Utilizing Delta’s TakeOff 15 perk to economize on award flights – The Points Guy

In 2023, Delta Air Lines launched an exciting new benefit for numerous holders of its cobranded credit cards: a 15% discount on all award flights, called TakeOff 15.

If you possess one of the eligible cards, your SkyMiles are worth at least 15% more when redeemed for Delta award flights. Simply cover the taxes and fees of the award with your qualifying Delta credit card.

The discount is valid for all flights operated by Delta, irrespective of the travel date; however, it does not apply to partner flights (complete terms can be found on delta.com). For frequent Delta travelers, this can offer significant savings, potentially amounting to hundreds of dollars annually.

Let’s examine Delta’s TakeOff 15 feature and learn how to utilize it when reserving award travel. Following that, we’ll explore how it might help you save miles on flights you’ve previously booked.

Associated: Gain additional SkyMiles through these introductory offers from Delta credit cards.

Cards that qualify for TakeOff 15

A variety of famous Delta cobranded credit cards by American Express qualify for the TakeOff 15 discount, such as:

The sole card that does not qualify for the TakeOff 15 discount is theDelta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card.

Related: The ultimate guide to the Delta SkyMiles program.

How to utilize TakeOff 15 to get discounts on Delta award tickets

Applying the TakeOff 15 discount is easy. Simply look for the Delta award flight you want, make your booking as you normally would, and the discount will appear automatically on the results page.

There are just a few limitations to consider:

• This offer is only applicable to flights operated by Delta and Delta Connection.
• This does not pertain to Pay with Miles or Miles + Cash transactions, nor does it apply to upgrades bought after ticket issuance or any other Delta services.
• It does not apply a discount to taxes and fees.
• You are required to use your participating Delta cobranded credit card to pay the taxes and fees.

Ensure you’re signed in to your Delta account prior to beginning your search. Next, input your preferred dates and destinations on the homepage and choose the “Shop with Miles” feature.

You will be shown the Delta award calendar, which includes the TakeOff 15 discount applied to all prices.

By selecting a date, additional flight choices will become available. The reduced fare will be displayed for all Delta-operated flights, with the original cost struck through. This discount is valid for all service classes, including basic economy.

The TakeOff 15 discount will also appear on the checkout screen. Remember to use your eligible Delta cobranded American Express card to pay the taxes and fees in order to receive the discount.

Be aware that in some instances, you could save a bit more than 15% on award tickets. Delta seems to be rounding the prices down to the closest 100 points, providing a marginally bigger discount on certain flights.

It is also notable that the TakeOff 15 terms specify that the discount is “a minimum of fifteen percent (15%) off the mileage portion of an Award Ticket,” which suggests that there could be larger discounts available in the future.

Related: Top destinations to maximize Delta SkyMiles

Rebook previously booked flights to save money.

Booked a Delta award ticket before obtaining your participating credit card? You might still be able to reduce the cost of your flights.

Review your current Delta award reservations to check if their prices have decreased using the TakeOff 15 feature. Conduct a search for new award flights as usual and compare the prices with those of your existing bookings.

Should you find a lower fare using TakeOff 15, you must cancel your current reservation and rebook it. Delta is expected to promptly refund both your miles and fees once the ticket is canceled. It’s worth noting, however, that Delta’s basic economy award tickets are non-refundable, making it likely not worthwhile to attempt rebooking them.

We always suggest frequently adjusting the prices of your award tickets. Given that Delta and other airlines have introduced more flexible programs, you can leverage this flexibility to benefit from dynamic pricing.

Related: How to get the most value from redeeming Delta SkyMiles

Bottom line

TakeOff 15 will offer benefits to Delta cobranded credit card holders, allowing them to save hundreds of dollars in SkyMiles each year.

To utilize this benefit, you are required to use your Delta cobranded credit card for the payment of the ticket’s taxes and fees. This offer is valid exclusively on flights operated by Delta. There is no restriction on the number of times you can take advantage of this benefit.