Book fast: Delta flights from just 2,000 SkyMiles each way
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Airfare deals are typically only available on limited dates. We recommend you use Google Flights to find dates to fly, then book through an online travel agency such as Orbitz or Expedia, which allows you to cancel flights without penalty by 11pm Eastern Time within one day of booking. However, if you’re using The Platinum Card® from American Express, you’ll need to book directly with the airline or through the Amex Travel portal to get 5x MR points (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year). Remember: Fares may disappear quickly, so book right away and take advantage of Orbitz or Expedia’s courtesy cancellation if you’re unable to get the time away from work or family.
Planning a domestic getaway later this year? Now might be the time to book.
Delta is currently offering award flights from just 2,000 SkyMiles one-way on a number of domestic routes. Many routes — even premier ones like New York-JFK to Miami (MIA) — are pricing under 5,000 SkyMiles in basic economy.
As noted by God Save The Points, Delta hasn’t posted these deals on its Flash Deals website — you can only find them by searching Delta’s website. These cheap award tickets could go away at any moment, so book quickly if you see something you like.
Remember, Delta’s new change policy doesn’t cover Basic Economy awards. We recommend paying for a Main Cabin ticket if your plans aren’t set in stone or if you think you may have to cancel.
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Sample fares from 2,000 SkyMiles
You’ll find the cheapest tickets on West Coast short-haul routes in the early Spring. For example, this flight from Seattle (SEA) to Los Angeles (LAX) is 2,000 SkyMiles in Basic Economy and 2,500 in Main Cabin.
The price goes up to 3,000 SkyMiles over the summer months. Here’s a flight in July:
We’re also seeing a ton of routes price at 4,500 SkyMiles over the coming months. This price-point isn’t all too rare, but we’re seeing it on traditionally more expensive routes like New York to Miami, as discussed earlier.
New York (LGA) to Chicago-O’Hare (ORD) is also pricing at 4,500 SkyMiles on many dates this summer:
Longer routes like Atlanta (ATL) to Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) have 4,500-SkyMile tickets throughout the summer too:
You also can find transcontinental routes like New York-JFK to Los Angeles (LAX) pricing at 7,500 SkyMiles one-way in Basic Economy. On a route this long, however, you may find it worthwhile to pay 3,000 extra SkyMiles for Main Cabin.
These aren’t the only routes available. Search Delta’s website and look for the routes you’re interested in — you’ll want to use the Calendar View option to see a month’s worth of award pricing at once.
As usual, be sure to check the cash cost of a ticket before using your SkyMiles. TPG values SkyMiles at 1.2 cents apiece, so you’ll want to ensure you’re getting at least this amount of value from your miles.
How to get SkyMiles quickly
You can transfer American Express Membership Rewards to Delta SkyMiles if you need to top-up your account. These transfers process immediately. If you’re looking to earn more Delta SkyMiles for future trips, the following cards are offering at least 70,000 SkyMiles as a welcome bonus:
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card: 70,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card: 90,000 bonus miles after after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card: 80,000 bonus miles, plus 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card: 70,000 bonus miles and a $50 statement credit after spending $2,000 in purchases on your new card in the first three months of account opening. Offer ends 4/28/21.
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card: 90,000 bonus miles and a $100 statement credit after spending $3,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months. Offer ends 4/28/21.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card: 80,000 bonus miles and 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs), and a $200 statement credit after spending $5,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months. Offer ends 4/28/21.
Bottom line
These discounted fares from Delta can be a great way to book flights ahead of time, as it becomes safer to travel. Just remember to book a refundable fare so you can easily cancel if you can’t travel safely.
Feature photo by Chris Dong/The Points Guy
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