Guide to Delta SkyMiles

Terms apply; see the online credit card application for full terms and conditions of offers and rewards.

If Delta Air Lines is your preferred way to fly, you should join the airline’s free loyalty program, SkyMiles, which offers valuable perks to regular travelers and may even be worthwhile if you aren’t a frequent flyer.

The Delta SkyMiles program offers the following benefits:

Multiple redemption opportunities including flights, merchandise and experiences. There are no blackout dates for flight redemptions.
Valuable perks for those who earn elite status.
Miles can be earned on flights with partnering airlines, and miles never expire so long as an account is open.

Still, there are some cons to Delta SkyMiles, including:

General membership doesn’t provide many perks, and you’ll need to earn elite status to make the most of the program.
Mile redemption for flights is dynamic, meaning that how many miles you need to redeem for a flight can depend on when you fly and where you’re going.
Program details can be complex and confusing.

These few cons aside, this is a free loyalty program, so there’s no harm in joining even if you rarely fly with Delta.

What are Delta SkyMiles?

Delta SkyMiles is the name of the Delta Air Lines loyalty program. Like other frequent flyer programs, it awards miles based on how often you fly and how much you spend with the airline. Those miles can be redeemed in a number of ways that we’ll discuss in a moment, but first, let’s talk more about earning miles.

How to earn Delta SkyMiles

There are three main ways to earn Delta SkyMiles:

Purchasing a Delta flight
Making a purchase with an eligible Delta partner or other travel booked through Delta
Using a Delta co-branded credit card to make purchases

The number of miles you earn for flights depends on your elite status. General members without elite status earn five miles per dollar spent. However, elite members can earn as much as 11 miles per dollar spent if they have Diamond Medallion status.

If you don’t fly often, don’t worry. You can still earn miles to redeem for free travel by using a Delta SkyMiles co-branded credit card. These cards offer one mile per dollar spent on most purchases plus additional miles in specific categories.

Here are some highlights of the Delta SkyMiles credit cards currently available:

Delta SkyMiles credit cards

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Earn 10,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 in the first six months after opening an account
Earn two miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.; two miles per dollar spent on Delta purchases; and one mile on all other eligible purchases.
20% in-flight savings
No foreign transaction fees
No annual fee
Terms apply; American Express is a CardRatings advertiser

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Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership.
Earn two miles per dollar spent on Delta purchases
Earn two miles per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide (plus delivery and takeout in the U.S.) and at U.S. supermarkets
First checked bag is free on Delta flights
After you spend $10,000 in purchases in a calendar year, you will receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit to inspire your next travel
No foreign transaction fees
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Earn 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership.
First checked bag is free on Delta flights
Earn three miles per dollar spent on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels
Earn two miles per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets
Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your card. Card members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
Receive $2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year and get closer to Status with MQD Headstart. Additionally, earn $1 Medallion Qualification Dollar for each $20 of purchases made on your Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express card in a calendar year and get a boost toward achieving elevated Medallion Status for next Medallion Year.
Receive a Companion Certificate on a Main Cabin round-trip flight within the U.S. and to Mexico, the Caribbean, or Central America each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Ticket requires payment of the government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for round-trip domestic flights and no more than $250 for round-trip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
No foreign transaction fees
AnnualFees annual fee
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Earn 70,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $5,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first six months of Card Membership.
Enjoy complimentary access to the Delta Sky Club® when you fly Delta. Effective 2/1/25, Reserve Card Members will receive 15 Visits per year to the Delta Sky Club; to earn an unlimited number of Visits each year starting on 2/1/25, the total eligible purchases on the Card must equal $75,000 or more between 1/1/24 and 12/31/24, and each calendar year thereafter. Once all 15 Visits have been used, Eligible Card Members may purchase additional Delta Sky Club Visits at a per-Visit rate of $50 per person using the Card.
Earn three miles per dollar spent on Delta purchases
Earn one mile per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases
Access to complimentary upgrades
First checked bag is free on Delta flights
20% in-flight savings
Receive $2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year and get closer to status with MQD Headstart. Additionally, earn $1 Medallion Qualification Dollar for each $10 of purchases made on your Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express card in a calendar year and get a boost toward achieving elevated Medallion Status for next Medallion Year.
No foreign transaction fees
AnnualFees annual fee
Terms apply

