We firmly believe in only offering our readers the top brands and goods. When you click on links to products, we might get paid, but it never has an impact on our evaluations or suggestions. Here is information about earning and using SkyMiles, the reward miles you can receive for your airline loyalty if you frequently fly with Delta Air Lines or have a Delta credit card.
What Is the SkyMiles Program for Delta Air Lines?
The frequent flyer program for Delta Air Lines is called SkyMiles. Members of SkyMiles can redeem their miles for flights, seat upgrades, and other prizes by accruing points with every airline transaction. In 1981, Delta introduced the SkyMiles program. With flights to 300 destinations in more than 50 countries, Delta Air Lines operates out of the largest airline hub in the world (ATL). Huff Daland Dusters was founded in 1925 as an airborne crop dusting business. Due to its focus on the Mississippi Delta region, the early iteration of the commercial airline that we are all familiar with was established in 1928 under the name Delta Air Service.How Can You Join the SkyMiles Program for Delta Air Lines?
A free SkyMiles membership can be obtained online, using the Fly Delta mobile app, or by getting a credit card with the Delta logo. You will receive a membership number from Delta, often known as your SkyMiles number, which you must include on all travel bookings and any Delta transactions in order to accrue miles.What are the hubs for Delta Air Lines?
Atlanta, Georgia serves as the corporate headquarters of Delta Air Lines. One of the biggest airline hubs in the world is located at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). . Along with six international airports, eight other U.S. airports are regarded as hubs by Delta: Pros- When utilized for overseas travel, SkyMiles are more valuable.
- If your vacation dates are flexible, price calendars might help you uncover award flight offers.
- SkyMiles never lose value.
- Delta award flights have no blackout periods.
- There aren't many domestic airline partners.
- To become a Medallion member, you must fly and spend a lot of money.
How to Earn SkyMiles With Delta
You can earn rewards in a variety of ways once you have officially joined the SkyMiles program.Use Delta Airlines
You will accrue 5 points for every $1 you spend on your base rate, plus any additional fees levied by the airline when you book a flight promoted by Delta and include your SkyMiles number in the reservation. Government taxes and fees, which are common in the airline sector, are not eligible for miles. Once you become a Medallion Member, you can earn up to 11 miles for every dollar spent, but we'll go into more detail about the advantages of Delta's elite status below. The only person who may earn miles is the one whose name and SkyMiles number are specified on the ticket. So, unless you used a Delta credit card to purchase a ticket for someone else, you won't earn miles.Then, all of your earnings would be contingent on card usage. Booking what Delta refers to as an "exception fare" makes earning SkyMiles on Delta flights a little more challenging. Tickets purchased through a travel agency, a vacation package, or another third party are considered exceptional fares. If you do that and book a flight with Delta, you'll accrue SkyMiles depending on a proportion of the distance traveled and the ticket class (e.g., first or main cabin). In general, the better your ticket's fare class, the more miles you'll accumulate on an Exception Fare journey. Visit Delta's Exception Fare FAQs for additional details on how to do this to earn SkyMiles.Utilize companion airlines like Virgin Atlantic or Air France
Flying with one of Delta's 25 partner airlines is another way to earn SkyMiles. SkyTeam Airline Alliance members make up the majority of Delta's business partners. When you purchase a flight from a partner airline that Delta markets, you will accrue SkyMiles at the usual rate of 5 miles for every $1 spent on the base fare (unless you have Medallion Member status). Flights that have "DL" before the flight number are those that are promoted by Delta. All flights that Delta directly sells online or via the Fly Delta app are flights that Delta markets. On partner flights that are not directly sold by Delta, you can still earn SkyMiles, but the earning rates will vary from airline to airline. Miles are normally awarded by Delta's partner airlines based on a portion of the distance travelled and the fare class of your ticket. The partner flight route may also affect earning rates. For instance, Hawaiian Airlines only allows you to earn SkyMiles on flights within the state of Hawaii, while Air France awards SkyMiles differently for flights within France (and Europe) compared to other international flights. Fortunately, Delta Air Lines has provided earning tables for each of its partner airlines so you can get a sense of how much money you'll get if you book flights elsewhere. However, if it's possible, we advise booking all flights with partner airlines directly through Delta (on delta.com or through the Fly Delta app) to make the SkyMiles earning process as simple as possible.Use credit cards from Delta Air Lines
Open and use an American Express credit card with a Delta logo to accrue additional miles for flights and, depending on the card, a few more miles for non-travel costs. Many people find that the greatest way to accumulate miles for Delta in their daily life is through credit cards. Even if you frequently fly Delta, using a Delta card to pay for those flights and other transactions can greatly increase your earnings. There are various Delta cards available for selection:- With the Delta SkyMiles Blue Card, you'll earn 2X miles for every $1 spent at restaurants around the world, plus takeout and delivery within the US. Earn two miles for every dollar spent on purchases made through Delta, and one mile per dollar spent on all other qualified purchases.
