Since Delta Air Strains eradicated its award charts in 2015, the SkyMiles program has turn into notably extra unpredictable and, at instances, outrageously costly. With business-class flights on long-haul routes usually priced at over 450,000 SkyMiles, it is comprehensible to really feel like your SkyMiles stability holds little worth.
However in case you have a stockpile of Delta miles, they’re removed from nugatory. Glorious redemptions are nonetheless accessible, notably throughout the service’s award gross sales.
So let’s discover some methods for maximizing the worth of your Delta SkyMiles.
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Redeem SkyMiles on Delta flights
You should use your Delta SkyMiles to guide Delta, Delta Connection and Delta Shuttle flights. Since Delta makes use of dynamic pricing, award charges can differ considerably. For instance, one-way fundamental economic system award charges from Seattle-Tacoma Worldwide Airport (SEA) to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Worldwide Airport (ATL) vary between 16,500 and 26,000 miles in July and August.
Despite the fact that summer time journey skews award costs over these dates, important worth volatility is regular. Flexibility is necessary if you wish to maximize your SkyMiles.
Taxes and charges are typically affordable on Delta tickets. Anticipate to pay $6 per particular person in taxes and charges on most home and worldwide tickets departing the U.S. Nevertheless, Delta provides carrier-imposed surcharges on many awards exterior the U.S., most notably these originating in Europe.
Hold a watch out for SkyMiles offers
An amazing possibility for redeeming Delta miles is benefiting from SkyMiles offers. These offers usually apply to particular metropolis pairs, so it could be essential to guide positioning flights to totally maximize these promotions.
Delta has beforehand provided a flash sale with round-trip flights for simply 5,000 SkyMiles. The airline additionally just lately provided flights from Atlanta to the Caribbean and Mexico beginning at 14,400 Delta SkyMiles round-trip.
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When you’ve got no quick use in your SkyMiles, it’s possible you’ll be greatest off saving them for the subsequent large SkyMiles deal. Simply make sure you control Delta’s SkyMiles offers web page.
Save not less than 15% with choose Delta bank cards
When you’ve got an eligible Delta bank card, you’ll be able to save 15% on Delta-operated award flights while you use your miles and pay the taxes and charges with the cardboard. This generally is a nice possibility to cut back the worth you pay on Delta award tickets — and a significant cause to open (and hold) a Delta card in your pockets.
Learn extra: Finest Delta bank cards
Rebook when costs drop (or cancel when your plans change)
For flights booked with Delta SkyMiles, so long as your flight is cancellation-eligible, you’ll be able to reprice your flight. The distinction in miles will likely be redeposited into your account with no payment.
You’ll be able to cancel your award flight for fundamental economic system reservations, however you have to pay an related mileage payment. For these flights, Delta will deduct 9,900 miles for home journey inside the U.S. and Canada and 19,900 miles for worldwide journey. This payment is deducted from the worth of your ticket, after which any remaining miles will likely be redeposited again into your SkyMiles account.
Associated: Airways that give you a credit score if the worth of airfare drops
Redeem Delta SkyMiles on associate flights
Delta is a member of the SkyTeam alliance and has eight nonalliance airline companions. This offers you extra flexibility to redeem your SkyMiles on numerous airways and routes throughout the globe. Right here is the whole checklist of Delta’s airline companions:
SkyTeam companions
- Aerolinas Argentinas
- Aeromexico
- Air Europa
- Air France
- China Airways
- China Japanese Airways
- Garuda Indonesia
- ITA Airways
- Kenya Airways
- KLM
- Korean Air
- Center East Airways
- Saudia
- Scandinavian Airways
- TAROM
- Vietnam Airways
- Virgin Atlantic
- Xiamen Airways
Nonalliance companions
- Air Tahiti Nui
- Cape Air
- China Southern Airways
- Hawaiian Airways
- LATAM
- Mandarin Airways
- Shanghai Airways
- WestJet
No on-line award charts exist, so you have to search route by route for costs. For partner-operated flights that do not contact america, nice offers could be discovered.
For instance, in September and October, flights from Tokyo’s Narita Worldwide Airport (NRT) to Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) can be found each day for 40,000 SkyMiles in enterprise class.
These are operated by Vietnam Airways by way of Ho Chi Minh Metropolis’s Tan Son Nhat Worldwide Airport (SGN) or Noi Bai Worldwide Airport (HAN) in Hanoi, and with solely $27 in charges and taxes payable, are glorious redemption choices in your SkyMiles.
