Consumers who use American Express Delta Air Lines cobranded credit cards, including U.S. consumer and small-business gold, platinum and reserve Delta SkyMiles cards, will have the $50 Delta baggage fee waived for their first checked bag starting June 1. The benefit applies to up to nine individuals traveling on the same reservation.
“We wanted to thank our cardmembers for their loyalty and make them feel special when they travel with Delta,” AmEx said in an e-mail statement. “We’re committed to continuing to add value to the card and providing the benefits and features that are most relevant to our cardmembers. We really feel that this benefit delivers on that promise.”
AmEx charges an annual fee of $55 for the classic Delta card, $95 for the gold card, $150 for the platinum card and $450 for the reserve card. It also offers the options card, which does not have an annual fee.
AmEx did not disclose annual percentage rates for the cards.
To support the baggage-fee waiver benefit, AmEx is launching a marketing campaign called “My Card Can” to build awareness and to reinforce existing AmEx Delta SkyMiles card benefits. AmEx is running the ads nationally with a concentration in key Delta U.S. hubs, including Detroit, Memphis and Minneapolis/St. Paul. The tag line on the ads reads: “Can your card get you here with a free checked bag?”
Travel rewards cards are still popular with consumers today, observers say. “People are still spending money on travel, and the general trend is that they’re looking for deals,” says Megan Bramlette, managing associate at Auriemma Consulting Group of Westbury, N.Y. Issuers and partners should retool card benefits to reinforce their value proposition because of the economy and because of the marred reputation of credit cards in the past year, she says.
MasterCard, Barclaycard US and Best Western International recently retooled their cobranded card to offer more rewards points for purchases (