- Earn 2X miles when you use the Delta SkyMiles Gold Card to make Delta purchases, eat out, have food delivered anywhere in the world, or shop at American supermarkets.On all other qualifying purchases, you get 1 extra mile.
- When you make purchases with Delta and when you deal directly with hotels, you will earn 3X miles with the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card. Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases, while earning 2X Miles at US restaurants, takeouts, and delivery services.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards (R) Points at restaurants in the United States, plus takeaway and delivery, and 4X Membership Rewards (R) Points at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X).These benefits are available with the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card. On flights booked directly with airlines or through amextravel.com, you earn 3X Membership Rewards (R) points.
- Earn 2 miles for every $1 spent at restaurants all over the world, on U.S. shipping, and on a few media advertising expenditures, with the Delta SkyMiles Business Gold Card.
- Earn 1.5 miles for every dollar spent on eligible purchases of $5,000 or more with the Delta SkyMiles Business Platinum Card. Earn 3 miles for every dollar spent at hotels and on purchases made directly through Delta.
- Earn 1.5 miles per $1 after spending $150,000 in a calendar year with the Delta SkyMiles Business Reserve Card. Earn 3 miles for every dollar spent on Delta goods.
- These earning rates are in addition to the SkyMiles membership rewards you already receive. As an illustration, if you use a Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card to book a flight, you will get 3 miles for using the credit card to pay for the entire purchase, in addition to the regular 5 points for every $1 spent on your flight as a SkyMiles member.
Reserve a room at a Marriott, Sheraton, or other partner hotel
When making a reservation at a partner hotel on Delta.com or directly with a participating hotel under one of these eight hotel brands:- AccorHotels
- Hyatt Hyatt Hyatt
- IHG
- The Langham Hotel Group
- Marriott
- Radisson
- Hotels & Resorts at Shangri-La
- WorldHotels
Transfer Hotel, Hertz, or Membership Rewards Points from American Express
You can convert unused awards from Hertz, Radisson, Marriott, Hilton, IHG, or AccorHotels loyalty programs into SkyMiles. Although transfer rates differ depending on the program, Delta has listed them on its website. One of the best uses for American Express Membership Rewards points is converting them to SkyMiles. According to The Balance's comparison of Amex and Delta rewards values, Membership Rewards allows 1-to-1 point transfers to the Delta SkyMiles program, increasing its value from 1 cent each when used to book travel through American Express to 1.44 cents per point, on average.Other Way to Earn Delta SkyMiles
When you book an Airbnb stay through delta.com/AirbnB, you'll earn one mile for every dollar spent (excluding taxes and fees). You must submit your SkyMiles number before (not after) making your reservation, and the individual whose account is utilized to make the booking must also be the same person who owns the SkyMiles account. When you use Lyft, you can earn 1 mile for every $1 you spend on domestic rides and 2 miles for every $1 you spend on airport rides by linking your SkyMiles account to your Lyft account. Rent a vehicle through partners like Hertz, Enterprise, and others: With most brands, you'll earn 500 miles for each eligible rental. Ticketmaster is a great place to buy tickets for sporting events and concerts.Earn up to 2,500 miles each month by purchasing tickets to events in the US and Canada through delta.com/ticketmaster. You earn 1 mile for every $1 spent. By using the SkyMiles Shopping website, you can shop online for By logging into your SkyMiles account, you can spend at more than 1,000 participating stores, including Apple, Kohl's, and CVS, to earn additional miles (usually 2-3 for every $1 spent). Sign up a debit or credit card for SkyMiles Dining, then use that card to make purchases at participating clubs, restaurants, and bars and earn up to 5 miles for every $1 spent. Purchase SkyMiles: You can add more SkyMiles to your account in increments of 2,000 miles up to 60,000 miles, but this isn't a smart move. Extra miles can be purchased for more than twice what they are worth when applied to travel.- Are Delta SkyMiles still valid?
- As long as your account is active, Delta SkyMiles will never expire.
- . The same is true for miles acquired using a credit card bearing the Delta logo.
