Delta SkyMiles: Your complete guide to earning, redeeming and elite status

Editor’s word: This can be a recurring submit, commonly up to date with the newest data.

Probably the most widespread frequent flyer applications is Delta SkyMiles, the loyalty program of Delta Air Lines. TPG’s February 2025 valuations peg Delta SkyMiles at 1.2 cents apiece, and you’ll redeem them for flights, upgrades, motels and extra. You’ll sometimes get essentially the most worth out of your miles when you snag one in every of Delta’s frequent flash sales, which provide discounted award flights domestically and overseas.

Whether or not flying or buying on-line, incomes SkyMiles is straightforward. Delta has a wide array of cobranded bank cards, lots of that are offering huge welcome offers proper now that may assist increase your SkyMiles account. Preserve studying to search out out extra concerning the Delta SkyMiles program.

Associated: Best Delta credit cards

What’s the Delta SkyMiles program?

Delta One Suite — ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

Delta SkyMiles has roughly 120 million members, making it the world’s largest airline loyalty program. Becoming a member of this system is free, and your miles by no means expire.

You may earn Delta SkyMiles by way of quite a lot of strategies. Some widespread ones embody flying with Delta and its companions, spending on Delta’s cobranded playing cards, transferring factors from American Express Membership Rewards, buying by way of the Delta SkyMiles Shopping portal, eating out by way of the SkyMiles Dining program and partaking in various other promotions supplied by the airline.

You can even earn Medallion Qualification {Dollars} that can assist you attain Delta’s 4 elite standing tiers, which give perks like seat upgrades, precedence boarding and airport lounge access.

Associated: How to keep your points and miles from expiring

Delta SkyMiles program companions

first class seats on ITA Airways — BEN SMITHSON/THE POINTS GUY

Delta is a member of the SkyTeam airline alliance, which incorporates over a dozen airways worldwide. You may earn and redeem SkyMiles once you journey with any SkyTeam airline. SkyTeam serves 1,000 locations and touches nearly each a part of the globe, with flights touchdown on six continents.

The members are:

Aerolineas Argentinas
Aeromexico
Air Europa
Air France
China Airways
China Japanese Airways
Delta Air Strains
Garuda Indonesia
Kenya Airways
KLM
Korean Air
Center East Airways
SAS
Saudia
TAROM
Vietnam Airways
Virgin Atlantic
XiamenAir

Associated: Delta bolsters 2025 plans in Europe, Asia with 2 new international routes

Different companions

Delta has a number of different partnerships past SkyTeam members, supplying you with quite a few choices for incomes miles even once you aren’t flying with Delta or a SkyTeam airline. Nonalliance companions embody:

AirBaltic
Cape Air
China Southern Airways
El Al
Hawaiian Airways
LATAM
WestJet

Simply word that every partnership has specific restrictions and requirements.

Associated: The best websites for searching SkyTeam award availability

Delta SkyMiles elite standing

Delta Air Lines Diamond Medallion card — CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY

The SkyMiles program gives four elite status tiers for frequent Delta flyers: Silver Medallion, Gold Medallion, Platinum Medallion and Diamond Medallion.

Incomes Delta Medallion standing

As of Jan. 1, 2024, Delta solely makes use of Medallion Qualification Dollars as standards for qualification — and the requirement thresholds have elevated considerably in recent times. Delta additionally modified the way in which you earn MQDs by way of card spending, eliminating the MQD waiver profit from eligible playing cards.

You may earn MQDs within the following methods:

Delta and accomplice flights: Earn 1 MQD per greenback spent on Delta-marketed flights operated by Delta or its accomplice airways.
Playing cards: Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card members earn 1 MQD for each $10 spent, whereas Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card and Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card members earn 1 MQD for each $20 spent. These playing cards additionally present an MQD Headstart of two,500 MQDs every year. (Phrases apply.)
Delta Holidays: Earn 1 MQD per greenback spent on all the trip expertise (along with what you earn on your flight) when reserving straight with Delta Vacations. You’ll earn MQDs on components of the package deal, together with stays, vehicles, rides and actions.

Now that it’s more durable to earn Medallion standing, is it price attempting? Listed below are some key advantages of every of Delta’s standing tiers.

