Nerdy takeaways
- Delta SkyMiles are worth about 1.2 cents each for economy tickets.
- This is the fifth highest among domestic airlines.
- We found the best value for SkyMiles on international flights booked 15 days or 180 days in advance.
Delta SkyMiles are worth 1.2 cents each, according to NerdWallet's analysis conducted in August 2026.
This is a baseline value, drawn from real-world data on hundreds of economy routes, not a maximized value. In other words, you should aim for award redemptions that offer 1.2 cents or more in value from your Delta miles.
» Learn more: The complete guide to SkyMiles
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What does this value mean?
Our data-driven value of 1.2 cents for Delta SkyMiles is a median value that can help determine whether a given redemption is "worth it." It is effectively the value you can expect to get from your Delta miles for a random Main Cabin economy redemption.
To squeeze more value from Delta miles, check out our complete guide to redeeming them, as well as some easy tips for extracting the most value.
Earning Delta SkyMiles with credit cards
Using the right credit card is the fastest way to earn Delta SkyMiles and gain additional benefits, like free checked bags and airport lounge access. You can also transfer American Express Membership Rewards to Delta.
Credit cards that earn SkyMiles
Annual fee
$0.
$0 intro for the first year, then $150.
$350.
$650.
Earning rates
• 2 miles per dollar on purchases made directly with Delta.
• 2 miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
• 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
• 2 miles per dollar on purchases made directly with Delta.
• 2 miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
• 2 miles per dollar at U.S. supermarkets.
• 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
• 3 miles per dollar on eligible purchases made directly with Delta
• 3 miles per dollar on eligible hotel purchases.
• 2 miles per dollar at restaurants plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
• 2 miles per dollar at U.S. supermarkets.
1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
• 3 miles per dollar on eligible purchases made directly with Delta.
• 1 mile per dollar on other eligible purchases.
Other benefits
• No foreign transaction fees.
Terms apply.
• First checked bag free. Second bag free on domestic flights.
• Priority boarding.
• No foreign transaction fees.
Terms apply.
• Companion certificate (main cabin).
• First checked bag free. Second bag free on domestic flights.
• Priority boarding.
• No foreign transaction fees.
Terms apply.
• Airport lounge access.
• Companion certificate (first class, Delta Comfort+ or main cabin).
• Credit for application fee for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry
• First checked bag free. Second bag free on domestic flights.
• Priority boarding.
• No foreign transaction fees.
Terms apply.
How to get the most out of your Delta SkyMiles
Not all redemptions are equal, so we compared the redemption rates for Delta awards using four specific time frames:
- Awards booked 15 days to departure.
- Awards booked 60 days out.
- Awards booked 90 days out.
- Awards booked 180 days out.
According to our analysis, you'll receive the best median value for your SkyMiles when you book 15 to 60 days out from departure. In general, we found that international flights provided a higher ceiling for your miles. The highest value redemptions we found were booked 15 days and 180 days out on flights between Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) and Incheon International Airport (ICN) in Seoul, South Korea.
How to convert the value of SkyMiles to dollars
With our SkyMiles-to-dollars calculator below, you can quickly figure out how much your Delta miles are worth based on our estimated value.
How do Delta miles compare with other airlines?
Delta offers slightly above-average value for its SkyMiles compared with other programs. However, the range of values is generally much lower, as the cost in miles is tightly connected to the cash cost. So you’re less likely to get outsized value from a particular redemption, even if the baseline value is high.
How has the value of Delta SkyMiles changed over time?
The value of Delta miles has generally remained between 1.1 and 1.3 cents each over the past eight years, with a deviation lower in 2020.
How flexible are Delta miles?
Delta SkyMiles can be used to book flights on both Delta and its 20-plus airline partners. They can also be used to upgrade existing bookings.
On the other hand, SkyMiles cannot be transferred to other programs or used in other more elaborate redemptions.
» Learn more: What you need to know about SkyTeam
How did we determine what Delta SkyMiles are worth?
We analyzed the cash and points prices of 80 flights bookable with Delta miles across a range of domestic and international routes. A regular economy fare class was used for all pricing data to be able to compare the valuations of similar Main Cabin-type fares that are bookable with points or miles on other airlines.
Departure dates were selected at 15, 60, 90 and 180 days from the day of the analysis. Return dates were chosen eight days after the departure date. This process allowed us to analyze a wide combination of days of the week and not bias the data towards expensive (i.e. weekend) or cheaper (i.e. midweek) flights. We used the median value of the dataset as the average.
This method differs from others in that it looks at actual redemptions rather than hypothetical, maximized redemptions. The advantage of this approach is that it provides a real-world indication of how much these miles are worth under typical circumstances.
» Learn more: How much are your airline miles and hotel points worth?
Frequently Asked Questions
How much are 10,000 Delta miles worth?
10,000 Delta miles are worth about $120.
How much are 25,000 Delta miles worth?
25,000 Delta miles are worth about $300.
How much are 50,000 Delta miles worth?
50,000 Delta miles are worth about $600.
How much are 80,000 Delta miles worth?
80,000 Delta miles are worth about $960.
How much are 100,000 Delta miles worth?
100,000 Delta miles are worth about $1,200.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card, please visit American Express' rates and fees page. For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, please visit American Express' rates and fees page. For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, please visit American Express' rates and fees page. For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, please visit American Express' rates and fees page.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2026:
- Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
- Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Luxury perks: American Express Platinum Card®
- Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
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