Delta SkyMiles: Your ultimate resource for earning, redeeming, and achieving elite status

Among the most sought-after frequent flyer programs is Delta SkyMiles, the loyalty initiative of Delta Air Lines. According to TPG's September 2024 valuations, Delta SkyMiles are valued at 1.2 cents each, allowing redemption for flights, upgrades, hotels, and more. You can often get the best value from your miles by taking advantage of Delta's frequent flash sales, which provide discounted award flights both domestically and internationally.

Earning SkyMiles is a breeze whether you're flying or shopping online. Delta offers a diverse range of cobranded credit cards, many currently featuring attractive welcome bonuses that can significantly enhance your SkyMiles balance. Read on to learn more about the Delta SkyMiles program.

What exactly is the Delta SkyMiles program?

Delta SkyMiles is the loyalty program affiliated with Delta Air Lines. Enrollment in the program is complimentary, and your miles remain valid indefinitely. With approximately 120 million members, Delta SkyMiles stands as the largest airline loyalty program in the world.

You can accumulate Delta SkyMiles through multiple avenues. Some of the most common include flying with Delta and its partners, using Delta's cobranded credit cards, transferring points from American Express Membership Rewards, shopping via the Delta SkyMiles Shopping portal, dining through the SkyMiles Dining program, and participating in various promotions provided by the airline.

Additionally, you can earn Medallion Qualification Dollars to help you achieve Delta's four elite status tiers, which offer benefits like seat upgrades, priority boarding, and access to airport lounges.

Partners of the Delta SkyMiles program

Delta is a proud member of the SkyTeam airline alliance, which encompasses over a dozen airlines globally. You can earn and use SkyMiles when flying with any airline in the SkyTeam network. With service to 1,000 destinations, SkyTeam connects nearly every region of the world, with flights operating across six continents.

The member airlines include:

• Aerolineas Argentinas
• Aeromexico (its partnership with Delta is expected to conclude in October 2024)
• Air Europa
• Air France
• China Airlines
• China Eastern Airlines
• Czech Airlines
• Delta Air Lines
• Garuda Indonesia
• ITA Airways
• Kenya Airways
• KLM
• Korean Air
• Middle East Airlines
• Saudia
• Scandinavian Airlines
• TAROM
• Vietnam Airlines
• Virgin Atlantic
• XiamenAir

Additional partners

Delta boasts several partnerships beyond SkyTeam members, offering you many ways to earn miles even when you're not flying with Delta or a SkyTeam airline. Non-alliance partners include:

• AirBaltic
• Cape Air
• China Southern Airlines
• El Al
• Hawaiian Airlines
• LATAM
• WestJet

Keep in mind that each partnership comes with specific restrictions and requirements.

Delta SkyMiles elite status

The SkyMiles program features four elite status tiers for frequent Delta travelers: Silver Medallion, Gold Medallion, Platinum Medallion, and Diamond Medallion.

Achieving Delta Medallion status

Starting January 1, 2024, Delta exclusively uses Medallion Qualification Dollars as the qualification criteria — and the required thresholds have increased significantly in recent years. Additionally, Delta modified how you earn MQDs through card spending, removing the MQD waiver benefit from eligible cards.

You can earn MQDs in the following ways:

• Delta and partner flights: Earn 1 MQD for every dollar spent on Delta-marketed flights operated by Delta or its partner airlines.
• Cards: Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card holders earn 1 MQD for every $10 spent, while Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card and Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card holders earn 1 MQD for every $20 spent. These cards also provide an MQD Headstart of 2,500 MQDs each year. (Terms apply.)
• Delta Vacations: Earn 1 MQD for every dollar spent on the entire vacation package (in addition to flight earnings) when booking directly with Delta Vacations. MQDs are earned on various components of the package, including accommodations, car rentals, rides, and activities.

With earning Medallion status becoming more challenging, is it still worthwhile? Here are some key advantages of each status tier offered by Delta.

