American Express just rolled out a new, first-of-its-kind (at least to our knowledge) Amex Offer that can make the otherwise brutally expensive process of transferring Delta SkyMiles to another member for free(ish).
With this new offer, you can earn up to $330 back on SkyMiles transfer fees. Considering Delta charges a $30 processing fee and 1 cent per SkyMile transferred to someone else, this effectively means you can transfer up to 30,000 SkyMiles to your favorite travel buddy, and Amex will cover the cost with a statement credit.
This offer expires on Nov. 14, so you've got a couple of months to use it.
Amex Offers like this one are targeted, so not everyone will see it in their accounts. So far, we're only seeing this offer on the bank's lineup of co-branded Delta SkyMiles cards. If you don't have the *delta skymiles gold card* or the *delta skymiles platinum card*, it's still worth checking all of your cards (including business cards) just to be sure.
While some make it cheap or even free to share miles, most airlines charge a pretty penny to transfer miles to another user – especially Delta. We field more questions about how to get around these expensive transfers … and typically urge travelers to simply steer clear.
But with this offer, it could easily make sense. So why might you want to transfer SkyMiles to someone else?
Let's say you wanted to book this crazy SkyMiles deal to Australia, but don't quite have the 25,400 SkyMiles needed. Or maybe you've got enough for one ticket, but you'd really like to bring a friend and keep your flights on the same itinerary. Well, you could have that friend (or anyone else with SkyMiles) transfer you however many you're short and then complete the booking.
The problem is that the cost associated with these transfers rarely makes sense. At the normal cost of 1 cent per mile, plus a $30 processing fee, you'd be looking at a $330 charge for your friend to transfer 30,000 SkyMiles to you. Ouch!
But with this Amex Offer, you can transfer up to 30,000 SkyMiles in one fell swoop and cover the charge with a statement credit. That makes moving SkyMiles between accounts tolerable for … well, pretty much the first time ever. And if your friend has a Delta Card in their wallet, they might be eligible for this offer, too. This would allow you to combine even more than 30,000 miles (across multiple transactions) without it costing you a thing.
If you've got this offer on your Delta co-branded card and plan to make use of it, keep reading for more info on how it works.
How to Transfer SkyMiles to Someone Else
To transfer SkyMiles to someone else, start by heading to this page and logging into your account. If someone else is transferring miles to you, they'll need to log into their account first – you can still pay with your card to take advantage of this Amex Offer and have the cost reimbursed as a statement credit.
After logging in, you'll need to enter your friend's SkyMiles number, first and last name, email address, and the number of miles you want to transfer. You can add up to four recipients and transfer a maximum of 30,000 SkyMiles to each person at a time (in 1,000-mile increments).
After hitting save, you'll need to add the transfer to your cart and then review everything before proceeding to checkout.
If everything looks good here, you'll be presented with a payment screen where you type in your credit card info and complete the transaction. Just be sure to pay with the SkyMiles card that has this Amex Offer (and make sure you added the offer first) to get reimbursed.
Delta says transferred miles generally post in 24-48 hours, so don't be alarmed if you don't see them in the recipient's account immediately.
Here are a few other things to know about these transfers:
- SkyMiles members can receive between 1,000 and 30,000 miles per transaction (in mileage increments of 1,000), up to 300,000 SkyMiles per calendar year.
- A maximum of 150,000 miles may be transferred out of any SkyMiles account per calendar year.
- You can only transfer SkyMiles to four recipients per transaction, but you may complete as many transactions as you'd like … and pay the extra $30 processing fee each time.
- SkyMiles may only be transferred to accounts that have been established for at least 10 days and have earned at least 1 mile – brand new accounts won't work.
Where to Find Amex Offers
If you haven't used Amex Offers before, think of them as digital coupons exclusively for Amex cardholders for purchases like airfare or hotels, as well as dining, entertainment, or everyday shopping.
To check if you're targeted, simply log into your American Express app and click on “Offers” at the bottom of the screen.
If you're using the desktop version of the American Express website, you'll find Amex Offers about halfway down the homepage. Here, you can view all the Amex Offers that are currently available, see which ones you've already added to your card, and even review your lifetime savings with the Amex Offers program.
Just remember that if you have multiple Amex cards, you'll need to cycle through them, as the offers can differ by card. If you see an offer you like, simply add it to the card and make a qualifying purchase at that business with your card. You should receive a statement credit for the offer within a few days of making a purchase.
Thrifty Tip: Amex displays up to 100 offers at a time. If you're not seeing the one you want, try adding a handful to your card, logging out, and then logging back in to see if you get some new ones!
Not familiar with Amex Offers? Check out our complete guide to using Amex Offers.
Bottom Line
With most airlines, transferring miles from one traveler to another is prohibitively expensive … but thanks to a new Amex Offer for Delta SkyMiles cardholders, it doesn't have to be.
You can currently earn up to $330 back on SkyMiles transfer processing fees, allowing you to move up to 30,000 SkyMiles to your favorite travel buddy “free” of charge.
If you see this offer in your account and have been wanting to combine SkyMiles with someone else, be sure to add it to your card quickly. Offers like this can (and do) disappear before the published Nov. 14 expiration date, so don't delay.
