All good things come to those who wait.
With airfare costs projected to soar this year, one enterprising Delta Airlines flyer has managed to earn $315 in free Sky Miles by simply waiting for his bags. He detailed the unorthodox cash-saving shortcut in an Instagram post taking flight online.
“It’s an absolute bonus for nothing extra on my part,” Mikah Meyer told Business Insider of the ingenious money-saving hack.
The savvy traveler writer — who frequently posts flight tips for his over 67,000 Instagram followers — simply took advantage of Delta Airlines’ 20-minute baggage guarantee. This unique policy guarantees that grants travelers 2,500 Skymiles if they have to wait over 20 minutes for their bags after the plane has arrived at the gate.
By taking advantage of this program, Meyer has managed to earn over 22,500 free Sky Miles, which equates to $315 — enough for a roundtrip flight in the US.
To follow suit, travelers simply use the Delta app or website to pull up “Flight Status” after their plane lands to find out exactly what time it touched down, per the Instagram tutorial.
“If your bag takes 21 minutes or longer after that time (you can either physically watch or sit in the lounge with a drink and wait for the phone app notification) then go to ‘Baggage & Travel Fees’ on the Delta app or website,” Meyer explains.
Then scroll down to the “20-Minute Bag Guarantee” and fill out the short questionnaire, he explains. And voilà, you’ve just earned 2,500 Skymiles. Meyer explained it added up to $315 based on the valuation of 1.4 cents per Skymile, per his calculations.
“It’s especially helpful during busy holiday travel when your bags are more likely to be delayed!” wrote Meyer, who went from dreading baggage delays to hoping for them.
Travelers should note that this hack only applies to domestic Delta flights in the 50 United States and Puerto Rico.
Needless to say, the seeming loophole resonated on Instagram, causing many viewers to wish their preferred airlines would offer a similar flight perk.
Others observed that Alaska Airlines also has a baggage delay deal, in which travelers can choose between a $25 discount for a future flight or 2,500 bonus miles if their bags are delayed by more than 20 minutes after the plane arrives.
The catch is that flyers have to redeem the code and miles in person and within a 2-hour window of touchdown.