SkyMiles Silver Medallion

The entry-level elite tier in Delta's SkyMiles program is Silver Medallion status. As a Silver Medallion, you will enjoy:

• Complimentary first-class upgrades on domestic and short-haul international flights starting 24 hours before departure
• Upgrades to Comfort+ within 24 hours of takeoff
• Priority boarding (Zone 5) and check-in
• One free checked bag

SkyMiles Gold Medallion

Next in line is Gold Medallion status, which provides you with:

• Complimentary first-class upgrades on domestic and short-haul international flights starting three days before departure
• SkyPriority status
• Upgrades to Comfort+ within three days of travel
• Waived fees for same-day confirmed changes
• Two free checked bags (for flights within the U.S. and Canada)

SkyMiles Platinum Medallion

The third tier in the SkyMiles program is Platinum Medallion. Along with the benefits of Silver and Gold Medallion statuses, you will receive:

• Complimentary first-class upgrades on domestic and short-haul international flights starting five days before departure
• Upgrades to Comfort+ at the time of booking
• Three free checked bags (for flights within the U.S. and Canada)
• Your choice of a Choice Benefit

SkyMiles Diamond Medallion

Lastly, the top publicly accessible tier in the SkyMiles program is Diamond Medallion. Diamond members enjoy all the benefits mentioned earlier, along with even more exclusive perks:

• More Choice Benefit options
• Complimentary Clear Plus membership
• Priority for upgrades

Delta also offers an invitation-only status known as Delta 360 — however, this tier is somewhat enigmatic as Delta does not disclose any details about its benefits or the qualification process.

How to accumulate SkyMiles

There are multiple ways to accumulate Delta SkyMiles. The simplest methods include flying on Delta-operated flights, traveling with a SkyTeam partner, and applying for a Delta cobranded credit card. You can also rack up miles through daily activities like shopping and dining out.

Accumulate SkyMiles by flying

When you travel on Delta with a Delta-issued ticket in the main cabin or higher (note that basic economy fares do not earn miles), you'll earn SkyMiles based on the ticket's base price. The higher your status tier, the quicker you earn miles.

• General member: 5 miles for every dollar spent
• Silver Medallion: 7 miles for every dollar spent
• Gold Medallion: 8 miles for every dollar spent
• Platinum Medallion: 9 miles for every dollar spent
• Diamond Medallion: 11 miles for every dollar spent

This means that if you purchase a one-way ticket from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) for $250 before taxes, a general member will earn 1,250 SkyMiles. As a Silver Medallion, you would earn 1,750 miles, and as a Diamond Medallion, an impressive 2,750 miles.

You can also earn miles by flying with Delta's partner airlines, but how those miles are credited depends on how you booked your ticket. For instance, if you book partner airline flights through Delta's website, you will earn miles in the same manner as you would on a Delta flight.

On the other hand, if you reserve a partner flight directly on the airline's site (like Air France) and include your Delta SkyMiles number, your miles will be calculated based on a percentage of the distance traveled. The specific number of SkyMiles awarded depends on the partner, booking class, and your elite status.

Accumulate SkyMiles through credit cards

There is a Delta credit card tailored for everyone — whether you're a frequent flyer, a business traveler, or someone who flies occasionally. All options, except the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card, come with the following benefits:

• Complimentary first checked bag and priority boarding on Delta flights
• 20% savings on in-flight purchases
• 15% discount on award redemptions for Delta flights

Each card provides extra benefits for travelers. Here’s an overview of some of the top Delta SkyMiles credit cards available from American Express. (Terms apply.)

Accumulate SkyMiles through shopping portals

One of the simplest ways to earn SkyMiles is through Delta's online shopping portal, Delta SkyMiles Shopping. You can earn miles on purchases from over a thousand online retailers that you would normally make.

