How to use and maximize Delta’s TakeOff 15 feature to save on award tickets

Delta Air Lines flyers with an eligible cobranded American Express card have access to a lucrative benefit: a 15% discount on all award flights, dubbed TakeOff 15.

If you hold one of the participating cards, your SkyMiles are at least 15% more valuable when used for Delta award tickets. All you have to do is pay the award's taxes and fees with your eligible Delta card.

The discount applies to all Delta-operated flights regardless of when you travel, though partner flights are excluded. (Full terms are available on delta.com).

For Delta loyalists, this can easily deliver hundreds of dollars in value each year.

Let's take a closer look at Delta's TakeOff 15 feature and how to use it when booking award travel. Then, we'll run through how it can potentially save you miles on flights you've already booked.

Cards eligible for TakeOff 15

Many popular Delta cobranded cards from American Express are eligible for the TakeOff 15 discount, including:

• Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card

The only Delta cobranded card not eligible for the TakeOff 15 discount is the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card.

Related: Earn bonus SkyMiles with these Delta card welcome offers

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How to use TakeOff 15 to save on Delta award tickets

Using the TakeOff 15 discount is simple. Just search for your desired Delta award flight and book it as usual; the discount will be automatically reflected on the results page.

There are only a few restrictions to keep in mind:

• It's only valid on Delta- and Delta Connection-operated flights.
• It does not apply to Pay with Miles or Miles + Cash purchases, upgrades purchased after ticketing or any other Delta services.
• It does not discount taxes and fees.
• You must pay the taxes and fees with your participating Delta cobranded card.

Make sure you're logged in to your Delta account before you search. Then, enter your desired dates and destinations on the homepage and select the "Shop with Miles" option.

You'll be presented with the Delta award calendar, with the TakeOff 15 discount reflected on all prices.

When you choose a date, you'll see more flight options. The discounted price will appear for all Delta-operated flights, with the original price slashed out. The discount applies to all classes of service, including basic economy.

You'll see the TakeOff 15 discount reflected on the checkout screen as well. Again, pay the taxes and fees with your eligible Delta cobranded American Express card to receive the discount.

Note that you might save slightly more than 15% on award tickets in some cases. Delta appears to be rounding prices down to the nearest 100 points, giving you a slightly larger discount on some flights.

It's also worth noting that the TakeOff 15 terms mention the discount is "at least a fifteen percent (15%) discount off the mileage portion of an Award Ticket," so we could see higher discounts in the future.

Related: Some of our favorite ways to use Delta SkyMiles

Save on previously booked flights by rebooking

Already booked a Delta award ticket before you got your participating card? You still might be able to save on your flights.

Look through your existing Delta award bookings and see if they've dropped in price with the TakeOff 15 feature. Search for new award flights as normal and compare the pricing to what you've already booked.

If you see a lower price with TakeOff 15, you'll need to cancel your existing reservation and rebook. Delta should refund both your miles and fees immediately after you cancel the ticket. However, Delta's basic economy award tickets are not refundable, so it's probably not worth trying to rebook these.

We always recommend repricing your award tickets periodically. Now that Delta and other airlines have made their programs more flexible, you can use this to make dynamic pricing work to your advantage.

Related: How to redeem Delta SkyMiles for maximum value

Bottom line

TakeOff 15 will provide value to eligible Delta cobranded cardholders, who can save hundreds of dollars in SkyMiles annually.

You must use your Delta cobranded card to pay the ticket's taxes and fees, and it's valid only for Delta-operated flights. However, there's no limit to how many times you can use this benefit.

Related: 5 things you need to know about Delta SkyMiles