Associated: Is Delta Air Lines status worth it? What this disappointed soon-to-be-Diamond thinks

SkyMiles Silver Medallion

The bottom elite tier in Delta’s SkyMiles program is Silver Medallion standing. As a Silver Medallion, you’ll obtain:

Complimentary first-class upgrades on home and short-haul worldwide flights from 24 hours earlier than departure
Upgrades to Consolation+ inside 24 hours of departure
Precedence boarding (Zone 5) and check-in
One free checked bag on flights operated by Delta and choose accomplice airways, plus a free checked bag for as much as eight of your companions when touring on a Delta flight

SkyMiles Gold Medallion

Subsequent up is Gold Medallion standing, which gives you:

Complimentary first-class upgrades on home and short-haul worldwide flights from three days earlier than departure
Upgrades to Consolation+ inside three days of departure
SkyPriority standing
Waived charges on same-day confirmed modifications

SkyMiles Platinum Medallion

The third tier within the SkyMiles program is Platinum Medallion. Along with the beforehand talked about Silver Medallion and Gold Medallion perks, you’ll get the next:

Complimentary first-class upgrades on home flights and short-haul worldwide flights from 5 days earlier than departure
Upgrades to Consolation+ at reserving
Your choose of a Choice Benefit

SkyMiles Diamond Medallion

Lastly, the very best publicly accessible tier within the SkyMiles program Diamond Medallion. Diamond members get all the pieces detailed above, plus some even higher perks:

Further Alternative Profit choices
Complimentary Clear Plus membership
Increased improve precedence

Delta additionally has an invitation-only status known as Delta 360 — however this tier stays considerably mysterious since Delta doesn’t publish any data on its advantages or earn it.

Associated: Delta 360 status: What it is and how to earn the invite-only elite status

Methods to earn SkyMiles

Delta plane at gate — ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

There are a number of methods to earn Delta SkyMiles. The best methods are flying Delta-operated flights, touring with a SkyTeam accomplice and opening a Delta cobranded bank card. You can even earn miles by way of on a regular basis actions like buying and eating.

Earn SkyMiles by flying

While you fly Delta on a Delta-issued ticket in the primary cabin or above (basic economy fares don’t earn miles), you’ll earn SkyMiles primarily based on the bottom value of your ticket. The upper your standing tier, the quicker you’ll earn miles.

Common member: 5 miles per greenback
Silver Medallion: 7 miles per greenback
Gold Medallion: 8 miles per greenback
Platinum Medallion: 9 miles per greenback
Diamond Medallion: 11 miles per greenback

In follow, because of this when you purchase a one-way flight from New York’s John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (JFK) to Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX) for $250 earlier than taxes, you’ll earn 1,250 SkyMiles as a basic member. Nevertheless, you’ll earn 1,750 miles as a Silver Medallion and a whopping 2,750 miles when you’re a Diamond Medallion.

One other method to earn miles is by flying Delta’s accomplice airways, however the way you earn these miles is determined by the way you booked the ticket. For instance, once you e-book accomplice airline tickets on Delta’s web site, you’ll earn miles the identical manner as you’d on a Delta-operated flight.

In the meantime, when you e-book a accomplice flight on the service’s web site (for instance, Air France) and add your Delta SkyMiles quantity, you’ll earn miles primarily based on a share of the gap flown. The precise variety of SkyMiles you’ll obtain varies based on the partner, reserving class and your elite standing.

Associated: Can I earn the miles if I buy someone a ticket?

Earn SkyMiles by way of bank cards

There’s a Delta bank card for everybody — the loyalist, the enterprise traveler and even the rare flyer. All of them besides the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card provide the next perks:

First checked bag free and precedence boarding on Delta flights
20% low cost on inflight purchases
15% off award redemptions for Delta flights

Every card gives some extra perks for vacationers. Right here’s a take a look at a few of the greatest Delta SkyMiles bank cards from American Specific. (Phrases apply.)

