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Delta Air Lines
- Delta miles are easy to earn by flying, with co-branded credit cards, or by transferring Amex points.
- You can use Delta miles for flights on Delta or its partners, including Air France and KLM.
- The best deals are often through Delta’s award sales.
- Read Insider’s guide to the best Delta credit cards.
Delta is one of the world largest airlines. If you live in a hub city like Atlanta, New York, or Seattle, it may be your carrier of choice.
Because Delta’s route network is so ubiquitous within the US — and because Delta SkyMiles are (relatively) easy to get — there are many different options for redeeming your miles with Delta and its partners in the SkyTeam alliance — though not all of them offer a good value.
Insider’s Featured Rewards Credit Cards
Earn unlimited 3x points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans. Earn 1x points on other purchases.
Limited time offer of 30,000 bonus points when you spend $1,500 in purchases in the first 3 months from account opening (offer expires 01/10/2023)
Earn 3x ThankYou® points at restaurants and supermarkets. Earn 3x ThankYou® points at gas stations, air travel, and hotels. Earn 1x ThankYou® points on all other purchases.
80,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
Earn 5x points on all travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Earn 3x points on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out. Earn 3x points on select streaming services. Earn 3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs). Earn 2x points on other travel. Earn 1x point per dollar on everything else.
60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
In this article, we’ll take a quick look at how to earn and redeem Delta SkyMiles.
How to earn Delta SkyMiles
Earn Delta miles by flying Delta and its partners
The most obvious way to earn Delta SkyMiles is to fly on Delta. Within the past several years, Delta has changed its earning structure, so the number of redeemable miles that you earn on most Delta flights is calculated by your elite status and the total cost of the fare, as follows:
- General SkyMiles Members: 5 miles per dollar
- Silver Members: 7 miles per dollar
- Gold Members: 8 miles per dollar
- Platinum Members: 9 miles per dollar
- Diamond Members: 11 miles per dollar
Delta has more than 20 airline partners both in the SkyTeam airline alliance and non-alliance partners. You can choose to credit flights on these partner airlines to Delta by putting your SkyMiles membership information into your flight itinerary. The number of SkyMiles that you will earn depends on your route and the fare class of the ticket that you’ve purchased, and vary by partner.
Earn miles with American Express Delta and Membership Rewards credit cards
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
Intro offer
40,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months
Rewards
Earn 2x Miles on dining at restaurants worldwide, and for takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 2x Miles on groceries at U.S supermarkets. Earn 2x Miles on Delta purchases made directly with Delta. Earn 1X Miles on all other purchases
$0 intro for the first year, then $99
Annual Fee
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
Intro offer
40,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months
Rewards
Earn 2x Miles on dining at restaurants worldwide, and for takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 2x Miles on groceries at U.S supermarkets. Earn 2x Miles on Delta purchases made directly with Delta. Earn 1X Miles on all other purchases
$0 intro for the first year, then $99
Annual Fee
$0 intro for the first year, then $99
Annual Fee
On American Express’s website
This card is a great pick for frequent and occasional Delta flyers who want elite-like perks without paying an exorbitant annual fee. Cardholders receive a free checked bag, priority boarding, and inflight discounts on Delta flights, but if you’re looking for upscale benefits like airport lounge access, you’ll want to look at Delta’s premium cards instead.
Details
Rewards
Earn 2x Miles on dining at restaurants worldwide, and for takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 2x Miles on groceries at U.S supermarkets. Earn 2x Miles on Delta purchases made directly with Delta. Earn 1X Miles on all other purchases
Annual Fee
$0 intro for the first year, then $99
Intro offer
40,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months
Recommended Credit
Good to Excellent
Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
19.49% – 28.49% Variable
Pros & Cons
Highlights
Additional Reading
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
Intro offer
50,000 bonus miles and 5,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months
Rewards
Earn 3x Miles on Delta purchases made directly with Delta. Earn 3x Miles at hotels when purchase made directly with the hotel. Earn 2x Miles on dining at restaurants worldwide, and for takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 2x Miles on groceries at U.S supermarkets. Earn 1X Miles on all other purchases.
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
Intro offer
50,000 bonus miles and 5,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months
Rewards
Earn 3x Miles on Delta purchases made directly with Delta. Earn 3x Miles at hotels when purchase made directly with the hotel. Earn 2x Miles on dining at restaurants worldwide, and for takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 2x Miles on groceries at U.S supermarkets. Earn 1X Miles on all other purchases.
