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Delta SkyMiles was one of the very first airline loyalty programs that I joined. While I have mixed feelings about some aspects of the SkyMiles program, Delta is a solid airline that has a lot going for it. If you fly Delta, even infrequently, it can be well worth joining SkyMiles to be rewarded for the flying that you do. Plus, Delta offers many ways to earn SkyMiles that don't include flying. In addition, Delta has one of the best suites of co-brand credit cards on the market.
In this guide, we'll cover every aspect of the program: the top methods to earn SkyMiles, how to achieve Delta Medallion status, and the best ways to redeem SkyMiles.
Page Contents
- Overview of Delta SkyMiles
- How To Earn Delta SkyMiles
- Delta SkyMiles Co-Branded American Express Cards
- Other credit cards that can earn Delta SkyMiles
- Earning miles flying with Delta Air Lines
- Earning flying SkyTeam and non-alliance partners
- Delta partner offers
- Transfer hotel points to Delta SkyMiles
- Delta SkyMiles Shopping and Dining platforms
- Buying and gifting SkyMiles
- Can you transfer SkyMiles to other members?
- All the Ways to Redeem Delta SkyMiles
- Value of Delta SkyMiles — Delta's Dynamic Award Pricing
- Redeeming miles on Delta and partners
- How to search for and book Delta SkyMiles award flights
- Using the flexible date view and price calendar
- Booking a Delta SkyMiles award
- Award routing rules
- Booking, change, cancellation, and other fees
- Best Delta SkyMiles sweet spots
- Delta Medallion Status — Everything You Need to Know
- Pros and Cons of Delta SkyMiles
- Bottom Line
- FAQ
Overview of Delta SkyMiles
Delta Air Lines is the oldest U.S. airline still in operation. Founded as a crop dusting company in 1925, the carrier began passenger operations four years later and hasn't looked back. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia (ATL), Delta Air Lines' traffic makes up the lion's share of the passenger throughput of the world's busiest passenger airport. Besides its main Georgia hub, Delta has hubs in New York City (both La Guardia and JFK), Boston, Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, and Seattle/Tacoma. In short, the carrier offers extensive coverage across the United States.
The extensive network
Beyond its numerous domestic routes, Delta Air Lines has an excellent international network. Delta has partner airlines on all other inhabited continents except Australia. Key partners in Europe and Asia allow Delta SkyMiles members access to most corners of the globe. Delta is a founding member of the SkyTeam airline alliance, which has a total of 20 members — with Aeroflot currently being suspended.
All in all, the Delta network and flight volume are both enormous. The carrier has over 270 destinations. In addition, it has more than 4,000 daily departures, carrying over 130 million annual passengers with a fleet of 1,200 aircraft. It makes sense they are the world's #1 airline in terms of revenue.
Even if you rarely fly Delta, the SkyMiles program still can be rewarding. Since miles don't expire, you can focus on accruing enough to redeem. There are some clear pros and cons to choosing Delta SkyMiles as your primary loyalty program, however, which we'll discuss in detail below. First, let's dig into how to join and start earning SkyMiles.
How to join SkyMiles
The easiest way to join Delta SkyMiles is to head to delta.com and click ‘Sign Up' near the right end of the top menu. After that, Delta will ask for some personal information, including your full name, date of birth, and gender. Then, you'll also provide an address, phone, and email as contact information before creating your account login info.
You can enroll your kids in Delta SkyMiles online. The only addition will be a checkbox confirming that you are the parent or guardian of the child under the age of thirteen. Once enrolled, Delta will email you a welcome email with your SkyMiles number.
Joining SkyMiles is completely free. Once enrolled, you can start earning SkyMiles in a variety of ways. We also recommend that you install the Delta mobile app, which is a convenient way to manage your SkyMiles account. You also should add your Delta account number in AwardWallet.
Unlike most reward programs, Delta doesn't allow us to check your balance automatically in the website. The best way to ensure all your account details are tracked is to link the email that is associated with your Delta SkyMiles account to your AwardWallet account. Another option is changing the email in your Delta account to the username@awardwallet.com email address you were assigned. Then, we'll update everything automatically and forward the emails to you.
Related: How to Track Delta, Southwest, United Accounts in AwardWallet
How To Earn Delta SkyMiles
Of course, the most obvious way to earn Delta SkyMiles is flying with Delta — the old butt-in-seat method. But, you have plenty of other ways to add to your SkyMiles balance. These include a suite of Delta co-branded credit cards, flying Delta partner airlines, transferring rewards points to Delta SkyMiles from other programs, and using SkyMiles shopping, dining, and travel portals. You also can purchase SkyMiles if needed.
Delta SkyMiles Co-Branded American Express Cards
Delta offers several different co-brand credit cards issued by American Express. All of the cards let you earn SkyMiles, and all of them offer bonus SkyMiles as part of their welcome offers. Keep in mind that welcome offers routinely change, so see this post for the current Delta credit card offers. Additionally, the various SkyMiles Amex cards offer benefits when flying with Delta Air Lines, including free checked bags, priority boarding, and discounts on in-flight purchases. Some cards provide annual companion fare certificates and can even help you earn Delta Medallion status.
Here are the four Delta SkyMiles personal American Express cards:
- Earn 10,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- No Annual Fee.
- Earn 2X Miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- Earn 2X Miles per dollar spent on Delta purchases, and 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay with Miles: take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
- Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit after you use your Card on eligible Delta in-flight purchases of food, beverages, and audio headsets.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Terms Apply.
