The best Delta credit cards have a built-in free baggage perk. This can save you $60 per person per round trip — up to $540 in total savings per round-trip depending on how many people you’re traveling with!
I’ll explain how this Delta perk works, and give you some tips on how to make the most of it!
Get one free checked bag with Amex Delta cards
If you have Silver Delta elite status or higher, you already get one free checked bag When you travel with friends and family on Delta, you can subtract a lot of baggage fees!
With the AMEX Delta cards, you’ll get a free checked bag for yourself and up to eight other people traveling on the same itinerary.
Delta says:
Benefit is limited to Basic Card Members (not Additional Card Members) with the Delta SkyMiles® Gold, Delta SkyMiles® Platinum or Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Cards. Reservation must include the Basic Card Member’s SkyMiles number. Fee waiver also available for passengers traveling in the same reservation as the Basic Card Member. Maximum nine waivers per reservation.
If you have a family of four, that’s a savings of $120 each way ($30 per checked bag x 4 bags).
How does it work?
Do you have to pay with your Amex Delta card?
Nope! It’s enough to simply have the card in good standing to receive the benefit.
Some cards, like the United℠ Explorer Card, require you to pay for your ticket with the card to get a free checked bag. This is a bit of an inconvenience, in the event that you want to pay with one of the best credit cards for travel insurance.
Just be sure to put your Delta SkyMiles number on your reservation, and you’ll automatically get your bag for free.
Does it work for Delta partner airlines?
No. The checked bag perk is only good on Delta and Delta Connection flights — not partner airlines like KLM, Air France, or Korean Air. If you fly on a Delta partner airline, you’ll have to follow their baggage rules.
Do I pay to check the bag?
No. This perk is not a rebate, it’s an instant discount. You’ll see a $0 checked bag fee when you check-in, as long as your Delta frequent flyer number is on your reservation, so you don’t have to pay and then wait for a credit.
Can I get checked bags for others if I’m not traveling?
No, you must be on the itinerary. Your Delta frequent flyer number is linked to your reservation, so if you’re not flying on the same reservation, you can’t share the perk. You can’t buy a ticket for someone else to let them get a free checked bag.
Can an authorized user get a free checked bag?
No. Authorized users will only receive a free checked bag if they travel on your itinerary.
What if my bag is too big?
The checked baggage perk is only good for the standard baggage allowance. That means if your bag is over the weight limit, you’ll have to pay excess baggage fees.
What if I have two bags?
If you have two bags, the first one won’t cost anything. But you’ll have to pay for the second (and third) piece of luggage. The only way around this would be to let someone traveling with you check your bag if they don’t plan on checking one themselves.
What if my ticket already includes a free checked bag? Can I get the second bag checked free?
No. It’s true that some tickets include a free checked bag already. We called Amex to see if we could get a second bag checked for free on those tickets. The representative said that the free checked benefit is ONLY for the first checked bag. After that, you’ll have to pay excess baggage charges.
Current Delta welcome bonuses
The only Delta credit card that doesn’t offer a free checked bag is the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card. Below are the cards with which you’ll receive a first checked bag free.
| Card | Intro bonus | Best perk | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card | Earn 35,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Terms apply. | Free checked bag for you and up to eight travel companions on the same reservation. Terms Apply. | $99, waived for the first year. See (rates and fees) |
| Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card | Earn 40,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in the first 3 months. Terms apply. | Free checked bag for you and up to eight travel companions on the same reservation. Terms Apply. | $99, waived for the first year. See (rates and fees) |
| Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card | Earn 40,000 bonus miles and 5,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Plus, earn a $100 statement credit after you make a Delta purchase with your new Card within your first 3 months. Terms apply. | Priority boarding and a free checked bag for you and up to eight travel companions on the same reservation. Terms apply. | $250 See (rates and fees) |
| Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card | Earn 45,000 bonus miles and 5,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in the first 3 months. Plus, earn a $100 Statement Credit after your first Delta purchase on your new Card in the first 3 months. Terms apply. | Priority boarding and a free checked bag for you and up to eight travel companions on the same reservation. Terms Apply. | $250 See (rates and fees) |
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card | 40,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. Terms apply. | Complimentary Centurion Lounge and Delta SkyClub access | $550 See (rates and fees) |
| Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card | 45,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. Terms apply. | Earn an annual companion certificate each year when you renew your card. Terms apply. | $550 See (rates and fees) |
Delta credit cards aren’t just valuable because of the free checked bags. You can earn big welcome bonuses and use the Delta miles in some pretty fantastic ways. Read our post on the best ways to use Delta miles.
Bottom line
You’ll get one free checked bag for yourself and up to eight other people traveling with you on the same itinerary when you have any of the Amex Delta credit cards. You’ll automatically get a free checked bag when you check in at the airport. You don’t have to pay and then wait for a statement credit. Just remember to add your Delta SkyMiles number to your reservation so the benefit applies to your trip.
If you have more than one piece of luggage, or if it’s overweight, you’ll have to pay excess baggage fees.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Gold card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business card, click here.
Does the free checked bag include International travel? Most airline credit cards only include free bags when traveling domestically
If you apply for the card, but dont yet have the physical card in hand will they still honor the first checked bag?
The current public offer for the Delta Gold Card is 30k bonus miles for $1,000 spent but if you want to use my refer a friend site it’s 50k for first $2,000 in 3 months and another 10k after $1,000 in the first 6 months + $50 statement credit. Feel free to email me at joetheoneandonly att g mail dot com for the offer!
I have a flight in August and recently purchased my tickets – then afterwards received the Gold Delta Skymiles card. Two different individuals confirmed that I did not need to pay for the flights with that card in order to receive the free bags (despite what the wording says on the website, etc.). They said it’s possible I could need to show my card when I check my bags (though I shouldn’t have to, they recommended bringing it along). Also, note neither AMEX nor Delta seemed to know that when I applied for my card online that I would receive my card number immediately, as well as a temporary CID. Perhaps this doesn’t happen for everyone (?), but I was immediately approved, and had I known this I would have applied for the card and paid with that card (and of course received the $50 statement credit). In case you’re curious – Delta does not allow for payment to be changed to another credit card after the purchase has been made. I would have had to cancel and re-book. Love Delta, but I was surprised by this. I’ve made this request once in the past with Hilton and once with National, and both times they easily accommodated my request.
So you didn’t end up getting the 1st bags free?
Are these recent confirmations? Thanks!
I have had bad experience with the delta Amex 1st bag free…. it is very important to note. This benefit ONLY applies to folks that do NOT have a ticket that provides for a free bag….. clear at top of article points that small but important issue out. Normal tickets holders that have bag provided free will not benefit…..