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Earn 60,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership.
Earn a $200 Delta Flight Credit after spending $10,000 on the card in a calendar year
Earn 2 miles per dollar spent on purchases at U.S. Shipping providers and at U.S. providers for advertising (in select media) on up to $50,000 of purchases per category, per year; 2 miles on every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta and on every eligible dollar spent at restaurants; and 1 mile on every eligible dollar spent on other purchases.
First checked bag is free on Delta flights
Zone 5 Priority Boarding for cardholders
No foreign transaction fees
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Earn 70,000 bonus miles after spending $6,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership.
Receive a companion certificate each year upon card renewal (taxes and fees apply)
Earn 1.5X miles* on eligible transit and U.S. shipping purchases, plus single eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (terms and miles cap apply). *If your purchase qualifies for a category that has a higher mileage accelerator, only the higher accelerator will apply. 1 mile on every eligible dollar spent on other purchases.
Get closer to elevated Status next Medallion Year with MQD Headstart and MQD Boost: receive $2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $20 of purchases with your Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business American Express Card.
No foreign transaction fees
AnnualFees annual fee
Terms apply

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Earn 80,000 bonus miles after spending $10,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership.
Complimentary access to Delta Sky Club(R) at no cost. Effective 2/1/25, Reserve Card members will receive 15 Visits per year to the Delta Sky Club; to earn an unlimited number of visits each year starting on 2/1/25, the total eligible purchases on the card must equal $75,000 or more between 1/1/24 and 12/31/24, and each calendar year thereafter.
Earn 3 miles per dollar on eligible Delta purchases.
Access to complimentary upgrades
Get closer to elevated Status next Medallion Year with MQD Headstart and MQD Boost: Receive $2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 on purchases with your Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card.
No foreign transaction fees
AnnualFees annual fee
Terms apply

How much are Delta SkyMiles worth?

It depends on how you redeem your miles. However, travel websites typically calculate the value of Delta SkyMiles as 1.1 to 1.6 cents per mile when booking for travel, depending on your destination, ticket class, and travel dates.

Do Delta SkyMiles expire?

No, Delta SkyMiles do not expire so long as an account is open. Be aware, though, that Delta reserves the right to close any account where fraudulent activity has been detected, the member is deceased or repeated attempts at communication are not returned.

Delta SkyMiles Medallion status levels and Medallion benefits

Delta SkyMiles elite status is conferred through the airline’s Medallion program. To earn Medallion status with Delta, you’ll earn Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) for eligible spending with the airline and eligible partners. Here’s how the tiers and their requirements break down:

Silver Medallion: Reached after earning $5,000 MQDs
Gold Medallion: Reached after earning $10,000 MQDs
Platinum Medallion: Reached after earning $15,000 MQDs
Diamond Medallion: Reached after earning $28,000 MQDs

Here’s a look at the benefits of each level:

Silver Medallion

Earn seven miles per dollar spent on Delta flights
Unlimited complimentary upgrades to First Class and Delta Comfort+ beginning 24 hours prior to departure and domestic Delta One on the day of departure
First checked bag is free for you and up to eight travel companions when flying on Delta
Priority check-in and boarding
Phone line priority when calling to speak with a SkyMiles representative
Preferred pricing with a $40 savings on a CLEAR® Plus membership to expedite security ($159/annually)
SkyTeam Elite status when flying on partner airlines
Earn 5 miles per $1 spent on qualifying rentals with Hertz when booked through travelextras-delta.com and Five Star® Status in the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards® program
Savings on Delta vacations of up to $250

Gold Medallion

Earn eight miles per dollar spent on Delta flights
Complimentary preferred seats
Unlimited complimentary upgrades to First Class and Delta Comfort+ beginning 72 hours prior to departure and domestic Delta One on the day of departure
Priority waitlist on paid tickets
First checked bag is free for you and up to eight travel companions when flying on Delta
Sky Priority services at airport including priority check-in and boarding
Waived same-day confirmed and same-day standby fees
Phone line priority when calling to speak with a SkyMiles representative
Preferred pricing with a $40 savings on a CLEAR® Plus membership to expedite security ($159/annually)
SkyTeam Elite Plus status when flying on partner airlines
Earn 6 miles per $1 spent on qualifying rentals with Hertz when booked through travelextras-delta.com and Five Star® Status in the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards® program
Savings on Delta vacations of up to $250

