How Much Are Delta SkyMiles Worth?

How much Delta miles are worth depends on how and when you redeem them. For flight tickets, you can, on average, expect to get 1.4 cents to 1.5 cents per mile, although you may do better or worse in some cases. Once you join the Delta frequent flyer program, you earn SkyMiles on all eligible flight tickets booked with Delta and its partner airlines. You can also earn miles through the program’s partner merchants and by using co-branded Delta SkyMiles credit cards. If needed, you may even buy Delta miles.

When it comes to how to use Delta SkyMiles, you may redeem them for flight tickets with Delta and its partner airlines, Delta Vacation packages, seat upgrades, Delta Sky Club membership, gift cards or SkyMiles Experiences. Gifting or transferring your miles to other Delta SkyMiles members is an option, as is donating them to charity.

On This Page:

• How Much Are Delta SkyMiles Worth?
• How to Earn & Maximize Miles From Delta
• How to Redeem Delta SkyMiles
• What Is the Delta Medallion Status?
• Other Questions You May Have About Delta SkyMiles

If you use your Delta SkyMiles to book flight tickets, you can often get a value of 1.3 cents to 1.5 cents per mile. However, this will vary. You may find you can get better value in some cases and worse value in others. Generally — though not always — redeeming your miles for Basic and Main fares offers better value than Comfort+ and First Class fares. With most other redemption methods, you can usually expect a value of around 1 cent per mile.

If you don’t fly with Delta often or prefer using multiple airlines, you may want to consider looking at the difference between earning airline miles and reward points to determine which might work better for you.

There is no official Delta SkyMiles redemption chart that you can use to determine how much your miles are worth. Instead, a ticket’s cash price directly affects the points you need for redemption. However, Delta’s use of dynamic pricing for its award flights may result in good deals for tickets with low cash fares.

The value you stand to receive for your Delta SkyMiles is on par with what you can expect through frequent flyer programs run by other popular airlines.

How many Delta SkyMiles you need for a flight depends on the route you wish to fly, your travel dates and the fare type. For example, if you wish to book a Basic fare from San Jose, CA, to Los Angeles, CA, for February 1, 2023, you'll need 4,500 points (plus $6 in taxes and fees). Flying First Class on the same flight would require 10,500 points (plus $6). If you opt for a Basic fare on February 3, 2023, you'll need 6,500 points (plus $6).

If you, on the other hand, want to fly from New York (JFK) to Paris (CDG) on February 1, 2023, you may get an Economy fare with Air France, a Delta partner, for 62,000 points (plus $6). A Premium Economy ticket on the same flight would require 86,000 points (plus $6).

No matter which route you wish to fly, the Delta Air Lines online flight booking tool can help you determine how many points you'll need for a free flight (with Delta or its partner airlines).

Most frequent flyer programs offer several ways to earn airline miles, and the Delta SkyMiles program is no different. For starters, you earn miles on every eligible ticket you book through Delta or its partner airlines. Vacation packages booked through Delta Vacations earn miles. Using co-branded Delta Air Lines credit cards is another way to earn SkyMiles. You may also earn miles when you shop with the program's partner merchants.

Getting a travel credit card might be worth it if you know you'll earn enough rewards or use the card's benefits adequately to offset its annual fee. American Express offers four co-branded Delta SkyMiles cards for individuals and three for businesses. Of these, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card gives you the ability to earn SkyMiles the fastest.

Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card

The Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card comes with no annual fees. A welcome offer for new cardholders lets you earn 10,000 bonus miles if you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first six months. Purchases you make directly with Delta and at restaurants in the U.S. (including delivery and takeout) come with 2X miles per dollar. All other purchases earn 1X miles per dollar.

Other benefits include 20% back on Delta in-flight purchases and no foreign transaction fees.

Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card

The Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card charges a $99 annual fee, which you don't need to pay for the first year. If you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first six months, you get a welcome bonus of 40,000 miles. Delta purchases made directly with the airline, grocery purchases at U.S. supermarkets and dining at restaurants in the U.S. (including delivery and takeout) earn 2X miles per dollar. You get 1X miles per dollar on all other purchases.

When you fly with Delta, you can check your first bag for free. Spending $10,000 on purchases in a calendar year comes with a Delta flight credit of $100. Delta in-flight purchases come with 20% back. Other benefits include no foreign transaction fees and car rental loss and damage insurance.

Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card

You need to pay a $250 annual fee to use the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card. Spending $3,000 on purchases in the first six months lets you earn a welcome bonus of 50,000 miles and 5,000 MQMs. You earn 3X miles per dollar on purchases made directly with Delta and hotels. Spending at restaurants (including delivery and takeout) and on grocery purchases at supermarkets in the U.S. comes with 2X miles per dollar. All other purchases earn 1X miles per dollar.

All cardholders get a domestic round-trip Main Cabin companion certificate every year. You can check your first bag for free on Delta airlines flights. Other benefits include priority boarding on Delta flights, an exclusive Delta Sky Club per-visit rate, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee credit, no foreign transaction fees, 20% back on Delta in-flight purchases, car rental loss and damage insurance, trip delay insurance and baggage insurance plan.

Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card

With a $550 annual fee, the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card is best suited for frequent Delta flyers looking for premium benefits. New cardholders who spend $5,000 on purchases in the first six months receive a welcome bonus of 50,000 miles and 10,000 MQMs. Purchases that you make directly with Delta earn 3X miles per dollar. No other bonus categories exist, so you earn a flat 1X miles per dollar on all other purchases.

Cardholders can choose from a metal card or one made using 70% reclaimed plastic. You don't need to meet the MQD requirement to achieve Platinum, Gold or Silver status if you spend $25,000 on purchases in any given year. You don't need to pay any money to access the Delta Sky Club and The Centurion Lounge. An annual domestic round-trip Main Cabin companion certificate is there for the taking every year. Other benefits include complimentary upgrades, upgrade priority, your first bag checked for free, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee credit, 20% back on Delta in-flight purchases, no foreign transaction fees and travel coverage.

Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Card

The Amex Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Card comes with no annual fee for the first year and charges $99 per year thereafter. You get a welcome bonus of 50,000 miles upon spending $2,000 on purchases in the first three months. You earn 2X miles per dollar on Delta purchases made directly with the airline as well as on restaurant, shipping, and select advertising purchases in the U.S. All other purchases come with 1X miles per dollar.

If you spend $10,000 on purchases in a calendar year, you get a Delta flight credit of $100. Other benefits include priority boarding in Main Cabin 1, 20% back on Delta in-flight purchases, car rental loss and damage insurance, baggage insurance plan and no foreign transaction fees.

Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business Card

The Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business Card charges a $250 annual fee. Spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months lets you earn a welcome bonus of 60,000 miles and 5,000 MQMs. Delta purchases made directly with the airline earn 3X miles per dollar. Large purchases of over $5,000 come with 1.5X miles per dollar, and you may earn up to 50,000 additional points each calendar year this way. You get 1X miles per dollar on all other purchases.

This card offers an annual domestic round-trip Main Cabin companion certificate. You get your first bag checked for free when flying with Delta. Other benefits include 20% savings on Delta in-flight purchases, priority boarding in Main Cabin 1, Delta Sky Club per-visit rate, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee credit, no foreign transaction fees, trip delay insurance, car rental loss and damage insurance and baggage insurance plan.

Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Card

The Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Card comes with various features and benefits to make up for its $550 annual fee. A welcome offer gives you the ability to earn 60,000 miles and 10,000 MQMs by spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months. Purchases made directly with Delta come with 3X miles per dollar. All other purchases earn 1X miles per dollar. But after spending $150,000 on purchases in a calendar year, you receive 1.5X miles per dollar.

All cardholders receive complimentary access to Delta Sky Club, The Centurion Lounge and Escape Lounge, as well as two one-time guest passes for Delta Sky Club every year. Other benefits include a domestic round-trip Main Cabin companion certificate each year, complimentary upgrades, priority boarding in Main Cabin 1, your first bag checked for free, access to the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Concierge service, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee credit, no foreign transaction fees and travel coverage.

If you buy a Main Cabin or a higher class ticket for a Delta-marketed flight, you earn 5X miles per dollar. So, if you pay $300 for a flight ticket, you'll earn 1,500 miles. Depending on your Medallion Status, you may earn up to 11 miles per dollar. In this case, a $300 ticket would come with 3,300 miles.

The number of miles you earn may vary with Delta's exception fares and when booking tickets through Delta's partner airlines. The miles you earn on exception fares account for the distance that the flight covers, along with the fare class.

If you book a ticket with any of Delta's airline partners, the number of miles you earn tends to depend on the fare class. Depending on the airline you select, you might earn additional miles through a class bonus. Earning Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) and Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) is possible when you fly with a partner airline.

