For those who frequently fly Delta Airlines and are interested in airport lounge access, the Delta SkyMiles Reserve is a great option. It comes with a number of different lounge access benefits but how exactly do these benefits work and what are the limitations?
In this article, I will break down all of the details related to Delta SkyMiles Reserve lounge access, including things like the guest policies.
Like many other credit cards with a high annual fee, one of the core benefits of this premium card is airport lounge access.
Over the past couple of years we have seen the lounge access for the Delta SkyMiles Reserve expand to include more options, thus bringing more value to cardmembers.
As a cardmember you are now given access to the following lounges:
Delta Sky Clubs
Centurion Lounges
Escape Lounges
However, there are a lot of terms that apply to your entry and to any guests you may want to bring along. So keep reading below for more details.
Delta Sky Clubs are the branded lounges for Delta Airlines that you can find in many locations. With the Delta SkyMiles Reserve, you will be granted two different types of Delta Sky Club access: 1) complimentary entry and 2) one-time guest passes.
Complimentary entry
Delta SkyMiles Reserve receive complimentary Delta Sky Club access when traveling on a same-day Delta-marketed or Delta-operated flight.
This access is only for the individual cardmember which includes the primary cardholder and also authorized users.
Card members traveling on a Delta partner flight that is not marketed or operated by Delta can still access the lounge but at an exclusive per visit rate of $39 per person, per location.
Delta SkyMiles Reserve members can also bring up to two guests or immediate family members at the exclusive per visit rate of $39 per person, per location. (Children under 2 years of age may accompany the card member for free.)
The Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card must be used as the payment method to receive the exclusive per-visit rate.
Also, guests must be flying on same day Delta or Delta partners.
In order to gain entry you must present your card, same day Delta or Delta partner boarding pass, and your government issued ID. The name on your boarding pass must match the name on the card.
Also, individuals must be at least 18 years of age to access the Delta sky club and 21 years of age to access locations with a self-service bar, unless they are accompanied by a supervising adult who has access to the club.
Guest passes
As a Delta SkyMiles Reserve cardmember, you will also receive two one-time guest passes when you open up your account and each account anniversary after that.
This means that you can bring a guest with you for free up to two times every year.
You will be able to find these guest passes in your Wallet in the Fly Delta app and in My Profile on delta.com under Certificates, eCredits, and Vouchers.
These guest passes will expire within one year from the date of issuance. If your account anniversary month changes your passes will be issued within your new renewal month.
In order to use this guest pass, you must present your card, same day Delta or Delta partner boarding pass, and your government issued ID.
Something super important to note is that the Basic Card Member must be present in order to use the one-time guest passes. Also, the guests must be traveling on a same-day Delta-marketed or Delta-operated flight.
You can only use two one-time guest passes per visit.
They are known for having some of the best food, service, and decor especially when compared to the lounges offered by the major domestic carriers. They are usually associated with Platinum Cards but access was opened up to certain Delta cards relatively recently.
When you book your Delta flight with the Reserve card, you can get complimentary access to Amex Centurion lounges. This applies to both the basic card member and the authorized users.
Note: the eligible flight must be booked on a U.S. issued American Express charge or credit card.
You can also bring up to two guests at a per-visit rate of $50 per person but guests must be traveling on a same-day Delta-marketed or Delta-operated flight.
To get access you will need to present your card, a boarding pass showing a reservation for Delta Airlines, and a government issued ID.
A card member must be at least 18 years of age to enter without a parent or legal guardian. If there is a self-service bar, the cardmember must be of the legal drinking age in the jurisdiction to enter without a parent or guardian.
Escape Lounge access
Escape Lounges offer complimentary food, drinks (including alcoholic beverages), high-speed Wi-Fi, charging stations, and areas to relax and enjoy some comfortable space away from the crowds. Many of these lounges are found at smaller airports but you can also find these at bigger airports like Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX).
They now go by the new name “Escape Lounges – The Centurion® Studio Partner.”
It sounds a lot fancier but as far as I know this was just a re-brand of the name and nothing substantive about the lounges has changed as of yet.
However, one thing that did change with the re-brand is that access was given to Delta SkyMiles Reserve cardholders.
The key thing to note here is that access was given to card members when flying on a same-day Delta-marketed or Delta-operated flight.
This is the big distinction between the Platinum Card which offers access regardless of which airline you’re flying on.
To access these lounges you will need to present your Delta SkyMiles Reserve card, a boarding pass showing your reservation for same-day travel on Delta, and also your government-issued ID.
If the cardmember is under 21 years old, they may need a parent or guardian to be with them for some lounges.
Something else to note is that the eligible flight must be booked on a US issued American Express credit card.
This means that you could still use the Platinum Card to purchase your airfare as long as you still had your Delta SkyMiles Reserve on hand.
As far as guests go, the terms state that card members may bring up to two guests at a per visit rate equal to the guest fee of the Escape Lounge location. You should also note that guests must be traveling on a same-day Delta-marketed or Delta-operated flight.
Final word
The Delta SkyMiles Reserve continues to receive more lounge benefits and it is quickly becoming one of the best cards for lounge access. I would still go with the Platinum Card above this card for lounge benefits not to mention all of the other perks but the value is definitely starting to rack up in the lounge department for the Delta SkyMiles Reserve.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
Delta SkyMiles Value Guide [2021]
Over the years, Delta SkyMiles have caught a lot of flak. That’s because many people don’t believe that the miles (or “SkyPesos”) are worth that much relative to other airline programs. But are Delta miles really as worthless as everyone some people say?
In this article, I’ll break down the Delta SkyMiles valuation based on recent data points, and I’ll also show you how to get maximum value for your Delta SkyMiles along with some great redemptions.
How much are Delta SkyMiles worth?
Based on over 60 data points, Delta SkyMiles are worth 1.62 cents per point. However, the value can often range from 1.12 cents per mile to over two cents per mile.
Broken down by class, here are the averages we arrived at after analyzing the data points:
Main Cabin: 1.5
Comfort+: 1.19
Delta One/First: 2.18
How to earn Delta SkyMiles
It is extremely easy to build up a large balance of Delta SkyMiles if you play your cards right. That’s because there are multiple personal and business credit cards for Delta.
In fact, there are seven different Delta SkyMiles co-branded American Express credit cards available for you to grab.
