I Wasn’t Expecting A Discount On This Delta Airlines Purchase

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If you’re following my recent travels, you know that I recently flew on a basic economy ticket on Delta Airlines from Orlando to Atlanta.

As we haven’t been flying that frequently over the past 2 years, I haven’t kept up on the connectivity options on each airline. I know that Jetblue offers FlyFi access to all passengers. In addition, some airlines are offering free Wi-Fi to T-Mobile customers on selected flights.

But my flight on Delta was not a selected flight. The in-flight Wi-Fi service provider was GoGo, a company I haven’t had much success with in the past.

When I got settled in my seat, I saw that I could log into the Wi-Fi network. Delta provides free access to messaging apps like iMessage, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp.

Once connected, I started chatting with Sharon and our friends in Atlanta who would be picking me up from the airport. Sharon shared a picture with the group but it wouldn’t load. That’s when I realized the free messaging didn’t include photos or videos.

I looked at the login page and saw that the price for the Wi-Fi for the hour flight was $5. Wanting to stay in the conversation, I paid the money. This also allowed me to check my Facebook, and Twitter and check the status of the YMMV website while on the plane.

I paid for the Wi-Fi with my Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card. I knew the charge was from GoGo so I wasn’t expecting any bonus. The card earns 2X SkyMiles for these bonus categories.

• On every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta
• On every dollar spent on U.S. purchases for advertising in select media
• On every dollar spent on eligible U.S. Shipping purchases
• On every dollar spent on dining at restaurants.

In addition, you receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit on eligible pre-purchased meals and in-flight purchases of food, alcoholic beverages, and audio headsets on Delta-operated flights. There was no in-flight service on this trip besides coffee or water.

Imagine my surprise when I saw a $1 credit for a 20% rebate on in-flight purchases. This had to be for the $5 I spent on the Wi-Fi.

I haven’t seen anywhere where Delta or American Express advertises that you’ll get a rebate for Wi-Fi fees. In fact, the card rules specifically exclude charges for in-flight Wi-Fi from the 20% discount.

OK, so I saved $1 on my Wi-Fi. Big deal.

However, that’s only because it was a short flight. If you’re on a longer trip, the Wi-Fi fee can be up to $20 and if you’re able to get $4 back each trip, that’s working your way to recovering the $95 annual fee.

I’m not saying this is a huge win. However, it’s been a thorn in my side that some co-brand airline cards exclude Wi-Fi purchases from their in-flight discounts. I realize those payments can be processed by a third party but there’s no reason you can’t tell the processor to give discounts on those charges as well.

I’d be interested to learn if this hack works on all Delta flights, regardless of who’s the Wi-Fi provider. Does anyone have experience getting a discount on Delta Wi-Fi using a co-brand AMEX card?

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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary