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Delta deal alert: Australia as low as 60,000 SkyMiles

May 23, 2022
6 min read
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In a year where many travelers finally feel confident booking bucket list-type trips that might not have been feasible over the last couple of years, we’ve got a great deal to put on your radar…but you’ll want to act fast.

Delta Air Lines has some great mileage deals available right now on flights to Sydney Airport (SYD). While the best deals involve flights out of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) — the only airport with direct Delta flights to Australia — right now, no matter your home city, it appears you can get a pretty good deal on a flight Down Under.

(Photo by Eric Rosen/The Points Guy)

At the moment, Delta’s sale involves round trips from LAX to Sydney for 60,000 SkyMiles throughout much of late 2022 and the first few months of 2023. Compare that to mileage fares out of LAX that can routinely cost well north of 100,000 — sometimes closer to 200,000 — SkyMiles for the round trip.

While you won’t find the same 60,000-mile fare from anywhere other than LAX, travelers leaving from an extensive list of U.S. airports should be able to get the round trip for 70,000 to 80,000 miles — still significant savings from what you’d typically see.

A Delta aircraft on the ground in Sydney. (Photo by James D. Morgan/Getty Images)

Related: Project Sunrise: Qantas announces plane purchase for NY-Australia nonstop flights

In keeping with the 2022 tradition, good deals (even with miles) often don't last long, so if you think this might be an option for you, you should book right away.

One of the best parts of this deal is that it will allow you to get Australia right as the continent is heading into its summer months, since it's in the Southern Hemisphere. Whether you want to stick to sightseeing in Sydney itself, or make your way to other parts of the country, this could be the opportunity you’ve been waiting for to get to the other side of the world.

Deal Basics

Airline: Delta Air Lines

Routes: LAX to SYD for the best deal, but many U.S. airports have strong options to Sydney as well

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How to book: Directly through the airline.

Travel dates: August 2022 through spring 2023, excluding the holidays

 Sample fares

  • Los Angeles (LAX) to Sydney for 60,000 miles
  • Seattle (SEA) to Sydney for 70,000 miles
  • Phoenix (PHX) to Sydney for 75,000 miles
  • New York-Kennedy (JFK) to Sydney for 80,000 miles

One of the things that struck me about these flights out of LAX was that month by month, they had a similar look to the awards calendar below.

An example of award booking options from LAX to SYD in September on Delta. (Screenshot courtesy of Delta Air Lines)

Looking to book on a particular week in the fall? There’s a good chance it’s available as part of this deal. Already know the dates for your 2023 spring vacation? You may be in luck.

Let’s first look at the strongest 60,000-mile, Main Cabin round-trip itinerary out of LAX, which TPG values at about $846 — cheaper than the cash price you’ll generally pay to get to Sydney. These are nonstop, long-haul flights between Los Angeles and Sydney aboard an Airbus A350-900. The outbound flight is the longest — close to 15 hours. On the way back, it’s a bit shorter, about 13 and a half hours. On top of the mileage fare, you pay $108 in fees which, considering it’s a trip to Australia, really isn’t bad. For perspective, I paid quite a bit more than that just this month for a short flight to the Caribbean on another legacy carrier.

(Screenshot courtesy of Delta Air Lines)

Because Delta’s flights to Sydney are out of LAX, as part of this deal you're going to end up there during your trip regardless of your origin airport. Those wanting to leave from New York can take a transcontinental flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK); they’ll have a short layover at LAX before the long-haul flight. It’s the same story on the return. The round trip goes for 80,000 miles, as is the case for many non-western U.S. cities.

(Screenshot courtesy of Delta Air Lines)

Plugging in a whole bunch of U.S. cities throughout the eastern U.S. and Midwest, I found nearly every one had the 80,000-mile round trip available. You can even get the fare on departures out of the smallest of airports. Take the Charlottesville Albemarle Airport CHO) in my Virginia hometown, which has Delta flights to just two destinations in all. You can get the 80k deal. But you'll end up with double connections (Atlanta and then Los Angeles) but, hey, you can get to Australia for a round trip mileage fare that TPG values at a little over $1,100.

(Screenshot courtesy of Delta Air Lines)

Related: How to book a trip to Sydney with points and miles

(Image courtesy of Keith Zhu/Unsplash)

Bottom line

If you’ve long wanted to travel to Australia but have never found the cash or mileage fares to be approachable, this could be a game changer. Whether you’ve accrued a bunch of SkyMiles through a Delta co-branded credit card or have, say, a haul of American Express points you’ve been thinking about redeeming, this deal is a good opportunity for travelers both in southern California and across the country to get to Sydney at a fraction of the cost typically available.

Featured image by (Photo by Eric Rosen/The Points Guy)
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

TPG featured card

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TPG Editor‘s Rating
Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPG‘s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
3 / 5
Go to review

Rewards

1 - 3X points
3XEarn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
2XEarn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and at U.S. supermarkets.
1XEarn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.

Intro offer

Earn 90,000 Bonus Miles50,000 Bonus Miles
Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.

Annual Fee

$250

Recommended Credit

670-850
Excellent/Good
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO© Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Why We Chose It

Build your loyalty to Delta by applying for the carrier's mid-tier card option, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card. The annual fee is quickly recouped by the card's travel perks, such as an application credit to Global Entry or TSA Precheck, annual companion certificate and so much more. Plus you can fast-track to elite status simply through card spend.

Pros

  • Earn bonus Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and an Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) waiver when you hit specific spending thresholds with your card within a calendar year
  • Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year
  • Statement credit for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry fee (up to $100)
  • First checked bag free

Cons

  • Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta
  • SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency
  • Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
  • Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
  • Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
  • New: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
  • Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
  • Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
  • Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
  • Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
  • Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
  • Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • $250 Annual Fee.
  • Terms Apply.
  • See Rates & Fees
Apply for Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
TPG Editor‘s Rating
Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPG‘s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
3 / 5
Go to review

Rewards Rate

3XEarn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
2XEarn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and at U.S. supermarkets.
1XEarn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
  • Intro Offer
    Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.

    Earn 90,000 Bonus Miles
    50,000 Bonus Miles
  • Annual Fee

    $250
  • Recommended Credit
    Credit ranges are a variation of FICO© Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

    670-850
    Excellent/Good

Why We Chose It

Build your loyalty to Delta by applying for the carrier's mid-tier card option, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card. The annual fee is quickly recouped by the card's travel perks, such as an application credit to Global Entry or TSA Precheck, annual companion certificate and so much more. Plus you can fast-track to elite status simply through card spend.

Pros

  • Earn bonus Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and an Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) waiver when you hit specific spending thresholds with your card within a calendar year
  • Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year
  • Statement credit for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry fee (up to $100)
  • First checked bag free

Cons

  • Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta
  • SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency
  • Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
  • Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
  • Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
  • New: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
  • Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
  • Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
  • Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
  • Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
  • Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
  • Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • $250 Annual Fee.
  • Terms Apply.
  • See Rates & Fees