The welcome bonuses for these cards changes all the time so the key is to wait until you come across a great welcome bonus. Typically, I would generally wait to find a bonus on a Delta card at 60,000 miles or higher.
However, in some cases you might be more interested in the benefits of the Delta card and in that instance it could be worth just jumping on the card immediately.
The other major way to earn Delta miles is to get an American Express card that earns Membership Rewards. You can then transfer your points to Delta at a one to one ratio which will allow you to stockpile miles even quicker.
I would look into cards like the American Express Gold Card (full review) and the American Express Platinum Card (full review).
Tip: Check out the free app WalletFlo so that you can optimize your credit card spend by seeing the best card to use! You can also track credits, annual fees, and get notifications when you’re eligible for the best cards!
Getting the most value
It’s possible to get much more value with Delta SkyMiles than 1.62 cents per point.
If you use your points on international routes, especially in premium cabins, you can get significantly more value.
For example, I found redemptions on Delta one [Manchester (MAN) to Los Angeles (LAX)] with over 12 cents per point in value. I’ve also used Sky Miles in the past to fly on some great bang for buck business class redemptions like on Virgin Atlantic.
So with Delta, the value is there you just have to search a little bit harder to find it. We put together a list of some of the best Delta redemptions so be sure to check out that list.
Data points
We always make sure that we back up our valuation claims with hard data so we analyzed over 60 data points involving Delta SkyMiles redemptions in the US and abroad.
We did different redemptions for Main Cabin, Comfort Plus, and Delta One/First. We focused mostly on the cheapest award prices available but in some cases we were not able to use those and slightly higher lower prices were factored in.
You can check out all of the cash price and award prices that we found below. We also have a chart that breaks down the cents per point per route.
US
Los Angeles (LAX) to Atlanta (ATL)
Main Cabin
Cash price: $184.10
Award price: 16,500 + $5.60
Cents per point: 1.1
Comfort+
Cash price: $293.10
Award price: 26,500 + $5.60
Cents per point: 1.1
First
Cash price: $553.10
Award price: 51,000 + $5.60
Cents per point: 1.1
Boston (BOS) to Salt Lake City (SLC)
Main Cabin
Cash price: $133.10
Award price: 11,000 + $5.60
Cents per point: 1.2
Comfort+
Cash price: $232.10
Award price: 19,500 + $5.60
Cents per point: 1.2
First
Cash price: $502.10
Award price: 44,000 + $5.60
Cents per point: 1.1
Cincinnati (CVG) to Houston (IAH)
Main Cabin
Cash price: $153.40
Award price: 10,000 + $5.60
Cents per point: 1.5
Comfort+
Cash price: $174.40
Award price: 11,500 + $5.60
Cents per point: 1.5
First
Cash price: $222.40
Award price: 15,000 + $5.60
Cents per point: 1.4
Tucson (TUS) to Houston (IAH)
Main Cabin
Cash price: $199.20
Award price: 14,500 + $5.60
Cents per point: 1.3
Comfort+
Cash price: $235.20
Award price: 17,500 + $5.60
Cents per point: 1.3
First
Cash price: $337.20
Award price: 33,000 + $5.60
Cents per point: 1.0
Las Vegas (LAS) to Chicago (ORD)
Main Cabin
Cash price: $170.20
Award price: 12,000 + $5.60
Cents per point: 1.4
Comfort+
Cash price: $238.20
Award price: 15,500 + $5.60
Cents per point: 1.5
First
Cash price: $496.20
Award price: 36,500 + $5.60
Cents per point: 1.3
Denver (DEN) to Miami (MIA)
Main Cabin
Cash price: $231.20
Award price: 14,500 + $5.60
Cents per point: 1.6
Comfort+
Cash price: $311.20
Award price: 23,000 + $5.60
Cents per point: 1.3
First
Cash price: $499.20
Award price: 39,000 + $5.60
Cents per point: 1.3
Mexico
Cancun (CUN) to Atlanta (ATL)
Main Cabin
Cash price: $180.36
Award price: 11,000 + $50.36
Cents per point: 1.2
Comfort+
Cash price: $231.36
Award price: 16,000 + $50.36
Cents per point: 1.1
First
Cash price: $293.76
Award price: 21,000 + $50.36
Cents per point: 1.2
Mexico City (MEX) to Detroit (DTW)
Main Cabin
Cash price: $285.58
Award price: 18,000 + $77.58
Cents per point: 1.2
Comfort+
Cash price: $305.38
Award price: 20,000 + $77.58
Cents per point: 1.1
First
Cash price: $357.38
Award price: 26,000 + $77.58
Cents per point: 1.1
Puerto Vallarta (PVR) to Atlanta (ATL)
Main Cabin
Cash price: $276.20
Award price: 16,000 + $69.90
Cents per point: 1.3
Comfort+
Cash price: $311.60
Award price: 19,000 + $69.90
Cents per point: 1.3
First
Cash price: $566.40
Award price: 40,000 + $69.90
Cents per point: 1.2
Hawaii
Honolulu (HNL) to Atlanta (ATL)
Main Cabin
Cash price: $462.70
Award price: 30,000 + $5.60
Cents per point: 1.5
Comfort+
Cash price: $663.90
Award price: 47,500 + $5.60
Cents per point: 1.4
First
Cash price: $2,785.29
Award price: 187,500 + $5.60
Cents per point: 1.5
Honolulu (HNL) to Los Angeles (LAX)
Main Cabin
Cash price: $133.10
Award price: 9,500 + $5.60
Cents per point: 1.3
Comfort+
Cash price: $217.10
Award price: 16,500 + $5.60
Cents per point: 1.3
First
Cash price: $487.10
Award price: 38,000 + $5.60
Cents per point: 1.3
Kona (KOA) to Seattle (SEA)
Main Cabin
Cash price: $218.00
Award price: 15,000 + $5.60
Cents per point: 1.4
Comfort+
Cash price: $292.00
Award price: 21,000 + $5.60
Cents per point: 1.4
First
Cash price: $493.00
Award price: 37,000 + $5.60
Cents per point: 1.3
Canada
Montreal (YUL) to St. Louis (STL)
Main Cabin
Cash price: $161.13
Award price: 11,000 + $59.19
Cents per point: 0.9
Comfort+
Cash price: $197.02
Award price: 15,000 + $59.19
Cents per point: 0.9
First
Cash price: $290.81
Award price: 24,500 + $59.19
Cents per point: 1.0
Calgary (YYC) to Salt Lake City (SLC)
Main Cabin
Cash price: $154.85
Award price: 12,000 + $51.27
Cents per point: 0.9
Comfort+
Cash price: $174.42
Award price: 14,000 + $51.27
Cents per point: 0.9
First
Cash price: $215.20
Award price: 18,500 + $51.27
Cents per point: 0.9
Winnipeg (YWG) to Minneapolis (MSP)
Main Cabin
Cash price: $199.75
Award price: 11,500 + $58.41
Cents per point: 1.2
Comfort+
Cash price: $215.43
Award price: 13,000 + $58.41
Cents per point: 1.2
First
Cash price: $260.82
Award price: 17,500 + $58.41
Cents per point: 1.2
South Africa
Johannesburg (JNB) to Atlanta (ATL)
Main Cabin
Cash price: $1,192.15
Award price: 50,000 + $79.25
Cents per point: 2.2
Delta One
Cash price: $3,587.15
Award price: 115,000 + $79.25
Cents per point: 3.1
Cape Town (CPT) to Atlanta (ATL)
Main Cabin
Cash price: $821.15
Award price: 145,000 + $49.55
Cents per point: 0.5
Premium Select
Cash price: $1,509.15
Award price: 250,000 + $49.55
Cents per point: 0.6
Delta One
Cash price: $2,571.15
Award price: 465,000 + $49.55
Cents per point: 0.5
Johannesburg (JNB) to Los Angeles (LAX)
Main Cabin
Cash price: $980.45
Award price: 50,000 + $67.35
Cents per point: 1.8
Delta One
Cash price: $4,057.45
Award price: 115,000 + $67.35
Cents per point: 3.5
China
Beijing (PKX) to Seattle (SEA)
Main Cabin
Cash price: $734.81
Award price: 74,000 + $30.88
Cents per point: 1.0
Comfort+
Cash price: $818.89
Award price: 80,000 + $30.88
Cents per point: 1.0
Delta One
Cash price: $3,940.35
Award price: 205,000 + $30.88
Cents per point: 1.9
Hong Kong (HKG) to Seattle (SEA)
Main Cabin
Cash price: $583.44
Award price: 42,000 + $59.84
Cents per point: 1.2
Comfort+
Cash price: $606.65
Award price: 46,000 + $59.84
Cents per point: 1.2
Delta One
Cash price: $2,346.39
Award price: 180,000 + $68.87
Cents per point: 1.3
Shanghai (PVG) to New York (JFK)
Main Cabin
Cash price: $728.76
Award price: 360,000 + $36.58
Cents per point: 0.2
Premium Select
Cash price: $1,207.87
Award price: 420,000 + $36.58
Cents per point: 0.3
Delta One
Cash price: $2,420.63
Award price: 465,000 + $36.58
Cents per point: 0.5
United Kingdom
London (LHR) to New York (JFK)
Main Cabin
Cash price: $1,924.96
Award price: 35,000 + $342.94
Cents per point: 4.5
Premium Select
Cash price: $2,620.24
Award price: 70,000 + $476.02
Cents per point: 3.1
Delta One
Cash price: $9,676.21
Award price: 95,000 + $605.03
Cents per point: 9.5
Manchester (MAN) to Los Angeles (LAX)
Main Cabin
Cash price: $1,959.54
Award price: 35,000 + $317.76
Cents per point: 4.7
Premium Select
Cash price: $3,644.77
Award price: 70,000 + $450.84
Cents per point: 4.6
Delta One
Cash price: $12,528.55
Award price: 95,000 + $579.85
Cents per point: 12.6
Australia
Sydney (SYD) to Los Angeles (LAX)
Main Cabin
Cash price: $713.42
Award price: 80,000 + $86.47
Cents per point: 0.8
Comfort+
Cash price: $800.05
Award price: 88,000 + $86.47
Cents per point: 0.8
Delta One
Cash price: $3,758.52
Award price: 225,000 + $86.47
Cents per point: 1.6
Country/State
Route
Main Cabin
Comfort+
Premium Select
First
US
Los Angeles (LAX) to Atlanta (ATL)
1.1
1.1
N/A
1.1
Boston (BOS) to Salt Lake City (SLC)
1.2
1.2
N/A
1.1
Cincinnati (CVG) to Houston (IAH)
1.5
1.5
N/A
1.4
Tucson (TUS) to Houston (IAH)
1.3
1.3
N/A
1
Las Vegas (LAS) to Chicago (ORD)
1.4
1.5
N/A
1.3
Denver (DEN) to Miami (MIA)
1.6
1.3
N/A
1.3
Mexico
Cancun (CUN) to Atlanta (ATL)
1.2
1.1
N/A
1.2
Mexico City (MEX) to Detroit (DTW)
1.2
1.1
N/A
1.1
Puerto Vallarta (PVR) to Atlanta (ATL)
1.3
1.3
N/A
1.2
Hawaii
Honolulu (HNL) to Atlanta (ATL)
1.5
1.4
N/A
1.5
Honolulu (HNL) to Los Angeles (LAX)
1.3
1.3
N/A
1.3
Kona (KOA) to Seattle (SEA)
1.4
1.4
N/A
1.3
Canada
Montreal (YUL) to St. Louis (STL)
0.9
0.9
N/A
1
Calgary (YYC) to Salt Lake City (SLC)
0.9
0.9
N/A
0.9
Winnipeg (YWG) to Minneapolis (MSP)
1.2
1.2
N/A
1.2
South Africa
Johannesburg (JNB) to Atlanta (ATL)
2.2
N/A
N/A
3.1
Cape Town (CPT) to Atlanta (ATL)
0.5
N/A
0.6
0.5
Johannesburg (JNB) to Los Angeles (LAX)
1.8
N/A
N/A
3.5
China
Beijing (PKX) to Seattle (SEA)
1
1
N/A
1.9
Hong Kong (HKG) to Seattle (SEA)
1.2
1.2
N/A
1.3
Shanghai (PVG) to New York (JFK)
0.2
N/A
0.3
0.5
Australia
Sydney (SYD) to Los Angeles (LAX)
0.8
0.8
N/A
1.6
1.21
1.19
0.45
1.38
Final word
Overall, I was a little bit surprised to see the valuation at 1.6 cents per point. I typically value Delta miles closer to 1.3 cents but after testing out all of these routes, it looks like SkyMiles might hold a bit more value than a lot of people including myself have thought.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
Delta Credit Card Free Checked Bag Guide [2021]
Offers contained within this article maybe expired.
When it comes to airline credit card perks, the free checked bag perk is a common benefit to find and can be one of the most valuable, especially if used on a consistent basis. But these free baggage benefits come with some restrictions and if you are not careful, you might miss out on the free baggage waiver. In this article, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about the Delta credit cards free checked baggage benefit.
What is the Delta credit card free checked baggage benefit?
If you hold an eligible American Express Delta credit card, you can get the first checked bag fee waived on eligible Delta flights for you and up to eight other passengers.
Tip: Check out the free app WalletFlo so that you can optimize your credit card spend by seeing the best card to use! You can also track credits, annual fees, and get notifications when you’re eligible for the best cards!
Eligible Delta credit cards
The following credit cards are eligible for the free baggage waiver on Delta flights:
Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card (full review)
Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card (full review)
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card (full review)
In addition, the following business credit cards are eligible for the free baggage waiver on Delta flights:
Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express Card
Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business American Express Card
Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card
You do not have to book your reservation with your American Express Delta credit card in order to get the benefit.
Instead, the only requirement is that the reservation must include the basic card member’s SkyMiles number.
As long as that SkyMiles number is on the reservation, the fee waiver will also be available for other travelers on the same reservation. There is a maximum of nine waivers allowed per reservation.
Note: There are some reports of people getting the free checked baggage waiver for multiple passengers even when they are on different reservations but that may come down to an agent’s discretion and so I would not count on it working.
If you have a checked bag that is overweight or oversized you will have to pay for those fees. Keep in mind that you will be charged for each infraction separately.
So if you had a checked bag that was both overweight and oversized you would have to pay for an overweight fee and an oversized fee. You cannot use the free checked bag benefit to get these fees waived. The waiver only works for normal bags.
Sometimes the oversized and overweight fees can be very expensive, especially when coupled together. So be sure you are aware of the weight and size limitations which are often based on your elite status or the type of cabin you are flying in.
The free checked bag waiver is only good for the first checked bag. So if a passenger is checking an additional bag, they will have to pay for that fee themselves. The normal fee for a second bag will apply in that case.
So let’s say you were flying from Atlanta to Los Angeles and you were checking two bags. Normally, you would have to pay $70 for those two bags. But if you had an eligible Delta card the fee for the first bag would be waived.
However, for the second bag you would have to pay $40 which is the standard price for the second checked bag. There is a calculator you can use if you are ever in doubt.
Eligible flights
The first checked bag fee waiver can only be used on flight segments that originate on a Delta or Delta Connection carrier when you check-in with Delta for both a Delta marketed and Delta operated flight.
It’s really important to note that code share flights are not eligible.
So these rules mean if you were booking a flight that was operated by Delta but marketed by a partner like Air France, you would likely not receive the free checked bag benefit. This situation could arise when booking a Delta flight on a partner website like Air France.
Also, if you were booking a flight on the Delta website that was operated by a partner like Virgin Atlantic, you would also not receive the free checked bag.
So my advice would be to book directly through the Delta website and to ensure that the flights are operated by Delta.
You can tell what airline is operating the flight when you are searching for flights on the Delta website. Simply look for the language directly below the route graphic as shown in the image below.
An example of a flight not operated by Delta.
Elite status stacking
Unofficially, Silver Medallion members may be able to stack this free checked baggage benefit with the Silver benefit. This means that if you have Silver Medallion status, you could get a total of two free checked bags. (It does not appear to also stack with Gold Medallion status or higher.)
Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!
Delta credit card free checked bag FAQs
What personal Delta credit cards offer a free checked bag?
Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
What business Delta credit cards offer a free checked bag?
Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express Card Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business American Express Card Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card
How many passengers can get a free checked bag with a Delta credit card?
You can get a free checked bag for up to nine total passengers on a reservation.
How much does it normally cost to check a bag with Delta?
The checked baggage fee for Delta Airlines is typically $30 but it could depend on your route. You can find out more about the baggage fees here.
Does the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card offer a free checked bag?
No, you do not get a free checked bag with the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card.
Do I have to use my Delta card to pay for my flight to get the free checked bag?
No, as long as your SkyMiles number is linked to your reservation you should be eligible for the free checked baggage waiver.
Do authorized users get a free checked bag?
No, American Express states that the benefit is limited to basic card members and not additional card members.
Can you get the free checked bag on international flights?
Yes, the Delta credit card does not restrict the free baggage benefit to domestic flights.
Can I get a free checked bag on code share flights?
No, code share flights do not qualify for the free checked bag.
How do I use the Delta credit card free checked bag benefit?
As long as your Delta SkyMiles number is linked to your reservation on an eligible flight, the waiver will be automatically applied at check in.
Final word
The free checked baggage waiver can be a very lucrative benefit if you regularly fly with Delta, especially if you fly with multiple members on the reservation.
Just remember to always link your SkyMiles account to the reservation so that you trigger the free baggage waivers. And be aware of the restrictions with partner airlines and oversized bags.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
15 Best Ways to Redeem Delta SkyMiles [2020]
Delta SkyMiles is an overlooked miles currency that people tend to give up on. You might be used to seeing Delta One (aka Delta’s name for business class) redemptions going for over 300,000 miles one-way. However, when focusing on Delta’s partners, you will see that Delta SkyMiles can take you further than you thought. Here’s a thorough review of the 15 best ways to redeem Delta SkyMiles.
The Delta Gold card is a perfect way to quickly rack up a lot of SkyMiles while paying no annual fee the first year. The key with this card is to time your application so that you end up applying for the best welcome bonus that’s offered.
Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card
2 miles per dollar on Delta purchases
First checked bag free
Annual fee $195
1 time economy companion pass
Annual miles and MQMs after spend requirement
The Platinum Delta card (full review) also often comes with a great welcome bonus, but it’s even better for those who are trying to earn elite status with Delta since you’re able to earn MQMs along the way.
Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!
Amex Membership Rewards
You can also transfer your American Express Membership Reward points to Delta. However, Amex Membership Rewards does impose an excise tax offset fee of $0.0006 per point (with maximum fee of $99) for transferring your Membership Rewards points to Delta. I personally would only transfer to SkyMiles if I needed to top off for an award redemption. Otherwise, the excise tax adds up and devalues the points.
Delta SkyMiles Calculator and Award Chart
The first thing people need to know, Delta SkyMiles is a dynamic mile’s currency that has no award chart or calculator. This means, we don’t know what the redemption cost will be in the future, especially for Delta’s own flights.
Dynamic pricing works by changing the miles needed for a redemption based on the cash price. So, when the price goes up, Delta will slightly raise the miles for an award that was once less. This is also related to seasons. So, when redeeming one month a Delta One seat might go for 80,000 miles, but the next month it could be 86,000 miles for saver level redemptions.
Having no calculator or award chart makes it hard to know exactly how many miles one needs for certain redemptions. Luckily, for Delta’s partners it’s typically easier to know the lowest redemption price, since Delta’s partners will only show up when there is availability. Otherwise, Delta’s partners won’t show up if there is no availability.
Delta SkyMiles Value
Generally, you can expect an average 1.1 cents per point for economy class redemptions, but the value will go up much further when booking premium class tickets. Looking at the current price of a Virgin Australia ticket from SYD to LAX, you’d get about 6.3 cents per point in value after redeeming 100,000 miles.
At the standard economy valuation, if you were to collect 50,000 Delta SkyMiles you’d get about $550 in value and if you earned 100,000 Delta SkyMiles you’d get about $1100 in value. But using the premium Virgin Australia redemption above, 50,000 Delta SkyMiles would be worth about $3,150 and 100,000 Delta SkyMiles would be worth about $6,300.
Depending on how you use your miles, the Delta credit cards can be very valuable. However, take these numbers with a grain of salt. Your own valuation might be higher, but might be lower. This goes for any miles and points currency.
Award Regions Chart
Delta once had a regions chart, and we already know the outcome. It’s not published anymore. Therefore we base the regions off the old published regions award chart that is not available anymore. Luckily, the regions chart is still kinda holding true today.
North America
USA, Canada, Mexico
Hawaii
Caribbean
Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Curacao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, Saba, Saint Eustatius, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Maarten, Saint Vincent and The Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, and US Virgin Islands. Central America-Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.
Northern South America
Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela.
Southern South America
Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay.
Europe
Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania; Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Svalbard and Jan Mayen Island, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and Vatican City.
Middle East
Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, and Yemen.
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, British Indian Ocean Territory, India, Nepal, Maldives, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
North Asia
China, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, South Korea, Micronesia, Philippines, Taiwan, Russia (East of the Ural Mountains), Guam, and Saipan.
Southeast Asia
Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Macau SAR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, and Vietnam.
Southwest Pacific
American Samoa, Australia, Christmas Islands, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Norfolk Island, Pitcairn, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tongo, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Wallis, and Futuna Islands.
Now, this regions chart isn’t the official one. I do wish Delta will publish a real regions chart so we know exactly every region, but if you have a correction to it please let me know so I can update it.
Routing Rules
Delta allows you to route through certain regions for no extra miles, like Australia to Europe you can route through North Asia or Southeast Asia. However, for Australia to Europe you cannot route through North America. Delta will always favor the shortest route with the least amount of connections.
Connections
Connections with Delta SkyMiles are also really interesting. They are based on that days availability and the least amount of connections available that day for that route. Delta will usually prioritize 1 connection routings over 2 connections. This makes the 2 connection routings need more more miles than 1 connection routings.
Basically, Delta adds extra miles on routings that have one more connection than what else is available for that day. However, if there are no routings that have 1 connection, than Delta will allow the 2 connection routings to be redeemed for the lowest amount of miles possible.
Open Jaws and Stopovers
Delta does allow open jaw since Delta will charge for each way on awards, similar to how United or American Airlines charge for each way. However, Delta doesn’t allow stopovers. If there is a connection, then the connection has to be less then 23 hours and 59 minutes.
SkyTeam Alliance and Delta Partners
Delta is part of the SkyTeam alliance, which means that you can use your Delta SkyMiles to fly any airline in the SkyTeam alliance.
The SkyTeam alliance has a huge presence in Asia, Europe, and the North America. Plus, Delta has a few non-alliance partners like Virgin Australia, Virgin Atlantic, Jet Airways, GOL, and WestJet. There is a full list of all Delta’s partners below.
While business class is fine, it’s nice to have the option to use your hard earned miles for first class on their partners. There are some cases that SkyMiles will allow you to book international first class, but it’s very rare and limited.
(Do note that if there isn’t any business class seats, you will be seated in first class. This is very common for regional products where some airlines don’t have business class on regional flights.)
Currently you cannot book Aeroflot using your SkyMiles. This isn’t a SkyMiles problem, but a problem with Aeroflot sharing their award inventory with their partners.
Delta randomly runs flash sales for certain city pairs from 5,000 miles roundtrip. That is a crazy good redemption! That’s because the exact same domestic route on United Airlines would be 20,000 miles roundtrip or 25,000 miles roundtrip with American Airlines.
Flash sales usually start at 5,000 miles and go up from there. Sometimes, the flash sale might not have 5,000 miles redemptions. It is usually random for the redemption cost, so this isn’t the most guaranteed way to redeem your miles.
The city pairs are also random and might not be desirable. (Do you see a trend that SkyMiles loves to be random?) Luckily, their redemption sales happen multiple times a year with new city pairs for better odds. Sometimes they will have flash sales for international destinations in both economy and Delta One. (Sadly, the most recent sale doesn’t have any sales on Delta One.)
Typically, you can only take these flights on Delta metal (aka, their own planes and not their partners), so if you want to fly one of their partners, flash sales isn’t for you.
The current SkyMiles Award Sale. (ending October 19th)
2. Fly China Airlines Between Europe and Australia in Business Class for 90,000 Miles One-Way
With decent availability between Europe and Australia, you can easily redeem 90,000 miles for one-way in business class flying China Airlines. China Airlines flies their flagship A350 or 777 from Taiwan to London, Amsterdam, Rome, Vienna, Frankfurt, Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane making it easy to have a consistent experience.
My fiancé and I flew China Airlines from Rome to Melbourne via Taipei back in May on their A350. I will say this with certainty, China Airlines has a much-underrated business class product. We were amazed with the crew being very professional and attentive. The seat very stylish and comfy. Plus, it was a nice surprise to have a few flight attendants able to speak Japanese.
Of course, if you don’t want to fly China Airlines, you can redeem 90,000 miles for any of Delta’s partners.