- Rates & Fees
- 2X Miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 2X Miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- 1 Mile on every eligible dollar spent on purchases
- Earn 40,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Enjoy a $0 introductory Annual Fee for the first year, then $99.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights.
- Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Earn 2X Miles on Delta purchases, at U.S. Supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- $100 Delta Flight Credit: After you spend $10,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, receive a Credit to use toward future travel.
- Want even more flexibility? Take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
- Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit on eligible Delta in-flight purchases after using your Card.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- With Send & Split®, you can send money and split your Card purchases with any other Venmo or PayPal user, directly from the Amex App. Enroll today.
- Terms Apply.
- Rates & Fees
- 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
- Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
- Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- Get access to Delta Sky Club® at a rate of $50 per person per visit for you and up to two guests or immediate family when traveling on a Delta flight from now until 12/31/23. Effective 1/1/24, this benefit will no longer be available.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Official Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Earn 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Delta Platinum Card, up to two times through 12/31/23. Effective 1/1/24, this benefit will no longer be available, and there will be a new way to earn toward Medallion Status with the Card. Learn more at delta.com/skymilesprogramchanges.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- Rates & Fees
- 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.
- Earn 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Enjoy Delta Sky Club® access at no cost and bring up to two guests or immediate family at a rate of $50 per person per visit. Effective 2/1/25, Reserve Card Members will receive 10 Visits per year to the Delta Sky Club; to earn an unlimited number of Visits each year starting on 2/1/25, the total eligible purchases on the Card must equal $75,000 or more between 1/1/24 and 12/31/24, and each calendar year thereafter.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge when you book a Delta flight with your Reserve Card.
- With Status Boost®, earn 15,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $30,000 in purchases on your Card through 12/31/23, up to four times per year getting you closer to Medallion Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion Status and are different from the miles you earn towards flights. Effective 1/1/24, this benefit will no longer be available, and there will be a new way to earn toward Medallion Status with the Card. Learn more at delta.com/skymilesprogramchanges.
- Eligible Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Receive a domestic First Class, Delta Comfort+® or domestic Main Cabin round trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Official Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases.
- Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $550 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- Rates & Fees
- 3X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 1X miles on every eligible dollar spent on purchases.
Here are the three Delta SkyMiles small business American Express cards:
- Limited Time Offer: Earn 75,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn an additional 5,000 Bonus Miles after you make an eligible Delta purchase with your new card within your first 6 months. Offer Ends 10/25/23.
- Card Members save 15% when booking Award Travel with miles on Delta flights when using delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Check and stow your bag with ease: First Checked Bag Free on Delta Flights + Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding.
- Earn 2 Miles on every dollar spent on eligible purchases at U.S. shipping providers and eligible U.S. advertising purchases in select media. Effective 1/1/2024, this benefit will have a cap of $50,000 in eligible purchases per category, per year.
- Earn 2 Miles on every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta and on every eligible dollar spent at restaurants.
- Earn 1 Mile on every eligible dollar spent on other purchases.
- Additionally, receive a $100 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel after you spend $10,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
- Pay no foreign transaction fees when you travel overseas.
- $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99.
- Terms and limitations apply.
- Rates & Fees
- 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
- 2X miles per dollar on eligible U.S. shipping purchases
- 2X miles per dollar on eligible dining purchases
- 1X miles per dollar on all other eligible purchases
- (Effective 1/1/2024, 2X on eligible U.S. purchases for advertising in select media and eligible U.S. shipping purchases will have an annual cap of $50,000 in eligible purchases per category)
- Limited Time Offer: Earn 90,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $8,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn an additional 10,000 Bonus Miles after you make an eligible Delta purchase with your new Card within your first 6 months. Offer Ends 10/25/23.
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card Members save 15% when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- You can receive a domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Earn more miles on big purchases with 1.5 miles per dollar on single eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (that's an extra half mile per dollar), up to 50,000 additional miles per Calendar year. If your purchase qualifies for a category that has a higher mileage accelerator, only the higher accelerator will apply (ex. you would earn 3X miles on purchases made directly with Delta and hotels instead of 1.5X).
- Delta Sky Club® Access - Get access to Delta Sky Club® at a rate of $50 per person per visit for you and up to two guests or immediate family while flying together on Delta. Effective 1/1/24, this benefit will no longer be available.
- With Status Boost®, earn 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, up to 2x per year getting you closer to Medallion Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion Status and are different from the miles you earn towards flights. Effective 1/1/24, this benefit will no longer be available, and there will be a new way to earn toward Medallion Status with the Card. Learn more at delta.com/skymilesprogramchanges.
- Terms and limitations apply.
- Rates & Fees
- 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)
- 1X miles per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
- Limited Time Offer: Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after spending $12,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn an additional 10,000 Bonus Miles after you make an eligible Delta purchase with your new Card within your first 6 months. Offer Ends 10/25/2023.
- Save 15% On Award Travel With TakeOff 15. Card Members now enjoy savings on Delta flights. Not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With complimentary access into Delta Sky Club®, you can relax before your Delta flight, or find downtime between connections.* You'll also receive two Delta Sky Club One-Time Guest Passes each year so you can share the experience with others when you're traveling together. *Effective 2/1/25, Reserve Card Members will receive 10 Visits per year to the Delta Sky Club; to earn an unlimited number of Visits each year starting on 2/1/25, the total eligible purchases on the Card must equal $75,000 or more between 1/1/24 and 12/31/24, and each calendar year thereafter.
