Delta SkyMiles are sarcastically referred to as “SkyPesos” by many professionals in the travel industry who don’t think they’re worth anything. While this may have been the case in the past, that is no longer the case.
How Much Are Delta Miles Worth? The value of Delta SkyMiles can only be appreciated by those who know how to use them to their fullest potential.
What is the Delta SkyMiles program?
Delta SkyMiles is Delta Air Lines’ airline loyalty program. Joining Delta SkyMiles is free, and once you’re in, there’s no additional payment. In order to get the most out of the Delta SkyMiles program, members must fly with Delta and its partner airlines often and spend money with them. Delta often offers greater prizes and perks for frequent flyers.
What are SkyMiles?
SkyMiles are Delta’s frequent flyer program’s currency. Members may earn miles by travelling with Delta and spending money with one of their partner airlines or merchants. Redeeming SkyMiles may be used for flights, upgrades to First Class seats, vacation packages and more. Even if you haven’t travelled recently, your Delta SkyMiles won’t expire, unlike some other airline points.
How do you earn Delta SkyMiles?
There are a number of ways to earn Delta SkyMiles if you’re interested in doing so. While purchasing flights is still the most common way to accrue miles, it is no longer the sole one. Here are a few additional possibilities:
- When you purchase a flight and hotel package with Delta Vacations, you may earn up to 5,000 extra points per person.
- If you book a balcony or cabin on a SkyMiles Cruise, you’ll get at least 1,500 points, and you can get up to 30,000 miles.
- Airline Partners: You may earn SkyMiles when you fly with any of Delta’s partner airlines.
- With Airbnb and Delta’s lodging gateway, you can earn one SkyMile for every $1 spent. It’s possible to earn SkyMiles when you book a hotel directly through Delta’s website if you link your SkyMiles account to it.
- If you’re utilizing a vehicle rental service or a ride-sharing service, you may earn SkyMiles. There are ten vehicle rental providers and one ridesharing company that Delta works with (Lyft).
- Shopping and dining: You may earn miles by linking your credit and debit cards to your SkyMiles account. Use Delta’s online shopping platform to get even more rewards.
- Delta SkyMiles can be exchanged for points accrued in other reward schemes. To redeem SkyMiles, you must have a certain number of hotel, bank and rental car points.
- Credit cards: Delta co-branded credit cards provide you points for every transaction. A bonus mile program for everyday spending like dining out or shopping might be included.
When it comes to SkyMiles, one item is missing: Purchasing a ticket on behalf of another person. When you purchase a ticket on behalf of another person, the miles are applied to the account of the recipient, not the purchaser.
Why elite status matters when earning SkyMiles
For every dollar spent on a ticket, Delta Air Lines gives its customers miles. Your mileage will increase as your spending increases. In the same way, Delta aims to reward your commitment by increasing the benefits you receive as you go up the ladder of loyalty. Medallion Tiers are the name given by Delta to these different levels of membership.
On the other hand, a Diamond Medallion member gets more than twice as many miles for every dollar spent on their flights as the ordinary SkyMiles member (11 miles per dollar).
How do I earn Delta elite status?
When it comes to determining your “loyalty,” Delta looks at how frequently you fly and how much money you spend. Delta has devised acronyms to measure how far you fly (MQMs), how frequently you fly (MQSs), and how much you spend (MQDs) in order to better understand their customers.
- MQMs = Medallion Qualifying Miles
- MQSs = Medallion Qualifying Segments
- MQDs = Medallion Qualifying Dollars
Depending on your chosen fare class and the distance you travel, you might receive a different number of MQMs. There is a 50% MQM incentive on full-fare First and Business Class, while there is a 50% bonus on reduced First and Delta Select, Delta Premium, First, and Premium Main Cabin tickets. If you fly regularly but just on short trips, MQSs are more significant. Flights are counted as a percentage of your total travel.
In addition, the quantity of money you spend is important. Base fare and any carrier-imposed surcharges are used to calculate MQDs. The MQD calculation excludes government-imposed taxes and levies. If you purchase a first-class or premium seat upgrade through a Delta channel, you are eligible for MQDs. Purchases of other Delta services, including as checked luggage, Priority Boarding, and on-board meals or drinks, are not eligible. The MQD requirement can be waived if you use certain Delta co-branded credit cards; we’ll go into more detail about this later.
For a visual representation of the requirements, have a look at the infographic below. To advance through the levels, you must accumulate a certain number of miles or segments, as well as spend a specific amount of money.