(Tip: China Southern, China Eastern, Garuda Indonesia, and Xiamen Airlines flies mostly their sub-par hard products between Asia and Australia. Sometimes you can find their new hard products on the routes, but you have to check the equipment and configuration. Vietnam Airlines and Virgin Australia run their flagship products constantly on these routes.)
Availability between Rome and Melbourne.
China Airlines A350 B/E Super Diamond Business Class Seat. (FCO-TPE)
3. Fly Between North America and North Asia in Business Class for 85,000 Miles One-Way on Partner Airlines
Want to fly on the upper deck of a Korean 747-8 in business class? Or do you prefer a 777, 787, A380, or A350? For 85,000 miles you can fly any of those on one of Delta’s partners in business class.
Korean Air 747-8 or 787 would be my go to airline since they use Apex Suites for their new business class hard product. Availability is typically great for Delta’s Asian partners since there is a handful to choose from, but typically China Southern, China Eastern, and China Airlines have the best availability.
Availability on Korean 747-8 is tough to find, but still possible.
Flights to China and onward on either China Southern (as shown in screenshot) or China Eastern have availability almost everyday.
4. Fly Between Europe and Asia in Business Class for 80,000 Miles One-Way
For only 80,000 miles, you can fly between Europe and North Asia and Southeast Asia in business class one-way.
Availability isn’t bad either from many cities. There is typically wide-open availability for these transcontinental routes between Europe and Asia.
My friend and I flew China Southern A380 from Beijing to Amsterdam in August and loved having half the cabin to ourselves. The flight attendants were great, funny, and definitely made the flight special. However, the catering was just okay. If you wanted a special flight, KLM flies their 747-400 combi to Asian cities like Hong Kong and they have business seats in the nose. 😉
Be aware, some of the routes will have sub-par leisure business class product to leisure destinations. I would highly recommend looking at the configuration of the aircraft for the best experience. Departing Asia will result in lower surcharges, while departing Europe will result in the usual high fuel surcharges.
KLM and China Southern availability for Beijing to Amsterdam is almost available everyday.
China Southern A380 Business Class. (PEK-AMS)
5. Fly between Seoul and Guam in “Business Class” for 30,000 Miles One-Way
Why does business class have quotation marks around them? Well it’s because on this particular flight between Seoul and Guam it’s bookable for Korean 777-300er first class. SkyMiles sometimes will have loopholes, if you must call it that, where you can book international first class even though you’re booking business class.
For example: You were once able to book China Airlines 747 first class with SkyMiles, but not anymore since they have corrected the loophole. 🙁
So, if you’re in Seoul or a short hop away, it might be worth it to visit Guam to fly Korean first class. 😉
Availability is almost daily. (36,000 Won ~ $32 USD)
Unfortunately everyday I have checked only has 1 seat available.
6. Fly between North Asia and Southeast Asia in Business Class for 40,000 Miles One-Way
Want to fly between Tokyo and Jakarta (NRT-CGK) or Beijing and Bali? 40,000 miles in Garuda Indonesia 777 business class for 7 hours in the sky isn’t bad.
Availability is easy to find from many cities. Vietnam Airlines typically flies their A350 or 787 for many of their intra-asia routes. Sometimes, Korean flies their 747-8 on some routes, but changes frequently. Some of China Easterns A330s will have 1-2-1 configuration using Zodia Cirrus seats.
Just be aware that some routes might have a regional product instead of a lie-flat seat. Therefore, if you want the most value, routes that are on the airline’s flagship aircrafts will usually allow you to have the best experience.
Tokyo to Jakarta Business Class availability. (prices in Yen ~ $23 USD)
Vietnam Airlines A350 and 787 business class. (Image source: Vietnam Airlines)
7. Fly Between North America and Europe in Business Class for 75,000 Miles One-Way on Partner Airlines
If Asia isn’t your thing, you can fly Air France, KLM, Alitalia, or Virgin Atlantic in business class between America and Europe. Just be aware the flights leaving Europe will have high fuel surcharges (over $250) and flights leaving America will have low fuel surcharges ($5.60).
If you’re flying Air France, both their 777 and 787 has their best business class product, while their A380 has their dated subpar product. KLM 787 has their wonderful new business class product. Alitalia is decent, but because of recent money troubles I suggest you skip Alitalia. For Virgin Atlantic on any aircraft the bar is fun with a wonderful soft product, but their business class hard product is cramped.
Virgin Atlantic availability from Washington Dulles to London.
The Virgin Atlantic 787 bar.
8. Fly Between North America and Middle East in Business Class for 85,000 Miles One-Way
I think the Middle East should be on everyone’s bucket list. It’s one of my favorite places for food and certainly the only reason to travel is to eat, right?
Go to the Middle East for only 85,000 miles with Delta partners only. Most availability is with Saudia, but it could be any other one of Delta’s partners like Air France, KLM, Virgin Atlantic, etc.
Or for 86,000 miles you could fly Delta halfway there. Most of the time you will connect through Paris or Amsterdam, but try to position yourself at DTW so you could take the new Delta One Suites to Amsterdam and then connect onward to the Middle East with KLM. It’s worth it I think to try the new Delta One Suite, I certainly loved it. I was more surprised by the huge footwell compared to reverse herringbone seats.
You could fly KLM to Muscat with a stop in Dammam and it’s one of the few routes that KLM Delft Blue houses aren’t filled with alcohol because of Saudi Arabian laws. (Makes for a great souvenir.) There is tons of availability on the AMS-DMM-MCT route and offers cheap business class fares from Muscat to America.
Availability throughout America to the Middle East is easy to come by.
For only 1,000 miles more you could fly in the new Delta One Suite with a door.
9. Fly Between Asia and Africa in Business Class for 80,000 Miles One-Way
For 80,000 miles you can fly between Asia and Africa. Experience the beautiful continent.
Availability is good between the two regions. Most of the time the flights will route through Europe on KLM or Air France, but other partners that offer limited routes and availability to Africa would be Saudia and China Southern. You could time your connection to be long for a nice short visit in Paris or Amsterdam.
However, Kenya Airways is tough to book on Delta’s website. So, if you wanted to Fly Guangzhou to Johannesburg while connecting in Nairobi to fly Kenya Airways the rest of the way. You will have to call up Delta. Delta’s representatives tend have a hard to booking Kenya Airways, so you might have to try a few times. Delta and Kenya Airways did start a codeshare agreement recently, but virtually no of flights are redeemable online.