- When you purchase a Delta flight with your Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card, you will receive complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge or Escape Lounge - The Centurion® Studio Partner.
- After you spend $150,000 on your Card in a calendar year, you earn 1.5 miles per dollar (that's an extra half mile per dollar) on eligible purchases the rest of the year. If your purchase qualifies for a category that has a higher mileage accelerator, only the higher accelerator will apply (ex. you would earn 3X miles on purchases made directly with Delta instead of 1.5X).
- Enjoy 3x miles per dollar on Delta purchases.
- With Status Boost®, earn 15,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $30,000 in purchases on your Card through 12/31/23, up to four times per year getting you closer to Medallion Status.* MQMs are used to determine Medallion Status and are different from the miles you earn towards flights.*Effective 1/1/24, this benefit will no longer be available, and there will be a new way to earn toward Medallion Status with the Card. Learn more.
- Terms and limitations apply.
- Rates & Fees
- 3X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 1.5X miles per dollar on eligible purchases after spending $150K per calendar year
- 1 mile on every dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
Delta American Express cards earn 2x to 3x miles per $1 spent on Delta purchases, depending on the card. Some also offer bonus miles in other select spending categories. The cards earn 1x miles per $1 for all non-bonus purchases. Keep in mind that American Express has a once-per-lifetime rule for welcome offers on their credit cards. And except for the Blue Delta Amex, the other cards all offer a 15% discount on SkyMiles award bookings.
Other credit cards that can earn Delta SkyMiles
Since Delta is a transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards, you can earn Delta SkyMiles with any Membership Rewards-earning card. Points transfer from Membership Rewards to Delta SkyMiles at a 1:1 ratio, in increments of 1,000 points. You'll need to enter and save your SkyMiles number on the American Express website. Points transfers between Membership Rewards and Delta SkyMiles are generally instant.
Related: How To Transfer Amex Points: A Step-by-Step Guide
You can find many Membership Rewards-earning cards out there, so we'll only highlight a few. At the top of the list is The Platinum Card® from American Express. This premium travel card offers an excellent suite of perks for the frequent traveler, including Delta Sky Club access for the primary cardmember when flying Delta that day.
Some other great options include the American Express® Gold Card, which offers 4x points on dining and supermarket purchases (on up to $25,000 of purchases annually, then 1x). Finally, there is The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, which offers 2x points on the first $50,000 of purchases annually, then 1x.
Earning miles flying with Delta Air Lines
Flying with Delta is the most obvious way to earn SkyMiles. Like many U.S. carriers, Delta awards members with miles based on the amount they spend, not the distance they fly. The base rate is 5x SkyMiles per dollar of base fare. Base fare is the airfare without including taxes and fees. Delta Medallion members earn anywhere from 40% to 120% more miles. Here are the earning rates:
- General SkyMiles Members: 5 miles for every $1
- Silver Medallion Members: 7 miles for every $1
- Gold Medallion Members: 8 miles for every $1
- Platinum Medallion Members: 9 miles for every $1
- Diamond Medallion Members: 11 miles for every $1
Don't confuse redeemable SkyMiles (what you can use to book an award flight) with Medallion Qualification Miles, though. Medallion Qualification Miles are awarded based on distance flown and cabin class; these count toward Delta Medallion elite status.
Earnings example:
I priced out a flight from Sacramento, California (SMF) to London Heathrow (LHR) for $1,025.05. The base fare is $763.00, while the taxes and fees are $262.05. This means that the fare would earn a General Member 3,815 SkyMiles (5 x 763). As I'm a Platinum Medallion, earning 9 miles per $1, I would earn 6,867 SkyMiles.
Earning flying SkyTeam and non-alliance partners
You also can earn SkyMiles from flying Delta's partner airlines. Unlike when flying Delta, you earn miles based on the distance flown and fare class. The earning rates vary, so make sure to consult the chart for the specific partner you're flying.
Note that if you ticket a partner flight through Delta (ticket number starts with 006), then you'll earn miles based on Delta's accrual rates, including Medallion status bonuses. If the flight is ticketed with another airline, you'll earn according to Delta's chart for that airline.
The earning rates for Delta's Core Global Airline Partners are the best of the bunch.
Here are the Core Global Partners:
- Aeromexico
- Air France
- China Eastern
- KLM
- Korean Air
- LATAM Airlines
- Virgin Atlantic
With the exception of LATAM, all Core Global Partners are SkyTeam airlines.
Here are Delta's other partner Global Airline Partners:
- Aerolineas Argentinas
- AirEuropa
- Cape Air
- China Airlines
- China Southern Airlines
- Czech Airlines
- Garuda Indonesia
- Hawaiian Airlines
- ITA Airways
- Kenya Airways
- Middle Eastern Airlines
- Saudia
- TAROM
- Vietnam Airlines
- WestJet
- Xiamen Air
Let's look at earning with Virgin Atlantic, one of Delta's key European partners. Suppose I book a round-trip ticket between San Francisco (SFO) and London (LHR) in fare code T (Economy Light) for $838. The round-trip flight distance is approximately 10,734 miles. Virgin flights in fare code T earn 25% flown miles as SkyMiles, so I'd earn ~2,684 base SkyMiles. In this case, it might be better to book the ticket through Delta, if the price is the same.
The partner earning charts also note whether the Medallion earning bonus applies. This is a “yes” for Virgin Atlantic. A Platinum Medallion would therefore earn 4,831 total SkyMiles in the example above (an 80% bonus).
