How to Earn Delta SkyMiles
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Delta Air Lines offers plenty of opportunities to increase your SkyMiles stash — most of which don’t even involve flying.
With Delta miles in hand, you’re that much closer to a ticket to more than 1,000 destinations around the globe. Consider the following methods for earning Delta SkyMiles for your next trip.
Fly with Delta Air Lines
Flying with Delta is the most straightforward way to earn Delta SkyMiles. However, the number of miles you earn is directly tied to the amount of money you spend on a ticket (excluding taxes and fees) and not the distance you fly.
You’ll earn 5 redeemable miles per dollar spent on Delta-marketed flights as a general SkyMiles loyalty program member, and your earning rates will be higher if you reach higher elite status. So, a $300 flight will net at least 1,500 SkyMiles in your account regardless of the distance you fly. It’s worth noting that basic economy flights aren’t eligible for mileage accrual.
To earn miles on Delta flights, simply enter your SkyMiles number when making a flight reservation book while logged into your SkyMiles account so your loyalty number attaches automatically.
Fly with partner airlines
Delta is a member of the SkyTeam alliance, which includes the following global carriers.
Delta also partners with carriers outside of the SkyTeam alliance.
You can earn Delta miles by flying any of these airlines and crediting your flights to the SkyMiles program. However, the number of redeemable miles you’ll earn typically depends on the distance of the flight and the fare class booked, not how much you spend on a ticket.
For exact earning rates in specific fare classes, consult Delta’s partner airlines page. If a fare class isn’t listed, the ticket won’t earn you any Delta miles.
Reach Medallion status
Frequent flyers loyal to one airline, in this case Delta, can reach elite levels by flying and spending enough money on tickets. If you reach Medallion elite status with SkyMiles, you’ll earn redeemable miles at the following rates:
General members: 5 miles per $1 spent.
Silver Medallion: 7 miles per $1 spent.
Gold Medallion: 8 miles per $1 spent.
Platinum Medallion: 9 miles per $1 spent.
Diamond Medallion: 11 miles per $1 spent.
So, the same $300 flight from the previous example will net you anywhere from 1,500 to 3,300 redeemable miles, depending on your Medallion level in the SkyMiles program.
» Learn more: What is Delta elite status worth?
Apply for a Delta SkyMiles credit card
If you choose to apply for a Delta SkyMiles credit card, you can boost your miles by receiving a welcome bonus offer and then charging purchases to your card.
American Express issues both consumer and business Delta credit cards. Note that AmEx only allows one introductory offer to be given per card, so make sure you qualify for the offer before you apply.
Delta personal cards
$0.
$0 intro for the first year, then $150.
$350.
$650.
Earn 10,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months. Terms Apply.
Earn 50,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.
Earn 60,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.
Earn 70,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $5,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.
• 2 miles per $1 on purchases made directly with Delta and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S.
• 1 mile per $1 on all other eligible purchases.
Terms apply.
• 2 miles per $1 on purchases made directly with Delta and at U.S. supermarkets and restaurants (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.).
• 1 mile per $1 on all other eligible purchases.
Terms apply.
• 3 miles per $1 on eligible purchases made directly with Delta and on hotel purchases.
• 2 miles per $1 at U.S. supermarkets and restaurants (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.).
• 1 mile per $1 on all other eligible purchases.
Terms apply.
• 3 miles per $1 on eligible purchases made directly with Delta.
• 1 mile per $1 on other eligible purchases.
Terms apply.
• No foreign transaction fees.
Terms apply.
• First checked bag free.
• Priority boarding.
• No foreign transaction fees.
Terms apply.
• Companion certificate (main cabin).
• First checked bag free.
• 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.
• Priority boarding.
• No foreign transaction fees.
Terms apply.
Terms apply.
Delta business cards
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card
Welcome offer: Earn 60,000 Bonus Miles after spending $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.
Earning rates:
2 miles per $1 spent on Delta purchases, at restaurants, with U.S. shipping providers and on select U.S. media advertising.
1 mile per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases.
Other benefits:
Free checked bag for up to nine passengers.
Save 15% when redeeming SkyMiles for Delta flights.
Zone 5 priority boarding.
$200 Delta credit after making $10,000 in purchases in a calendar year.
20% back on in-flight purchases.
Pay with Miles eligible.
No foreign transaction fees.
Annual fee: $0 intro for the first year, then $150.
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card
Welcome offer: Earn 70,000 Bonus Miles after spending $6,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.
