Our top recommendations for maximizing Delta SkyMiles

As a Delta Diamond Medallion member, I've noticed that while the value of Delta's award currency has diminished recently and many prime sweet spots are no longer available, there are still plenty of ways to uncover value.

Delta SkyMiles is the loyalty program associated with Delta Air Lines, and I've been amassing these points for years. Generally, Delta SkyMiles are valued at around 1 cent each, but occasionally, you can discover greater worth. According to TPG's September 2024 valuations, SkyMiles are estimated to be worth 1.2 cents each.

Accruing Delta SkyMiles is quite straightforward, especially with the enticing offers currently available on various cobranded Delta credit cards. Many Delta cards are featuring record-high welcome bonuses right now, making it a great opportunity to build up your SkyMiles reserve for future use.

Though the era of snagging 50,000 SkyMiles for a one-way business-class ticket to Europe is largely behind us (or exceedingly rare), these miles still hold some value, with numerous sweet spots to be found.

Here are some of our top picks.

Delta flash deals

Delta's regular flash deals provide discounted award flights both domestically and internationally, allowing you to stretch your miles significantly.

Recently, TPG highlighted a Delta flash sale where round-trip flights from various U.S. cities to destinations like the Bahamas, Tulum, Turks and Caicos, and Barbados were available for as low as 17,000 SkyMiles plus taxes and fees. If you hold a Delta-branded American Express credit card, you can save an extra 15% on award flight bookings, bringing the cost down to as little as 14,400 miles during this flash sale.

However, it's not just about the advertised flash sales. Delta has a SkyMiles Award Deals page where you can often uncover attractive offers if you're open to the destinations suggested by the algorithm.

In preparation for this article, I tested the options using San Francisco International Airport (SFO) as my departure point. On the lower end, you can book a main cabin round-trip fare from the Bay Area to Seattle for as little as 13,000 miles and $12. If you opt for a basic economy fare, the round-trip award cost drops to just 7,000 miles. On the higher end, you can fly to Venice, Italy, for as low as 61,000 miles plus $56 round trip, or to Auckland for as low as 74,000 miles plus $100 in taxes and fees round trip.

While coach redemptions may not be the most glamorous option, they can still provide decent value for your SkyMiles.

Affordable upgrades to first class

I have to confess, I've frequently used my SkyMiles for first-class upgrades. Although purchasing upgrades can take availability away from Delta elite members like myself, it's becoming increasingly difficult to rely on complimentary upgrades. When the upgrade cost is reasonable, I've opted to use SkyMiles to secure a first-class seat.

I've primarily taken advantage of this on short-haul flights, where upgrade offers can start as low as $19, but similar deals are also available on international business flights.

However, it's uncommon to achieve more than a penny per point in value this way. Typically, the value matches the cash fare when comparing miles to cash in the Delta app. This is evident in the example below, where the upgrade offer places Delta SkyMiles at precisely 1 cent each.

My friend Eric Gratton, a Delta Diamond member and event planner, redeemed 79,900 SkyMiles to upgrade his flight from Geneva to New York City from Main Cabin to Delta One. While this might not be an exceptional value, it's certainly a comfortable way to travel at the front of the cabin. Given that a one-way ticket for that route typically costs around $3,800 in business class, I consider this a reasonable redemption.

It's essential to compare the cash fare with the mileage cost for upgrades. This practice ensures you receive at least a penny per point in value when using your SkyMiles.

Delta partner flights

There was a time not too long ago when partner flights offered excellent deals with SkyMiles. For instance, I booked a flight on Virgin Atlantic to Tel Aviv using Delta SkyMiles for just 85,000 miles each way in business class; the journey went from New York City to London to Israel aboard Virgin Atlantic planes. Unfortunately, those prime opportunities have disappeared, but you can still uncover some deals on partner flights that don’t involve the U.S.

You can frequently discover really affordable redemptions within Asia. For example, TPG's senior points and miles writer Katie Genter and her husband redeemed just 15,000 Delta SkyMiles plus $30 in taxes and fees each for a one-way business class flight on Korean Air from Tokyo to Seoul this winter. That’s an outstanding redemption.