Delta partner offers
You can earn Delta SkyMiles from a variety of SkyMiles partners. In several cases, you can earn miles by simply linking your account. This includes merchants like Starbucks, Lyft, and Instacart. Once linked, you'll earn 1 mile per $1 spent.
You also can earn miles by booking a Delta Vacations package. The number of miles varies, and Delta regularly offers bonus miles depending on what you book. Ticketmaster purchases also earn miles, and you can earn when renting a car with Hertz. Delta's partnership with Hertz is solid and includes benefits for Delta Medallions elites.
- Delta Silver members: 5 miles per $1 spent with Hertz, plus Five Star status with Hertz
- Delta Gold members: 6 miles per $1 spent with Hertz, plus Five Star status with Hertz
- Delta Platinum members: 7 miles per $1 spent with Hertz, plus President's Circl status with Hertz
- Delta Platinum members: 8 miles per $1 spent with Hertz, plus President's Circl status with Hertz
Related: Delta and Hertz Improve Partnership With a Status Match & Enhanced Mileage Earning
Transfer hotel points to Delta SkyMiles
While we don't generally recommend this, you can convert hotel points to Delta SkyMiles. Delta partners with several hotel chains, including Le Club Accor, Radisson Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, and IHG One Rewards. The transfer ratios vary, depending on the chain. Few transfers offer much value. Even transferring Marriott points 3:1 isn't a great deal, given the respective value of the currencies.
Still, should you have a need for a few SkyMiles to top up your account, transferring hotel points is an option.
Delta SkyMiles Shopping and Dining platforms
Like several other airlines, Delta has an online shopping portal that lets you earn miles by shopping at over 1,000 different retailers. The number of SkyMiles earned per $1 varies greatly. Earning is as low as 0.5 miles per $1 with major chains such as Lowe's and CVS, but select retailers offer 5, 9, 12, or even 20 miles per dollar spent. Not all products are eligible for earning SkyMiles, so read the terms and conditions carefully.
In addition to online shopping, you can earn miles through SkyMiles Dining. Members earn 3 miles per $1 spent; all you have to do is sign up and opt-in to email communication. If you dine 11 times within a calendar year, you'll become a VIP member and start earning 5 miles per $1 spent.
You can find occasional bonuses and offers for new members in both programs. Check the current offers here for SkyMiles Dining and SkyMiles Shopping.
Buying and gifting SkyMiles
Delta lets you buy SkyMiles at a rate of $70 per 2,000 SkyMiles. This is an exorbitant price of 3.5 cents per mile — not worth it in the vast majority of situations. We'd only recommend this if you need just a few more miles for a high-value award and have no other means of obtaining the miles quickly before the seats disappear. Members are capped at a maximum of 60,000 purchased SkyMiles per year.
Gifting SkyMiles works just like buying, and it costs the same. Again, we don't recommend it unless you have no other options. While you can gift miles to multiple members, no account can receive more than 60,000 SkyMiles per year. This cap is cumulative with the maximum number of purchased miles.
Can you transfer SkyMiles to other members?
If gifting miles is too expensive, Delta also lets you transfer SkyMiles to other members. The cost is 1 cent per mile — much less than the cost of gifting. However, you're wiping out much of the value of your miles by paying this fee. If the other member has other ways of obtaining miles for an award, these will likely be a better option. Plus, no matter how few miles you transfer, Delta imposes a processing fee of $30.
So, yes, you can transfer SkyMiles to other members. But it really isn't worth it. A better option would be using the miles in your account to book an award in the other person's name. It accomplishes the same thing (assuming you have the required miles) without the fees.
All the Ways to Redeem Delta SkyMiles
Delta SkyMiles aren't the most valuable among U.S. airlines (see here for point and mile value data points from AwardWallet users). Both Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan and United Airlines MileagePlus have a higher average per-mile value. Even Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards, with its revenue-based earning and redemption model, barely edges out Delta's average value. The low average value of SkyMiles is one of the primary negative aspects of the program.
Still, SkyMiles aren't completely without value. We'll walk through the value of SkyMiles, how to redeem them for flights, and the best ways to use Delta SkyMiles.
Value of Delta SkyMiles — Delta's Dynamic Award Pricing
While points and miles valuations can be subjective, several criteria go into determining value. These include the cost of different types of awards and the abundance of award space — from economy to premium cabins. However, Delta has taken a lot of the variation out of the value of SkyMiles. Delta prices its awards dynamically. When cash prices are high, award prices are higher. Conversely, when cash prices are low, award prices are lower. That being said, Delta SkyMiles do not have a fixed value.
And this also means there's no longer an award chart to reference for how many miles you'll need for a flight. That said, we've compiled an unofficial Delta SkyMiles award chart here.
Based on actual bookings made by AwardWallet members, the average value of each Delta SkyMile is 1.38¢. This captures both short-haul economy awards (average 1.24¢ per SkyMiles) and long-haul premium cabin awards (average 2.54¢ per SkyMile). Interestingly, even with significant devaluations to premium cabin award pricing over the past few years, redeeming SkyMiles for long-haul business- and first-class awards still offers the best value.
Redeeming miles on Delta and partners
The best way to use Delta SkyMiles is to redeem them for flights on Delta Air Lines and its partners. Since Delta has a completely dynamic pricing model, there is no award chart for their flights or for partners. For its own flights, Delta lets you redeem SkyMiles in any of its cabin classes:
- Basic Economy
- Main Cabin
- Comfort+
- Premium Select
- Delta One Business
The Basic Economy fare class uses the same product as Main Cabin but comes with additional fare restrictions. Not all cabin and fare classes are offered to every destination.