Earning rates:
3 miles per $1 spent on Delta purchases and directly at hotels
1.5 miles per $1 spent on single purchases of at least $5,000, up to 50,000 miles per year.
1 mile per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases.
Other benefits:
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck enrollment fee credit.
Round-trip Delta companion certificate (domestic main cabin) each year on renewal.
Free checked bag for up to nine passengers.
Save 15% when redeeming SkyMiles for Delta flights.
Zone 5 priority boarding.
20% back on in-flight purchases.
Pay with Miles eligible.
No foreign transaction fees.
Annual fee: $350.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
Welcome offer: Earn 80,000 Bonus Miles after spending $10,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.
Earning rates:
3 miles per $1 spent on Delta purchases.
1 mile per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases.
1.5 miles per $1 for the rest of the year after spending at least $150,000 in a calendar year.
Other benefits:
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck enrollment fee credit.
Round-trip Delta companion certificate (domestic first class, Comfort Plus or main cabin) each year on renewal.
Complimentary Delta Sky Club access when flying Delta plus two one-time guest passes.
Complimentary Centurion Lounge access when flying Delta.
Free checked bag for up to nine passengers.
Save 15% when redeeming SkyMiles for Delta flights.
Zone 5 priority boarding.
20% back on in-flight purchases.
Pay with Miles eligible.
No foreign transaction fees.
Annual fee: $650.
» Learn more: Is a Delta SkyMiles credit card worth it?
Refer a friend
If you refer someone you know for a Delta SkyMiles credit card, and they’re approved for an account via your application link, you’ll receive bonus SkyMiles miles simply for sending them the referral link.
The bonus offers vary and depend on the card your friend or family member opens through your link.
Transfer American Express Membership Rewards
American Express Membership Rewards points can be transferred to a variety of loyalty programs, including Delta SkyMiles. AmEx points transfer to Delta at a 1:1 rate. However, keep in mind that you have to pay a small fee for each point transferred to the SkyMiles program (capped at $99).
Transfer Marriott Bonvoy points
If you’re short on Delta SkyMiles, Marriott Bonvoy members can convert their hotel points to airline miles at a 3:1 ratio.
However, unlike transfers to some airlines, you won’t get a bonus by transferring at least 60,000 Marriott points to Delta SkyMiles in a single transaction. Because the transfer ratio isn’t the best, it’s not an ideal way of obtaining Delta miles.
Stay with Airbnb
Looking for accommodation for a large group? If you book through Airbnb, you can earn some SkyMiles for doing so.
As a SkyMiles member, you can book a vacation rental through the dedicated Delta and Airbnb partnership page and earn 1 SkyMile per dollar spent through the booking platform. Accommodations all over the world qualify, and there’s no minimum spending requirement.
» Learn more: Are Airbnbs more cost-effective than hotels?
Book travel extras
If hotels are more your speed, you can earn some extra SkyMiles for you, too. Start your reservation on Delta's travel extras page (operated by Expedia) and search for accommodation. Include your SkyMiles number with the booking and earn 2 miles per dollar after you complete your stay.
You can also book car rentals through the same link and earn 2 SkyMiles per dollar on those bookings.
If you’re a Medallion member and rent a vehicle with Hertz through the link above, you’ll earn bonus SkyMiles at the following rates:
Silver Medallion: 5 SkyMiles per $1 spent.
Gold Medallion: 6 SkyMiles per $1 spent.
Platinum Medallion: 7 SkyMiles per $1 spent.
Diamond Medallion: 8 SkyMiles per $1 spent.
Book Delta Vacations
Delta Vacations allows you to bundle multiple travel components — such as flights and hotel or flights and rental car — into one package, saving you money in the process.
With a vacation package, you’ll earn miles on the flight portion, plus bonus miles, depending on the total cost of the package. Here’s how many extra SkyMiles you’ll earn:
Bookings up to $4,999: earn 1,000 SkyMiles per person.
Bookings between $5,000 and $9,999: earn 5,000 SkyMiles per person.
Bookings $10,000 or more: earn 10,000 SkyMiles per person.
» Learn more: How to book a Delta Vacation package
Book a cruise
Delta SkyMiles members can earn 2 miles per dollar by booking a sea voyage through Delta Cruises plus bonus miles on select itineraries. More than 10,000 cruise itineraries are available, leaving you with plenty of sailing options.