On American Express’s website
Delta’s mid-tier card is a good choice for frequent flyers who can take advantage of money-saving benefits like a free checked bag and priority boarding on Delta flights, an annual companion certificate, and a statement credit for the TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee. However, if you’re unlikely to maximize these perks or you don’t fly Delta that often, a travel credit card with a lower annual fee is a better choice.
Details
Rewards
Earn 3x Miles on Delta purchases made directly with Delta. Earn 3x Miles at hotels when purchase made directly with the hotel. Earn 2x Miles on dining at restaurants worldwide, and for takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 2x Miles on groceries at U.S supermarkets. Earn 1X Miles on all other purchases.
Intro offer
50,000 bonus miles and 5,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months
Recommended Credit
Good to Excellent
Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
19.49% – 28.49% Variable
Pros & Cons
Highlights
Additional Reading
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
Intro offer
50,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles after you spend $5,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months
Rewards
Earn 3x Miles on Delta purchases made directly with Delta. Earn 1X Miles on all other purchases.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
Intro offer
50,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles after you spend $5,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months
Rewards
Earn 3x Miles on Delta purchases made directly with Delta. Earn 1X Miles on all other purchases.
On American Express’s website
Details
Rewards
Earn 3x Miles on Delta purchases made directly with Delta. Earn 1X Miles on all other purchases.
Intro offer
50,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles after you spend $5,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months
Recommended Credit
Good to Excellent
Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
19.49% – 28.49% Variable
Pros & Cons
Highlights
Additional Reading
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card
Intro offer
10,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 in purchases on your new card in the first 6 months from account opening
Rewards
Earn 2x Miles on dining at restaurants worldwide, and for takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 2x Miles on Delta purchases made directly with Delta. Earn 1X Miles on all other purchases.
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card
Intro offer
10,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 in purchases on your new card in the first 6 months from account opening
Rewards
Earn 2x Miles on dining at restaurants worldwide, and for takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 2x Miles on Delta purchases made directly with Delta. Earn 1X Miles on all other purchases.
On American Express’s website
If you want a credit card that earns Delta miles for your everyday spending but absolutely don’t want to pay an annual fee, this card is worth considering. While it doesn’t offer travel perks like a free checked bag or priority boarding, cardholders do get 20% back as a statement credit on Delta inflight purchases and access to Delta’s Pay With Miles feature. For most Delta flyers, however, a Delta card with an annual fee and more benefits will prove more valuable.
Details
Rewards
Earn 2x Miles on dining at restaurants worldwide, and for takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 2x Miles on Delta purchases made directly with Delta. Earn 1X Miles on all other purchases.
Intro offer
10,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 in purchases on your new card in the first 6 months from account opening
Recommended Credit
Good to Excellent
Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
19.49% – 28.49% Variable
Intro Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
N/A
Pros & Cons
Highlights
Additional Reading
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card
Intro offer
50,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months of card membership
Rewards
Earn 2x Miles on Delta purchases made directly with Delta. Earn 2x Miles on dining at restaurants worldwide, and for takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 1X Miles on all other purchases.
$99 (with a $0 intro for the first year)
Annual Fee
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card
Intro offer
50,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months of card membership
Rewards
Earn 2x Miles on Delta purchases made directly with Delta. Earn 2x Miles on dining at restaurants worldwide, and for takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 1X Miles on all other purchases.
$99 (with a $0 intro for the first year)
Annual Fee
$99 (with a $0 intro for the first year)
Annual Fee
On American Express’s website
Details
Rewards
Earn 2x Miles on Delta purchases made directly with Delta. Earn 2x Miles on dining at restaurants worldwide, and for takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 1X Miles on all other purchases.
Annual Fee
$99 (with a $0 intro for the first year)
Intro offer
50,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months of card membership
Recommended Credit
Good to Excellent
Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
19.49% – 28.49% Variable
Pros & Cons
Highlights
Additional Reading
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card
Intro offer
60,000 bonus miles and 5,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after spending $3,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months of card membership
Rewards
Earn 3x Miles on Delta purchases made directly with Delta. Earn 1.5x Miles on purchases over of $5,000 or more everywhere else, up to 50K additional miles per calendar year. Earn 1x Miles on all other purchases.
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card
Intro offer
60,000 bonus miles and 5,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after spending $3,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months of card membership
Rewards
Earn 3x Miles on Delta purchases made directly with Delta. Earn 1.5x Miles on purchases over of $5,000 or more everywhere else, up to 50K additional miles per calendar year. Earn 1x Miles on all other purchases.
On American Express’s website
Details
Rewards
Earn 3x Miles on Delta purchases made directly with Delta. Earn 1.5x Miles on purchases over of $5,000 or more everywhere else, up to 50K additional miles per calendar year. Earn 1x Miles on all other purchases.
