5 Key Insights About Delta SkyMiles

Navigating Delta Air Lines SkyMiles can be tricky due to frequent updates and the absence of award charts. However, with enough miles and the right knowledge, you can unlock great value from the program.

Delta has a history of offering flash sales, where round-trip flights to Mexico and the Caribbean have been available for as low as 14,400 SkyMiles.

Though mastering SkyMiles takes some effort, many people rate Delta's inflight experience as the best among domestic airlines — a sentiment echoed in TPG's annual report, where Delta secured the top position for the sixth consecutive year in 2024.

To get the most out of Delta SkyMiles, here are five crucial things you should understand.

Delta does not offer a published award chart

Since Delta eliminated award charts from its site in 2015, estimating the miles needed for future award flights requires searching for your preferred route on various dates or using Delta's calendar search tool. Keep in mind that prices can fluctuate daily due to Delta's dynamic pricing for award flights.

For instance, a domestic flight priced at 7,500 miles one day might nearly double just a few days later. Here are the changing prices over a week for a short trip from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD).

The variation can be even more pronounced on international flights, particularly in premium classes. Within just a week, one-way premium economy tickets from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Sydney Airport (SYD) can range from 170,000 to 495,000 SkyMiles.

Securing availability through award programs can be tricky. Without fixed prices, these large fluctuations require you to adjust your travel plans based on availability instead of your preferred dates.

Lastly, due to the absence of set pricing, last-minute SkyMiles award tickets often resemble revenue tickets: they typically carry a much higher cost.

This presents a significant disadvantage of accumulating SkyMiles compared to miles from other legacy carriers.

However, it's important to mention that most Delta award flights (excluding basic economy awards) can be reticketed if the price decreases. Often, this can be done directly through the Delta app.

Changing a basic economy award ticket will incur a cancellation fee in miles. This fee is 9,900 miles for domestic travel (within the U.S. and Canada) and 19,900 miles for international flights, which will be deducted from your ticket value, with the remaining miles returned to your SkyMiles account.

Adding extra segments on Delta flights can help reduce the cost of your award ticket.

Interestingly, longer flights can sometimes offer lower award rates for a Delta ticket. Delta often faces limited competition on routes from its primary hubs.

For instance, a flight from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in economy class will require 37,000 miles.

If you change your departure point to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), which has more airline options, the prices drop significantly — with many routes connecting in Detroit:

Delta partner awards can provide excellent value

Considering the steep redemption rates for Delta-operated premium cabin flights, using SkyMiles on partner airlines might be a smart choice. This is similarly true for redemptions with American Airlines AAdvantage miles and Air Canada Aeroplan points.

Using SkyMiles for Virgin Atlantic's Upper Class flights to the UK and beyond is a viable option. Although the redemption rates are higher than what Virgin's Flying Club charges for similar flights, you won't face the hefty carrier-imposed fees typical with Flying Club. If you have a substantial SkyMiles balance and want to minimize cash expenses, this could be a great strategy.

Without a fixed award chart, prices can fluctuate, but excellent bargains can be found on partner airlines that don't operate within the United States. For instance, this business-class route combining China Airlines and Air France costs just 80,000 miles plus around $28 in taxes and fees—an outstanding deal for approximately 15 hours in premium cabins.

Delta runs SkyMiles promotions

Delta frequently launches SkyMiles sales, reducing the cost of specific award seats that it operates directly.

For instance, you can secure round-trip flights to Europe for as little as 54,000 SkyMiles plus nominal taxes and fees. We've also previously observed round-trip deals from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) for only 44,000 miles plus $40 in taxes and fees—a fantastic offer for long-haul flights to Asia.

Monitor Delta's SkyMiles sales page to catch these promotions, and if you spot a great deal, don’t hesitate to book right away.

You can achieve Delta elite status without ever taking a flight

With Delta SkyMiles, you can earn Medallion status without flying.

Here are the criteria for achieving SkyMiles elite Medallion status in 2024 (valid through 2025). Below is the number of Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) required:

• Silver Medallion: 5,000 MQDs
• Gold Medallion: 10,000 MQDs
• Platinum Medallion: 15,000 MQDs
• Diamond Medallion: 28,000 MQDs

The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card and the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card earn 1 MQD for every $10 spent. In contrast, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card and the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card earn 1 MQD for every $20 spent.

There’s no cap on the MQDs you can earn through spending on these cards, so it’s possible to achieve elite status simply by using your Delta Amex card.

Keep in mind that all four cards also offer a 15% discount on Delta-operated award flights when redeeming your SkyMiles and paying the associated taxes and fees with the card. This discount does not apply to partner tickets.

Explore our comprehensive guide on Delta elite status to discover the benefits and perks associated with Medallion status.

How to accumulate Delta SkyMiles

One of the simplest methods to earn a significant amount of Delta SkyMiles is through cobranded credit cards — including welcome bonuses and rewards from everyday purchases. Currently, American Express offers four personal Delta cards and three business cards.

• Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card: Receive 80,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership.
• Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card: Receive 90,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership.
• Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card: Receive 100,000 bonus miles after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership.
• Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card: Receive 90,000 bonus miles after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership.
• Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business American Express Card: Receive 100,000 bonus miles after spending $8,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership.
• Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card: Receive 110,000 bonus miles after spending $12,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership.

You can transfer Membership Rewards points to Delta SkyMiles at a 1:1 ratio. However, to cover the federal excise tax, there is a fee of $0.0006 per mile (up to a maximum of $99), making the transaction more costly.

In summary

Delta SkyMiles is still a strong option for travelers flying with Delta. We consistently see value in utilizing SkyMiles for domestic flights and in the potential for booking award flights with SkyTeam partners.

However, if you're aiming for aspirational or long-haul premium cabin awards, SkyMiles may not be the best currency, as you'll encounter significantly lower redemption rates through other programs.