Reply #7: If you want more Delta stories to put on your website, here's one [View All]

My partner and I flew Delta to Orlando a couple of years ago. We usually use his frequent flier miles on American when we travel, but this time I got the tickets for around $200 each from Delta. On our way back they asked if we would like to give up our seats and take the next flight. In return they would give us each a $200 voucher. We agreed and took the next flight. A few months later we wanted to go on another trip and I found the tickets on Priceline for about $200. I don't remember the exact amount but it was about that much. I called Delta and asked them if I could use the vouchers to pay for the tickets on Priceline and they said no. They told me the only way I could use the vouchers was to make a telephone reservation. I couldn't even use the vouchers if I booked the flight from their website. So I asked how much the tickets were if I booked them through a telephone reservation. She said they were $650 each! Hell, even if I would have used the vouchers I still would have had to pay $450 for each ticket. I explained to her that I could book the same flight through Priceline for about $200 and she told me that I should probably go ahead and do that. I asked her if I could use the vouchers for an upgrade instead. She told me that the vouchers could only be used against the price of the ticket.

So the moral of the story is this: Don't EVER give up your seat in exchange for a voucher. If they offer you cash that's fine, but if you take a voucher you're going to get screwed!