If you haven't created an account yet, you'll need to sign up using your SkyMiles number. After that, you can use the search bar to locate the store or item you want and compare prices and mileage rates across various retailers. You can also save your favorite stores to get alerts when they offer bonus miles.

Once you've chosen your retailer, click on the store, product, or offer, and you'll be redirected to the retailer's website to complete your shopping. The store will notify the portal once your purchase is made, and the miles you earned will be credited to your SkyMiles account. You’ll receive a confirmation email when your miles are posted, usually within three to five days, although it can take up to 15 days.

Nearly every major airline features a shopping portal, so consider using a shopping portal aggregator to find the best deals while shopping online.

Transfer Amex points to Delta

Lastly, you can transfer American Express Membership Rewards points to your Delta SkyMiles account at a 1:1 ratio. However, we typically advise against this, as we value Amex points more than SkyMiles. According to our September 2024 assessments, TPG values Amex points at 2 cents each, while SkyMiles are valued at only 1.2 cents.

Obtaining a higher value from Delta can be challenging due to dynamic pricing. Additionally, there is an excise tax offset fee that applies when transferring Amex points to Delta and other domestic frequent flyer programs.

How to use your SkyMiles

In 2015, Delta became the first major U.S. airline to eliminate published award charts, opting for dynamic pricing for award tickets. Consequently, you’ll need to check the Delta website or app to see how many SkyMiles are required for an award ticket. Delta's platform is user-friendly, and the useful calendar feature can assist you in discovering the best prices for your upcoming redemption.

We've typically found that the most advantageous redemptions occur on domestic flights. If you have one of the Delta cobranded cards that provides a 15% discount on Delta-operated award tickets, you might be able to book short-haul flights for less than 4,000 SkyMiles one way. However, prices can fluctuate based on the day, route, and cabin class.

Keep in mind that Delta award tickets (with the exception of basic economy fares) are completely refundable. If your plans change, you can redeposit your miles and receive a refund for any taxes and fees paid. This also allows you to rebook award tickets when the mileage cost decreases, ensuring you get a refund for the difference in miles.

You can also use your SkyMiles to book tickets with most of Delta's SkyTeam and non-alliance partners. Unfortunately, the prices for these tickets have largely been aligned with Delta's own flight prices, reducing the chance of finding better value from partner awards, especially in premium classes.

Hidden gems

Given that Delta employs full dynamic pricing throughout its network, finding sweet spots to optimize the value of your SkyMiles is quite challenging. However, there are still a few worthwhile options available.

Delta flash sales

Delta regularly offers SkyMiles flash sales for various U.S. destinations as well as cities in Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean. We've spotted some fantastic offers for the main cabin, Comfort+, and first class. Previous promotions included round-trip flights to Europe for only 33,000 miles and fares to Tahiti beginning at 60,000 miles.

Keep in mind that these bargain tickets are not always well promoted, so it's wise to check availability frequently. Delta frequently prices short- and medium-haul award tickets much lower than what other airlines might charge for similar routes. You'll usually find the best bargains by booking ahead and flying on off-peak days.

Delta and LATAM economy flights to South America

Cash flights to South America are rarely inexpensive, particularly to Brazil, regardless of the class of service. For Delta SkyMiles members, booking LATAM award tickets offers good value and is an excellent way to utilize SkyMiles. For instance, 66,000 SkyMiles typically secures a round-trip from JFK to Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport (GRU), with many flights being nonstop.

Bottom line

With its operational efficiency, extensive route network, and numerous partner airlines, Delta is often regarded as the premier domestic airline. In fact, it has ranked at the top in TPG's analysis of the best airlines in the U.S. for the past five years. Although recent modifications to award pricing and elite status criteria have disappointed some loyal Delta flyers, there remains much to appreciate about the Delta SkyMiles program.

Whether you're a regular Delta traveler or just an occasional flyer, a strategy that combines flying, utilizing shopping portals, and making purchases with Delta credit cards can help boost your SkyMiles balance for your next redemption.