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For anyone with a stash of Delta SkyMiles, the last few weeks haven’t been too bad. Delta’s been running deals on award flights including itineraries to Europe for just 22,000 SkyMiles round-trip. The airline has now added Tokyo as another discounted destination. There are only a handful of routes advertised by Delta, but it appears to cover many more departure cities than just the one’s listed:
Although Delta doesn’t publish an award chart, it’s highly unlikely to see rates to Japan for lower than 70,000 miles round-trip. So while Los Angeles (LAX) is truly the only discounted city, all other cities have wide open availability (including non-stop flights) at the 70,000 mile rate. Some routes allow travelers to fly aboard Delta’s new flagship aircraft, the Airbus A350, which features a 3-3-3 layout in economy.
These awards book into Main Cabin, not basic economy. So, you’ll be able to check up to a 50 pound bag each way for free.
If you’re short on miles, remember that you can instantly transfer American Express Membership Rewards points into your SkyMiles account at 1:1 ratio.
Airline: Delta
Routes: US Cities (ATL/JFK/LAX/SFO/SEA/MSP/BOS/DTW/PDX and likely others) to Tokyo (HND/NRT)
Cost: 54,000+ SkyMiles and $46+ round-trip in economy
Dates: August 30 – December 9, 2018
Purchase By: August 29
Booking Link: Directly with Delta
Pay Taxes/Fees With: The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on airfare), Citi ThankYou Premier Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve, Premier Rewards Gold Card from American Express, Citi Prestige (3x on airfare plus excellent trip-delay insurance) or Chase Sapphire Preferred (2x on travel)
Here are a few examples of what you can book:
Los Angeles (LAX) to Tokyo Haneda (HND) for 54,000 miles + $46 in taxes and fees round-trip nonstop:
New York (JFK) to Tokyo Narita (NRT) for 70,000 miles + $51 in taxes and fees round-trip:
Detroit (DTW) to Tokyo Narita (NRT) for 70,000 miles + $46 in taxes and fees round-trip nonstop:
San Francisco (SFO) to Tokyo Haneda (HND) for 70,000 miles + $51 in taxes and fees round-trip:
Seattle (SEA) to Tokyo (NRT) for 70,000 miles + $51 in taxes and fees round-trip:
Minneapolis (MSP) to Tokyo (NRT/HND) for 70,000 miles + $46 in taxes and fees round-trip:
Maximize Your Purchase
Don’t forget to use a credit card that earns additional points on airfare purchases to pay the taxes and fees, such as the Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on flights booked directly with airlines or American Express Travel), Citi ThankYou Premier Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve, American Express Premier Rewards Gold or Citi Prestige (3x on airfare) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on all travel purchases). Check out this post for more on maximizing airfare purchases.
If you don’t have enough SkyMiles in your account, consider signing up for one of the Delta credit cards to ensure you’re able to take advantage of a deal next time one pops up. For example, the Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express currently comes with a bonus of 30,000 SkyMiles after you spend $1,000 in the first three months. Plus, a $50 statement credit after you make a Delta purchase within the first three months. Also, this is a great card for defeating basic economy.
Featured image by Shutterstock.
With great travel benefits, 2x points on travel & dining and a 50,000 point sign up bonus, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is a great card for those looking to get into the points and miles game. Here are the top 5 reasons it should be in your wallet, or read our definitive review for more details.
- Earn 50,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $625 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® named a 'Best Travel Credit Card' by MONEY® Magazine, 2016-2017
- 2X points on travel and dining at restaurants worldwide & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
- No foreign transaction fees
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards. For example, 50,000 points are worth $625 toward travel
- No blackout dates or travel restrictions - as long as there's a seat on the flight, you can book it through Chase Ultimate Rewards
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