Intro offer
60,000 bonus miles and 5,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after spending $3,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months of card membership
Recommended Credit
Good to Excellent
Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
19.49% – 28.49% Variable
Intro Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
N/A
Pros & Cons
Highlights
Additional Reading
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
Intro offer
60,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after spending $4,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months of card membership
Rewards
Earn 3x miles on Delta purchases made directly with Delta. Earn 1.5x miles after you spend $150K on your card in a calendar year. Earn 1x miles on all other purchases.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
Intro offer
60,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after spending $4,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months of card membership
Rewards
Earn 3x miles on Delta purchases made directly with Delta. Earn 1.5x miles after you spend $150K on your card in a calendar year. Earn 1x miles on all other purchases.
On American Express’s website
This premium Amex card is a good choice for small-business owners who fly Delta very frequently and can take advantage of upscale perks like Delta Sky Club and Amex Centurion Lounge access, an annual companion certificate, and complimentary upgrades. However, it has the highest annual fee of any Delta business card, so if you aren’t able to use these benefits, it won’t be worth it.
Details
Rewards
Earn 3x miles on Delta purchases made directly with Delta. Earn 1.5x miles after you spend $150K on your card in a calendar year. Earn 1x miles on all other purchases.
Intro offer
60,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after spending $4,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months of card membership
Recommended Credit
Good to Excellent
Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
19.49% – 28.49% Variable
Intro Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
N/A
Pros & Cons
Highlights
Additional Reading
We’re focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won’t be worth it if you’re paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it’s important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.
Another way to earn a lot of Delta SkyMiles in a short amount of time is with the welcome offers on American Express co-branded Delta credit cards.
Delta offers the following personal credit cards:
Delta SkyMiles Gold
If you fly Delta occasionally, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is a great choice.
You’ll earn 40,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months, and receive a free first checked bag on Delta flights for yourself and up to eight companions on the same reservation (worth $30 per bag), priority boarding, a 20% discount on inflight purchases, and a $100 Delta flight credit after you spend $10,000 on the card in a calendar year. There’s an annual fee of $0 intro for the first year, then $99.
Delta SkyMiles Platinum
The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card offers a bonus of 50,000 bonus miles and 5,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months, and cardholders receive the same checked bag, priority boarding, and inflight discount benefits as the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card.
The card also comes with an annual companion certificate each card anniversary, a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit of up to $100 after you apply through any authorized enrollment provider, and discounted access to Sky Club lounges. There’s a $250 annual fee.
Delta SkyMiles Reserve
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card offers 50,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles after you spend $5,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months. It comes with a $550 annual fee, but it’s worth it if you fly Delta often.
You’ll receive access to Delta Sky Club airport lounges when flying Delta, and access to Amex Centurion Lounges when you fly Delta and use your card to book the ticket. You’ll also get two Delta Sky Club one-time guest passes each year, up to $100 for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit after you apply through any authorized enrollment provide, and access to complimentary upgrades for non-elite Delta members.
Delta SkyMiles Blue
The Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card has a $0 annual fee and comes with a welcome bonus offer of 10,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 in purchases on your new card in the first 6 months from account opening.
It doesn’t offer much in the way of extra perks, but cardholders earn 2x miles on Delta and restaurant purchases and 1x miles on everything else. You’ll also get 20% back on inflight purchases of food, beverages, and audio headsets as a statement credit, and the ability to Pay with Miles when booking on Delta.com.
If you qualify for a small-business credit card — either by running your own business or by doing some freelance work — you could be eligible for one of Delta’s three business credit cards:
Delta SkyMiles Gold Business
Small-business owners who fly Delta occasionally should consider the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card, with a welcome bonus offer of 50,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months of card membership.
This card comes with most of the same perks as the personal Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, including a free checked bag, priority boarding, and inflight discounts on Delta flights, as well as a $100 Delta flight credit after you spend $10,000 on the card in a calendar year. There’s an annual fee of $99 (with a $0 intro for the first year).
Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business
The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card is offering 60,000 bonus miles and 5,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after spending $3,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months of card membership, and cardholders receive the same perks as the personal version of the card, including a free checked bag, priority boarding, and inflight discounts on Delta, and an annual companion certificate. There’s a $250 annual fee.
One additional benefit is the ability to earn 1.5x miles on single eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (up to 50,000 additional miles per calendar year). Cardholders also earn 3x miles on Delta purchases and on purchases made directly with hotels.
Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card comes with a bonus of 60,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after spending $4,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months of card membership.
Like the personal version, you’ll get access to Delta Sky Club airport lounges when flying Delta, and access to Amex Centurion Lounges when you fly Delta and use your card to book the ticket. The card has a $550 annual fee.
