How to redeem your Delta SkyMiles for maximum value

Since Delta Air Strains eradicated its award charts in 2015, the SkyMiles program has develop into notably extra unpredictable and, at instances, 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 if in case you have a stockpile of Delta miles, they’re far from worthless. Glorious redemptions are nonetheless obtainable, significantly 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 utilize your Delta SkyMiles to guide Delta, Delta Connection and Delta Shuttle flights. Since Delta makes use of dynamic pricing, award charges can fluctuate considerably. For instance, one-way primary economic 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 season journey skews award costs over these dates, important value volatility is regular. Flexibility is essential if you wish to maximize your SkyMiles.

Taxes and costs are typically affordable on Delta tickets. Anticipate to pay $6 per particular person in taxes and costs on most home and worldwide tickets departing the U.S. Nevertheless, Delta provides carrier-imposed surcharges on many awards exterior the U.S., most notably these originating in Europe.

Hold an eye fixed out for SkyMiles offers

A terrific choice for redeeming Delta miles is making the most of SkyMiles offers. These offers usually apply to particular metropolis pairs, so it might be essential to guide positioning flights to completely maximize these promotions.

Delta has beforehand supplied a flash sale with round-trip flights for simply 5,000 SkyMiles. The airline additionally recently offered flights from Atlanta to the Caribbean and Mexico beginning at 14,400 Delta SkyMiles round-trip.

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When you have no speedy use on your SkyMiles, you could be finest off saving them for the following massive SkyMiles deal. Simply make sure you control Delta’s SkyMiles deals page.

Save no less than 15% with choose Delta bank cards

When you have an eligible Delta credit card, you may save 15% on Delta-operated award flights while you use your miles and pay the taxes and costs with the cardboard. This could be a nice choice to cut back the value you pay on Delta award tickets — and a significant cause to open (and hold) a Delta card in your pockets.

Learn extra: Best Delta credit 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 shall be redeposited into your account with no payment.

You possibly can cancel your award flight for primary economic system reservations, however you could pay an related mileage payment. For these flights, Delta will deduct 9,900 miles for home journey inside the U.S. and Canada and 19,900 miles for worldwide journey. This payment is deducted from the worth of your ticket, after which any remaining miles shall 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 partners. This offers 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 you could search route by route for costs. For partner-operated flights that do not contact the US, nice offers will 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 through 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 wonderful redemption choices on your SkyMiles.

Should you’re flying from Asia to Europe, particularly Taiwan Taoyuan Worldwide Airport (TPE) to Václav Havel Airport Prague (PRG), you might snag this nonstop China Airways flight at simply 80,000 SkyMiles plus solely $15 in taxes and costs 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 typically prices round 42,500 miles plus round $34 in taxes and costs.

Delta can improve these charges at any time and has finished so on a number of events. To acquire the present award value, you will have to contact Delta straight or search the web site.

Whereas Delta has tried to enhance its web site to show accomplice awards, it might nonetheless have limitations, significantly when reserving mixed-cabin itineraries. The web site typically prioritizes Delta-operated flights, which might not be very best if in case you have particular flight necessities. We suggest looking for flights phase by phase and being ready to name Delta if the web site would not supply the specified journey choices.

Associated: The best websites for searching SkyTeam award availability

Redeem Delta SkyMiles for upgrades

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

Should you redeem your miles for an improve utilizing this methodology, you may typically get a worth of round 1 cent per mile, which is decrease than our February 2025 valuation of 1.2 cents per mile. This could possibly be a viable choice if in case you have a surplus of SkyMiles and no speedy plans to make use of them. Nevertheless, we typically suggest prioritizing award flight redemptions.

You too can 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 accessible solely on choose routes every accomplice operates. Please confer with Delta’s “Upgrade with Miles” web page for extra particulars.

You will additionally need to be certain there’s improve stock obtainable.

Associated: All the tips and tricks you need to use Delta upgrade certificates

Redeem Delta SkyMiles for Delta Holidays

You will normally get hold of a worth of 1.15 cents per mile while you use your miles to cowl a Delta Vacations bundle.

For instance, you might guide a seven-day lodging on the Outrigger Reef Waikiki Seaside 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 isn’t a foul redemption.

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Learn how to earn Delta SkyMiles

You will have to have SkyMiles to reap the benefits of the redemptions talked about above. Happily, there are a number of methods to extend your steadiness. One of many easiest methods to earn Delta miles is by utilizing Delta’s cobranded American Categorical playing cards. Listed here are among the present welcome provides obtainable for these playing cards:

• Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card: Earn 80,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in eligible purchases inside the first six months of card membership.
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express 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 Express Card: Earn 100,000 bonus miles after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases in your first six months of card membership.
• Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express 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 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: 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 benefit, which can prevent 15% on Delta-operated award flights.

You too can switch American Express Membership Rewards factors to Delta at a 1:1 ratio. You possibly can earn these transferable rewards on the American Express® Gold Card and The Platinum Card® from American Express. Nevertheless, you may be topic to an excise tax offset fee.

Moreover, Marriott Bonvoy points transfer to Delta SkyMiles at a 3:1 ratio.