Delta credit cards come with great perks for Delta flyers, like free checked bags and priority boarding on Delta flights, airport lounge access, and discounts on certain inflight purchases.
One of the most valuable Delta benefits is the ability to bring a friend or family member with you for just the cost of taxes and fees. This benefit comes in the form of an annual companion certificate — and four co-branded Amex Delta credit cards offer it:
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
It's possible to get a lot of value from each of these bonuses — read our post on how to earn and redeem Delta miles for tips.
You'll earn a companion certificate after your first year of holding one of these cards, then receive another one each year that you renew your card membership. Depending on how you use your companion benefit, you could save hundreds — or even thousands — of dollars each year.
You can easily offset your credit card's annual fee if you take full advantage of this certificate each year. For example, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card charges a $650 annual fee (rates and fees).
The amount you save will depend on the amount you spend. If you book a $1,000 seat for yourself, you can bring a friend for just the cost of taxes and fees, saving nearly $1,000. If you and a travel buddy wanted to fly from Atlanta to Seattle in business class, for example you might pay $1,500 per ticket. But with the companion certificate, you could buy one ticket and bring your buddy along for just the cost of taxes and fees — effectively cutting your price per ticket in half.
This certificate can be particularly beneficial for travelers who are purchasing travel for work on their own dime, then filing for reimbursement later on.
Delta credit cards offer different companion certificates
$350
N/A
20.24% - 29.24% Variable
Earn 60,000 bonus miles
Good to Excellent
Pros
Cons
Delta's mid-tier card is a good choice for frequent flyers who can take advantage of money-saving benefits like a free checked bag and priority boarding on Delta flights, an annual companion certificate, and a statement credit for the TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee. However, if you're unlikely to maximize these perks or you don't fly Delta that often, a travel credit card with a lower annual fee is a better choice.
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card- Earn 60,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Receive a Companion Certificate on a Main Cabin round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of the government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $20 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Resy Credit: Get up to $10 in statement credits each month after you pay with your enrolled Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: earn up to $10 in statement credits each month after using your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- You can check your first bag free on Delta flights, saving up to $70 on a round-trip Delta flight per person. For a family of four that’s a potential savings of up to $280 per round-trip flight.
- Receive Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
- Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card Members with an eligible ticket will be added to the Complimentary Upgrade list, after Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members and Reserve Card Members.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $350 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
$650
N/A
20.24% - 29.24% Variable
Earn 70,000 bonus miles
Good to Excellent
Pros
Cons
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is one of the best airline credit cards for frequent Delta flyers who can use benefits like airport lounge access, which can make the annual fee worthwhile.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Card- Earn 70,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $5,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge when you book a Delta flight with your Reserve Card.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a First Class, Delta Comfort+®, or Main Cabin round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over other Medallion Members within the same Medallion tier and fare class grouping when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
$350
N/A
20.24% - 29.24% Variable
Earn 100,000 bonus miles
Good to Excellent
Pros
Cons
If you own a small business and fly Delta often, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card could save you money. With elite-like perks and an annual companion certificate potentially worth hundreds of dollars, this is a great rewards business card for Delta loyalists.
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card- Limited Time Offer: Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after spending $8,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 7/16/25.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate each year after renewal of your Delta Platinum Business Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply.
- Earn 1.5X miles* on eligible transit and U.S. shipping purchases, plus single eligible purchases of $5,000 or more. Terms and miles cap apply. *If your purchase qualifies for a category that has a higher mileage accelerator, only the higher accelerator will apply.
- Get closer to elevated Status next Medallion® Year with MQD Headstart and MQD Boost: receive $2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $20 of purchases with your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card.
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card Members save 15% when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With the $120 Resy Credit, earn up to $10 per month in statement credits on eligible Resy purchases using your enrolled Card.
- Earn up to $10 back each month after using your enrolled Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers.
- Not a Medallion Member? Card Members with an eligible ticket will be added to the Complimentary Upgrade list, after Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members and Reserve Card Members.
- Receive Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
- Elevate your travel experience with an annual statement credit of up to $200 after using your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
- Terms and limitations apply.
- See Rates & Fees
$650
N/A
20.24% - 29.24% Variable
Earn 110,000 bonus miles
Good to Excellent
Pros
Cons
This premium Amex card is a good choice for small-business owners who fly Delta very frequently and can take advantage of upscale perks like Delta Sky Club and Amex Centurion Lounge access, an annual companion certificate, and complimentary upgrades. However, it has the highest annual fee of any Delta business card, so if you aren't able to use these benefits, it won't be worth it.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card- Limited Time Offer: Earn 110,000 Bonus Miles after spending $12,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 7/16/25.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Members receive 15 Visits each Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® and can unlock Unlimited Delta Sky Club Access after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
- Earn 3 miles per dollar on eligible Delta purchases.
- Get closer to elevated Status next Medallion® Year with MQD Headstart and MQD Boost: receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 on purchases with your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card.
