Dublin, Mexico & More: Delta SkyMiles Deals Under 20K Roundtrip

I'm not one of those travelers who hoards SkyMiles. I'm the opposite: I can't seem to keep them in my account for very long at all. But even when my points pile is low, just 20,000 SkyMiles (or less) could put me in the mountains, on a beach, or even out of the country.

Sure, you might see ugly rates of 40,000 SkyMiles for even a short domestic trip, but trust us: Better deals are out there. Finding the best, cheapest ways to redeem Delta SkyMiles is what we do. We're constantly on the hunt for the next deeply discounted Delta SkyMiles flash sales – and we've found hundreds of them for our Thrifty Traveler Premium members over the years.

And that includes plenty of deals for under 20,000 SkyMiles roundtrip, like unbelievable deals to Dublin (DUB) for just 19,000 SkyMiles roundtrip; trips down to the Caribbean under 19,000 SkyMiles; or flights to Las Vegas (LAS) from just 5,000 SkyMiles roundtrip. 

Iceland and Ireland Under 20K SkyMiles RT!

Yes, you read that right…

If you needed proof, here's the screenshot we took of this insane flight deal flying from the east coast to Dublin (DUB) for just 22,000 Delta SkyMiles roundtrip. And with the 15% off credit card discount, that comes down to 18,600 roundtrip! 

With this deal, you could fly all the way to Europe for less than you'd normally pay to get to Florida!

Just a few days earlier, we found similar discounts on flights to Iceland (KEF) – with this nonstop flight from New York (JFK) clocking in at the lowest 20,400 SkyMiles roundtrip with the 15% off discount. 

So before you settle for another domestic trip this year, check on a few international routes, too. You might be surprised with what you find! 

Domestic Deals for 10K SkyMiles

In good times and bad, you can count on Delta SkyMiles for one thing: A cheap ride somewhere in the States.

While you may see domestic roundtrip flights for 40,000 SkyMiles or more (especially heading into the holidays), the airline is regularly slashing SkyMiles award rates across the country … and all throughout its calendar. While you never know when a deeply discounted SkyMiles flash sale abroad will pop up, you can typically count on cheap domestic flights using your SkyMiles. 

How cheap?

The leftovers in your account could be enough to book a roundtrip flight to Las Vegas! This was part of a Thrifty Traveler Premium flight deal alert for a SkyMiles flash sale to Vegas (LAS) and Phoenix (PHX) that barely put a dent in the SkyMiles accounts of our members. 

That's not all, either. We regularly send our Thrifty Traveler Premium members alerts to get to Florida, for instance. This latest one included some excellent fares for a trip this summer, fall, or winter. 

This was the lowest fare among a long list of nonstop Delta flights you could book for less than 20,000 SkyMiles roundtrip. 

These Delta SkyMiles deals are gone now – get the next one in your inbox with Thrifty Traveler Premium!

Want to go even further within the U.S. without breaking the bank? Maybe even head to paradise? We got you.

Mexico From 10K SkyMiles RT

From coast-to-coast, Mexico has destinations beach-lovers adore. And when the cost of flights to places like Tulum (TQO), Cancun (CUN), and Puerto Vallarta (PVR) climb, sometimes the SkyMiles rates can be your saving grace.

This recent flight deal to Tulum (TQO) is a perfect example. With quick connections in Atlanta (ATL), these fares can get you straight to the southern Yucatan and onto the beach in no time. 

If Cancun and the hotel zone are more your speed, Delta flies so often to CUN airport that it can be exceedingly cheap to get there, too! 

And finally, for lovers of Mexico's scenic west coast, these flights to Puerto Vallarta (PVR) will barely make a dent in your account for flights later this year or next. 

The beaches of Mexico await, so long as you have 20,000 SkyMiles (or less) to burn for your next trip. 

But there's more beaches to be seen using your SkyMiles, too.

The Caribbean from 11K SkyMiles RT

There's nothing better than the pristine beaches and picture-perfect weather of the Caribbean. 

Well, there's just one thing: Getting there for less than 20,000 SkyMiles RT. 

We sent this alert to Thrifty Traveler Premium members a few weeks ago, helping them get down to Puerto Rico (SJU), Montego Bay (MBJ), Turks & Caicos (PLS), Nassau (NAS), Punta Cana (PUJ), and more for less than 20,000 SkyMiles roundtrip! And for a few SkyMiles more, you could reach other far-flung destinations like Aruba (AUA) as well! 

How to Earn Delta SkyMiles

Delta Co-Branded Credit Cards

There's no easier way to amass a ton of miles quickly than getting a big welcome offer on one of the co-branded American Express Delta SkyMiles credit cards.

All told, there are four co-branded Delta credit cards to choose from – plus three small business cards – and each one offers a different welcome offer bonus. Delta and Amex typically roll out elevated welcome bonuses a handful of times each year … including right now.

If you come away with one thing here, make it this: You can earn the welcome bonus on each card once per lifetime. That means you could open the *delta skymiles gold card* and earn a big welcome offer bonus, then open the *delta skymiles platinum card* down the road and earn a welcome offer bonus on that card, too. That makes it much easier to continue earning SkyMiles.

But that order is critical: You have to start from the bottom and work your way up. American Express has rolled out restrictions that make it more difficult to earn multiple bonuses over time – if you start with a *delta reserve card*, you can't earn a bonus on either the Delta Gold or Delta Platinum Card.

Related reading: You Can Upgrade Your Delta Amex Card (But Maybe You Shouldn't)
 

Learn more about the *delta skymiles gold card*.
 

Learn more about the *delta skymiles platinum card*
 

Learn more about the *delta reserve card*.

American Express Membership Rewards Cards

No SkyMiles card? No problem! 

It might seem counterintuitive, but we think the best credit card for earning SkyMiles isn't even a Delta card at all. That distinction goes to the *amex gold*.

Since Delta is an Amex transfer partner, you can send these points from Amex directly to your Delta SkyMiles account on a 1:1 basis (1,000 points = 1,000 Delta SkyMiles). And thanks to some excellent bonus categories, you can earn even more SkyMiles than by using one of Delta's co-branded cards in certain spending categories.

Learn more about the *amex gold*

Other Ways to Earn SkyMiles

Earning a big welcome offer and swiping an American Express card (Delta or not) might be the quickest way to earn SkyMiles, but it's far from the only option. 

You'll also earn SkyMiles for … you know … flying with Delta – or one of its partner airlines like Air France, KLM, and many others. So long as you don't book a stingy basic economy ticket, you'll earn 5x SkyMiles for every dollar spent on Delta flights. What's more, if you check a bag and it takes more than 20 minutes to arrive at baggage claim, you can easily (and, in most cases instantly) get 2,500 Delta SkyMiles as compensation for the delay!

Some of our other favorite ways to earn SkyMiles include using Delta's online shopping portal, ordering an Uber, and getting our morning coffee fix at Starbucks, among many others. 

Related reading: All the Best Ways to Earn Delta SkyMiles

Bottom Line

Delta SkyMiles deals to destinations near and far don't have to cost more than 20,000 SkyMiles in most cases … and it's still a drop in the bucket compared to what we've found over the years.

While Delta SkyMiles get a bad rap for constantly changing, sky-high redemption rates, this is the upside. If you're flexible (or patient enough to wait for a Thrifty Traveler Premium flight deal alert) you can still get an amazing deal with your SkyMiles – and you won't need too many of them.