Delta and American Express recently refreshed several Delta SkyMiles co-branded credit cards to include a new checked-bag benefit. At first glance, it sounds simple: cardholders now get two checked bags free.
That’s mostly true.
But there’s an important detail that could confuse people traveling with family or a group.
The first checked bag benefit still works the way many Delta Amex cardholders are used to. The Basic Card Member gets a first checked bag free, and so do up to eight companions traveling on the same reservation.
The new second checked bag benefit is different.
Based on the wording from Delta and American Express, the second checked-bag-free benefit applies only to the Basic Card Member. It doesn’t apply to everyone else on the reservation.
In other words, if you’re the cardholder and you’re traveling with someone else, you may see this:
- The cardholder gets a first checked bag free
- The cardholder gets a second checked bag free on eligible domestic Delta flights
- Companions on the same reservation still get their first checked bag free
- Companions do not appear to get a second checked bag free
When checking in for your flight and selecting checked bags, make sure to assign both bags to the cardholder. That’s where the second checked bag benefit applies.
Also, the second checked-bag benefit applies only to domestic Delta flights. The first checked bag benefit still applies more broadly, but the new second bag perk is limited to eligible domestic itineraries.
That’s still a useful improvement, especially if the cardholder is the person most likely to check an extra bag. But it’s not the same as everyone on the reservation getting two free checked bags.
There’s one scenario I haven’t been able to confirm yet: what happens if more than one eligible Delta Amex cardholder is on the same reservation? Since we only have one Delta card in our household, I couldn’t test whether each cardholder would receive the second checked bag benefit individually.
Final Thought
The new Delta Amex checked bag benefit is a welcome addition, but the headline can be a little misleading.
Yes, eligible Delta Amex cardholders can now get two checked bags free on domestic Delta flights. But if you’re traveling with companions, they only get the first checked bag free.
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