Tokyo to Johannesburg flying Air France in business class.
Availability is great between Tokyo and Johannesburg. (7,290 Yen ~ $64 USD)
10. Fly Between Europe and South America in Business Class for 90,000 Miles One-Way
With wide open availability between Europe and South America, you can enjoy flying most days between the two continents. And when I say wide open, I mean wide open most dates. From my findings, Argentina has the most availability.
The primary airlines flying between the two continents would be Air France and KLM. While Alitalia and Aerolineas Argentinas have very limited availability, but you aren’t missing much not flying those two airlines.
If you want lower fuel surcharges, depart from South America instead of Europe.
Buenos Aires to Paris has ton of availability.
Air France business class seat. (Image source: Air France)
11. Fly Kenya Airways Between New York and Nairobi for 95,000 Miles One-Way
Why is this one of the best ways to redeem SkyMiles? Because it’s Kenya Airways and it’s their first route to North America! While their business class product is subpar with a 2-2-2 layout, the soft product is wonderful. Plus, it’s a brand-new route on their beautiful 787. Maybe it’s just me, but I cannot wait to fly on this on this route.
Do take note that this route has high fuel surcharges (around $400). You can only book this route by phone (check availability on ExpertFlyer). Plus, it’s difficult to book this route since Delta’s systems aren’t easy for booking Kenya Airways. If one rep gives up, call back and try to get a rep that will power through it. However, none of that will stop me from flying their first ever transatlantic route.
If you want to visit other destinations or fly other partner airlines, it will still be 95,000 miles.
Kenya Airways 787-8 (Image source: Kenya Airways)
12. Fly Between Australia and North and Southeast Asia in Business Class for 65,000 Miles One-Way
Fly any of Delta’s partners between Australia/New Zealand and North/Southeast Asia for 65,000 miles in business class.
There is tons of availability between the two regions flying Delta’s partners, especially Vietnam Airlines having the most availability. You could even fly Virgin Australia A330 to Hong Kong from either Sydney or Melbourne. Plus, Virgin Australia’s business class between Australia and Asia can be redeemed anytime, unlike flights going to America on Virgin Australia, which have the 14 days limit.
Melbourne to Hong Kong availability for both Virgin Australia and Vietnam Airlines. ($85 AUD ~ $60 USD)
Virgin Australia A330 business class turndown service.
13. Fly Virgin Australia Between America and Australia in Business Class for 100,000 Miles One-Way
Lastly, flying Virgin Australia between America and Australia for 100,000 miles one-way in business class is a treat.
However, there is one issue about booking Virgin Australia business class on routes between Australia and the USA. You must redeem miles for Virgin Australia business class less then 14 days in advance of the departure date. So, if you search and try to redeem your miles on the 10th of October, you can only book between the 10th and 24th of October. It’s great for last minute awards, but not great if you’re planning a family vacation.
Virgin Australia’s bar on their 777.
14. Fly Between Indian Subcontinent and Africa in Business Class for 70,000 Miles One-Way
Want to go from India to Africa? You can fly from Delhi to Johannesburg for 70,000 miles in business class. Most flights will once again route through Europe, lots of them are with KLM, Air France, and sometimes Saudia.
Availability is good in business, plus fuel surcharges are relatively low for this redemption.
Availability is not an issue flying KLM between Delhi and Johannesburg.
15. Fly Between Middle East and Europe in Business Class for 42,500 Miles One-Way
Side trip from the Middle East to Europe? For 42,500 miles you can fly business class to visit the tallest building in the world.
Availability is good between these two regions, almost everyday for airlines like KLM, Saudia, and Air France.
Fuel surcharges leaving from countries within the Middle East will be low, but fuel surcharges leaving Europe will be much higher.
Dubai to Paris has almost everyday availability. (120 UAE Dirham ~ $33 USD)
Paris to Dubai has lots of availability, but has high fuel surcharges because of leaving Europe.
Other uses for Delta SkyMiles
Miles + Cash Redemptions
Miles + Cash redemptions are a way to add a cash surcharge to your award ticket to reduce the amount of miles needed for a redemption. Miles + Cash still issues an award ticket that doesn’t earn any MQMs, MQSs, and MQDs.
Usually using the Miles + Cash option is great if you don’t have enough miles. However, you’re effectively paying for miles by adding a surcharge. I suggest doing the math to see if you come out ahead for particular bookings.
Pay with Miles
Paying with miles is unlocked when you hold one of the Delta credit cards. Paying with miles will allow you to redeem 1 mile for $0.01 off the ticket. 5,000 miles would equal to $50 off the cash price. $100 for 10,000 miles, $150 for 15,000 miles, etc. This won’t allow you to get much value out of your miles, but it does allow you to earn MQMs and miles.
Delta Vacations
You can redeem your miles for the whole vacation like hotels, flights, rental cars, and activities. Plus, it will cover the costs of others, as long as they are on the same reservation. Using your miles for Delta Vacations isn’t going to get great value out of your miles since 1 mile is worth 1 cent. You do earn miles and MQMs when redeeming miles on vacations.
Delta Experiences
Bid your miles for experience like backstage at a concert, special seats at sporting events, once in a lifetime activity, etc. Anything is possible with Delta Experiences and it’s done auction style. Sometimes you can get great value or bid so much that you lost the concept of valuing your miles. Otherwise, this is one way to burn your SkyMiles for once in a lifetime experiences.
Final word
While Daniel has his views about Delta SkyMiles, I for one think SkyMiles are useful for a backup miles currency. Especially when it’s the same redemption cost as American Airlines or United Airlines miles. When there is availability, Delta SkyMiles goes a long way. Most of the best redemptions are for their partners, and that isn’t a bad thing, but Delta SkyMiles is just another tool to achieve business class award flights. I just hope Delta adds functionality to book SkyTeam first class inventory and maybe, just maybe, add an award chart.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
Delta Lowers Award Prices on Partner Bookings to Europe
Delta doesn’t have a published award chart which essentially gives them free reign to do whatever they want to do with their award pricing whenever they want. The negative side to this is that we’ve seen a number of devaluations without any notice. For example in April 2017, we saw Delta hike up the prices for partners on certain routes, raising the price from 70,000 to 85,000 points for Virgin Atlantic routes from North America to the UK. Later on we saw domestic redemptions increase in price as well. All of these changes came without notice.
