How Long Are Delta Companion Tickets Good For?

SkyMiles is the frequent flyer program offered by Delta Airlines, which is one of the leading airlines in the United States of America, and companion tickets are given through this program. The Delta companion ticket is an option through which SkyMiles members can get an award ticket for a friend or family member for a small fee. This can be of great value in air travel, effectively giving a SkyMiles member one ticket at the regular mileage rate and a friend for the cost of only the taxes and fees on the companion ticket.

Understanding How the Delta Companion Ticket Operates The Delta companion ticket is only valid for those who are in the elite SkyMiles program and those who qualify for the Platinum and Diamond Medallion status through flying miles in a given year. It is given out each time that a specific status level is achieved. For Platinum Medallions, one companion ticket is earned on the first year that they achieve the Platinum Medallion status. For Diamond Medallions, a companion ticket is given out with both the Platinum and Diamond levels annually, which totals two tickets.

To use a Delta companion ticket, the SkyMiles member will initially have to redeem his/her SkyMiles to book an award ticket. This can be for any Delta-operated flight, for themselves, or for another person as the primary traveler. The cost will be the normal number of miles as per the destination, the type of cabin class, and so on.

If they have ticketed that award flight for the primary traveler, they can then log in add the companion to the trip, and use the companion certificate to book that person. The companion must be booked on the same flights as the primary traveler. There is sometimes a flat fee that has to be paid at the time of booking, whether in cash or with more miles to complete the ticket. Today, this fee is about 11 dollars plus any taxes and fees that may apply to the transaction.

Delta Companion Tickets Expire

The only thing that a traveler needs to think about when redeeming a Delta companion ticket is the time frame within which it can be used. The unused companion certificates are only good for slightly more than one year from the date of issuance. The exact date of expiration is determined by the time when the customer achieved the Medallion status tier used for qualification.

For companion tickets that were earned through attaining Platinum Medallion status, the expiration occurs at the end of the next membership year after earning the status. Thus, if Platinum was attained in June 2022, that ticket would allow access up to January 31, 2024. For the Delta SkyMiles, the membership year is from February 1st to January 31st.

Companion tickets for Diamond Medallion members are a bit more complicated as they are five thousand feet for two each year. The first ticket awarded to membership has the same expiry date as the Platinum certificates linked to the membership year.

The second companion ticket will not be awarded by Delta until the beginning of the new membership year, which is February 1st. Therefore, in the above example, if a Diamond was earned anytime in 2022, the first ticket expires on the 31st of January, 2024, while the second ticket is only issued on the 1st of February, 2023, and is valid until the 31st of January, 2025.

Delta Companion Tickets: Some Useful Information

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when it comes to utilizing a Delta companion fare:

• This is especially important if you’re planning to travel during the high season because airlines and accommodations often dictate their prices as early as six months in advance. Award seats using the miles may be restricted depending on the flight. If you want to get two award seats together, it is better to book 11 months or more before your flight’s departure.
• One should be willing to travel at any time of the week and be open to different airports if at all possible. Some flexibility is better to get two award seats than an attempt to get it in one flight number.
• Consider flying during the weekdays, as the flight schedules generally have better award seat availability. Leisure routes become crowded during the weekend.
• One should also consider traveling during off-peak seasons if at all possible. While award ticket prices in miles are not adjusted for seasonality as with traditional fares this means that more award space is available for the miles to be used at off-peak travel times.
• Regularly check Delta’s website when booking, as the award seats may become available last minute as there are schedule changes. They have a great multi-city search feature that makes it possible for you to compare different dates and routing.

This means that although Delta companion fares can be very useful and save money, the concept is important to remember the one-year expiration period of the tickets. The above examples show that you need to plan your flight dates well within the one-year window to fully benefit from free one-way awards which are among the perks of being an elite SkyMiles member. When entering your preferred routing and time, refresh the page frequently as prices can change within a few hours, but when it comes to finding your flights, be flexible with your dates, origin/destination airports, and the season, as that will help you maximize the use of the companion ticket before it expires.

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