Best Ways to Use Delta SkyMiles

When booking through Delta Air Lines, you won't find many SkyMiles sweet spots in 2025 — but you can still find some good redemptions.

NerdWallet analysis shows that you can generally get about 1.2 cents per mile of value, so anything over that is a great value. But because Delta relies on a revenue-based model, the price in miles for a ticket is generally closely tied with the cash price.

Here are some great ways to use your miles.

1. One-way economy class Delta domestic flights

This is one area where the airline excels, but you’ll have to fly in economy (and be willing to sometimes book a basic economy award ticket). But, if so, you can find incredibly cheap redemptions on some short-haul flights in competitive markets (often where the cash cost of a ticket is also low). If you live in a market like New York or Los Angeles or Seattle, where there are a lot of airlines competing for customers, you can find great deals as low as 4,500 miles.

Those with a Delta SkyMiles credit card can unlock even lower fares, as in the example above, slashing 15% off the redemption. That’s because Delta co-branded American Express cards offer a TakeOff 15 benefit for Delta-operated and Delta-marketed flights. Terms apply.

A one-way flight for 3,800 miles is a heck of a deal, even though the cash cost is very close to it. You can see how the mileage cost is relative to the cash cost. Still, the above example comes out to a point value of around 1.3 cents, slightly higher than the 1.2 cents NerdWallet values the average Delta SkyMile at.

On the other side of the country, travelers can get a similar deal flying from Boston to Augusta, Maine. Even though this is a great deal, since this is on a partner airline (Cape Air), the credit card discount does not apply.

Another great deal is using SkyMiles to redeem for intra-Hawaiian island flights on Hawaiian Airlines. They cost 7,500 each way in economy class plus around $6 in taxes. This can be a great redemption if you find the cash cost to be a couple of hundred dollars (or if you’re buying airfare for a family). It makes more sense to save the cash you can save for a great meal in the islands.

» Learn more: The best airline credit cards right now

2. Delta international flash sales

Occasionally, Delta will hold flash sales, posted to its SkyMiles award deals page, but you may not always receive an email about them. Keep an eye on social media or a service that provides airfare deal alerts because they rarely last very long. This is one of the better ways to find a good deal to international destinations from the Caribbean to Europe and even Australia and New Zealand.

The award deals page allows you to choose your departure city and the available deals from that destination. Here are some past examples of Delta’s flash sales (not including the discount for Delta SkyMiles credit cardholders):

• Boston to Los Cabos from 16,000 SkyMiles (basic economy)/26,000 SkyMiles (main cabin).

• New York to Geneva from 32,000 SkyMiles (basic economy)/48,000 SkyMiles (main cabin).

• New York to Edinburgh from 48,000 SkyMiles (main cabin).

• New York to Amsterdam from 34,000 SkyMiles (basic economy)/52,000 SkyMiles (main cabin).

3. Redeem miles for intra-European flights

Flights within Europe are not always expensive, given the large number of low-cost airlines available. But there are times when airfare can be more than expected, and miles can come in handy. This can be a great deal if you are traveling on longer sectors or prefer to upgrade to business class since you can enjoy an in-flight meal, lounge access and priority perks if you don’t have elite status with SkyTeam.

Partner flights in economy within Europe start at 10,000 SkyMiles plus taxes one-way or 25,000 SkyMiles one-way in business class. Intra-European business class is usually just a blocked middle seat, but the extra miles can be worth it for the bonus perks that come with it (especially if you have a long connection in hub airports).

The above one-way flight from Amsterdam to Athens with a six-hour connection makes sense to pay extra for business class to secure seat assignments, enjoy in-flight meals, better bag allowances and lounge access.

4. Business class from Middle East or Asia to Europe on partners

Delta has some sweet spots between certain global regions that offer a great deal. These are harder to find from or to the U.S., but when traveling outside the country, it’s a bit more user-friendly. Keep in mind, however, that when originating a ticket from Europe to any region outside the U.S., the taxes and carrier-imposed fees can be exorbitant.

Flights between Europe and the Middle East are available 42,500 miles each way, although when originating in Europe, the taxes are high. Still, it’s a good deal for business class as the above example shows.

Flip the origin and start in the Middle East heading to Europe, and the taxes drop significantly, as shown in the above example. As of September 2025, 210 Emirati dirhams are worth around $57. The cash cost of the same flights on this date were around $2,500 each way.

Let’s say you want to start in India and head to Europe. For the dates we searched, Delta will charge 65,000 SkyMiles in business class for a one-way ticket and just $47 in taxes. That’s a pretty good deal for a ticket that would cost around $2,100 one-way for the same flights.