Delta has a total of 22 partner airlines, of which 18 are SkyTeam alliance members. Later, we'll highlight the observed “best” price for some partner flights.
Delta Air Lines' current partner airlines are:
- Aerolineas Argentinas
- Aeromexico
- AirEuropa
- Air France
- Cape Air
- China Airlines
- China Eastern
- China Southern Airlines
- Czech Airlines
- Garuda Indonesia
- Hawaiian Airlines
- ITA Airways
- Kenya Airways
- KLM
- Korean Air
- LATAM Airlines
- Middle Eastern Airlines
- Saudia
- TAROM
- Vietnam Airlines
- Virgin Atlantic
- WestJet
- Xiamen Air
Delta's partners offer SkyMiles members an excellent global network for redeeming their SkyMiles. The only area where there is a significant network hole is in Oceania.
Unfortunately, you have to call to book these partners:
- Air Europa
- Czech Airlines
- Kenya Airways
How to search for and book Delta SkyMiles award flights
Let's walk through how to search for and book an award flight using SkyMiles. I'm going to use a non-hub airport (the closest major airport to where I live) and a non-SkyTeam hub destination. We'll look at some of the Delta and partner award options. Portugal has been on my travel radar for a while, so San Francisco (SFO) to Lisbon (LIS) it is.
Search through the website or mobile app
To search for an award flight with Delta SkyMiles, you can use either the Delta website or the mobile app. I much prefer the website, because you can easily view additional dates if you have flexible plans. I don't recommend calling Delta Air Lines to book an award unless you have some specific situation requiring it (see partner notes above). Open the “Advanced Search” option to input what cabin class you prefer. This usually defaults to Basic Economy, which you might not want.
Here, I've input my origin, destination, and travel dates. I've clicked the “Shop with Miles” checkbox and indicated that I'm looking for Main Cabin fares. I've also enabled the “My dates are flexible” box.
If you don't search flexibly, you'll be taken to the award results for the dates you selected. With flexible dates checked, you'll go to a page showing the cheapest prices on a range of dates around your original search date.
For my search, I saw several different flight options, including both Delta flights and partner flights. Here, I've filtered to options with a reasonable connection time and no more than one connection. The pricing for my particular dates is very high.
Notice the “Premium Economy” and “Economy” lines for the award via CDG. This indicates not every segment is in the desired cabin class. I'd be in economy for the Paris to Lisbon flight. Since the prices are awful, let's take a look at the calendar view.
Using the flexible date view and price calendar
If you enable the flexible date search, Delta will return a chart of prices depending on your departure and return dates. I really like this view, because it lets you easily find the best price. If you search for a one-way award, it'll be a week of dates. However, you can select a “Price Calendar” view as well. In turn, this will provide an even greater range of dates.
The price calendar shows me that there are far better prices for this particular trip if I am willing to depart about 10 days earlier. Paying 78,000 SkyMiles is approaching “reasonable” for non-summer travel.
It turns out that these cheaper award flights are operated by KLM and Air France. However, the schedule for either option isn't ideal. Also, if I wanted to fly business class, there's no award space available.
Booking a Delta SkyMiles award
Once you settle on the flights you want, the rest of the booking process is simple. For this example booking, I chose the Air France flights. You need to enter all passenger info, including applicable SkyMiles numbers, select seats (not available for all partners), and enter payment info to cover the taxes and fees. Then, the miles will be deducted from your account.
I will mention that this example flight booking provides rather poor value. At the time of writing, a cash fare for the same itinerary is $725. Subtracting the award taxes and fees from the ticket price, I'm only getting 0.8 cents per SkyMile.
Award routing rules
Delta doesn't have any published routing rules or restrictions. However, you'll notice that some routes are not available (e.g., flying to east Asia via Europe). All Delta says regarding routing rules and prices is this:
“Awards are subject to capacity controls. Awards may require higher prices depending on routing rules and restrictions. Exceptions to these rules may require additional mileage or taxes and fees. Travel to all destinations within region may not be available at lowest price.”
Booking, change, cancellation, and other fees
Delta has gone from one of the worst airlines when it comes to change and cancellation fees to one of the best. Post-COVID-19, Delta has no award change fees and no award cancellation fees for all tickets originating in the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean with the exception of Basic Economy.
Delta used to charge a phone booking fee as well, but that's also gone.
Finally, Delta selectively passes along fuel and carrier surcharges. Some awards require a significant amount of cash in addition to your SkyMiles, but not all. You'll find that awards departing Europe tend to have higher carrier surcharges. Most awards departing the U.S. do not levy surcharges.
Takeaway: Booking with SkyMiles is worry-free, as long as you avoid Basic Economy.
Related: Airline Programs that Don't Add Fees and Surcharges to Award Flights
Best Delta SkyMiles sweet spots
Let's face it. Delta SkyMiles is not a program where you'll generally get amazing value, given its dynamic pricing scheme and overall low per-mile value. Sure, you can find occasional award sales, and some routes are better in terms of providing available award space at a decent price. However, Delta has unfortunately continued to raise its award prices again and again, both for its own flights and partner award flights.
That being said, here are some of the best ways to use Delta SkyMiles:
- Business class from Mexico to Europe: These awards start at 75,000 SkyMiles. You just need to get yourself south of the border to take off.
