How I’m Scoring Free Checked Bags on Delta Without a Credit Card

When I moved to Chicago a little over a year ago, I knew I wouldn’t be flying with my preferred airline, Delta, as much. But what I didn’t realize is just how much I enjoy flying nonstop to almost anywhere, which in Chicago means booking your tickets on American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, or United Airlines.

As I settled into my new city, I began the decoupling process with Delta, an airline I had flown almost exclusively and with which I had earned high-level elite status for years. However, in the name of putting a little more money back in my pocket, I decided to cancel all of my Delta co-branded credit cards (yes, I had multiple).

However, I may have acted too quickly in this regard, because there have been instances when Delta was still the best option, with or without a connection. And in the few instances where I’ve flown with the airline, I missed out on even the most basic perks like a free checked bag and a boarding position that’s not just in front of basic economy.

Luckily, I’ve found a solution without having to open a new credit card. A status match offered by Air France-KLM Flying Blue not only gives me decent perks for flying domestically with Delta but also improves my international flying experience in meaningful ways. Here’s how.

Air France-KLM Flying Blue Status Match

Air France-KLM Flying Blue offers paid status match opportunities from time to time, allowing elite members of other airlines to earn an equivalent status level.

What’s different about this particular status match, however, is that it doesn’t require any flying to maintain the matched status. Simply pay a one-time fee, and the status is yours for 12 months from the approval date.

Should you wish to extend your elite status beyond the 12-month promotional period, you need to qualify the traditional way.

There isn’t any specified end date with the current promotion, but if you’re interested, you should apply sooner rather than later. First, you must have status with these airlines to qualify:

However, U.S. and Canadian residents are not eligible to match up to Flying Blue Platinum — Gold is the highest tier available to them. For example, having AAdvantage Gold and United Premier Silver can match to Flying Blue Silver, with other opportunities to match up to Flying Blue Gold with higher tiers.

You can submit an application online, making sure you provide proof of your equivalent elite status, a valid email address, and appropriate payment. Matching to Flying Blue Silver costs $99, and Gold costs $199 (Source: Flying Blue).

Because Flying Blue Platinum is off-limits for U.S. residents through this match, we’ll just focus on Silver and Gold today. Here’s an overview of the benefits you can expect with Silver status:

• 6 miles for each €1 spent
• Priority access for check-in and baggage drop-off
• Free selection of standard seats
• Free seat selection 24 hours before departure
• 1 free extra checked bag item on SkyTeam flights

And here’s what you’ll get with Gold, which includes all the benefits of Silver status as a baseline:

• 7 miles for each €1 spent
• Free access to SkyTeam lounges worldwide with a guest
• SkyPriority access throughout the airport
• Free seat selection 72 hours before departure
• Delta Sky Club access when flying internationally

I’ve been a free agent this year, flying with whichever airline best fits my schedule and budget. My former Delta elite status expired earlier this year, but not before I completed a status match with United, which got me from Delta Gold Medallion to United Premier Gold.

That move has paid off in spades, as I’ve now used my United status to participate in this Flying Blue status match by paying the $199 fee for Flying Blue Gold status, which I decided was worth the cost for a few reasons.

Is Paying for a Status Match Worth It?

First, there’s the free checked baggage on SkyTeam carriers, including Delta. After I ditched my Delta co-branded credit cards and lost my elite status with the airline, I was left with no way to check bags free of charge when flying domestically.

With the cost of checked baggage rising after the war in the Middle East sent oil prices soaring, it’s more important than ever to have a way to check bags for free. Delta now charges $45 for the first checked bag, so even if I didn’t use any perks of my new Flying Blue Gold status, I’d break even for the year after 2 round-trip domestic flights.

I already have 1 round-trip flight under my belt, and there are plenty more flights left to book this year, so I have no doubt I’ll get my money’s worth with the free checked bag perk alone.

However, that’s not all I’m using this status match for. Flying Blue Gold status grants members access to SkyTeam lounges worldwide. This is an important benefit to me because I redeem Flying Blue miles often for flights abroad, thanks to its favorable award rates and usually strong availability.

This means I often find myself on Air France and KLM flights (among other SkyTeam partners), connecting through their hubs in Paris (CDG) and Amsterdam (AMS), respectively, especially when I’m traveling to Europe.

Having access to lounges in these hubs, in particular, is a huge perk that I value at more than $199 on its own. Getting off a transatlantic flight and being able to spend a layover in a lounge with complimentary food and drinks, private restrooms, and more, is far superior to sitting miserably in the crowded terminal in an uncomfortable chair in the gate area.

Even the less flashy perks of Flying Blue Gold, like SkyPriority access and the ability to select seats 72 hours before departure, make trips far more seamless, as they mean less time waiting in the airport and less worry about getting a subpar middle seat on a long international flight.

Final Thoughts

As soon as I learned Air France-KLM was offering this paid status match opportunity again, I knew I had to take advantage. I underestimated how much I’d be flying Delta domestically after moving to a decidedly non-Delta city, and didn’t account for how often I’d be flying SkyTeam airlines internationally, thanks to the valuable redemptions the Flying Blue program offers.

Thankfully, I was in a position to take advantage of this status match promotion, which gives me many of the benefits I grew accustomed to when I had elite status with Delta, and I’ll more than make up the $199 fee by using the free checked baggage and lounge access benefits alone.