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.
Advertiser disclosure
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.
News
How I used SkyMiles to upgrade my Paris flight from coach to Delta One
Andrew Kunesh is TPG's Points & Miles editor. He has been active in the points and miles space since 2014, using them to travel far and wide around the world. He is originally from Chicago but moved to New York City after graduating from DePaul University. His work is featured on Credit Karma, UpgradedPoints, ValuePenguin and various other travel and finance publications. He currently holds Delta Diamond Medallion and Marriott Titanium status, and 20+ credit cards that each have a special place in Andrew's wallet.
June 16, 2021 • 11 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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.
Related stories
Quick summary
The article details how to upgrade a Delta Main Cabin ticket to Delta One using airline miles or cash, sharing a firsthand experience on a New York to Paris flight.
Upgrade offers can appear before check-in, with pricing in miles or cash, and are subject to dynamic pricing that often varies based on demand and timing.
Upgrades can also be requested at booking or on select partner airlines, with eligibility and pricing dependent on award space and route.
The value of using miles for upgrades depends on personal valuation and current market rates, with recent trends making outsized value harder to achieve.
What to consider
Upgrade availability and pricing are highly dynamic and may change as departure approaches.
Eligibility for upgrades on partner airlines requires calling to confirm costs and available award space.
Some offers referenced in the article are no longer available.
What you'll miss from the article
A step-by-step guide to maximizing value when upgrading Delta flights, including practical tips for evaluating upgrade offers and understanding dynamic pricing.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Since the article published, I've been asked by several readers how I did this. So I figured I'd take a minute to outline how I upgraded my Delta flight from Main Cabin to Delta One.
I'll run through my experience first and then discuss how you can upgrade Delta tickets too.
Upgrading from Delta one on a flight to Paris
(Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy).
I didn't book my Main Cabin flight expecting to upgrade to Delta One. After all, my trip to Paris was for work and it wasn't a flight review. I was looking for the most simple and cost-effective way to get to Paris on the day France reopened for tourism.
However, when I checked my flight 48 hours before departure, I noticed I had an upgrade offer on my flight. I could upgrade from standard Main Cabin economy to Delta One for $699 or 69,900 SkyMiles.
(Screenshot courtesy of delta.com)
At first, I shrugged off the upgrade since it would give me less than TPG's SkyMiles valuation of 1.1 cents per point. But then I thought a little deeper — it's hard to get outsized value with SkyMiles these days due to Delta's hyper-dynamic pricing on international business class awards. Even partner tickets have skyrocketed in price.
Most Delta One seats from the U.S. to Europe cost 100,000+ SkyMiles each way. That said, a Delta One award ticket would likely have been significantly more expensive since I booked less than a month from my date of travel.
Plus, my ticket was right around $350. This low cash cost (which was reimbursed anyway) made it easy for me to justify spending the miles on an upgrade. I don't redeem SkyMiles frequently either, so it was nice to have a reason to use them.
One last thing: I'm chasing Delta Medallion elite status this year. Buy-up upgrades like this rebook your ticket into a higher class of service, so you earn more Medallion Qualifying Miles (MQM) on your trip. Plus, you're eligible for the higher "accelerator" status boost offered to Comfort+, Premium Select and Delta One customers. This was another draw toward the upgrade for me.
Thanks to a last-minute equipment swap, we actually flew an A330-900neo across the Atlantic. This is one of Delta's newest jets and is equipped with true Delta One Suites, complete with a sliding door.
1 of 3
(Photo by Andrew Kunesh/The Points Guy)
2 of 3
(Photo by Andrew Kunesh/The Points Guy)
3 of 3
(Photo by Andrew Kunesh/The Points Guy)
The service on-board was solid too. All meals were served on a single tray, but the flight attendants came around frequently to refill drinks. It was a good transatlantic experience and I arrived in Paris rested and ready to get to work.
There are a couple of ways to upgrade tickets with SkyMiles. Here's a quick look at how to upgrade Delta (and partner) Main Cabin tickets to Delta One business class.
