flyer29

I've had the Reserve card for several years and I've never been able to use a companion certificate due to family issues. I finally am trying to book a trip with it and it's saying that I can't use it on any flights I actually want...

Is this typical? Why can't I use this?? I'm booking a flight 3 months from now in August in ECONOMY...

sydneyracquelle

Booking class must be LUTXV in economy or lower fare classes for first. Also check the cert’s expiry date. All travel must be completed by the expiry date. If you have a 7/31/24 cert you cannot use it in August.

flyer29

It doesn't expire until November. It looks like "availability" is not there.

Which I find incredibly unlikely given we're 3 months away. I feel like I've been duped with this. Yet another companion cert I won't be able to use.

Not going to renew Reserve and may actually switch airlines since my rollover is going away.

indufan

There is no incredibly unlikely about it, either the fare class is available or it isn't.

Bradhattan

In regards to the certificate, are you looking for a popular route during high traffic times? If so, there is your answer. If you look for Pittsburgh in November, I bet you find options! Perhaps they are marketed as ALL POWERFUL, but in reality the cert is an ok benefit (however with flexibility, some destinations do become available. I use mine almost every year for Key West. YMMV.

(I have the Platinum card,, so economy cabin,, but paid upgrades also offered)

flyer29

I'm trying to travel to Las Vegas in August. I thought 3 months in advance would be more than enough time to ensure availability.

There are plenty of tickets for me to pay out of pocket on.

If they cap availability of this stuff so much that I have to take a garbage flight to a garbage destination, what's the point? A companion certificate is usually going to be to a popular vacation destination...

pofriri

I assume you tried multiple dates around the ideal dates you plugged in to see availability? If not, maybe try that. I have had no issues using companion certificates over the years, but I know others have.

flyer29

Yeah, I called the Platinum line and the only availability was for odd trip lengths (1 day or 10+ days). We had been looking forward to this trip but it may not happen now, which is really sad.

lindros2

I just checked for next March and found a bunch - even international

flyer29

So the trick is to book a year out... 3 months is too soon!

lindros2

as discussed in numerous other threads, LAS is becoming a problem to book inexpensive or reward travel.
That is, there's no LUTVX inventory.

findark

A Reserve certificate is good for roughly the lower half of Delta's published fares (L class or below in Economy or Comfort+, and I or below in First). It is honestly not that hard to find availability in these classes, but if your travel pattern is out of a Delta fortress spoke like BHM and to a popular destination on a fixed, peak date (or you wish only to fly at the most popular time) then yes you might have issues.

emma dog

This is so common, there is a thread on it with 3798 posts.

rylan

I recently grabbed some flights BOS-LAS in early Aug - T fare out and X back... and next day Z opened up on the outbound for a great price so I rebooked into first for $266 more on a 6hr flight.

So... the fares are definitely there even at 3mo out, but guess it depends what days and where you are traveling from. In fact, the fares were a lot higher and just dropped so it could be that you're a bit outside of DL opening up lower buckets if the flights aren't busy. Aug isn't exactly peak/busy season for Vegas.

xliioper

What is your origin? Are you looking for First Class awards only, or are you also willing to fly coach? It's not just about booking further out. Most of the summer is a popular travel period (until the last two weeks of August when kids start going back to school) which means fare class inventory is generally tighter. Off season flights (most of fall up until about a week before T-giving, and also the first couple weeks of December) is going to generally have much better booking class availability. LAS travel is also highly weekend centric (which means midweek dates generally have better fare class availability). With LAS, you also have to watch for around times with major sporting events or conventions (the airlines are all well aware of these dates and their revenue management systems are configured to be tighter with fare class inventory around these times).