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Over the years, we’ve spent plenty of time on our soapbox grumbling about Delta SkyMiles — most of it warranted. Take, for instance, Delta barring AwardWallet members from accessing their account information remotely (we'll discuss a workaround below), the ever-changing requirements for earning elite status, and the astronomical award pricing that makes you question why you ever signed up for the Delta SkyMiles program in the first place.
But SkyMiles still has much to offer as a frequent flyer program, especially for members based around Delta hubs in Atlanta (ATL), Minneapolis (MSP), and Seattle (SEA).
Here's a look at some of the top reasons why it's still worth remaining loyal to Delta.
Page Contents
- A Full Stack of Delta Credit Cards and Top Transfer Partners
- Delta SkyMiles Don't Expire
- Award Flights as Low as 4,500 Miles (or Cheaper)
- Delta SkyMiles Flash Sales
- Best In-Flight Product and Service of the Big 3 U.S. Carriers
- Solid Companion Ticket on Platinum and Reserve Delta Cards
- Delta SkyMiles Members Can Earn Miles on Airbnb Stays
- Final Thoughts
A Full Stack of Delta Credit Cards and Top Transfer Partners
Delta takes first place among the legacy carriers for the number of co-brand cards that earn SkyMiles. From the base Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card (Rates & Fees) through to Delta’s top-tier Reserve personal and business cards, Delta has a lot of cards on offer — plain and simple.
Delta's cards are issued by American Express, and presently, there are four personal cards you can apply for:
(Terms apply)
- 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
(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.
And three business credit cards:
(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
(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.
- 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.
It’s worth pointing out that while you can only get the welcome bonus once for each of these cards, the offers on the Delta cards should be on the radar of anyone over Chase's infamous 5/24 threshold. Also, remember that American Express business cards do not count against your 5/24 total. However, keep in mind that you might not be able to receive the welcome bonus for more than one Delta card, depending on the order in which you obtain them.
SkyMiles members can also transfer points from Amex Membership Rewards at a 1:1 ratio and Marriott Bonvoy points at a 3:1 ratio.
Related: All Delta Credit Card Options, and How To Choose the Right Card for You
Delta SkyMiles Don't Expire
Each frequent flyer program has different rules around mileage expiry, including Delta. Delta SkyMiles don’t expire as long as your account is in good standing. While we don’t advocate storing miles in your account for extended periods, the “sometimes” flyer not obsessively monitoring their rewards programs won’t lose miles due to lack of activity (or attention). But a caveat: Miles might get devalued, as Delta has previously devalued redemptions without warning.
You can use AwardWallet to keep track of your Delta miles and the expiration of other programs' miles.
Award Flights as Low as 4,500 Miles (or Cheaper)
Short-haul domestic awards are available for as low as 4,500 miles each way on Delta. You can purchase a flight from Los Angeles (LAX) to Las Vegas (LAS) for only a few thousand miles — a great deal considering that many of Delta's award flights cost exponentially more.
If you have a Delta credit card that's eligible for the “TakeOff 15” benefit, you can save an additional 15% off the top of most Delta-operated awards.
Delta SkyMiles Flash Sales
In addition to SkyMiles flights starting at just 4,500 miles, Delta SkyMiles also provides incredible value with their flash sales. These sales typically come unannounced and only last a few days, but often come with great prices for roundtrip economy tickets. One recent example is Delta's flash sale on award redemptions from the West Coast. Redemptions started at 5,900 miles, and you could even fly from the West Coast to New Zealand for 64,000 miles.
Related: When Does It Make Sense to Buy Delta SkyMiles?
Best In-Flight Product and Service of the Big 3 U.S. Carriers
While Delta's mileage program can be an annoyance to points and miles enthusiasts, the airline does work hard to keep a competitive edge against the domestic competition. Over the past few years, Delta has added wider overhead bins, improved seats, redesigned its onboard menu, and implemented newer Delta One Suites on its international flights. All of these point to Delta focusing more attention on the product they fly than the rewards we get for flying it.
Related: How To Fly Lay-Flat Delta One Business Class Seats Within the U.S.
Solid Companion Ticket on Platinum and Reserve Delta Cards
SkyMiles members with the Platinum Delta Amex, Delta Business Platinum Amex, Delta Reserve, or Business Delta Reserve receive a Delta Companion Certificate each year cards are renewed.
The certificate includes round-trip flights to the continental United States, Hawaii, Alaska, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America. You'll pay just the government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments).
Related: How To Earn and Use a Delta Companion Certificate
Delta SkyMiles Members Can Earn Miles on Airbnb Stays
Earning Delta miles on Airbnb stays may not be a big deal for most folks, but it can provide a quick way to rack up a considerable number of Delta miles. On most bookings, you'll earn a standard 1 SkyMile per dollar, though promotions occasionally boost the rate to 3X SkyMiles per dollar spent.
If you're partial to Airbnb stays instead of hotels, earning SkyMiles is an easy way to reward your travels since Airbnb doesn't have its own loyalty program.
Final Thoughts
Although points and miles enthusiasts may look past Delta SkyMiles with its previous devaluations and inflated award costs for premium cabins, there is still value in the program. In addition, Delta offers a top in-flight experience for both domestic and international travel.
The current welcome offers on Delta's Amex credit card lineup present a great way to pad your SkyMiles balance with a substantial number of miles for an affordable minimum spending requirement while also picking up some excellent perks like the annual Companion Certificate, award ticket discounts, and free checked bags. Plus, you can transfer your Amex Membership Rewards directly to Delta if you need more miles for a booking.
Looking for more Delta SkyMiles content? Check out the following:
- The Unofficial Delta SkyMiles Award Chart for Flights from the U.S.
- The Best Ways To Redeem Delta SkyMiles for Great Value
- The Complete Guide to Delta Air Lines’ Partners
- Delta Gold Medallion: Bonus SkyMiles, Complimentary Upgrades, and Free Checked Bags
- What Is a Delta Medallion Qualification Dollar and How Do You Earn It?
- Delta Bags Delayed? Get 2,500 Bonus SkyMiles Each Time It Takes More Than 20 Minutes
- Delta SkyMiles Members Receive Discounted CLEAR Membership
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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