In case you’re flying from Asia to Europe, particularly Taiwan Taoyuan Worldwide Airport (TPE) to Václav Havel Airport Prague (PRG), you may snag this nonstop China Airways flight at simply 80,000 SkyMiles plus solely $15 in taxes and charges for round 15 hours in long-haul enterprise class.
Alternatively, flying from Dubai Worldwide Airport (DXB) to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) in enterprise class on Air France typically prices round 42,500 miles plus round $34 in taxes and charges.
Delta can improve these charges at any time and has carried out so on a number of events. To acquire the present award worth, you will want to contact Delta instantly or search the web site.
Whereas Delta has tried to enhance its web site to show associate awards, it could nonetheless have limitations, notably when reserving mixed-cabin itineraries. The web site usually prioritizes Delta-operated flights, which will not be very best in case you have particular flight necessities. We advocate looking for flights phase by phase and being ready to name Delta if the web site would not provide the specified journey choices.
Associated: One of the best web sites for looking SkyTeam award availability
Redeem Delta SkyMiles for upgrades
It’s also possible to use your SkyMiles to improve to a better class of service. When you’ve got a confirmed Delta-marketed and -operated flight, you’ll be able to pay money or use miles to improve your flight instantly on Delta’s web site.
In case you redeem your miles for an improve utilizing this technique, you will typically get a price of round 1 cent per mile, which is decrease than our February 2025 valuation of 1.2 cents per mile. This may very well be a viable possibility in case you have a surplus of SkyMiles and no quick plans to make use of them. Nevertheless, we typically advocate prioritizing award flight redemptions.
It’s also possible to use Delta miles to improve particular flights operated by Air France, KLM, Virgin Atlantic or Aeromexico. This selection is topic to fare-class necessities and is obtainable solely on choose routes every associate operates. Please check with Delta’s “Improve with Miles” web page for extra particulars.
You may additionally wish to be certain there’s improve stock accessible.
Associated: All the ideas and tips it’s essential use Delta improve certificates
Redeem Delta SkyMiles for Delta Holidays
You may normally receive a price of 1.15 cents per mile while you use your miles to cowl a Delta Holidays package deal.
For instance, you may guide a seven-day lodging on the Outrigger Reef Waikiki Seashore Resort in Hawaii for $2,814 or redeem 244,530 SkyMiles, a redemption worth of precisely 1.15 cents per mile. That is barely lower than our February 2025 valuation, however it’s not a foul redemption.
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How one can earn Delta SkyMiles
You may have to have SkyMiles to benefit from the redemptions talked about above. Thankfully, there are a number of methods to extend your stability. One of many easiest methods to earn Delta miles is through the use of Delta’s cobranded American Categorical playing cards. Listed here are among the present welcome affords accessible for these playing cards:
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Categorical Card: Earn 80,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in eligible purchases inside the first six months of card membership.
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Categorical Card: Earn 90,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in eligible purchases within the first six months of card membership.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Categorical Card: Earn 100,000 bonus miles after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases in your first six months of card membership.
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold Enterprise American Categorical Card: Earn 90,000 bonus miles after spending $6,000 in your new card within the first six months of card membership.
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Enterprise American Categorical Card: Earn 100,000 bonus miles after spending $8,000 within the first six months of card membership.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Enterprise American Categorical Card: Earn 110,000 bonus miles after spending $12,000 in purchases within the first six months of card membership.
Keep in mind that all of those playing cards embody entry to the TakeOff 15 profit, which can prevent 15% on Delta-operated award flights.
It’s also possible to switch American Categorical Membership Rewards factors to Delta at a 1:1 ratio. You’ll be able to earn these transferable rewards on the American Categorical® Gold Card and The Platinum Card® from American Categorical. Nevertheless, you will be topic to an excise tax offset payment.
Moreover, Marriott Bonvoy factors switch to Delta SkyMiles at a 3:1 ratio.
Backside line
Though the worth of Delta SkyMiles has decreased in recent times, there are nonetheless glorious offers to be discovered.
Whereas this system has been shifting towards a redemption worth of 1 cent per mile, you’ll be able to nonetheless surpass that, particularly with SkyMiles offers and partner-operated flights exterior america.
