Delta will pay you 2500 bonus miles if your checked bags are 20 minutes late to baggage claim

I suspect Delta's policy was added when they decided to go after their former ally Alaska Airlines and tried to crush Alaska in Seattle (they pretty much gave up on that after a few years of trying).

Alaska Airlines has had a nearly-identical policy in place since 2010...see Our 20 Minute Baggage Guarantee.

Not valid on international flights requiring customs clearance, or flights to Dutch Harbor (Note: Dutch Harbor only sounds like a foreign place, it's in Alaska's Aleutian Islands, and a very active fishing town...).

I suspect Delta's policy was added when they decided to go after their former ally Alaska Airlines and tried to crush Alaska in Seattle

Delta's miles-for-late-bags program has been around since at least 2015. I believe that's before the DL/AS break-up (2017?).

https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewbender/2015/04/08/delta-airlines-bold-pledge-checked-baggage-delivered-within-20-minutes/?sh=3a9194293902

ETA: I was incorrect. See David's post below.

That's very interesting, Eric. I had no idea it was in place that long. In fact, I never knew it existed until today and I almost always fly Delta. I could have used it one or twice. But good to know for the future, especially since I will be checking a bag when I head to Florida on Saturday.

Delta's miles-for-late-bags program has been around since at least 2015. I believe that's before the DL/AS break-up (2017?).

The formal "breakup" may date from 2017 (don't know - before that, they were strangely "frenemies" for a long time) but most sources seem to have noticed that Delta was attacking Alaska's hub in Seattle from 2013-2015:

TheStreet.com: Alaska Air Counters Delta Assault With Secret Weapon: Unified Employees (dated 07/30/2014)

For years Alaska has prominently announced and pointed to their "20 minute baggage guarantee" so I think it's pretty well known to regular Alaska passengers. I used to "commute" between Seattle and the SF Bay area frequently (on the so-called "nerd bird") and I recall seeing signage about it everywhere in the airports. I actually collected on this guarantee more than once... 👍

Thank you for the additional information, David. Appreciate it!

Thanks, Mardee. MSP is my airport and Delta is the one I usually take. I will bookmark this to remind me.

This policy is posted in the MSP baggage carousel area.

In October I thought I would get the miles since 20 minutes passed, unfortunately after going to the restroom while waiting I returned to the wrong carousel, and after realizing it I found my bag all by itself at the proper one.

I want Delta to pay me 2, 500 bonus miles if they can't figure out how to get the jet bridge to the plane in 20 minutes... In Atlanta that would make me more miles as half the time the luggage is fully off the plane before they get the front door open. LOL!

Laurie Beth, it is good for us Delta travelers! And better late than never. 😊

Tom, do you really think that I stop to read all the notices at MSP, lol? Although I probably should or I would’ve noticed this earlier. 😏

Carol, I agree, that is definitely worth some compensation!

Thanks for the post! I'm leaving for Seattle on Sunday and because I taking things to my son and his family, I have to check my bag. Checking a bag is annoying enough, but SeaTac, UGG! Bags there take forever. So, If I can get some miles out of it, it would improve my outlook.

Is there a way to know when the plane door opened? For those of us in the back of the plane. . .

Jules, I'm not sure. You might try using the Delta app and going to the bag tracking section.

I'll tell you what - I'm leaving MSP on Saturday to head to Naples, Florida and I'm checking a bag, so I'll check to see if there any way to access that info, and post the results here (I'll PM you as well if I find out anything). I would like to know that, also!

Just watch and listen for the door opening (you can tell when people in the front start departing) and start your timer. 😊

As much as we have flown Alaska, I have only had late bags on 2 occasions, most recently coming back from Boise in mid-December. I think the baggage delivery is messed up right now due to the construction—-the baggage claim area is not a pleasant place.

On that occasion, while I was waiting for my checked bag, I scoped out the location of the Alaska help desk. And when the bag arrived, I went straight over (no liner at that time) and just said “I think it has been more than 20 minutes”. The guy there smiled and said “26 to be exact. Do you want miles or a voucher?” And he set it up right then, scanning the bag tag and taking my mileage plan number.

This is good to know. I often fly Delta. I know. it is not for international travel but returning to the US last year Delta sent out a text message (just as we were walking into baggage claim) that bags were delayed. 10,000 points were deposited into our Delta accounts immediately. Funny enough there was not any real delay our bags came out 5 mins later.

I wonder if they pay for ground stops? I recall waiting 1-1/4 hours at PHX waiting for a bag because the VP (must have been Biden) or his plane was on the tarmac.

Ha ha, Tom! Unless the door is open to let people out, methinks not. 😊

I mean ground stop in the sense that planes that have landed may taxi to a terminal and unload passengers, but no one is allowed on the apron to unload baggage from planes.

Actually lightening can also prevent luggage from being unloaded.

Oh I see. I would imagine it would depend on the circumstances. If it's Delta's fault, hopefully they would offer something. If it's something like lightning, probably not. That's just a guess, of course.

Since Delta has the worst mileage redemption program requiring way more miles than other airlines for similar destinations, you need the 2500 miles to add up so you can actually go somewhere.