The problem is that sometimes these price variations are subject to “IT glitches” or at least that’s what Delta attributes them to at times. Other times, Delta implements new prices and then inexplicably retracts those like when they increased the fees on Virgin Atlantic flights and then almost instantly rolled them back.
The sneak devaluations and lack of transparency are two major reasons why I’m not a big of Delta SkyMiles. But with all of that said, Delta just did something that I’ve got to give them props for.
Lower award prices for some partners
Delta has lowered some of the partner redemption rates to Europe. (This comes only a couple of weeks after they lowered the redemption cost for award flights between the US and North Asia.)
Partner awards in coach dropped from 35,000 to 32,500 each way and partner awards in business class dropped from 85,000 each way to 75,000 each way. This means that roundtrips will still cost 150,000 miles which is quite high but that’s still 20,000 miles cheaper than it was before.
Because Delta miles are so easy to acquire, I cut them some slack on their outrageous prices when it comes to the miles. However, the fees getting a roundtrip ticket to Europe with Delta miles can still be very expensive as shown by he $481 fees for the business class roundtrip seen below. There are many options that are significantly cheaper than that for getting roundtrip tickets to Europe.
Doesn’t apply to Virgin Atlantic
The major caveat here is that Virgin Atlantic flights are still priced at 85,000 miles each way so it’s only other partners that are getting the discount. However, if you’re able to add a connecting flight to or from the UK, you should be able to get the rates down. So for example, flying Virgin Atlantic JFK->LHR would be 85,000 miles but flying Virgin Atlantic + KLM JFK->LHR->AMS should price out at 70,000 miles.
The fees going out to the UK are negligible at $5.60 so 75,000 miles plus about $6 to get to the UK isn’t bad at all. I recently used 85,000 Delta SkyMiles to fly Virgin Atlantic from LAX to LHR. While I wasn’t overly impressed with the Virgin Atlantic 787 experience, the flight still presented some great value in terms of cents per mile.
Final word
Overall, it’s great to see back to back decreases in award prices for Delta, although those prices were already very high so the decreases just put Delta closer to being competitive and don’t really distinguish them from their competition.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
6 Reasons Delta SkyMiles is the Worst
I like writing about why certain programs are great or powerhouses. For example, I wrote about why ANA is a powerhouse and later why Korean Air is such a strong contender. But sometimes I need to pour out some Haterade and today Delta gets that honor. Here are six reasons why the Delta SkyMiles rewards program is the worst.
Delta does not publish an award chart so searching for mileage requirements can be a huge PIA, especially for newcomers still trying to get a grasp on award charts. Instead, Delta has different “pricing tiers” that offer different award rates based on demand. The differences between these tiers can vary dramatically and it’s not like the marginal difference you might find in other award charts that differentiate between “peak” and “off-peak” awards.
The lack of transparency is annoying but it’s also concerning because Delta is essentially free to do whatever it wants at any time. It also causes confusion sometimes when you believe there’s a glitch on the website and you call in to try to get it worked out. Agents may just chalk up the higher price to Delta’s enigmatic award pricing system.
2. Ridiculous dynamic pricing
In case the lack of an award chart and dynamic pricing wasn’t frustrating enough, often times these rates are straight up ridiculous. For example, you might find an award to get from LAX to JFK in business class for 32,500 miles while another route requires 140,000 miles. That’s 140,000 milesfor a one way domestic ticket. Even a non-saver award on United would cost you a maximum of 50,000 miles so some of these rates are just ridiculous.
And they get even worse when you start looking at international redemptions. You can find rates from LAX to SYD for 115,000 miles and only $27 in fees. Not completely horrible considering the low fees.
But other rates can jump to 325,000 for a one way award!
3. Constant devaluations (with no notice)
Probably my biggest complaint with Delta SkyMiles is that they’ve established a pattern of frequently devaluing their miles with no notice. Both the rate at which they devalue their miles and their method of often providing no notice is a joke. In 2016, Delta increased awards to both Europe, Australia, and Tel Aviv, some of these overnight with no notice and then increased awards to Europe, Australia, and other regions in early 2017 with no notice once again.
I think it’s an absolute joke when loyalty programs implement price hikes like that with no notice since they are presumably put into place to build brand loyalty and hiking prices with no notice sure doesn’t seem to be the way to win over your customers.
4. Adding connections is ridiculously expensive
With many airlines, it’s easy to add a connecting flight with a partner in order to get to your gateway city. For example, let’s say you’re using Aeroplan miles to fly SAS from EWR to OSL and you need to connect to EWR from somewhere else in the country (ORD, IAH, etc.). You could connect with a United flight from your home airport to EWR for no extra cost in Aeroplan miles.
With Delta, you often have to pay substantially more miles to include a connecting flight. Take a look at all of the prices I found when searching for an award from IAH to LHR. They are all much higher than the 85,000 required for a partner award.
These flights are ridiculously priced considering that you can often add a connecting flight for no additional miles with other programs.
5. SkyTeam Alliance inventory
Delta is a member of the SkyTeam alliance which means that it doesn’t have access to many first class cabins. This issue isn’t limited to Delta, although some SkyTeam partners like Korean have access to first class awards on airlines like China Eastern. Still, the fact that you can’t book first class awards on many partners is a huge bummer.
6. Customer service
I’ll admit my universe of experience with Delta customer service agents is a bit limited, but from the hand full of phone calls I had they seem to be poorly trained. They are all very friendly and professional but it took multiple calls for them to check on partner award inventory when I called on different occasions. It got to the point that it would take 30 minutes to an hour just to verify award space was bookable (and that was after the hour wait time to get a hold of a rep).
Are SkyMiles good for anything?
SkyMiles still have a few things going for them. For one, it’s very easy to quickly accumulate a lot of them since Amex offers so many different types of Delta co-branded cards and sometimes offers them up with bonuses of 70,000. You can also earn elite miles with some of these Delta cards so it can be easier to reach elite status with Delta. And finally, Delta’s website is very easy to use and quick to search so that make thing easier.
Still, I’m absolutely fine with avoiding Delta SkyMiles in the future. I stayed away from them for a while and when I finally decided to give them a shot, I got hit with multiple devaluations with no notice, exorbitant reward pricing for connecting flights, and often found myself spending hours on the phone with clueless agents.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
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