- Receive a Companion Certificate on a First Class, Delta Comfort+®, or Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean, or Central American round-trip flight each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply.
- With the $240 Resy Credit, earn up to $20 per month in statement credits on eligible Resy purchases using your enrolled Card.
- Earn up to $10 back each month after using your enrolled Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers.
- Save 15% when booking Award Travel on Delta flights. Not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Not a Medallion Member? Card Members with an eligible ticket will be added to the Complimentary Upgrade list, after Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members.
- As a benefit of Card Membership, you can check your first bag free on Delta flights, saving up to $70 on a round-trip Delta flight per person. For a family of four that’s a potential savings of up to $280 per round-trip flight.
- When you purchase a Delta flight with your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business Card, you will receive complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge or Escape Lounge.
- Receive Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
- Elevate your travel experience with an annual statement credit of up to $250 after using your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
- Enjoy travel without foreign transaction fees from American Express with your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card.
- Terms and limitations apply.
- See Rates & Fees
The companion certificate is essentially a buy-one-get-one coupon. You'll only pay for the taxes and fees of your companion when flying Delta, Delta Connection, and Delta Shuttle flights.
Depending on which card you have, you can use the certificate for travel in economy, or in any class:
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card: Companion Certificate valid for domestic, Mexico, Caribbean, or Central American travel in Main Cabin ($350 annual fee (rates and fees))
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card: Companion Certificate valid for domestic, Mexico, Caribbean, or Central American travel in Main Cabin ($350 annual fee (rates and fees))
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card: Companion Certificate valid for domestic, Mexico, Caribbean, or Central American travel in Main Cabin, Delta Comfort+, or First Class ($650 annual fee (rates and fees))
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card: Companion Certificate valid for domestic, Mexico, Caribbean, or Central American travel in Main Cabin, Delta Comfort+, or First Class ($650 annual fee (rates and fees))
As you can see, both Delta Reserve credit cards demand a significantly higher fee because they also offer Delta Sky Club access and Amex Centurion lounge access when you're flying Delta. Reserve card members receive 15 Delta Sky Club visits per year, and can earn unlimited visits each year if they spend $75,000 or more on the card on eligible purchases in a calendar year. Terms apply.
If you're not sure which of these cards is best for you, check out our comparison of the Delta Platinum and Reserve cards to help decide.
You can't fly just anywhere with a Delta companion certificate
Delta companion certificates can only be booked via Delta's certificate redemption page, and have limitations on where you go, what fare class you book, and which carriers you can travel with.
Here's what you should know:
Companion certificates are limited to the U.S., Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America
As of February 2024, Delta companion certificates are valid for round-trip flights to all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Mexico, Antigua, Aruba, Bermuda, Bonaire, Grand Cayman, Cuba, Jamaica, Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Dominican Republic, Saint Kitts, St. Maarten, St. Lucia, Costa Rica, Belize, Guatemala, Panama, Honduras, and El Salvador.
Most companion certificate fares require an advance purchase of up to 14 days, for round-trip travel with a minimum of three days and a maximum of 30 days.
Travelers are eligible for upgrades, based on the highest level of elite status held between both travelers.
Delta companion certificates only work for Delta-operated flights in select fare classes
Holding a companion certificate doesn't mean you can book any flight within the contiguous U.S. You can only purchase flights on Delta, Delta Connection, and Delta Shuttle flights.
You must also pay attention to the specific "fare class" of each cabin. Fare classes are letters airlines use to categorize each seat on the plane that determine qualities such as price, ticket flexibility, eligibility for upgrades, and more.
The following fare classes are eligible for Delta companion certificate travel:
- Main Cabin (Economy): L, U, T, X, and V fares
- Comfort+: W and S fares, but only when L, U, T, X, and V fares are available in Main Cabin (Delta Reserve cards only)
- Delta Premium Select: A and G fares
- First Class: I and Z fares (Delta Reserve cards only)
The permitted economy fare classes cover most of the cheaper and mid-priced coach fares, as well as some pricier ones. You shouldn't have much trouble finding eligible flights in economy class as long as you're booking at least one month in advance.
You must use your eligible Delta credit card to pay for companion certificate travel
When reserving a companion certificate, you must book with your Delta Platinum or Delta Reserve credit card to activate the benefit. You must also book both seats at the same time. However, you can use Delta eCredits toward companion certificate travel, if you have them.
You can't combine any web-special fares or eCoupons with your payment method. Also, you cannot use Delta miles in tandem with a Delta companion certificate. You must purchase your fare with your eligible card to qualify.
Bottom line
The Delta companion certificate can be one of the most valuable ongoing credit card benefits in the travel credit card world — but only if you can use it, and know how to do so effectively.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, please click here.
Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards.
Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.
**Enrollment required.
Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Trip Delay Insurance, Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance, and Cell Phone Protection Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. Global Assist Hotline Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. If approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, Card Members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. Extended Warranty, Purchase Protection, and Baggage Insurance Plan Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
