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Delta Air Lines is continuing its popular baggage guarantee program. Under the program, customers whose checked bags fail to appear on the baggage carousel within 20 minutes of arrival can request 2,500 Delta SkyMiles® as compensation. Passengers can still receive compensation if their checked luggage does not arrive at baggage claim on time. However, the airline has introduced a major change to how quickly travelers must file a claim.
In the past, passengers had up to three days after their flight to submit a claim under the guarantee. That window has now been dramatically shortened. Travelers must now file their request within two hours of their flight’s arrival in order to receive the 2,500 SkyMiles®. The airline confirmed that the baggage guarantee program itself is not being eliminated, despite rumors that it might be phased out in recent years. Instead, the updated rule primarily affects the timing of compensation requests.
Submitting a claim for delayed baggage is relatively simple. Travelers can complete the process through an online form available in the baggage guarantee section of Delta’s website. Once the form is submitted and eligibility is verified, the 2,500 SkyMiles® are typically credited to the customer’s account.
Delta is not the only airline offering a baggage delivery guarantee, though its version is often considered one of the most generous. Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines offer a similar program. If checked baggage takes longer than 20 minutes to reach the carousel, passengers can request either a $25 discount code for a future Alaska Airlines flight or 2,500 Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards points. However, Alaska’s program requires passengers to visit a baggage claim agent in person to file the request. Like Delta’s policy, Alaska’s guarantee also applies only to domestic flights and includes the same two-hour time limit to submit a claim.
Anthony’s Take: For travelers flying with Delta, the key takeaway is simple: if your bag takes longer than 20 minutes to arrive, you still qualify for bonus miles, but you now need to act quickly to claim them.
(Image Credits: Delta Air Lines and Alaska Airlines.)
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