Bank card	Annual price	Welcome bonus	TPG’s valuation (as of February 2025)	Notable perks
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card	$0 introductory annual price for the primary yr, then $150 (see rates and fees)	Earn 80,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in eligible purchases throughout the first six months of card membership.	$960	$200 Delta flight credit score after you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases in your card in a calendar yr As much as a $100 annual assertion credit score towards motels and trip leases by way of Delta Stays
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card	$350 (see rates and fees)	Earn 90,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in eligible purchases within the first six months of card membership.	$1,080	An annual companion certificate for a important cabin round-trip flight throughout the U.S. or to Mexico, the Caribbean or Central America A press release credit score to cowl the entry price for World Entry ($120 each 4 years) or TSA PreCheck (as much as $85 each 4.5 years) As much as $10 per 30 days in assertion credit for eligible U.S. Resy restaurant purchases and as much as $10 per 30 days in ride-hailing assertion credit with choose U.S. suppliers As much as a $150 annual Delta Stays assertion credit score Hertz Five Star status Enrollment is required for some advantages.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card	$650 (see rates and fees)	Earn 100,000 bonus miles after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases in your first six months of card membership.	$1,200	15 Delta Sky Club lounge visits per yr (efficient Feb. 1, 2025) and entry to American Express Centurion Lounges once you e-book your Delta flight with the cardboard An annual companion certificates for a round-trip flight throughout the U.S. or to Mexico, the Caribbean or Central America in important cabin, Consolation+ or first-class Complimentary upgrades for non-Medallion members As much as $20 per 30 days in assertion credit for eligible U.S. Resy restaurant purchases and as much as $10 per 30 days in ride-hailing assertion credit with choose U.S. suppliers As much as a $200 annual Delta Stays assertion credit score Hertz President’s Circle standing Enrollment is required for some advantages.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card	$0 introductory annual price for the primary yr, then $150 (see rates and fees)	Earn 90,000 bonus miles after spending $6,000 in your new card within the first six months of card membership.	$1,080	Earn 2 miles per greenback spent on transport and promoting (as much as $50,000 per yr, then 1 mile per greenback) A $200 Delta flight credit score after you spend $10,000 on purchases together with your card in a calendar yr As much as a $150 annual Delta Stays assertion credit score
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card	$350 (see rates and fees)	Earn 100,000 bonus miles after spending $8,000 within the first six months of card membership.	$1,200	Earn 1.5 miles per greenback spent on transit at U.S. transport suppliers and on single purchases of $5,000 or extra (on as much as $100,000 in whole eligible purchases, then 1 mile per greenback) An annual companion certificates for a round-trip important cabin flight throughout the U.S. or to Mexico, the Caribbean or Central America A press release credit score to cowl the membership price for World Entry ($120 each 4 years) or TSA PreCheck (as much as $85 each 4.5 years) As much as $10 per 30 days in assertion credit for eligible U.S. Resy restaurant purchases and as much as $10 per 30 days in ride-hailing assertion credit with choose U.S. suppliers As much as a $200 annual Delta Stays assertion credit score Enrollment is required for some advantages.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card	$650 (see rates and fees)	Earn 110,000 bonus miles after spending $12,000 in purchases within the first six months of card membership.	$1,320	15 visits per yr to Delta Sky Membership lounges (efficient Feb. 1, 2025) and entry to American Specific Centurion Lounges once you e-book your Delta flight with the cardboard Earn 1.5 miles per greenback spent on eligible transit, transport and workplace provide retailer purchases, plus all eligible purchases after you spend $150,000 per yr on the cardboard An annual companion certificates for a round-trip flight throughout the U.S. or to Mexico, the Caribbean or Central America in important cabin, Consolation+ or first-class Complimentary upgrades for non-Medallion members As much as $20 per 30 days in assertion credit for eligible U.S. Resy restaurant purchases and as much as $10 per 30 days in ride-hailing credit with choose U.S. suppliers As much as a $250 annual Delta Stays assertion credit score Hertz President’s Circle standing Enrollment is required for some advantages.

Associated: 5 things you need to know about Delta SkyMiles

Earn SkyMiles by way of buying portals

Man shopping on his laptop — 10’000 HOURS/GETTY IMAGES

One of many best methods to earn SkyMiles is thru Delta’s on-line buying portal, Delta SkyMiles Shopping. You may earn miles for purchases you’d ordinarily make with over a thousand retailers on-line.

Should you don’t have already got an account, you could register utilizing your SkyMiles quantity. Then, you should use the search field to search out the shop or product you’re searching for and evaluate costs and mileage charges at completely different retailers. You can even favourite shops, so that you’ll be notified when these shops provide bonus miles.

After choosing your service provider, click on on the shop, product or provide, and also you’ll be taken to the shop’s web site to buy and take a look at. The shop will alert the portal once you’ve made a purchase order, and the miles you earned will likely be added to your SkyMiles account. You’ll obtain a affirmation electronic mail when your miles have been posted — that is sometimes inside three to 5 days, however it will probably take as much as 15 days.

Nearly each main airline has a buying portal, so use a shopping portal aggregator to make sure you get the perfect deal once you store on-line.

