So I guess word spread about the Delta voucher situation I experienced a little over a week ago. When I say “word spread” I mean that, by pageviews, it was the #6 post ever on Andy’s Travel Blog and Business Insider’s article about it was #2 on the entire site for basically the entire weekend.
Long story long: Delta had to bump 30 passengers from a flight to Iceland and ended up paying us $4500 apiece in vouchers.
Historically, vouchers like these were kind of hard to redeem and needed to be applied toward future flights on whatever airline issued the voucher (Delta, in this case). I was dreaming of all the amazing SkyTeam flights I could take, like Business Class down to Africa, but then the desk agent told us we could apply the voucher amount to a variety of different gift cards in addition to Delta.
Whoa.
The Delta Choice program
While I was at the gate agent’s desk, she made sure I received the following email:
(Obviously I didn’t include the gift code)
Today I logged into the portal and was shocked at all the options I had!
Even better, I can apply the $4500 balance to a variety of different cards if I choose, in up to $500 increments.
Here are all the vendor options, with most having the option of being a digital or physical card:
- Delta
- Visa Virtual Account/Prepaid Debit Card
- Mastercard Virtual Account/Prepaid Debit Card
- American Express Prepaid Card
- Apple
- Gap / Banana Republic / Old Navy / Athleta
- Kohl’s
- Foot Locker
- TJ Maxx / Marshalls / HomeGoods / HomeSense / Sierra
- Target
- Macy’s
- Cabela’s
- Bass Pro Shop
- Hulu
- Ulta Beauty
- HelloFresh
- Sephora
- Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse
- CVS Pharmacy
- Saks Fifth Avenue
- Airbnb
- Darden Restaurants (Olive Garden / Longhorn Steakhouse / Cheddar’s / Yard House / Bahama Breeze / Seasons 52)
- Nordstrom / Nordstrom Rack
- Grubhub
- Starbucks
- Best Buy
- Amazon.com
- Uber
So…how would you spend it?
I have 83 more days to decide. Tell me in the comments below how you’d allocate the $4500!
I would use it towards cost of a ticket to somewhere very exotic (like Southeast Pacific) although I would wait until 2022 for COVID to subside some more.
Can you get multiple $500s for the same choice? If so, seems like the cash gift cards are the way to go, since they still leave you free to spend on Delta but offer flexibility for something else like new luggage, a new computer to blog from, or……
Yes I can and that’s what I’m thinking
Can you get a tangible card
So, so many options. I would buy another ticket with Delta in hopes they over book another flight and give me another voucher, lol, a MC debit card, TJ Max, Sephora, Uber and AirBnb gift cards.
And you could always run a contest and give it away to your readers! 😉
I feel like we already figured this out. 6 tickets to Iceland for Andy and his favorite Munson fam of five. I promise, we are fun travelers!
Take the Amex card and buy award miles on another carrier’s program when they are on sale for less than two cents each. Then, take an award trip for about a third of what it would have cost you with Delta Skymiles.
If you can get a physical visa gift cards that is the clear winner to cash out for Money Orders.
Do keep in mind, last time I got them, they had 6 month expiration dates so you have to cash out fast-ish
I’d be buying delta gift cards for the most part, a Starbucks one (should last a month… maybe lol) and a few visa ones that I could redeem wherever.
I accidently chose the digital gift cards but wanted to plastic one. Is there a phone number I can call to see if I can exchange them?
Thank you,
Cheryl Fiedler
I received a $1000.00 and having a difficult time redeeming it for a Visa cash card. Did you have this issue?
I did not have any problems on the redemption website
i chose to buy visa and master card prepaid debit cards .. and its really difficult to use these virtual cards on places like amazon … been trying to use to add to my gift card balance and it doesnt work.. although it is accepted as a payment method on amazon… i can buy things with the cards but gift cards or adding to gift card balance is a no no and is declined by the bank that issues the cards for for delta cards… it sucks.