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If you have a Delta SkyMiles credit card, you can book Delta-operated award flights cheaper than anybody else. Thanks to the staple TakeOff 15 benefit that adorns almost every Delta American Express co-branded card, you can save 15% on Delta awards. While it may not seem like much, this perk can be the key to unlocking unparalleled savings on Delta SkyMiles award tickets.
Here's what Delta SkyMiles American Express cardholders need to know about the TakeOff 15 benefit.
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What Is Delta's TakeOff 15 Award Discount?
In short, the TakeOff 15 benefit is uniquely available to select Delta SkyMiles American Express cardholders. With it, cardholders receive a 15% discount on eligible SkyMiles award redemptions. Even better, you can use the perk unlimited times with no blackout dates.
Which Delta SkyMiles credit cards offer the TakeOff15 award discount?
Delta and American Express offer seven co-branded SkyMiles credit cards, and all but one affords cardholders the signature 15% discount on award flights. You can view the complete roster of eligible cards below:
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
(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
(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.
(Terms apply)
- 3X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 1X miles on every eligible dollar spent on purchases.
The only co-branded Delta SkyMiles card not offering this benefit is the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card. However, this isn't a surprise, as the Blue Delta Amex doesn't have an annual fee and isn't rich in benefits (Rates & Fees).
Related: How To Choose the Right Delta SkyMiles Card
How can Delta cardholders redeem the TakeOff 15 award discount?
To use the Delta TakeOff 15 benefit, you'll need to add your SkyMiles credit card to your Delta profile. Click on “Payment Methods” and enter your credit card details.
Once you've added an eligible Delta card to your SkyMiles account, the discount will automatically apply to eligible Delta- and Delta Connection-operated itineraries. You'll see a tag indicating exclusive cardmember savings when looking for award flights.
The 15% discount only applies to the mileage portion of the ticket — not the taxes, fees, or other carrier-imposed surcharges. To take advantage of the discount, ensure you use your linked Delta card to cover the applicable cash portion of your booking. Also, you won't see the discount if you aren't logged into your Delta account or are looking at partner-operated flights.
On most routes operated by Delta, the cash component is usually less than $10 each way, with domestic flights incurring taxes and fees of just $5.60. Flights from Europe to the United States traditionally require paying more out of pocket, given high departure taxes — especially in the U.K.
Related: The 7 Best Ways To Use Delta SkyMiles
Delta TakeOff 15 Award Discount Examples
While it might not seem like much, the TakeOff 15 benefit is among the most valuable benefits on Delta's co-branded credit cards. Saving 15% on Delta awards instantly makes each flight more affordable, preserving a handful of SkyMiles for later use. Plus, the savings will stack up if you utilize the benefit enough.
If you're still of the opinion that Delta awards cost too much as it is, and a 15% discount won't make much of a difference, we beg to differ. Here are a few examples of when the TakeOff 15 perk truly shines.
Related: The Unofficial Delta SkyMiles Award Chart for Flights from the U.S.
Short-haul United States domestic flights
One of the best and easiest ways to redeem Delta SkyMiles is for short-hop flights within the U.S. On some routes — roughly an hour in duration — Delta charges a few thousand SkyMiles each way. But if you have a TakeOff 15-eligible credit card, you can book cheap awards for even cheaper. For example, instead of paying 3,200 SkyMiles to fly from Los Angeles (LAX) to Las Vegas (LAS), you could pay 2,700 SkyMiles.
Flights to Europe
Whether you're looking for a Spring Break getaway or finally getting around to crossing off that bucket list item of skiing in the Alps, the TakeOff 15 perk can make your award flight to Europe a little more affordable. Think economy awards starting at just 18,700 miles each way.
Traditionally expensive award flights to Asia and the South Pacific
It's no secret that flying to the South Pacific is expensive. New Zealand, Australia, Tahiti — you name it — it can drain your mileage balance before you know it. But if you can take 15% off the top, awards start seeming generally affordable by Delta SkyMiles standards. For example, you can fly one-way from Los Angeles (LAX) to Auckland (AKL) for 34,800 miles in economy. Not a bad deal for a 13-hour flight halfway across the world!
Or, if you've got more SkyMiles to burn, you can fly Delta's premium cabins from Seattle (SEA) to Seoul (ICN) for around 230,000 miles one-way — saving over 40,000 miles in the process. While you could probably book a business class ticket for cheaper by booking through SkyTeam Alliance partners, being able to book a ticket in Premium Select for less than 90,000 miles is a fantastic.
Final Thoughts
If you didn't know, your Delta SkyMiles credit card can be the key to unlocking substantial savings on Delta-operated award flights. Just by holding an eligible card and keeping it in your wallet every year, you can save 15% on Delta awards. Arguably, the TakeOff 15 benefit is one of the most valuable perks on Delta's suite of American Express credit cards. The best part is that there's no limit to the number of times you can use this benefit, and you don't have to do anything other than link your card to your account and search for flights.
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), and Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card (Rates & Fees)
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