A nonstop, one-way redemption from Bangkok to Paris on Air France costs 80,000 miles plus around $27 in taxes as of September 2025. This is a longer flight than many transatlantic flights from the U.S. to Europe and can cost fewer miles.

5. Business class within Asia/to Oceania on partners

For as few as 30,000 miles, you can travel one-way within Asia in business class, plus taxes and fees. The above flight is nearly 3.5 hours on Korean Air between Guangzhou, China, and Seoul Incheon; the taxes at press time equate to under $14.

If you travel from Guangzhou to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, it is only 40,000 miles in business class with just a bit more in taxes. For those who want to slice the cost of mileage by about half, economy class is a great option — although it keeps the same amount of taxes.

Keep going farther south to Australia in business class, and it will cost 65,000 miles from Guangzhou to Sydney via Hanoi. The taxes still stay reasonably low, as the example above shows.

And if you are flying solely between Korea and Japan on Korean Air, you can fly in economy for only 7,500 SkyMiles or business class for 15,000 miles each way. The taxes are the same for both cabins; the currency conversion at press time was about $17. While availability varies, these examples show that there are still some deals to be had when using SkyMiles internationally.

6. Take advantage of the LATAM partnership

While LATAM is not in the SkyTeam alliance, it still partners with Delta SkyMiles for earning and redeeming miles.

It follows a distance-based chart for flights within South America, segment by segment, which means the shortest flights (under 250 miles, like between Quito and Guayaquil, Ecuador) cost only 6,400 miles each way. And a one-way business class ticket between Santiago, Chile and Lima Peru (1,524 miles in length) costs 31,000 miles plus $40 in taxes. Economy class is roughly half that cost in miles, but a similar amount in taxes.

Once you go beyond South America, there is a standard fare for LATAM flights. For example, Santiago to Mexico City on LATAM goes for 35,000 SkyMiles in economy and 77,500 miles in business class.

7. Book Kenya Airways award space (this takes extra effort)

Unfortunately, it is hard to search for Kenya Airways award space online, because like Air Europa and Air Tahiti Nui, these three airlines are only available by calling Delta. Instead, you will have to rely on the competency of a phone agent to know the airline’s code “KQ” and how to search for elusive award space. There are flights available for redemption (this author has booked them), but it takes a lot of patience to find. Once you do, it is possible to save quite a bit of cash on expensive intra-African flights by using miles to connect through the airline’s Nairobi hub. Business class on intra-African flights with Kenya Airways, if you can find the award space, is 40,000 SkyMiles plus taxes each way.

Frequent travelers suggest that by searching on Virgin Atlantic’s website for availability, if you find something, Delta should be able to book it. But it may take a few calls before an agent can maneuver it.

8. Save miles for upgrades instead

Instead of fumbling around the internet or with phone agents for hours to find the best award deal, look for the exact flights you want in cash. Delta often allows travelers to pay for upgrades to a higher cabin on Delta-marketed and -operated flights by using miles, with the amount needed changing before departure.

You can also use a set number of miles to upgrade certain Aeromexico, Air France, KLM and Virgin Atlantic flights, but only when booked in certain higher fare classes (and if there is award space available).

If you have Global Upgrade Certificates as a Choice Benefits reward, they are available to redeem via phone, but also now online (including via the updated Fly Delta app).

9. Use miles for Delta Vacations

Delta allows travelers to redeem miles for some or all of their Delta Vacations packages, which can include hotel, activities and flight deals. This may not be the best value, but it can certainly be a nice way to save some cash along the way.

10. Pay with miles for fees, preferred seats and Sky Club drinks

You can also redeem miles for many other Delta services and perks during your journey. This even includes things like ticket change fees, and for those without Medallion status, same-day confirmed or preferred seat fees.

Again, this is not the best way to get outsized value because they will typically be used at about one penny per point.

There's a nice exception, though. Enjoy a premium drink at the Sky Club bar, and you can actually get a better deal than one cent per point. How about a bottle of Brut, Taittinger La Francaise for 7,600 miles? That’s better than paying $114 in cash.

SkyMiles are more valuable than you think

Flying from the U.S. to international destinations and using miles for premium cabin tickets is not Delta SkyMiles’ forte. But if you are willing to use them for economy class tickets or wait for the occasional deal, you might have better luck. And of course, having flexibility in your travel date is always key.

The real sweet spot is for using miles on Delta partner airlines while overseas. This can help increase the value of your mileage account and help save some cash along the way. It will even help you get closer to elite status, a unique benefit that Delta offers, since Delta-operated or many Delta partner redemptions add to your Medallion Qualifying Dollar and Million Miler totals. That’s a real perk we can get behind.