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Delta SkyMiles is one of the most popular mileage currencies. Thanks to the airline's massive partnership with American Express, travelers can earn miles through Delta credit cards or by transferring points from Amex Membership Rewards.
However, if you don't have enough SkyMiles or Membership Rewards points for an upcoming redemption, you can also buy Delta SkyMiles. Here's everything you need to know about buying SkyMiles, including how much they cost and whether it makes sense.
Who Should Buy Points and Miles?
If you're familiar with our stance on buying points and miles, you'll know that we only recommend it in specific instances. Unless a discount or bonus promotion is available and you know exactly how you plan to use your purchased miles, we typically advise against doing so. More often than not, it's tough to redeem points for more than their cost.
Just because an airline or hotel is running a promotion doesn't automatically mean you should reach for your wallet. Instead, we prefer to earn our points and miles organically. For most currencies, you're better off building your stash by leveraging top credit card offers, promotions, and maximizing transfer partners.
However, buying points and miles has a place in a broader points and miles strategy for two reasons. The first is that you can sometimes book an award ticket by buying miles at a lower price than purchasing the ticket outright. Second, if you only need a few more miles to top off your balance for a redemption, purchasing miles might be the quickest option. Doing the math before purchasing is critical to ensure you're getting a value you're happy with.
Related: The Beginner's Guide to Buying Points and Miles
How to Buy Delta Miles
Buying Delta miles is quite straightforward. Head to the buy miles section of the Delta website. From there, select the number of miles you want to buy. Add them to your cart and complete your purchase.
Although it's easy to buy miles, there are a few things to keep in mind. You can buy up to 60,000 SkyMiles per year in increments of 2,000 SkyMiles. Purchases are billed in USD and are subject to a 7.5% U.S. federal excise tax, with an additional 5% GST and other taxes for Canadian residents.
All miles purchases are final, fees are non-refundable, and completed transactions cannot be reversed. You must be a SkyMiles member, and your account must be open for at least 10 days with at least one automatically posted mile before you can purchase miles. Your purchase doesn't count toward Medallion Status or Million Miler credit.
Can You Buy Delta Miles at a Discount?
While you'll frequently find promotions to buy American miles and buy United miles, Delta has only offered a buy miles promotion once.
In late 2025, Delta offered a promotion to buy SkyMiles with up to a 50% bonus, which brought the cost of SkyMiles from 3.5¢ per mile to 2.51¢ per SkyMile. Maxing out the offer allowed you to buy 90,000 SkyMiles (60,000 base + 30,000 bonus) for $2,257.50. Although this is slightly better than the standard rate, it's still not great.
Why We Don't Recommend Buying Delta Miles
When buying points and miles, the goal is to get “outsized” value by redeeming them for more than you paid. With Delta SkyMiles, redeeming them (in most cases) provides roughly half the value of what Delta charges to buy miles.
To put this into perspective, AwardWallet users get the following value when redeeming Delta miles, on average (per mile):
- Average value overall: 1.35¢
- Short-haul economy bookings: 1.21¢
- Long-haul economy bookings: 1.21¢
- Short-haul business class: 1.94¢
- Long-haul business class: 2.38¢
While there may be occasional exceptions, real-world redemption values don’t make the 3.5¢-per-SkyMile rate look very compelling.
More Practical Ways to Earn Delta Miles
There are easier (and more cost-efficient) ways to earn Delta SkyMiles than buying them straight from Delta for 3.5¢ apiece. For example, transfer partners, credit card welcome offers, and cards with bonus multipliers for everyday spending will provide more bang for your buck.
Delta co-branded credit cards
Delta has a partnership with American Express that offers seven different co-branded credit cards. These cards have solid welcome offers and valuable earning categories. However, collecting the sign-up bonus is one of the best opportunities to quickly earn a large number of SkyMiles.
Here's a preview of what you can earn after signing up and meeting the minimum spending requirements:
- Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card: Earn 10,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card: You may be eligible for as high as 80,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card: You may be eligible for as high as 90,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card: You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $5,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150Rates & Fees
(Terms apply)
- 2X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 2X miles per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets
- 2X miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- 1X miles on all other eligible purchases
$350Rates & Fees
(Terms apply)
- 3X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 3X miles per dollar at hotels
- 2X miles per dollar at U.S. supermarkets
- 2X Miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- 1 mile on every eligible dollar spent on purchases.
$650Rates & Fees
(Terms apply)
- 3X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 1X miles on every eligible dollar spent on purchases.
Small business owners have three options as well:
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card: Welcome Offer: Earn 60,000 Bonus Miles after spending $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card: Welcome Offer: Earn 70,000 Bonus Miles after spending $6,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card: Welcome Offer: Earn 80,000 Bonus Miles after spending $12,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150Rates & Fees
(Terms apply)
- 2X miles per dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta
- 2X miles per dollar on eligible U.S. purchases for advertising in select media (annual cap of $50,000 in eligible purchases)
- 2X miles per dollar on eligible U.S. shipping purchases (annual cap of $50,000 in eligible purchases)
- 2X miles per dollar on eligible dining purchases
- 1X miles per dollar on all other eligible purchases
$350Rates & Fees
(Terms apply)
- 3X miles per dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta
- 3X miles per dollar spent on eligible purchases with hotels
- 1.5x miles on eligible purchases over $5,000 (up to 50,000 bonus miles annually)
- 1.5X miles on eligible transit and U.S. shipping purchases*
- 1X miles per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
$650Rates & Fees
- 3X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 1.5X miles per dollar on eligible transit, U.S. shipping, and U.S. office supply store purchases, plus all eligible purchases after spending $150K per calendar year
- 1 mile on every dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
Related: Which Delta Credit Card Is Right for You?
