Quick Links

For anyone who flies Delta Air Lines with any regularity, SkyMiles is a frequent flyer program worth knowing about. One of the largest programs in the world, you can earn miles through multiple ways and redeem them to fly on Delta or any of its SkyTeam partners. With recent changes to elite status and Sky Club lounge access, here's a comprehensive guide to the program.

Earning SkyMiles is relatively easy, especially if you live in the US. Significant bonuses can be snagged at sign-up with Amex, and progress toward tiers can be rapid through heavy spending on the card. Spending miles is a bit more complicated, with Delta's dynamic pricing algorithm closely linked to cash prices, meaning hundreds of thousands for Delta One cabins. However, there are ways to find great deals and spend your hard-earned miles, which will fetch you at least 1¢ each if used to discount cash tickets.

The pros and cons

Let's look at the positive aspects of Delta's SkyMiles program first.

Pros

  • Credit card sign-up perks: Delta's American Express cards are a must-have for frequent flyers, offering all-valuable MQDs towards Medallion status. and even access to Sky Clubs at the top end. Add sign-up bonuses ranging from 20,000 to 80,000 miles and a 15% discount on award flights, and you have plenty of perks.
  • Excellent flash sales: Delta is well known for offering cheap awards to random destinations from time to time, something that happens more frequently than with any of the other US majors. These are key to maximizing miles since they usually offer a discount from the cash rates.
  • Wide network for redemption: The flipside of expensive redemptions is that availability is hardly an issue with Delta if you're willing to pay. With SkyTeam and other partners, there are only a few destinations you can't access with SkyMiles. There are also excellent premium cabin prices outside the US, most notably in Asia and Oceania.

Cons

Not everything is great with Delta, and the carrier is currently caught in a firestorm due to its recent changes to SkyMiles.

  • Medallion status is getting harder to achieve: While Delta's decision to switch to a dollar-only metric for Medallion status was expected, SkyMiles has significantly increased the qualification threshold. Diamond status will cost 133% more in 2025, while Silver will double. Members are expected to shell out tens of thousands of dollars to Delta or spend six figures on its cards annually to hope for any significant status in the program, leaving many fuming.
  • Poor value in long-haul cabins: Delta has been slowly increasing the price of long-haul awards and adding basic economy redemptions, hurting those redeeming tens or hundreds of thousands for a ticket. With 320,000 miles one-way a familiar sight for business class, and limited seats at the 120k rate, many are being locked out of spending on premium awards.
  • Benefits being cut: The decision to increase thresholds has also come with a drive to cut key benefits like Sky Club access. Delta elites do not automatically get Sky Club access at any tier; even Diamond members must use their Choice Benefits for unlimited visits. Credit cards that once had access, like the Platinum or SkyMiles Reserve, have been reduced to a handful of annual visits. It's a blow for long-time members, but the lack of crowding will be seen as a positive for those still accessing lounges

There are definitely some changes coming to SkyMiles, ones that high spenders will love and value consumers will hate, so keep an eye out. With that summary, let's dive deeper into this loyalty program and how members can get the most out of it.