How to Use Delta SkyMiles
SkyMiles can be used in a variety of ways, just like there are numerous ways to earn them. However, by utilizing your Delta awards to plan travel, you'll gain more value from them.Order Delta Tickets
When used to book award travel, The Balance discovered that SkyMiles are typically worth roughly 1.44 cents each. Although it is considerably less than the value of the miles you earn on the other two domestic juggernauts, American Airlines (2.04 cents apiece) and United Airlines, that is still a very average value for airline rewards (1.98 cents each). However, when booking overseas flights with SkyMiles, their value significantly increases If you have a hoard of miles stored up, the best use for them is to spend a lot of money on an expensive foreign flight because, according to our valuation analysis, SkyMiles may be worth more than 2 cents each in that situation. Flying coach inside the United States will allow you to save miles while still receiving incentives that are of reasonable worth. The price of a Delta award flight depends on a number of variables, such as the kind of seat you want to reserve, the city of departure, and the final destination: First Class, Delta Premium Select, Main Cabin, Delta Comfort+, Basic Economy, or Delta One. On the Delta website, there aren't any static award charts available, but you may examine a flexible cost calendar for the dates you want to go to see how rates change during the day and when the lowest flights might be. Delta Air Lines' flexible flight cost chartThe Situation
Just be aware that award travel is not cost-free. Government taxes and levies are still applicable to each ticket, and SkyMiles cannot be used to offset these costs. Online or through the Fly Delta mobile app, which is available for free download from the Apple App Store or Google Play, you may book award flights with Delta. Watch the SkyMiles Deals website for weekly discounts on round-trip main cabin award tickets if your travel schedule is flexible and you want to maximize your SkyMiles.Purchase Tickets from Affiliated Airlines
Twenty-one of Delta Air Lines' partner airlines accept SkyMiles for award travel, while five additional partners accept phone reservations. You can also book award travel on some Skymark flights all across Japan if you're a SkyMiles Medallion member or have a Delta credit card and reside in Japan. Visit the Delta Travel with Miles page for more details and regulations regarding that partner award flight option. Depending on the airline, price class, and even the year you're traveling, blackout travel dates may be applicable to Delta partner award flights. For information on partner airline ban dates through 2022, see the Delta program regulations. Travel booked with partner airlines using SkyMiles is subject to taxes and other costs that cannot be paid with miles, much like Delta award flights.Ticket Upgrades
On the majority of domestic Delta and Delta connecting flights, SkyMiles can also be used to upgrade your seat. Before determining whether your trip qualifies, you'll notice an option to "Upgrade with Miles" if you want to upgrade your seat while making a flight reservation. Additionally, you can upgrade already-booked trips online or with the Fly Delta app.Other ways to use Delta SkyMiles
There are a number of additional methods to use your Delta SkyMiles, but we don't recommend doing so unless the value of your miles per dollar is higher than it would be if you booked a flight.- In Delta Sky Club lounges, you may buy upscale beverages.
- Include some expenses related to booking a flight, such as ticket change fees.
- Purchase a Delta Vacations package that includes lodging, transportation, and flights.
- Pay for a flight on a Delta private jet.
- Purchase Delta gift cards here.
- Use the SkyMiles Marketplace to make online purchases.
- Subscribe to magazines.
- Through SkyMiles Experiences, you can place a bid on event tickets.
- Donate to charity in 2021.
- Delta SkyMiles Elite Status: Medallion Member
How to Become a Medallion Member
Your status is entirely determined by how much you spent and how many miles you flew with Delta and the majority of its partner airlines during the previous calendar year. Along with SkyMiles, the majority of trips also allow you to earn Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs), Medallion Qualification Segments (MQSs), and Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs). Fortunately, Delta keeps track of all those earnings (and you can monitor your progress in your online SkyMiles account), but if you'd like to have a better grasp right now, here is the methodology used to determine your Medallion earnings:- MQMs: The number of miles you've traveled and the sort of ticket you used to do so
- How many flights have you completed, from takeoff to landing?
- How much did you spend on flights, excluding any taxes or levies from the government? MQDs
- Spend money on premium seats on your Delta flights to earn extra MQMs if you're desperate to achieve SkyMiles Medallion status.
- Obtain the necessary number of MQMs and MQDs.
- Earn the necessary number of MQS and MQDs.
- (Note: The Blue Delta SkyMiles Credit Card and the Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card cannot be used to earn a MQD waiver unless you already have another Delta card that can.)
The Advantages of Medallion Membership
Depending on your status tier, you can access travel benefits like priority check-in and boarding, free checked baggage, free upgrades, and more when you attain Medallion Member status in the SkyMiles program. The amount of SkyMiles you will earn on flights (excluding taxes and fees) is also based on your Medallion Member tier status:- 7 miles per $1 for a silver medallion.
- 8 kilometers per $1 for a gold medallion.
- Platinum Medallion: $9 in travel
- 11 kilometers per $1 for a diamond medallion.
- Visit Delta's tier benefits page for more details about all the advantages SkyMiles Medallion members enjoy.
Final Verdict
Overall, the SkyMiles program from Delta Air Lines offers frequent travelers a variety of ways to earn points for their journeys. International passengers, in particular, benefit from versatility when it comes to accruing and utilizing SkyMiles because of Delta's partner airlines. The Balance discovered that SkyMiles offer the best value for international travel as well. Credit cards bearing the Delta brand now provide several opportunities to accrue miles on non-flight transactions and simple access to additional airline benefits. By converting their points to SkyMiles, American Express Membership Rewards members can get a little bit more value from their points. Delta Air Lines' Medallion Member status is Delta Air Lines' way of thanking its most devoted customers, but like other airline elite status programs, you have to fly a lot and spend a lot to qualify.