Having an airline credit card can get you additional perks when you fly. In addition to all of the bonus SkyMiles, most of these Delta credit cards come with benefits including free checked bags and priority boarding order on Delta flights.
If you prefer earning transferable points instead of locking yourself into Delta SkyMiles, consider a card that earns American Express Membership Rewards points. Membership Rewards points transfer 1:1 to Delta SkyMiles. That means you can earn Membership Rewards points and have the flexibility to transfer to Delta or use them however you see fit.
Here are a few American Express cards that earn Membership Rewards points that you can transfer to Delta SkyMiles:
- The Platinum Card® from American Express
: 80,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership - American Express® Gold Card
: 60,000 points after you spend at least $4,000 in your first 6 months of card membership - American Express® Green Card
: 40,000 points after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first six months of account opening - The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
: 120,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases with your card within the first 3 months of card membership - American Express® Business Gold Card
: 70,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months of card membership - The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express: 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the card within your first 3 months of card membership
- Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card
: 15,000 points after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first six months of account opening - Amex EveryDay® Credit Card from American Express
: 10,000 Membership Rewards® Points when you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months.
Earn Delta miles through shopping and dining rewards
There are also a few other ways to earn Delta SkyMiles without flying or spending on credit cards. Delta has an online shopping portal where you can earn SkyMiles based on making online purchases at thousands of different stores. If you’re making any online purchases, you should be using a shopping portal first — if not, you’re missing out on thousands of miles or more per year.
Delta also has a SkyMiles dining program, which allows you to get extra miles by eating out at restaurants. You link your credit cards via the SkyMiles dining website, and then when you use a linked credit card at a participating restaurant, you will earn bonus miles. These miles are in addition to the miles that you earn from the actual purchase itself.
How to use Delta SkyMiles
Use miles to fly Delta
It may not be the most glamorous redemption, but one of the best uses of your SkyMiles can be to just fly you domestically with Delta where you want to go, when you want to get there. This holds especially true if you live at or near a Delta hub or focus city.
If you’re an eligible American Express Delta cardholder, you have the option to either pay for your ticket directly with SkyMiles or to use Delta’s Pay With Miles feature. With Pay With Miles, you can lower the cost of your ticket by $50 for 5,000 miles, $100 for 10,000 miles, and so on. It is true that you can often get better than 1 cent per mile value from your SkyMiles, but this serves as a good minimum value redemption for SkyMiles.
Remember too that if you’re short on Delta SkyMiles, you can transfer American Express Membership Rewards points 1:1 to Delta to top off your account.
Delta award “sales”
Several years ago, Delta was the first airline to remove its award chart. Now, the price of a flight in SkyMiles varies based on the route, the date, the time, number of stops, and anything else that Delta decides. Oftentimes the price in SkyMiles correlates to the cash price of a flight, though not always.
Delta does release sales every now and again (often unadvertised, unfortunately), with which you can find some pretty great deals on redemptions for both domestic and international awards.
Use miles to fly on partners
Because Delta is a member of the SkyTeam alliance, you can use your Delta miles to fly on Delta’s alliance and other partners such as Air France, China Eastern, Air Tahiti Nui, and Korean Air.
Other ways to use Delta miles
In addition to redeeming Delta SkyMiles for flights on Delta and its partners, there are also a few other ways to use them. You can use your miles for magazines, gift cards, upgrading your seat, and even other experiences. These are almost always a worse value than using your miles to fly on Delta or partner airlines, and are not recommended.
Delta SkyMiles frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Delta miles do not expire. Even if it’s been years since you’ve earned or redeemed your miles, you won’t have to worry about them disappearing on you.
The number of miles you’ll need for a free flight varies greatly by route, date, and time. Some short-haul flights within the Pacific Northwest sell for as little as 4,000 miles one-way in coach — while a lie-flat business class seat between the US and Africa could cost more than 200,000 miles.
Insider’s valuations estimate the average value of Delta miles to be 1.1 cents. But Delta miles don’t have a flat value. To calculate the value you’re receiving from your miles, you’ll have to divide the number of miles you’re using by the cash rate for the same seat.
It’s also worth noting that Delta credit card holders can choose to redeem Delta miles for flights at a rate of 1 cent each. This means you can bank on Delta miles being worth at least 1 cent each for airfare.
You can transfer miles to friends and family, but it’ll cost you 1 cent per mile, as well as a $30 processing fee. That is a horrible deal, especially considering that Insider estimates the average value of a mile to be 1.1 cents. The price you’ll pay to transfer negates nearly the entire value of the miles.