Upgrading to Delta One after you book
The most common method of upgrading with Delta using SkyMiles to purchase a buy-up upgrade before check-in.
You'll be offered a buy-up upgrade on your flight details page. Generally, an upgrade from Main Cabin to Comfort+, Premium Select, First Class or Delta One will appear above your itinerary alongside its cash and miles pricing.
For example, here's a one-way flight I've booked from Chicago-O'Hare (ORD) to New York (LGA) early next month.
(Screenshot courtesy of delta.com)
You can choose to book one of these right away or you can wait to see if pricing changes closer to departure. Travelers with Delta Medallion elite status may opt to see if they can score a complimentary upgrade too.
If no upgrades are available, you won't see an option to upgrade.
You can also upgrade your tickets when booking a new ticket. You'll see upgrade offers at check-out. These are generally bookable with points or cash. You will generally see upgrades to one higher class of service (Main Cabin to Comfort+ or Comfort+ to Delta One, etc.).
You can use Mileage Upgrade Awards on Aeromexico, Air France, KLM and Virgin Atlantic flights with eligible award space. Call Delta to see what the upgrade cost is for your partner flight before you fly.
Now that Delta prices most upgrades dynamically, it's hard to say if an upgrade is a good deal or not. It all depends on your specific situation. If a business class cash fare is high, but you can cover an upgrade with relatively few SkyMiles, it can be a good deal.
It's also worth keeping your personal valuation of Delta SkyMiles in mind. If you value SkyMiles at well over one cent per point, you may want to save them for a future redemption that gets you more value.
However, I rarely get more than 1.3 cents per point from SkyMiles, so I don't mind using them to upgrade tickets for a little added comfort on long flights. My rule of thumb with SkyMiles upgrades is to get at least one cent per point in value.
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card: Earn 10,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first six months of account opening. No annual fee (see rates and fees).
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card: Earn 65,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership. Offer ends 8/2/23.$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99 (see rates and fees).
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card: Earn 85,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership. Offer ends 8/2/23.$250 annual fee. (see rates and fees).
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card: Earn 85,000 bonus miles after you spend $6,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership. Offer ends 8/2/23. $550 annual fee (see rates and fees).
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card: Earn 70,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months of card membership. Offer ends 8/2/23. $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99 annual fee (see rates and fees).
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card: Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months of card membership. Offer ends 8/2/23. $250 annual fee (see rates and fees)
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card: Earn 100,000 bonus miles after you spend $6,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months of card membership. Offer ends 8/2/23. $550 annual fee (see rates and fees).
American Express® Green Card:Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Plus, 20% back on eligible travel and transit purchases in the first six months, up to $200 back in the form of a statement credit. Earn 3x points on dining at restaurants, travel and transit (including flights, hotels, transit, taxis, tours, and ridesharing services), 1x points on all other purchases ($150 annual fee; see rates and fees).
American Express® Gold Card: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new card within the first six months of account opening. Earn 4x points on dining at restaurants; 4x points at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per calendar year; then 1x points); 3x points on airfare purchased directly from airlines or American Express Travel; 1x points on all other purchases, ($250 annual fee; see rates and fees).
The Platinum Card® from American Express: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards Points after you spend $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Earn 5x points on airfare purchased directly from airlines or with American Express Travel (earn 5x points on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), 5x on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel, and Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts; 1x on all other purchases, ($695 annual fee; see rates and fees).
There are many variables involved when you upgrade a Delta ticket with SkyMiles, but I think it all boils down to how much you personally value Delta SkyMiles and the offer you're given for a specific flight.
In the end, I think I got an excellent deal upgrading my Delta flight to Paris with SkyMiles. Here, I showed you how you can upgrade your own flights to Delta One with SkyMiles. Keep this in mind as international travel reopens and you get back on the road.
For rates and fees of the Amex Green card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Gold card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta Reserve Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Gold card, please click here. For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card, please click here. For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Blue Card, please click here. For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Card, please click here. For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business card, please click here. For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business card, click here.
Feature photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy
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.
