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Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
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Deal Alert: US to Maldives in Biz for 95K Delta SkyMiles, Economy for 45K
Darren holds the Guinness World Record as the planet's most prolific professional blogger, a feat he achieved in 2010. He's a seasoned storyteller, instructor and communicator, working across marketing, editorial and public relations for some of the world's most progressive brands. He's an explorer at heart, having traversed nearly 50 countries and all 50 US states. He's flown over one million miles on Delta alone, and takes pride in facilitating unforgettable excursions using points and miles.
June 24, 2019 • 7 min read
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Quick summary
Delta's booking portal briefly offered round-trip business class flights from major US cities to the Maldives for 190,000 miles plus approximately $200-300 in taxes and fees.
Economy awards were available from 45,000 miles one-way, with flexible date and airport options across the US.
Some itineraries included long layovers or partner flights, but certain routes featured appealing stops in cities like Paris.
TPG values Delta miles at 1.2 cents each as of June 2024, making these redemptions a strong value compared to typical cash fares.
What to consider
Some offers mentioned are no longer available; availability may change rapidly.
Award tickets can be canceled for a full refund of miles and taxes within a limited window after booking, with additional flexibility for elite members.
Schedule changes of 60 minutes or more may allow free rebooking or refunds, regardless of elite status.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed guide to booking Maldives hotels with points and strategies for maximizing award travel flexibility.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Want to see the latest flight deals as soon as they’re published? Follow The Points Guy on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to text message alerts from our deals feed, @tpg_alerts.
If you've been speculatively hoarding Delta SkyMiles in hopes of redeeming them for a trip of a lifetime, most of your friends have likely written you off as looney. Turns out, you'll be the one with the last laugh. We've discovered that Delta's online booking portal is showing round-trip business class trips to Malé, Maldives (MLE) for just 190,000 SkyMiles + around $200-300 in fees.
If you're tight on miles and willing to fly nearly 10,000 miles in coach, economy tickets are displaying at 45,000 SkyMiles + fees one-way, or 90,000 SkyMiles + fees round-trip.
If you're flexible with dates, you'll find most major US airports are included in the deal. That includes the likes of Boston (BOS), Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), Seattle (SEA), Minneapolis–St. Paul (MSP), Detroit (DTW), Miami (MIA), Raleigh–Durham (RDU) and New York (LGA/JFK).
Granted, some of these itineraries have long layovers and flights on partner airlines, but some offer nicely timed stops in Paris that could make for a beautiful way to stretch your legs between flights.
No matter how you slice it, that's a solid deal on a long journey in business class. We value SkyMiles at 1.2 cents a piece, which means 95,000 of them should typically net you around $1,140 worth of airfare value. One-way business class tickets from the United States to the Maldives via Delta and its SkyTeam partners range from around $3,800 to $10,000. Parting ways with just 95,000 SkyMiles one-way as opposed to many thousands of dollars is a fantastic use of miles.
Sunsets like these are just 100,000 SkyMiles away. (Photo by Darren Murph / The Points Guy)
Be willing to play around with dates and airports within driving distance. Delta's booking engine has a tendency to throw up errors if no flights are available, but selecting different dates can return different results.
The stunning overwater villas at the Park Hyatt Maldives. (Photo by Darren Murph / The Points Guy)
Once your flight is booked, you'll want to turn your attention to lodging. We've assembled a comprehensive guide on staying in the Maldives using points and miles, including the best cards to get for racking up points for a quick redemption. Below are a few of our favorite properties that can be reserved with points.
If you're looking to boost your SkyMiles balance, consider applying for one of the cards below.
The Platinum Card® from American Express ($695 annual fee (See Rates & Fees); 100,000 transferable Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 within the first six months of holding the card) Terms Apply.
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express ($595 annual fee (See Rates & Fees); Earn up to 75,000 bonus points: 50,000 bonus points after you spend $10,000 and an extra 25,000 bonus points after you spend an additional $10,000 all on qualifying purchases within your first 3 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.
American Express® Gold Card ($250 annual fee (See Rates & Fees); 60,000 transferable Membership Rewards points after you spend $4,000 within the first six months of holding the card) Terms Apply.
Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express ($95 annual fee waived for first year (See Rates & Fees); Earn 30,000 bonus miles after you use your new Card to make $1,000 in purchases within your first 3 months and a $50 Statement Credit after you make a Delta purchase with your new Card within your first 3 months. Terms Apply.
Delta Reserve for Business Credit Card ($450 annual fee; $550 if application is received on or after 1/30/2020, See Rates & Fees); Earn 40,000 Bonus Miles and 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Terms Apply.
As with any Delta ticket, you have until midnight ET the day after you purchase to call, cancel and receive a refund of your miles and taxes paid. For Platinum and Diamond Medallion members, you'll enjoy the luxury of being able to cancel this award ticket free of charge up until 72 hours prior to departure.
Given that these flights are many months away, it's also likely that a schedule change or two will occur. Not only does a significant (typically 60+ minutes) schedule change enable you to call Delta and request a different routing within reason free of charge, but a change of 90+ minutes will generally allow you to call and request a full refund regardless of your Medallion status.
Airline: Delta Air Lines, Air France Routes: Most major US airports to Malé, Maldives (MLE) Cost: One-way economy award flights from 45,000+ SkyMiles for Main Cabin and 95,000+ SkyMiles for Business/Delta One, with between $30 and $300 in fees depending on cabin and routing Dates: November 2019 through March 2020 Booking Link: Directly with Delta Air Lines Pay Taxes/Fees With: Chase Sapphire Reserve (3x on airfare plus excellent trip-delay insurance) or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on travel)
New York (JFK) to Malé (MLE) for 190,000 SkyMiles + $148 round-trip:
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum Card, please click here. For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum Card, please click here. For rates and fees of the Amex Gold Card, please click here. For rates and fees of the Gold Delta SkyMiles Card, please click here. For rates and fees of the Delta Reserve Business Card, please click here.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