Associated: Your guide to maximizing shopping portals for your online purchases

Switch Amex factors to Delta

Lastly, you’ll be able to switch American Express Membership Rewards factors to your Delta SkyMiles account at a 1:1 ratio. We don’t normally suggest this as a result of we worth Amex factors greater than SkyMiles: TPG values Amex factors at 2 cents apiece, in comparison with just one.2 cents for SkyMiles, per our February 2025 valuations.

It’s typically troublesome to get the next worth from Delta, because of dynamic pricing. You’ll additionally must pay an excise tax offset fee when transferring Amex factors to Delta (and different home frequent flyer applications).

Associated: American Express Membership Rewards transfer partners: Maximize your points

Methods to redeem SkyMiles

Delta eliminated revealed award charts in 2015, turning into the primary main U.S. airline to shift to dynamic pricing for award tickets. Because of this, you have to to look on the Delta web site or app to find out what number of SkyMiles you want for an award ticket. Delta’s web site is fairly simple to navigate, and its useful calendar function may also help you discover the bottom costs on your subsequent redemption.

We’ve typically discovered the perfect redemptions on home flights. With one of many Delta cobranded playing cards that gives a 15% low cost on Delta-operated award tickets, you’ll be able to typically e-book short-haul flights for below 4,000 SkyMiles one-way. That stated, costs will fluctuate by day, route and cabin class.

Observe that Delta award tickets are absolutely refundable (on flights originating within the U.S. and Canada excluding fundamental economic system fares), so in case your plans change, you’ll be able to redeposit the miles and get a refund for the taxes and charges you paid. This additionally permits you to rebook award tickets when the mileage value drops, securing a refund of the distinction in miles.

Moreover, you should use your SkyMiles to book partner tickets on most of Delta’s SkyTeam and nonalliance companions. Sadly, these have now largely been aligned with costs on Delta’s personal flights, minimizing the chance to get higher worth from accomplice awards, particularly in premium cabins.

Associated: How to redeem Delta SkyMiles for maximum value

Candy spots

delta airlines economy — BEN SMITHSON/THE POINTS GUY

With Delta utilizing full dynamic pricing throughout its route community, there aren’t many candy spots to maximise the worth of your SkyMiles. Nonetheless, there are just a few good choices on the market.

Delta flash gross sales

Delta incessantly runs SkyMiles flash gross sales to short- and long-haul U.S. locations and cities in Europe, Asia and the Caribbean. We’ve seen some terrific offers for the primary cabin, Consolation+ and first-class. Previous offers embody round-trip flights to Europe for just 33,000 miles and fares to Tahiti starting at 60,000 miles.

In fact, these low-cost tickets aren’t all the time effectively marketed, so it pays to test availability typically. Delta typically costs short- and mid-haul award tickets effectively below what different airways would cost for comparable flights. You’ll typically discover the perfect offers when reserving upfront and touring on off-peak dates.

Delta and LATAM economic system flights to South America

Whatever the class of service, money flights to South America are not often low-cost, particularly to Brazil. Delta SkyMiles members can e-book LATAM award tickets at affordable costs, and it’s one of many higher methods to make use of SkyMiles. For instance, 66,000 SkyMiles can typically get you a round-trip itinerary from JFK to Sao Paulo-Guarulhos Worldwide Airport (GRU), and plenty of of those flights are nonstop.

Associated: How to get value from 5,000 or fewer Delta SkyMiles

Backside line

With its operational efficiency, huge route community and quite a few accomplice airways, Delta is commonly touted by some as the perfect home airline. In reality, the service has taken the highest spot in TPG’s evaluation of the best airlines in the U.S. for the final 5 years. Though current modifications to award pricing and elite standing necessities have dissatisfied many Delta loyalists, there’s nonetheless lots to love concerning the Delta SkyMiles program.

Whether or not you’re a frequent Delta flyer or extra informal buyer, specializing in a mixture of flying, utilizing buying portals and making purchases with Delta bank cards can enhance your SkyMiles steadiness on your subsequent redemption.

For charges and charges of the Delta SkyMiles Gold Card, click on here.
For charges and charges of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card, click on here.
For charges and charges of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card, click on here.
For charges and charges of the Delta SkyMiles Gold Enterprise Card, click on here.
For charges and charges of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Enterprise Card, click on here.
For charges and charges of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Enterprise Card, click on here.