Here’s another excellent award option using SkyMiles in Asia: Pay 80,000 Delta SkyMiles plus $49 in taxes and fees for a round-trip business class ticket from Seoul, South Korea, to Bali, Indonesia, on Garuda Indonesia. It’s a seven-hour journey on a very appealing airline.

Delta frequently offers reasonably priced flights within Europe on partner airlines as well. You can snag business-class tickets for as low as 25,000 SkyMiles or economy seats for just 10,000 SkyMiles each way.

If you're able to travel from Europe or South America to Asia, you can often discover some attractive redemptions.

Here's a one-way trip from Paris to Singapore next August for 50,000 Delta SkyMiles plus approximately $145 on China Southern Airlines with a stop in Guangzhou, China.

It's a lengthy journey in economy, but it is an option. I also discovered business-class availability from Amsterdam to Bangkok via Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for 100,000 SkyMiles each way.

You can uncover even better offers by experimenting with different airports. You might just strike gold.

Delta domestic deals

While we usually advise against using Delta SkyMiles for domestic flights, they can be valuable when cash prices are steep.

You can frequently find decent redemptions between New York City and Atlanta. For instance, you can fly round-trip between these cities for as low as 17,800 miles (with the cardholder discount) plus $12 in taxes and fees. With cash fares around $257, this redemption gives you slightly more than a penny per point.

It may not be thrilling, but it can still offer a solid deal, especially if cash fares are elevated. Additionally, Delta SkyMiles redemptions are fully refundable, making it sensible to use miles instead of cash for added reassurance.

It's also wise to have backup reservations for a positioning flight. For example, I need a positioning flight to Mexico City, so I might consider booking both Delta and American Airlines mileage awards. If one flight encounters an issue, I’ll already have the other secured. (If you choose this route, be sure to cancel the unnecessary booking before your flight to recover your miles.)

Business-class offers from Delta in Mexico City

Though not widely advertised, there was a period when Delta's international business-class awards from Mexico City were significantly cheaper than those from Los Angeles. This opportunity has largely disappeared since several blogs covered it in 2023, but there’s still a chance you might find a good deal.

Recently, I had a stroke of luck with an award from Mexico City International Airport (MEX) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and onward to Brisbane Airport (BNE) in Delta One. Currently, that flight costs 395,000 Delta SkyMiles one-way, but for a short time, it was available for just 80,000 SkyMiles one-way. I eagerly seized the chance to fly in Delta One on the newly launched, over-14-hour journey to Australia.

The final cost was only 73,100 SkyMiles plus $120 in taxes and fees, thanks to my Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, which offers a 15% rebate on award redemptions. The cash fare for this ticket was $6,468 one-way for a comparable date.

Although we rarely spot major deals on business-class flights from Mexico City these days, it's still worth checking. When Delta launches new routes, award tickets can sometimes be available at fantastic rates. Keep an eye out for those new route announcements.

Additionally, it's worth noting that good deals can occasionally be found from Mexico City to Europe through partner airlines. For instance, I discovered a round-trip economy fare from Mexico City to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) on Air France for 70,000 Delta SkyMiles plus $176 in taxes and fees.

I also came across business-class availability on Air France from Mexico City to Paris for as low as 210,000 SkyMiles and $235 in taxes and fees round-trip for August next year.

While it may not seem like a fantastic deal, when you compare it to a similar Delta One award from Los Angeles to Paris priced at 425,000 SkyMiles, it becomes quite a steal.

In conclusion

Regrettably, finding excellent ways to use Delta SkyMiles isn't as straightforward as it used to be. However, they still hold value. I always like to keep a reserve of SkyMiles for upgrades or when an unexpected opportunity for a low-cost Delta One award arises. Flash sales can also provide significant value for your miles.

Now is an excellent time to accumulate Delta SkyMiles, as there are some fantastic limited-time promotions on Delta credit cards.

For instance, you can earn 100,000 bonus miles by spending $6,000 within the first six months of having the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. This matches the highest welcome offer we've seen for this card, requiring just $1,000 more in spending.

Alternatively, you can receive 80,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in the first six months with the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card. This is the best welcome offer we've ever had for this card.

Both card offers expire on Oct. 23. Since I just depleted my last SkyMiles on that trip to Australia and my balance is low, I might consider one of these offers. See you in Brisbane!