Delta transfer partners
The only transferable points you can convert to Delta SkyMiles are American Express Membership Rewards and Diners Club Rewards points.
Of the two, Amex points are easier to earn, courtesy of several cards that earn Membership Rewards points. Points convert to Delta SkyMiles at a 1:1 ratio and will instantly show up in your Delta account.
(Terms apply)
- You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $12,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you're approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount - all with no credit score impact. If you're approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Get more for your travels with 5X Membership Rewards® points on all flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel®, including Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings. You earn 5X points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel® on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
- With over 1,550 airport lounges - more than any other credit card company on the market* - enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection, over $850 of annual value, with access to Centurion Lounges, 10 Delta Sky Club visits (subject to visit limitations) when flying on an eligible Delta flight, Priority Pass™ membership (enrollment required), and other select partner lounges. *As of 01/2026
- $200 Uber Cash + $120 Uber One Credit: With the Platinum Card® you can receive $15 in Uber Cash each month plus a bonus $20 in December when you add your Platinum Card® to your Uber account to use on rides and orders in the U.S when you select an Amex Card for your transaction. Plus, when you use the Platinum Card® to pay for an auto-renewing Uber One membership, you can get up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year. Terms apply.
- $300 Digital Entertainment Credit: Experience the latest shows, news and recipes. Get up to $25 in statement credits each month when you use your Platinum Card® for eligible purchases on Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN streaming services, Hulu, The New York Times, Paramount+, Peacock, The Wall Street Journal, YouTube Premium, and YouTube TV when you purchase directly from one or more of the providers. Enrollment required.
- $600 Hotel Credit: Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection* bookings through American Express Travel® using the Platinum Card®. *The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- $400 Resy Credit + Platinum Nights™ by Resy: Get up to $100 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card® to pay for eligible purchases with Resy, including dining purchases at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants. Enrollment required. As a Platinum Card® Member you have special access to reservations on select nights at participating sought after Resy restaurants in select cities through Platinum Nights™ by Resy. Simply add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile to book your reservation.
- $219 CLEAR+ Credit: CLEAR+ helps get you to your gate faster by using your face to verify you are you at 55+ airports nationwide. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR+ Membership* with up to $219 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR+ with your Platinum Card®. *Excluding any applicable taxes and fees. Subject to auto-renewal.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to the Platinum Card® Account. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
- Start your vacation sooner and keep it going longer. When you book Fine Hotels + Resorts® through American Express Travel®, enjoy noon check-in, when available, and guaranteed 4PM late check-out.
- $300 lululemon Credit: Enjoy up to $75 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card® for eligible purchases at U.S. lululemon retail stores (excluding outlets) and lululemon.com. That's up to $300 in statement credits each calendar year. Enrollment required.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Get up to a $12.95* statement credit back each month after you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Platinum Card®. *Up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes on one membership fee.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- $895 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
- Earn 5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® (up to $500,000 in purchases per calendar year).
- Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
- Earn 5X points on Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings.
Delta hotel partners
While this isn't your best option (thanks to poor transfer ratios), it's nice to know you can convert various hotel points to Delta SkyMiles if needed, though you'll get better value for these hotel points on hotel stays.
Maximize Your Delta SkyMiles Purchase
Since Delta sells SkyMiles directly, your purchase (should) trigger the “travel” category bonus on many credit cards. Here are a few of the best travel rewards cards to consider using:
- Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (Rates & Fees): Earn 3X points on travel purchases (up to $150K combined with other categories).
- Citi Strata Premier® Card (Rates & Fees): Earn 3X ThankYou Points on air travel, gas and EV charging stations, and other hotels.
- Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Rates & Fees): Earn 4X Ultimate Rewards points on hotels and flights booked directly with airlines.
- Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card: Earn 4X points per $1 spent with airlines.
- American Express Platinum Card® (Rates & Fees): Earn 5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® (capped at $500,000 per calendar year).
$95Rates & Fees
- 10X on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked through CitiTravel.com
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Restaurants
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Supermarkets
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Gas and EV Charging Stations
- 1X – Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on All Other Purchases
$795Rates & Fees
- 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠
- 4x points on flights and hotels booked directly
- 3x points on dining worldwide
- 1x points on all other purchases
$895Rates & Fees
(Terms apply)
- Earn 5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® (up to $500,000 in purchases per calendar year).
- Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
- Earn 5X points on Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings.
Related: Which Credit Card Should You Use to Buy Points and Miles?
Does It Make Sense to Buy Delta Miles?
As we've said, buying miles should never be your first option, as it's tough to get enough value from them to justify the cost.
Considering users typically redeem Delta miles at 1.35¢ each, it's difficult to see when buying SkyMiles for 3.5¢ apiece makes any sense. While buying points and miles has its time and place, we're struggling to find any times when buying Delta SkyMiles provides good value.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card (Rates & Fees), Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card (Rates & Fees), Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (Rates & Fees), Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card (Rates & Fees), Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card (Rates & Fees), Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card (Rates & Fees), American Express Platinum Card® (Rates & Fees), Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (Rates & Fees), Citi Strata Premier® Card (Rates & Fees), and Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Rates & Fees)
