Navigating the world of airline credits and certificates can be confusing. Delta Air Lines offers various forms of travel currency, including Gift Cards, eCredits, and eCerts, each with distinct uses and redemption rules. Understanding the differences and knowing how to perform a Gift Certificate Check is crucial to effectively utilize these valuable travel tools. This guide breaks down each type, helping you understand their purpose and how to manage them.
Delta eCerts: Unlocking Special Flight Offers
Delta eCerts are essentially digital certificates that provide discounts or special offers on eligible Delta flights. These aren’t your typical gift certificates with a fixed dollar value. Instead, they offer benefits like:
- Dollar Amount Discount: A specific amount deducted from your flight fare.
- Percentage Discount: A percentage reduction on the cost of an eligible ticket.
- Mileage Discount: A percentage off the SkyMiles needed for an Award Ticket.
- Full Ticket Coverage (excluding taxes and fees): A certificate that covers the base fare, requiring you to only pay taxes and fees.
- Complimentary Upgrades: An upgrade to First or Business Class (though these are less common as eCerts).
- SkyMiles Companion Certificates: Offered to Delta SkyMiles Credit Card holders, these allow a companion to fly round-trip with you at a reduced fare when you purchase a qualifying ticket.
Learn more about Delta Certificates
Delta eCerts are promotional and their value is defined by the specific offer. Unlike a gift certificate where you might perform a gift certificate check to see a dollar amount, with eCerts, the “check” is understanding the specific discount or offer it provides and ensuring your flight booking meets the eligibility criteria.
Delta eCredits: Applying Monetary Value to Your Travel
Delta eCredits are more straightforward, representing a specific monetary value that you can use towards the base fare of a Delta ticket, as well as government-imposed taxes and fees. Think of them as digital travel vouchers. eCredits can arise from various situations, such as:
- Unused or Partially Used eTickets: If you cancel or change a flight, the remaining value may be issued as an eCredit.
- Delta Travel Vouchers: Given when a ticket exchange results in residual value.
- Delta Dollars (Compensation): Issued for denied boarding due to overbooking.
- Credit Card Flight Credits: Like the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card $200 Flight Credit.
- Transportation Credit Vouchers: Compensation for service issues.
- Miscellaneous Charge Orders (MCOs): Often from ticket exchanges with residual value, especially when the original payment wasn’t a credit card.
- eGift certificates: In some cases, gift certificates might be converted or issued as eCredits.
Learn more about Delta eCredits
When dealing with eCredits, a gift certificate check in the sense of verifying the value is often less necessary. The value is usually stated clearly when the eCredit is issued. You can typically view your eCredit balance in your Delta account or by looking at the email or documentation where the eCredit was provided.
Delta Gift Cards: Direct Payment for Airfare
Delta Gift Cards are the most similar to traditional gift certificates. They hold a specific monetary value and can be directly redeemed to pay for the cost of air transportation on Delta-marketed flights worldwide. You can use them online at delta.com or by calling Delta Reservations.
Delta Gift Cards can be used for:
- Base airfare
- Taxes, fees, and surcharges related to air transportation.
However, they have limitations:
- Cannot be used for: Baggage fees, upgrades, in-flight purchases, premium seating, mileage boosters, SkyMiles Cruises, cargo, hotel stays, or car rentals.
Learn more about Delta Gift Cards
For Delta Gift Cards, performing a gift certificate check to determine the remaining balance is a common need. Delta typically provides a way to check your gift card balance online. This “gift certificate check” ensures you know the available value before applying it to your flight purchase. You will usually need the gift card number and potentially a PIN to perform this check, depending on Delta’s system.
In Conclusion:
While “gift certificate check” is most directly applicable to Delta Gift Cards for verifying the balance, understanding how to “check” the value and terms of eCerts and eCredits is equally important. Each offers different ways to save on Delta travel. By understanding their distinctions and how to manage each type, you can maximize your travel budget and enjoy more rewarding flights. Always refer to the specific terms and conditions associated with your Delta certificates, eCredits, or gift cards for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
