to significant cost savings, effectively getting a second ticket for a relatively small price.

However, the Delta companion tickets do have some conditions that should be met before one can enjoy this privilege. Another question that many Medallion members may have is whether there are any restrictions or “blackout dates” when an actual companion ticket cannot be utilized. Now let us discuss the companion certificate rules and guidelines, with a special focus on availability.

Delta Companion Tickets: What Are They?

The Delta rewards program includes companion certificates as one of the features that are offered to Delta Medallion elite members each year who meet the status requirements. In this case, it is important to note that the number of certificates and the fare class they can be used for depends on the Medallion tier, whether it is a Diamond, Platinum, or Gold.

Companion certificates include:

• First Class Companion Ticket: Exclusive to Diamond Medallions, these enable a companion to travel in first class domestically for the price of taxes and fees while accompanying the Medallion member.
• Domestic Companion Ticket: Delta SkyMiles’ Platinum and Diamond Medallions are awarded with these certificates that entitle a companion’s main cabin base fare for Delta-operated domestic flights.
• Economy Companion Ticket: Gold, Platinum, and Diamond Medallions get a number of these relatively simple companion certificates. They can transport domestically with the Medallion member in the main cabin for taxes and fees.

All tickets mean that the Medallion elite, as well as their companion, must travel on the same route with no exceptions. Companions cannot be booked separately from the Medallion member but need to be booked simultaneously with him.

Are there blackout dates?

However, when using the companion tickets for Delta, some restrictions do apply in the form of blackout dates. However, they are not like certain days of the year when flights cannot be booked, like typical airline booking seasons.

Delta companion certificates, in general, are limited regardless of their availability based on the Medallion status, its popularity, and so on. Even companion tickets are not allowed to be used with Basic Economy fares.

It is not fixed, as it is determined by route, travel dates, season, and any other inventory management decisions made by Delta. Companion seats must be selected from the open seats Delta sets aside for Medallion member usage on that particular flight. Freedom cannot redeem an unsold seat.

For instance, a first-class companion ticket will just never be available on some other exclusive holiday travel dates where all seats are to be sold in paid first class. On the other hand, the Economy companion ticket might be readily available even during times when all the regular Economy tickets are sold out, especially during the peak travel season.

What are the companion ticket blackout dates?

Instead of outright prohibiting companion certificate usage on the blacked-out holiday dates, Delta employs limited seating to control companion ticket redemption.

When Medallion members log into the Delta website to search for companion availability using one of their certificates, Delta only presents flight options that contain seats that have been reserved for this purpose. Only the routes and flights for which there is no availability for companions in Medallions seats will be suppressed.

For instance, if a person holding the First Class Companion certificate searched for a reward flight on Christmas Eve, it would be impossible to find any. Delta would have reserved few, if any, first seats unsold for Medallion availability, thinking that flights would fill with first-class passengers. An Economy companion ticket holder may still have some choice depending on the route.

Companion tickets should therefore be redeemed on off-peak leisure travel when airlines have spare seats that can be offered under the loyalty program. These include weekdays in shoulder and off-seasons for most routes. Major holidays and summer schedules will nearly offer no or very limited Medallion companion access to any cabin since the demand tends to be much higher and paid.

Some Useful Advice For Finding Delta Companion Ticket Options

It’s crucial to remain fluid when attempting to redeem a Delta companion certificate. Just being flexible on time, airport, flight connection, or even cabin class can significantly increase the odds of success.

It is also important to search as early as 11 months before your intended date of travel. Purchasing one of the first companion Medallion seats means having access to the seats before new paid routes begin slicing away at the allotment. Similarly, to avoid change fees, lock in your itinerary when you get the companion space.

Scouring it segment by segment, beginning with your longest or most difficult-to-cover flight leg, also aids in putting together an indirect route when the non-stop runs are already filled up with revenue passengers.

Thus, it is crucial to understand that while there may be a few peak holiday travel windows that have, say, zero or next to zero Medallion companion space, Delta does not have blackout dates. Travel very early in the schedule opening;

this way, you will stand a great chance of redeeming one of these valuable perk certificates and traveling for free or at a minimal fee.

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