Act fast: Wide open Delta One award space on new Boston to Rome route
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Just a few days ago, Delta announced its new Rome to Boston route, launching seasonal flights to the Italian capital between May 21 and Sept. 8. New route announcements like this represent an incredible opportunity for savvy award travelers, as there's often a brief window when the new flights are loaded into the airline's schedule where award space is wide open, even in premium cabins.
Since Delta switched to a dynamic award pricing model a few years back, one-way Delta One flights between the U.S. and Europe routinely price as high as 320,000 SkyMiles for short transatlantic red-eyes. However, there's currently wide open Delta One award space on this new route to Rome from its launch at the end of May all the way through the end of the current schedule.
TPG values Delta SkyMiles at 1.2 cents each, making 80,000 miles worth $960 — an absolute steal compared to the $8,000+ that these tickets are selling for if you pay cash. Most of the award space I'm seeing is nonstop, however a few dates include connections in other Delta hubs like New York-JFK or Atlanta (ATL), so be sure to double check your itinerary before booking.
Related: How to earn Delta SkyMiles
If you don't have any SkyMiles to redeem, don't worry. You can also book Delta One awards through Virgin Atlantic Flying Club at the incredible rate of only 50,000 miles each way plus $5.60 in taxes. You can transfer points to Virgin Atlantic at a 1:1 ratio from Chase Ultimate Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, American Express Membership Rewards and Citi ThankYou Rewards, and the last two have been known to offer transfer bonuses to Virgin Atlantic from time to time.
Delta's new nonstop from Boston to Rome will be operated by an Airbus A330-300, meaning you won't get to try Delta's flagship Delta One Suites which is currently only available on its A350, A330neo and select 777 aircraft. Instead, the A330-300 features 34 Delta One business class seats in a 1-2-1 reverse herringbone configuration, meaning every seat has direct aisle access.
The new Boston flight will operate with the following schedule:
- DL20 Boston (BOS) 5:00 p.m. departure → Rome (FCO) 7:15 a.m. arrival +1
- DL21 Rome (FCO) 10:45 a.m. departure → Boston (BOS) 2:15 p.m. arrival
In addition to the incredible award space on the new Boston to Rome route, there are a number of days featuring business-class availability at only 80,000 points each way on some of Delta's other transatlantic routes during the summer, including New York-JFK to Madrid (MAD) and a few others. Since Delta's award pricing changes so frequently, it would be worth doing a quick search if you're ready to start making travel plans for the summer of 2020.
Featured photo by Darren Murph/The Points Guy
Vote for TPG UK's four-class British Airways review in this year's Lovie Awards!
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.