- If you have a Delta credit card, you and as many as eight travel companions will get free checked bags. All you have to do is book your flight and include your Delta frequent flyer number on the reservation.
- The Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express offers 60,000 Delta SkyMiles when you spend $2,000 in the first three months.
- When you open the Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express and spend $3,000 in the first three months, you’ll get 75,000 SkyMiles and 5,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs).
- The premium card, the Delta Reserve® Credit Card from American Express, is offering 75,000 miles and 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles, after you spend $5,000 in three months.
- These welcome bonuses are only available until October 30, 2019.
- Read more personal finance coverage.
One of the perks that comes with Delta’s three main credit cards – the Gold Delta SkyMiles, Platinum Delta SkyMiles, and Delta Reserve cards – is a free checked bag for the cardholder and up to eight travel companions on the same reservation.
For travelers who tend to check bags, the savings can add up quickly. Delta charges $30 each way for a checked bag on a domestic flight. For a family of four taking a long vacation, just having the credit card can help save $240 – $30 each bag, each way would mean a total of $240 for the whole family.
Keep in mind that we’re focusing on the rewards and perks that make these credit cards great options, not things like interest rates and late fees, which will far outweigh the value of any points or miles. It’s important to practice financial discipline when using credit cards by paying your balances in full each month, making payments on time, and only spending what you can afford to pay back.
Using the benefit is easy
When you apply for a Delta Amex card, you’re prompted to enter your Delta SkyMiles number. From that point on, as long as the card is open, the benefits are tied to your SkyMiles account.
Just make sure that you're logged in to your Delta account when booking tickets - or, if you're booking through a third-party portal like Expedia, just enter your Delta number during the booking process. If you go to add a bag when checking in for your flight, you'll see a cost of $0.00. The same will apply for anyone else on the same reservation with you.
The key is making sure that you're on the same reservation. If you book separately, your travel companions won't have access to free checked bags unless they have their own Delta credit card (or hold elite Medallion status).
Delta SkyMiles credit cards
If you're thinking about getting a Delta credit card, now is the perfect time. Three of the cards are offering limited-time welcome bonuses that can get you up to 75,000 bonus miles - but only until October 30.
The Gold Delta SkyMiles card offers 60,000 Delta SkyMiles when you spend $2,000 in the first three months. You can also get a $50 statement credit after you make a Delta purchase with your card in the first three months.
The Platinum version is offering 75,000 SkyMiles and 5,000 MQMs when you spend $3,000 in the first three months. You can also earn a $100 statement credit after you make a Delta purchase with your card in the first three months.
Delta's premium card, the Delta Reserve, offers 75,000 miles and 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles after you spend $5,000 in three months.
Delta and Amex recently announced some significant changes to their lineup of cards, including additional bonus categories for earning miles and new benefits. The annual fees of these three cards will all go up and the new perks will take effect on January 30, 2020.
Don't forget that these welcome bonuses are only available until October 30, so don't wait.