- Business class to Europe from Southeast Asia: Delta charges 90,000–95,000 SkyMiles for these flights, typically on Vietnam Airlines and China Airlines. Fees are minimal, too.
- Domestic Main Cabin awards during award sales: Some of these offer above-average value. However, these tend to coincide with revenue fare sales. For the typical Delta traveler, this is what I'd target.
- Business class between Asia and Africa: I've found awards starting at 80,000 SkyMiles. Routing isn't always the best.
- Business class within East and Southeast Asia: I'm seeing Tokyo to Singapore for 45,000 SkyMiles one-way.
- Economy class within East and Southeast Asia: Some routes are a deal on full-service SkyTeam airlines for 17,500 miles versus $300+ one-way.
- Business class between East Asia and South Asia/Middle East: You can find these for 70,000 SkyMiles. Not bad for 7+ hours in Korean Air business class.
- Business class between East Asia and Australia: This is a deal starting at just 75,000 SkyMiles.
Unfortunately, you have to depart regions outside the U.S. to take advantage of the best SkyMiles awards.
Delta Medallion Status — Everything You Need to Know
Delta rewards loyal flyers through its Medallion program. If you fly enough with Delta to earn any of the four tiers, you'll enjoy various benefits on Delta flights. While the perks can be great, it takes a lot to earn Delta Medallion status. In 2023, Delta increased the Medallion status requirements, making it even more difficult to reach the upper tiers. You can find some shortcuts, though, which we'll cover, along with all the benefits Medallion status can provide.
Delta Medallion status qualification requirements
Delta has both a flight requirement and a spending requirement for Medallion status. The flight requirement is one of either Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) or Medallion Qualification Segments (MQSs). If you fly longer distances, qualifying via MQMs will be easier. If you do lots of short hops, then MQS may get you there faster.
The spend requirement is Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs). You earn 1 MQD for every $1 in base fare that you spend with Delta. Base fare is the cost of the ticket excluding taxes and fees. Therefore, you'll always earn fewer MQDs than what you pay for a Delta ticket. Unfortunately, MQDs aren't awarded for incidental expenses like checked bag fees or in-flight purchases.
Waiving the requirement
However, you can waive the MQD requirement if you have one of these cards and spend enough each year:
- 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
The Delta MQD waiver for Silver, Gold, and Platinum Medallion is $25,000 in credit card spend annually. For Diamond Medallion, you need 10x more: a whopping $250,000.
(Effective 1/1/24, the Status Boost benefit and MQD benefit will no longer be available, and there will be a new way to earn toward Medallion Status with the Delta cards – Learn more.)
The Delta Medallion elite status requirements for 2023 (qualifying for status year 2024) are the following:
- Silver Medallion: 25,000 MQMs or 30 MQSs PLUS $3,000 MQDs or meet the MQD waiver ($25,000 in card spend)
- Gold Medallion: 50,000 MQMs or 60 MQSs PLUS $8,000 MQDs or meet the MQD waiver ($25,000 in card spend)
- Platinum Medallion: 75,000 MQMs or 100 MQSs PLUS $12,000 MQDs or meet the MQD waiver ($25,000 in card spend)
- Diamond Medallion: 125,000 MQMs or 140 MQSs PLUS $20,000 MQDs or meet the MQD waiver ($250,000 in card spend)
All fares earn MQMs, MQSs, and MQDs with the exception of Basic Economy. You can track your progress toward Delta Medallion status on the new Delta SkyMiles Dashboard.
Once you earn Delta Medallion status, you'll keep it through the following program year. The program year runs through the end of January of the following calendar year, while the qualification year is the calendar year. If you qualify for Delta Silver Medallion in September 2023, your status would last from the day you earn it through January 31, 2025 (end of the 2024 program year).
Delta elite status requirements compared to competitors
Given the overhauls to American Airlines' elite status and United Airlines' elite status over the past few years, a direct comparison among the programs is a bit difficult. Both United and American have moved to a “points” system, where you earn Premier Qualifying Points (United) or AAdvantage Loyalty Points (American). Comparing Delta to Alaska Mileage Plan, the requirements for Alaska's elite status are easier. While the number of segments required is similar, the number of qualifying miles is generally less, and there is no spend requirement with Alaska.
An example of a typical trip
For a more direct comparison, let's take a look at a typical trip offered by all four carriers: Los Angeles (LAX) to New York City (either JFK or EWR), nonstop. Fares are often available for ~$350 round-trip. Using that price, here's an estimate of what you'd earn with each carrier:
- Delta: 2 MQSs, 4,950 MQMs, and 300 MQDs
- Alaska: 2 qualifying segments and 4,894 qualifying miles
- American: 1,500 Loyalty Points
- United: 2 qualifying flights and 297 qualifying points
It would take 10 round-trips with Delta to earn the first elite tier, Silver Medallion, with MQDs being the more limiting factor. At that point, you'd have nearly enough miles for Gold Medallion, however. Alaska's first tier is far easier, requiring just four round-trips plus a one-way flight anywhere else in the Alaska network. United makes it far harder: You'd need 14 round-trips on this route to hit Premier Silver. American would be the most difficult, requiring 27 round-trips on this route. However, it is important to note that you can earn AA Loyalty Points in many ways besides flying.
Things shake out similarly at the top tier. Although Delta's Medallion status requirements are high, aside from Alaska, they aren't out of step with the competition. Depending on the routes you fly, they may be easier.
Benefits of Delta Medallion status
Delta rewards its Medallion members with a wide array of perks. These include free checked bags, complimentary upgrades, bonus SkyMiles, and more. If you hit either Platinum or Diamond Medallion, you'll unlock the Choice Rewards benefits.