Use the Bags on Time guarantee
Waiting for checked bags can delay the start of your vacation — but it can also earn you more miles for the next one. With Delta’s Bags on Time guarantee, you should be able to pick up your bag at a carousel within 20 minutes of landing.
If it takes any longer than that, cha-ching, you'll get 2,500 free SkyMiles, courtesy of Delta. To claim your SkyMiles, fill out the baggage service guarantee form within three days of your flight.
» Learn more: What to do if an airline loses your luggage
Enroll in SkyMiles Dining
SkyMiles Dining is a free program that lets you earn Delta miles for dine-in and takeout at U.S. restaurants that participate in the Rewards Network. To earn bonus miles, you must link a credit card with SkyMiles Dining and use the same card to pay your tab.
You’ll earn SkyMiles at the following rates:
1 mile per $2 spent if you choose not to receive SkyMiles Dining emails.
3 miles per $1 spent if you choose to receive SkyMiles Dining emails.
5 miles per $1 spent if you choose to receive SkyMiles Dining emails and have completed at least 11 dines in the last year.
Depending on when you enroll, you could earn a welcome bonus after signing up and completing a dine within 30 days.
Shop through Delta
Shop at more than 1,000 online retailers and earn SkyMiles on your purchases. To earn Delta miles, you must sign up for an account and start your shopping experience on the SkyMiles Shopping page.
Browse through the available stores and note the earning rates per dollar spent on a purchase. They can be as low as 0.5 miles per dollar spent or up to multiple miles per dollar.
Click through to a specific store from the portal and complete a purchase as you usually would using any credit card. You’ll then earn miles on the amount spent at the rate indicated.
Ride with Lyft
Delta flyers can earn rewards for getting a ride with Lyft. You’ll earn 2 Delta SkyMiles per dollar on airport rides and 1 mile per dollar on rides to other destinations in the U.S. Before you can receive bonus miles on Lyft rides, you must link your Delta SkyMiles and Lyft accounts.
Rent with Turo
Turo, a car sharing marketplace, lets you reserve someone else’s vehicle for a period of time and drive it yourself. By linking your Turo and SkyMiles accounts, you can earn Delta miles on car rentals booked through Turo.
You'll earn 2,000 SkyMiles after completing your first Turo rental and 500 SkyMiles for each subsequent Turo rental.
» Learn more: The pros and cons of Turo
Order from Starbucks
As of June 12, 2024, the earning scheme for this partnership has changed. Previously, members who linked their Delta and Starbucks acounts would earn 1 Delta SkyMile per $1 spent on eligible purchases at Starbucks. Now, members of the two rewards programs will only earn Delta miles when they reload a Starbucks gift card in the Starbucks app with $25 or more.
Buy tickets through Ticketmaster
Sports, music and live theater enthusiasts in the U.S. and Canada can earn 1 SkyMile per dollar spent with Ticketmaster, a marketplace for event tickets.
To earn Delta miles on ticket purchases, click this special partnership link before buying event tickets. Again, earning through Ticketmaster won’t make you miles-rich, but might as well add your SkyMiles number if you’re going to attend events anyway.
Combine miles with another SkyMiles member
It’s possible to transfer Delta SkyMiles from one member to another. However, we don’t recommend it for the following reason: It’ll cost you $10 for every 1,000 miles transferred, or 1 cent per mile, plus a $30 processing fee. NerdWallet values Delta SkyMiles at 1.2 cents per mile, so you’d be erasing the majority of their value by sending them to another person’s account. You’re better off booking an award flight for a friend or family member from your own account.
Purchase miles
If you need some additional SkyMiles, the sure way to get them as quickly as possible is to buy them. However, it’ll cost you. Delta charges 3.5 cents per mile, which is nearly triple their worth as estimated by NerdWallet.
If you’re looking to purchase just a few thousand miles for a high-value business class redemption, you might consider it, but if you’re in need of tens of thousands of miles, forget about it.
» Learn more: 4 times it makes sense to buy airline miles
How to earn Delta SkyMiles recapped
The more miles you earn, the faster you’ll be on the way to your next destination.
This list is a good starting point for earning a good chunk of Delta miles. With so many easy and free options, you can grow your Delta SkyMiles balance without too much effort.
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 2024:
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: The Platinum Card® from American Express
Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
United℠ Explorer Card
Travel
Get valuable perks like free checked bag, lounge passes and rental car insurance for a fee of $0 intro for the first year, then $95. Limited time offer: Earn 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