When you fly with partner airlines, the number of miles you earn mostly depends on the distance your flight covers. Delta airline partners through which you may earn SkyMiles include:

• AeroMexico (based on flight distance)
• Air France (based on flight distance)
• China Eastern (based on flight distance)
• KLM (based on flight distance)
• Korean Air (based on flight distance)
• LATAM Airlines (based on flight distance)
• Virgin Atlantic (based on flight distance)
• Aerolíneas Argentina (based on flight distance)
• Air Europa (based on flight distance)
• Cape Air (only on select flights, based on the cost of a ticket)
• China Airlines (based on flight distance)
• China Southern (only on select flights, based on flight distance)
• Czech Airlines (based on flight distance)
• Garuda Indonesia (based on flight distance)
• Hawaiian Airlines (based on flight distance)
• ITA (only on Delta-marketed flights, based on the cost of a ticket)
• Kenya Airways (based on flight distance)
• Middle East Airlines (based on flight distance)
• Saudia (based on flight distance)
• TAROM (based on flight distance)
• Vietnam Airlines (based on flight distance)
• WestJet (based on flight distance)
• XiamenAir (based on flight distance)

The Delta frequent flyer program allows members to earn miles through partner merchants spread across multiple categories such as hotels, shopping and car rentals.

When you book a vacation through Delta Vacations you may get up to 5,000 bonus miles. These are in addition to the flight miles you earn. Each booking with SkyMiles Cruises comes with a minimum of 1,500 miles, and you may earn up to 30,000 miles depending on the type of accommodation you choose.

It’s possible to convert points from different credit cards, hotels and other rewards programs to Delta SkyMiles. The transfer ratio may vary from one partner loyalty program to the next.

You may buy Delta SkyMiles in increments of 2,000 miles, and the maximum you may purchase through a single transaction is 60,000 miles. You need to pay 3.5 cents per point. Given that this is two to three times the value you may receive when redeeming your miles, buying them might not be in your best interest. Even if you’re falling short of miles to get an award ticket, you might be better off using the Miles + Cash redemption option if available.

You may redeem the miles you earn through the Delta rewards program in several ways. These include booking flight tickets through Delta and its partner airlines, getting seat upgrades, paying for your Delta Sky Club membership, getting gift cards, booking vacations and more. To redeem your miles, you simply need to log in to your Delta SkyMiles account and choose your desired redemption method.

Since there is no official Delta reward chart to turn to, you need to determine the value you receive across different redemption methods on your own. For example, when redeemed for a flight ticket, the value of your miles depends on the route, the date you wish to fly and the desired fare type. With some flights, you might be able to use the Miles + Cash option if you don't have enough SkyMiles. Not having to worry about blackout dates with Delta is a definite plus.

>> More: Flexible Points vs. Miles: Which Credit Card Reward Is Better?

The best time to use your miles is when you find a suitable option through SkyMiles Deals because these deals tend to offer rather good value. If you cannot find your desired flight through this method, make use of Delta’s online booking platform and select the “My dates are flexible” option. This helps to give you an idea of whether you could get a better deal by shifting your travel dates slightly.

Consider this. Flying from New York (JFK) to Paris (CDG) on February 02, 2023, would require at least 68,000 points (plus $6). However, flying the same route on January 30, 2023, would require 59,000 points (plus $24). If you, on the other hand, must fly on May 04, 2022, you’ll need at least 86,000 (plus $24).

Since award flights with Delta now rely on dynamic pricing, you might benefit by booking your tickets four months to three weeks prior to the travel date.

The Delta SkyMiles rewards program comes with different membership levels, which it refers to as Medallion Status. Each tier comes with different benefits, one of which is the ability to earn miles faster. Moving from one Medallion Status to the next involves a combination of spending and flying with Delta and its airline partners every calendar year.

• Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs): You earn MQDs based on how much money you spend on flights with Delta and its partner airlines. With award flights, the amount of MQDs you earn depends on the miles you need for redemption. You qualify for an MQD waiver if you meet the annual spending requirement of your co-branded Amex Delta SkyMiles credit card.
• Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs): Members earn MQMs based on the class fare and the distance their flights cover. However, you don’t earn MQMs on Basic Economy fares. All membership levels allow unlimited rollover of MQMs.
• Medallion Qualification Segments (MQSs): You earn MQSs depending on how many flights you take. Basic Economy fares don’t earn MQSs.

MoneyGeek experts have taken a close look at how the value of Delta SkyMiles changes based on different redemption methods. They have also carried out in-depth market research to determine the worth of your miles.

Checking answers to other commonly asked questions about the value of SkyMiles for Delta award travel and other redemption methods might help you select a suitable option.