Here is what you can expect as a Delta Silver Medallion:
- Earn seven SkyMiles per $1
- Unlimited complimentary upgrades to Comfort+ or First Class (starting 24 hours in advance)
- Unlimited complimentary upgrades to Delta One within the U.S. (day of departure)
- Complimentary preferred seats
- One free checked bag (or one additional bag beyond allowance)
- Priority waitlist status
- Priority check-in
- Main Cabin 1 boarding
- Dedicated phone line
- Rollover excess MQMs to next year's status qualification
- SkyTeam elite status
- Hertz Five Star status
As a Delta Gold Medallion, you'll enjoy all the benefits of Silver, plus:
- Earn a total of eight SkyMiles per $1
- Unlimited complimentary upgrades to Comfort+ or First Class (beginning 72 hours before departure)
- Total of two free checked bags (or one additional bag beyond allowance)
- SkyPriority boarding
- Four drink vouchers
- Expedited baggage service
- Priority security line access (where available)
- Waived same-day confirmed fees
- SkyTeam Elite Plus status
With Delta Platinum Medallion status, you'll enjoy all the benefits of Gold, plus:
- Earn a total of nine SkyMiles per $1
- Unlimited complimentary upgrades to Comfort+ (shortly after ticketing)
- Unlimited complimentary upgrades to First Class (beginning 120 hours before departure)
- Total of three free checked bags (or one additional bag beyond allowance)
- One Choice Benefit
- Four additional drink vouchers
- Hertz President's Circle status (instead of Five Star)
As a Delta Diamond Medallion, you'll enjoy all the benefits of Platinum, plus:
- Earn a total of 11 SkyMiles per $1
- Unlimited complimentary upgrades to Comfort+ or First Class (beginning 120 hours before departure — highest priority)
- Three Choice Benefits
- Four additional drink vouchers
- VIP phone line
- Complimentary CLEAR Plus membership
In addition, Delta has an exclusive, invitation-only tier above Diamond called Delta 360. However, this is only offered to a small fraction of Diamond Medallion members.
Delta Medallion Choice Benefits
Delta has revamped its Choice Benefit offerings for 2024. If you earned Delta Medallion status in 2022 for the 2023 elite status year, you can choose from among the previous options. For those who earn Platinum or Diamond Medallion in 2023 for the 2024 status year, the Choice Benefits have been expanded.
Here are the 2023 Delta Platinum Medallion Choice Benefits. Choose one upon qualifying:
- Four (4) regional upgrade certificates
- 20,000 bonus SkyMiles
- $200 Delta travel voucher
- Gift Silver Medallion status to one member
These are the additional or changed options for members who qualify for 2024 Platinum Medallion status:
- Gift Silver Medallion status to two members (instead of just one)
- $250 Delta travel voucher (instead of $200)
- Donate $250 toward sustainable aviation fuel
- $400 toward a Delta Vacations experience
- $500 MQD boost toward next tier qualification
- $200 statement credit (for members with a Platinum Delta Amex or Delta Reserve credit card)
- 4,000 Starbucks Rewards stars
Here are the 2023 Delta Diamond Medallion Choice Benefits. Choose three upon qualifying:
- Delta Sky Club individual membership
- Delta Sky Club Guest Pass (for those with credit card access)
- Delta SkyClub Executive Membership (requires one Choice Benefit if you have an existing individual membership, otherwise two Choice Benefits)
- Four (4) Global or eight Regional or two Global and four Regional upgrade certificates (can only be selected once)
- Gift Gold Medallion status to one member
- $200 Delta travel voucher
These are the changes to options for members who qualify for 2024 Diamond Medallion status:
- Discontinued: Delta Sky Club Individual Membership
- Discontinued: Delta Sky Club Guest Pass for those with credit card access
- Delta Sky Club Executive Membership (now requires three Choice Benefits)
- Four (4) Global or eight Regional or two Global and four Regional upgrade certificates (can only be selected once)
- 25,000 bonus SkyMiles
- Gift Gold Medallion status to two members (instead of one)
- $250 Delta travel voucher (instead of $200, previously)
- Donate $250 toward sustainable aviation fuel
- $500 toward a Delta Vacations experience
- $1,000 MQD boost toward next tier qualification
- $500 statement credit
- (for members with a Platinum Delta Amex or Delta Reserve credit card)
- 4,000 Starbucks Rewards stars
The Global Upgrade certificates are a longstanding favorite among Delta elites. These can upgrade you from Delta Main Cabin into Delta Premium Select or from Premium Select to Delta One business on long-haul flights. These also can be applied to some partner flights, including Air France, KLM, and Virgin Atlantic.
Delta Air Lines Million Miler status
Delta offers a lifetime status program called Million Miler. It is comprised of several tiers, with the first milestone at one million miles flown. Here's what Delta grants you at each million:
- One million miles: Lifetime Silver Medallion
- Two million miles: Lifetime Gold Medallion
- Four million miles: Lifetime Platinum Medallion
- Six million miles: Lifetime Diamond Medallion
You also receive a gift at each million miles, including intermediate levels between lifetime status tiers.
Delta SkyMiles Million Miler Status isn't quite as good as other programs. However, it is easier to achieve, as partner MQMs are counted towards the total. Any bonus MQMs you earn from co-branded Delta American Express cards also count toward the total. You can find your Million Miler status within your profile.
