Delta passengers Face Unexpected Travel Disruptions Due to Credit Card Verification Policy
NEW YORK – Passengers traveling internationally with Delta Air Lines are increasingly facing denied boarding and important delays due to a little-known credit card verification policy, a practice critics are calling outdated and possibly illegal.Recent reports and passenger accounts reveal Delta is requiring travelers to present the exact credit card used to purchase their ticket – and a matching photo ID – even when the cardholder is not the traveler.
The policy, ostensibly implemented to “safeguard against fraud,” has left passengers stranded at airports, particularly when departing from the U.K. and Europe. One traveler detailed being required to visit the airport to have their booking verified and the credit card authenticated in person. Delta’s written policy, buried on its website, states that passengers “may have to show…the credit/debit card along with a valid photo ID,” depending on the billing address or destination.
However, travel rights advocates argue that denying travel solely for failing to present the purchase card is a violation of passenger protections. Under UK261 and EU261 regulations, passengers departing from the U.K. and Europe may be entitled to compensation ranging from £260 to £520 (approximately $320-$650 USD) depending on the length of the resulting delay, unless Delta can demonstrate a legitimate safety or security concern – a justification unlikely to succeed when the issue is simply a missing credit card. A payment card is explicitly not considered a travel document.
“European and U.K. guidance stresses the carrier can’t unilaterally decide what’s ‘reasonable’ to avoid compensation,” notes travel blogger Gary Leff of View from the Wing, who has been tracking the issue. “If Delta turns someone away solely for not presenting the purchase card, they’d owe cash compensation.”
The airline’s policy is particularly problematic for those booking travel for others. Delta recommends such customers book through a travel agency to avoid the requirement. Passengers are advised to carry the original credit card used for purchase, especially when originating travel outside the United States, to mitigate potential disruptions.
