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The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
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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How to redeem your Delta SkyMiles for maximum value
Kyle Olsen is the former points and miles reporter at TPG. He specializes in maximizing points and miles, elite status and credit cards so readers travel more comfortably and at a lower cost.
Ben Smithson is a senior writer for TPG and is based in London. Originally from Australia and a qualified lawyer with a financial services background, he has almost a decade of experience writing about a broad range of travel and loyalty topics.
also contributed to this story
July 11, 2026 • 10 min read
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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.
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Quick summary
Delta SkyMiles can still offer strong value despite dynamic pricing and the absence of published award charts.
Award sales and flash deals provide opportunities for discounted redemptions, especially on select city pairs and partner-operated flights.
Taxes and fees on Delta awards are generally modest, but surcharges may apply to international itineraries, particularly those originating in Europe.
SkyMiles can also be used for upgrades, Delta Vacations packages and flights with SkyTeam and nonalliance partners, though value varies by redemption.
What to consider
Award rates fluctuate widely due to dynamic pricing, so flexibility and frequent searches can help secure the best deals.
Rebooking is possible if award prices drop, with redeposited miles minus a mileage fee for basic economy cancellations.
Partner flight redemptions may require searching segment by segment or contacting Delta directly, as the website can have limitations.
What you'll miss from the article
Detailed strategies for maximizing SkyMiles value, including how to spot award sales and navigate partner redemptions.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Since Delta Air Lines eliminated its award charts a decade ago, the Delta SkyMiles program has become notably more unpredictable and, at times, outrageously expensive. With business-class flights on long-haul routes often priced at over 450,000 SkyMiles, it’s understandable to feel like your SkyMiles balance holds little value.
But if you have a stockpile of Delta miles, it is far from worthless. Excellent redemptions are still available, particularly during the carrier’s award sales.
Let’s explore some strategies for maximizing the value of your Delta SkyMiles.
You can use your Delta SkyMiles to book Delta, Delta Connection and Delta Shuttle flights. Since Delta uses dynamic pricing, award rates can vary significantly. For example, one-way basic economy award rates from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) range from 22,600 to 25,800 miles in October and November 2026.
DELTA AIR LINES
Taxes and fees are generally reasonable on Delta tickets. Expect to pay $6 per person in taxes and fees on most domestic and international tickets departing the U.S. However, Delta adds carrier-imposed surcharges on many awards outside the U.S., most notably those originating in Europe.
Keep an eye out for SkyMiles deals
A great way to redeem Delta miles is to take advantage of SkyMiles deals. These deals typically apply to specific city pairs, so it may be necessary to book positioning flights to fully maximize these promotions.
For example, Delta has previously offered flash sales with round-trip flights for just 5,000 SkyMiles. The airline has also offered flights from Atlanta to the Caribbean and Mexico starting at 14,400 SkyMiles round-trip.
We will bring you great deals as we see them, too, like Delta One business class to Europe for just 115,000 SkyMiles on peak summer dates.
If you have no immediate use for your SkyMiles, you may be best off saving them for the next big SkyMiles deal. Just be sure to keep an eye on Delta’s SkyMiles Award Deals page.
Save 15% with select Delta credit cards
If you have an eligible Delta credit card, you can save 15% on Delta-operated award flights when you use your miles and pay the taxes and fees with the card. This can be a great option to reduce the price you pay on Delta award tickets — and a major reason to open (and keep) a Delta card.
For flights booked with Delta SkyMiles, as long as your flight is cancellation-eligible, you can reprice your flight. The difference in miles will be redeposited into your account with no fee.
You can cancel your award flight for basic economy reservations, but you will incur a mileage fee. For those flights, Delta will deduct 9,900 miles for domestic travel within the U.S. and Canada and 19,900 miles for international travel. This fee is deducted from the value of your ticket, and any remaining miles will then be redeposited in your SkyMiles account.
Delta is a member of the SkyTeam alliance and also has several nonalliance airline partners. This gives you more flexibility to redeem your SkyMiles on various airlines and routes around the globe. Here is the complete list of Delta’s airline partners:
SkyTeam partners
Aerolineas Argentinas
Aeromexico
Air Europa
Air France
China Airlines
China Eastern Airlines
Garuda Indonesia
Kenya Airways
KLM
Korean Air
Middle East Airlines
Saudia
Scandinavian Airlines
TAROM
Vietnam Airlines
Virgin Atlantic
Xiamen Airlines
Nonalliance partners
Air Baltic
Air Tahiti Nui
Cape Air
Czech Airlines
El Al
LATAM
Mandarin Airlines
Shanghai Airlines
WestJet
No online award charts exist, so you must search route by route for prices — and you can score some pretty great deals on partner-operated flights that don’t touch the U.S. in particular.
Delta can increase these rates at any time and has done so on multiple occasions. To obtain the current award price, contact Delta directly or search its website. You can also try starting your search on Seats.aero.
While Delta has tried to improve its website to display partner awards, it may still have limitations, particularly when booking mixed-cabin itineraries. The website often prioritizes Delta-operated flights, which may not be ideal if you have specific flight requirements. We recommend searching for flights segment by segment and being prepared to call Delta if the website doesn’t offer the desired trip options.
You can also use your SkyMiles to upgrade to a higher class of service. If you have a confirmed Delta-marketed and -operated flight, you can pay cash or use miles to upgrade your flight directly on Delta’s website.
If you redeem your miles for an upgrade using this method, you’ll generally get a value of around 1 cent per mile, which is lower than our July 2026 valuation of 1.2 cents per mile. This could be a viable option if you have a surplus of SkyMiles and no immediate plans to use them. However, we generally recommend prioritizing award flight redemptions to maximize your value.
Or, you can redeem Delta miles to upgrade specific flights operated by Air France, KLM, Virgin Atlantic or Aeromexico. This option is subject to fare-class requirements and is available only on select routes operated by each partner. Refer to Delta's website for more details.
You’ll also want to make sure there’s upgrade inventory available.
You’ll usually obtain a value of around 1.1 cents per mile when you use your miles to cover a Delta Vacations package.
For example, you could book a three-night stay at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort in Honolulu for $990.96 or 90,087 SkyMiles, a redemption value of exactly 1.1 cents per mile. This is slightly less than our July 2026 valuation, but it's not a bad redemption.
You’ll, of course, need to have SkyMiles to take advantage of the redemptions mentioned above. Fortunately, there are several ways to increase your balance.
One of the simplest ways to earn Delta miles is by using Delta’s cobranded American Express cards. Here are some of the current welcome offers available for these cards:
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card: Apply and find out if your welcome offer is as high as 80,000 bonus miles, plus earn a $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. You may not be eligible for the maximum offer amount.
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card: Apply and find out if your welcome offer is as high as 90,000 bonus miles, plus earn a $300 statement credit after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. You may not be eligible for the maximum offer amount.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card: Earn two domestic round-trip Delta Comfort Flight Certificates (valid for travel to the U.S. 48, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands) and 50,000 bonus miles after spending $10,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. A 21+ day advance purchase is required; up to $80 per person in taxes and fees apply. Other restrictions apply.
Although the value of Delta SkyMiles has decreased in recent years, excellent deals remain.
While the program has been moving toward a redemption value of 1 cent per mile, you can still surpass that, especially with SkyMiles deals and partner-operated flights outside the U.S.
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.