Delta Medallion elite status match
Delta has a standing elite status match challenge. You have to meet eligibility requirements, which include:
- Not having received a status match, promotional status match, or complimentary Medallion status within the past three years (unless it's through Million Miler)
- You earned elite status with another airline and earned it through published requirements (it can't be gifted or promotional)
You'll need to present evidence of your status, including a membership card and account activity showing how you earned it. If approved, you'll enjoy complimentary Delta Medallion status for three months. During those three months, you can extend your Medallion status by meeting the challenge requirements:
The challenge requirements
- Silver Medallion Challenge: 6,250 MQMs or 8 MQSs PLUS $750 MQDs or MQD waiver
- Gold Medallion Challenge: 12,500 MQMs or 15 MQSs PLUS $2,000 MQDs or MQD waiver
- Platinum Medallion Challenge: 18,750 MQMs or 25 MQSs PLUS $3,000 MQDs or MQD waiver
You cannot match to Delta Diamond Medallion. Delta matches elite status from many other programs. Consult the Medallion Status Match Chart to see the corresponding Delta Medallion tier for your current status.
Currently, if you enroll in the challenge in the second half 2023 and complete the requirements, your Medallion Status will be extended through January 31, 2025.
Related: Shortcuts to Airline Elite Status With Status Match or Fast Track Opportunities
Pros and Cons of Delta SkyMiles
In short, Delta SkyMiles has some great features. But loyalty to Delta comes with some downsides, as well. Be sure you like what SkyMiles has to offer before deciding that it is the program for you.
Positive: Excellent suite of co-branded credit cards
Delta has a strong partnership with American Express, offering a suite of seven personal and small business credit cards. There are options for a whole range of Delta travelers. The Gold Delta Amex is useful for travelers who fly with Delta only a few times per year, as the checked bag benefit can be entirely worth the annual fee. Then, there is the Platinum Delta Amex, which is good for more frequent flyers who want a boost to earn Delta Medallion status. The premium Delta Reserve is for regular Delta flyers, offering benefits such as multiple free checked bags and Delta Sky Club access.
(Starting 2/1/25, Reserve Card members get 10 Delta Sky Club visits yearly. Spend $75,000+ on the card between 1/1/24 and 12/31/24 for unlimited visits, and each calendar year thereafter – Learn more.)
Positive: Good global network coverage
With two dozen partner airlines, Delta's global network is extensive. SkyTeam partners in Europe provide great connectivity to that continent, with many options to African countries as well. Within Africa, Delta has Kenya Airways for additional connectivity. LATAM and Aeromexico provide excellent coverage of the Americas outside the U.S. and Canada, and Asia is well served by partners as well. You can get almost anywhere with Delta SkyMiles.
Negative: Miles are less valuable than other programs
Delta SkyMiles are among the least valuable within U.S. airline frequent flyer programs. Unfortunately, this is the biggest downside of the program. Delta was the first of the “Big 3” U.S. airlines to roll out a dynamic pricing model, and the value of SkyMiles has slowly decreased. Where you can get over two cents per mile with some other carriers, Delta averages 1.38¢. This is definitely something to consider. If you're earning lots of miles through credit card spending, your return is less than what you'd receive elsewhere.
Negative: Outrageous pricing for Delta business-class awards
Unfortunately, this ties into SkyMiles' lack of value. Where the competition is charging ~60,000 miles for saver-level awards and up to ~150,000 miles for higher-level business-class redemptions to Europe, you'll frequently find Delta charging 200,000–400,000 miles on these routes. This is insane, given how long it takes to accrue that many miles. You can find some routes and regions where Delta SkyMiles still have competitive pricing. Unfortunately, many of these require you to look at partner routes that don't begin or end in the U.S.
Bottom Line
Ultimately, Delta SkyMiles is a great program for many. While it has some downsides, I still regularly earn SkyMiles and enjoy flying with the carrier. SkyMiles are easy to accumulate; you just need a lot of them for many awards. Delta has a strong elite program as well, rewarding its most loyal members with an excellent array of perks.
My biggest wins with SkyMiles have been using 85,000 SkyMiles to fly Air China business class with my son to Taipei. It remains one of my favorite business-class experiences. Also, I learned the ropes of how to get an excellent return from partner flights by crediting them to SkyMiles. In fact, a $375 round-trip ticket to London once earned me over 10,000 SkyMiles, due to partner-earning idiosyncrasies!
FAQ
Is Delta SkyMiles free to join?
Yes, the Delta SkyMiles frequent flyer program is free to join. Sign up at delta.com
How do you find your Delta SkyMiles number?
You can find your Delta SkyMiles number in the welcome email Delta sends you after joining. You also can find your Delta SkyMiles number by logging in at delta.com and clicking on your name in the upper right hand corner. If you log into the app, you can find your SkyMiles number in your Wallet.
Do Delta SkyMiles expire?
No, Delta SkyMiles do not expire.
Can I transfer points to Delta SkyMiles?
Yes. You can transfer American Express Membership Rewards points to Delta SkyMiles at a 1:1 ratio. You also can transfer Marriott Bonvoy point to SkyMiles at 3:1.
How long does it take to transfer Membership Rewards to Delta SkyMiles?
Transfers of Membership Rewards points to SkyMiles are usually instant.
How long does it take SkyMiles to post after a flight?
Miles usually post within 24 hours. Partner flights can take about a week. If you're still missing miles after a week, you can request mileage credit here.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card (Rates & Fees), 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), and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card (Rates & Fees)
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