Platinum Medallion

Earn nine miles per dollar spent on Delta flights
Opportunity to select one of the following Choice Benefits:
- 4 Regional Upgrade certificates, which can be used on tickets booked as a part of a Delta Vacations package
- $400 American Express Statement Credit on Delta SkyMiles Platinum, Platinum Business, Reserve or Reserve Business American Express Cards
- 6,000 Starbucks® Rewards Stars
- $1,000 MQD Accelerator towards the next Medallion Qualification Year
- Gift Silver Medallion Status to 2 Members
- 30,000 bonus miles for yourself, someone else, or a SkyWish charity of your choice
- $400 Delta Vacations Experience (flight + hotel)
- $250 Sustainable Aviation fuel contribution
- A $300 Delta travel voucher, also applicable toward a Delta Vacations package
- $1,500 Wheels Up private jet flight credit
Complimentary preferred seats
Unlimited complimentary upgrades to First Class beginning 120 hours prior to departure, Comfort+ shortly after ticketing and domestic Delta One on the day of departure
First checked bag is free for you and up to eight travel companions when flying on Delta
Sky Priority services at airport including priority check-in and boarding
Waived same-day confirmed and same-day standby fees and well as waived award travel change fees
Preferred pricing with a $40 savings on a CLEAR® Plus membership to expedite security ($159/annually)
Savings on Delta vacations of up to $250
VIP phone line
SkyTeam Elite Plus status when flying on partner airlines
Earn 7 miles per $1 spent on qualifying rentals with Hertz, plus top-tier elite President’s Circle Status in the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards program

Diamond Medallion

Earn 11 miles per dollar spent on Delta flights
Opportunity to select three Choice Benefits from the following options:
- 4 Global Upgrade Certificates or 8 Regional Upgrade Certificates, or a combination of 2 Global and 4 Regional Upgrade Certificate*, which can be used on tickets booked as a part of a Delta Vacations® package
- $700 American Express Statement Credit on Delta SkyMiles® Platinum, Platinum Business, Reserve or Reserve Business American Express Cards
- 6,000 Starbucks® Rewards Stars
- Delta Sky Club® Executive (3 Choice Benefit selections) or Individual (2 Choice Benefit selections) Membership
- $2,000 MQD Accelerator towards the next Medallion Qualification Year
- Gift Gold Medallion Status to 2 Members
- 35,000 bonus miles for yourself, someone else, or a SkyWish charity of your choice
- $500 Delta Vacations Experience (flight + hotel)
- $250 Sustainable Aviation fuel contribution
- A $350 Delta travel voucher, also applicable toward a Delta Vacations package
- $2,000 Wheels Up flight private jet flight credit
Complimentary preferred seats
Unlimited complimentary upgrades to First Class beginning 120 (5 days) hours prior to departure, Comfort+ shortly after ticketing and domestic Delta One on the day of departure
Highest priority among Medallion Members, boarding immediately after customers in Delta One® or First Class cabins
Complimentary CLEAR Plus membership (a $199 annual value) to quickly move through security
First checked bag is free for you and up to eight travel companions when flying on Delta
Sky Priority services at airport including priority check-in, priority security line access and expedited baggage service
Waived same-day confirmed and same-day standby fees and well as waived award travel change fees
VIP phone line
SkyTeam Elite Plus status when flying on partner airlines
Savings on Delta vacations of up to $250
Earn 8 miles per $1 spent on qualifying rentals with Hertz, plus top-tier elite President’s Circle Status in the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards program

There is an even higher tier, Delta 360°, but this exclusive level is invitation-only and that’s only extended to a small portion of the most prolific flyers or spenders on an eligible cobranded Delta card.

How to redeem Delta SkyMiles

When you’re ready to redeem your miles, the SkyMiles programs gives you the following options:

Free flights: Use your miles to book flights directly through Delta. There are no blackout dates, but the number of miles needed for your flight will depend on factors such as the length of the flight and your travel dates.
Upgrades and flight amenities: Miles can be used to upgrade seats to a different class, pay for premium drinks or cover fees such as preferred seat, ticket change fees or checked bag fees.
Vacations and experiences: Use your miles through Delta Stays to book hotels or bid miles at SkyMiles Experiences for backstage passes and event tickets.
Donate or gift: You can give your miles to someone, transfer them to a friend or family member or donate them to an eligible charity through SkyWish
Merchandise: In the SkyMiles Shopping site, you can redeem your miles for Apple products, household items, jewelry and more. Redeeming miles for magazines is also an option.

As with most frequent flyer programs, you’ll get the most value out of your miles redeeming for travel rather than the other options. If you don’t have enough miles to book the vacation of your dreams, using a combination of miles and cash may be an option for some redemptions.

Joining the SkyMiles program is free which means there is no reason for Delta travelers not to become members. Consider applying for one of the American Express cards listed above to quickly rack up the miles needed for your next getaway.

To see the rates and fees for the American Express cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: CardName: See Rates and Fees; CardName: See Rates and Fees; CardName: See Rates and Fees; CardName: See Rates and Fees; CardName: See Rates and Fees; CardName: See Rates and Fees; CardName: See Rates and Fees

Ask the experts:

How have you benefited from the Delta SkyMiles program?

Adam Frankel

Cardratings Contributor

Through a recent welcome offer on the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card I was able to earn enough miles to fly one of my kids cross-country round trip for an event and also have enough miles left over to book my family's Thanksgiving vacation.