How one can redeem your Delta SkyMiles for optimum worth

Since Delta Air Traces eradicated its award charts in 2015, the SkyMiles program has change into notably extra unpredictable and, at occasions, outrageously costly. With business-class flights on long-haul routes typically priced at over 450,000 SkyMiles, it is comprehensible to really feel like your SkyMiles steadiness holds little worth.

However in case you have a stockpile of Delta miles, they’re removed from nugatory. Wonderful redemptions are nonetheless accessible, notably through 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 ebook Delta, Delta Connection and Delta Shuttle flights. Since Delta makes use of dynamic pricing, award charges can fluctuate considerably. For instance, one-way fundamental financial 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.

Though summer time journey skews award costs over these dates, vital value volatility is regular. Flexibility is essential if you wish to maximize your SkyMiles.

Taxes and charges are usually cheap on Delta tickets. Count on to pay $6 per particular person in taxes and charges on most home and worldwide tickets departing the U.S. Nonetheless, Delta provides carrier-imposed surcharges on many awards outdoors the U.S., most notably these originating in Europe.

Hold an eye fixed out for SkyMiles offers

An ideal possibility for redeeming Delta miles is profiting from SkyMiles offers. These offers sometimes apply to particular metropolis pairs, so it could be essential to ebook positioning flights to completely 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.

If in case you have no quick use to your SkyMiles, it’s possible you’ll be finest off saving them for the following massive SkyMiles deal. Simply remember to regulate Delta’s SkyMiles offers web page.

Save at the least 15% with choose Delta bank cards

If in case you have an eligible Delta bank card, you may save 15% on Delta-operated award flights while you use your miles and pay the taxes and charges with the cardboard. This is usually a nice possibility to scale back the worth you pay on Delta award tickets — and a serious purpose to open (and maintain) a Delta card in your pockets.

Learn extra: Greatest 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 may reprice your flight. The distinction in miles can be redeposited into your account with no charge.

You’ll be able to cancel your award flight for fundamental financial system reservations, however it’s essential to pay an related mileage charge. For these flights, Delta will deduct 9,900 miles for home journey throughout the U.S. and Canada and 19,900 miles for worldwide journey. This charge is deducted from the worth of your ticket, after which any remaining miles can be redeposited again into your SkyMiles account.

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Redeem Delta SkyMiles on accomplice flights

Delta is a member of the SkyTeam alliance and has eight nonalliance airline companions. This provides 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 it’s essential to search route by route for costs. For partner-operated flights that do not contact the US, 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 day by 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 to your SkyMiles.

In the event you’re flying from Asia to Europe, particularly Taiwan Taoyuan Worldwide Airport (TPE) to Václav Havel Airport Prague (PRG), you possibly can 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 usually 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 value, you will want to contact Delta immediately or search the web site.

Whereas Delta has tried to enhance its web site to show accomplice awards, it could nonetheless have limitations, notably when reserving mixed-cabin itineraries. The web site typically prioritizes Delta-operated flights, which will not be splendid in case you have particular flight necessities. We suggest looking for flights section by section and being ready to name Delta if the web site does not provide the specified journey choices.

Associated: The most effective web sites for looking SkyTeam award availability

Redeem Delta SkyMiles for upgrades

You can too use your SkyMiles to improve to the next class of service. If in case you have a confirmed Delta-marketed and -operated flight, you may pay money or use miles to improve your flight immediately on Delta’s web site.

In the event you redeem your miles for an improve utilizing this technique, you will usually get a price of round 1 cent per mile, which is decrease than our February 2025 valuation of 1.2 cents per mile. This might be a viable possibility in case you have a surplus of SkyMiles and no quick plans to make use of them. Nonetheless, we usually suggest prioritizing award flight redemptions.

You can too use Delta miles to improve particular flights operated by Air France, KLM, Virgin Atlantic or Aeromexico. This feature is topic to fare-class necessities and is out there solely on choose routes every accomplice operates. Please check with Delta’s “Improve with Miles” web page for extra particulars.

You will additionally need to make certain there’s improve stock accessible.

Associated: All the information and tips it is advisable to use Delta improve certificates

Redeem Delta SkyMiles for Delta Holidays

You will often get hold of a price of 1.15 cents per mile while you use your miles to cowl a Delta Holidays bundle.

For instance, you possibly can ebook 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 nasty redemption.

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How one can earn Delta SkyMiles

You will have to have SkyMiles to benefit from the redemptions talked about above. Thankfully, there are a number of methods to extend your steadiness. One of many easiest methods to earn Delta miles is through the use of Delta’s cobranded American Specific playing cards. Listed here are a number of the present welcome presents accessible for these playing cards:

• Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Specific Card: Earn 80,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in eligible purchases throughout the first six months of card membership.
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Specific 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 Specific 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 Specific 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 Specific Card: Earn 100,000 bonus miles after spending $8,000 within the first six months of card membership.
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Enterprise American Specific 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 embrace entry to the TakeOff 15 profit, which can prevent 15% on Delta-operated award flights.

You can too switch American Specific Membership Rewards factors to Delta at a 1:1 ratio. You’ll be able to earn these transferable rewards on the American Specific® Gold Card and The Platinum Card® from American Specific. Nonetheless, you will be topic to an excise tax offset charge.

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 may nonetheless surpass that, particularly with SkyMiles offers and partner-operated flights outdoors the US.