Maximize the Value of Your Delta SkyMiles

Since the removal of award charts by Delta Air Lines in 2015, the SkyMiles program has become more unpredictable, and sometimes exceedingly costly. With long-haul business-class fares often exceeding 450,000 SkyMiles, it’s easy to feel like your SkyMiles are not worth much.

However, if you have accumulated Delta miles, they are definitely valuable. There are still fantastic redemption options, especially during the airline's award sales.

Let’s delve into strategies for optimizing your Delta SkyMiles value.

Use SkyMiles to book Delta flights

You can redeem your Delta SkyMiles for flights on Delta, Delta Connection, and Delta Shuttle. Due to Delta's dynamic pricing model, award rates can fluctuate widely. For instance, during November and December, one-way Main Cabin award rates from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) can vary between 15,500 and 39,000 miles.

While Thanksgiving travel can drive up award prices during this period, substantial price fluctuations are typical. Being flexible is key to getting the most out of your SkyMiles.

Taxes and fees on Delta tickets are typically quite reasonable. You can expect to pay around $6 per person for taxes and fees on most domestic and international flights departing from the U.S. However, Delta imposes additional carrier fees on many awards starting outside the U.S., particularly for those originating in Europe.

Watch for SkyMiles promotions

A fantastic way to use your Delta miles is by taking advantage of SkyMiles promotions. These deals usually apply to certain city pairs, so you might need to book positioning flights to fully benefit from these offers.

In the past, Delta has run flash sales offering round-trip flights for as little as 5,000 SkyMiles. Recently, the airline has provided flights from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) to the Caribbean and Mexico starting at 14,400 Delta SkyMiles for a round trip.

If you don't have an immediate plan for your SkyMiles, it might be wise to save them for the next major SkyMiles promotion. Just remember to check Delta's SkyMiles deals page regularly.

Enjoy a minimum 15% discount with select Delta credit cards

If you possess an eligible Delta credit card, you can receive a 15% discount on award flights operated by Delta when using your miles and settling the taxes and fees with the card. This is an excellent way to lower the costs of Delta award tickets — a compelling reason to acquire (and maintain) a Delta card in your wallet.

Rebook when fares drop (or cancel if your plans change)

For flights booked with Delta SkyMiles, as long as your ticket is eligible for cancellation, you can adjust the fare of your flight. The mileage difference will be refunded to your account without any fees.

You can cancel your award flight if you booked a basic economy fare, but this will incur a mileage penalty. For these tickets, Delta will deduct 9,900 miles for domestic flights within the U.S. and Canada and 19,900 miles for international flights. This fee is subtracted from your ticket's value, and any leftover miles will be returned to your SkyMiles account.

Use Delta SkyMiles on partner flights

As a member of the SkyTeam alliance, Delta collaborates with seven non-alliance airline partners. This expands your options for redeeming SkyMiles on various airlines and routes worldwide. Here’s the full list of Delta's airline partners:

SkyTeam airline partners

• Aerolinas Argentinas
• Aeromexico
• Air Europa
• Air France
• China Airlines
• China Eastern Airlines
• Czech Airlines
• Garuda Indonesia
• ITA Airways
• Kenya Airways
• KLM
• Korean Air
• Middle East Airlines
• Saudia
• Scandinavian Airlines
• TAROM
• Vietnam Airlines
• Virgin Atlantic
• Xiamen Air

Non-alliance partners

• Cape Air
• China Southern Airlines
• Hawaiian Airlines
• LATAM
• Mandarin Airlines
• Shanghai Airlines
• WestJet

With no online award charts available, partner redemption rates can vary significantly. For instance, a one-way business-class fare from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Mexico City International Airport (MEX) can cost anywhere from 45,000 SkyMiles to a staggering 130,000 SkyMiles. Finding flights at the lowest level is an excellent way to use your SkyMiles effectively.

A fantastic option includes WestJet flights from the U.S. to Canada. Round-trip award tickets in economy class remain at 25,000 miles plus $65 in taxes and fees, with fairly good availability, especially if you book ahead of time.

These flights typically exceed $500, offering a redemption value of approximately 2 cents per mile.

Delta also features some attractive partner options outside the U.S.

For instance, traveling from Asia to Europe, specifically from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) to Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport (FCO), you can secure a KLM and ITA Airways flight for just 80,000 SkyMiles plus about $46 in taxes and fees for roughly 14 hours in long-haul business class.

Alternatively, a business class flight from Dubai International Airport (DXB) to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) on Air France typically requires about 42,500 miles along with approximately $36 in taxes and fees.

Delta reserves the right to modify these rates at any time, and they have done so repeatedly. To check the current award pricing, you must reach out to Delta directly or visit their website.

Although Delta has made efforts to enhance its website for displaying partner awards, limitations may still exist, especially for mixed-cabin bookings. The site often favors Delta-operated flights, which might not suit all travel preferences. It’s advisable to search for flights segment by segment and be ready to contact Delta if you can’t find the options you want online.

Redeem Delta SkyMiles for upgrades

Additionally, you can utilize your SkyMiles for an upgrade to a superior service class. If your flight is confirmed and marketed by Delta, you have the option to either pay with cash or use miles to directly upgrade through Delta's website.

When you redeem your miles for an upgrade this way, you typically achieve a value of about 1 cent per mile, which is lower than our September 2024 valuation of 1.2 cents per mile. This option may work well if you have extra SkyMiles with no immediate usage plans. However, as mentioned in earlier sections, we usually advise prioritizing redemptions for award flights.

You can also leverage Delta miles to upgrade certain flights run by Air France, KLM, Virgin Atlantic, or Aeromexico. This option has fare class prerequisites and is restricted to specific routes that each partner operates. For further information, please consult Delta's "Upgrade with Miles" page.

Ensure that upgrade inventory is available before proceeding with your plans.

Use Delta SkyMiles for Delta Vacations

Typically, you can expect to gain a value of 1.15 cents per mile when using your miles for a Delta Vacations package.

For instance, you could reserve a seven-night stay at the Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort in Hawaii for $2,291.87 or redeem 199,293 SkyMiles, resulting in a redemption value of precisely 1.15 cents per mile. While this is slightly below our September 2024 valuation, it remains a solid redemption option.

Ways to accumulate Delta SkyMiles

To benefit from the redemptions mentioned earlier, you need to have SkyMiles. Luckily, there are various methods to boost your balance. One of the easiest ways to earn Delta miles is by using Delta's co-branded American Express cards. Here are some of the current introductory offers for these cards:

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

Keep in mind that all these cards provide access to the TakeOff 15 benefit, allowing you to save 15% on Delta-operated award flights.

You can transfer American Express Membership Rewards points to Delta at a 1:1 exchange rate. These transferable rewards can be earned through cards like the American Express® Gold Card and The Platinum Card® from American Express. Be aware that an excise tax offset fee will apply.

Furthermore, Marriott Bonvoy points convert to Delta SkyMiles at a ratio of 3:1.

Key Takeaway

Despite the decline in Delta SkyMiles value over recent years, there are still great offers available. While the program is trending toward a redemption value of 1 cent per mile, you can often achieve more, particularly with SkyMiles promotions.