With sky-high business class rates and constantly changing prices for everything else. Delta SkyMiles have taken a lot of heat over the years. But don't write off your SkyMiles as worthless.
But we get it: The unpredictability of Delta's dynamic pricing is frustrating, and it makes it feel impossible to figure out whether you're getting a good deal with your SkyMiles. Even on the exact same route, the number of SkyMiles Delta is charging for a flight can vary wildly day by day. Trust me: You can still find a good deal.
So let's go back to basics and show you how it works – and how to ensure you're getting the lowest rate you can. Whether you're a Thrifty Traveler Premium member trying to take advantage of a Delta SkyMiles flash sale in your inbox or just looking to use SkyMiles to book your next trip, use this guide to find and book the flights you want.
See the best Delta SkyMiles deals we've found … including many under 20K SkyMiles!
Step 1: Start an Award Search on Desktop with Delta
Whether you're starting off a search from scratch or you caught wind of this recent Thrifty Traveler Premium alert about a Delta SkyMiles flash sale with flights to Australia as low as 56,000 SkyMiles, the process works much the same.
But take our advice: Finding deals like these is much, much easier if you search on a desktop or laptop instead of a mobile phone. While you can search for SkyMiles fares via mobile, the lack of features – especially a calendar to see flights over a week- or even month-long span – makes it much harder.
To begin, do a normal search for flights at Delta.com and be sure to check the box that says “Shop with Miles.” To zero in on the cheapest SkyMiles rates for your desired destination, you'll also want to be sure to select “My dates are flexible.”
You'll typically want to search for roundtrip tickets when using Delta SkyMiles. Delta will often charge you more for booking one-ways separately – and it can be a lot more for a big trip abroad. In some cases, you'll be able to book one way for half the cost of a roundtrip, but not all.
Read more: 10 Tips to Maximize Your Delta SkyMiles
How to Avoid Basic Economy
Delta is one of the only airlines that sells basic economy tickets with miles – but it's also the only airline that has an easy way to filter out these pesky fares on its website.
By default, Delta will automatically select the option to “Include Basic” in the search results. If you only want to see Main Cabin prices, uncheck this box before you hit search.
Want to redeem your SkyMiles to fly in Delta Comfort Plus, First Class … or maybe even Delta Premium Select or Delta One Business Class?
Follow the same steps above, but before hitting “Search” expand the “Advanced Search” and select the cabin you want from the dropdown menu.
Keep in mind that not all cabins will be available on every flight. For instance, you'll only find Delta Premium Select seats on international flights as well as a few transcontinental routes.
Now it's time to look at some prices. To find the lowest ones, keep reading.
Step 2: Pull Up the Price Calendar For the Cheapest Rates
On the next page, you'll see a grid full of fares.
Click the “Price Calendar” to get the clearest (and largest) view of what's available. Use the arrows on the right and left sides to click through to another month's worth of flights.
The fares you see initially will be for all flights, including those with connections. If you're looking for nonstop flights, you can select to show only nonstop flights on the calendar by selecting that option in the upper right. You can also adjust the trip length to try and find cheaper prices.
Thrifty Tip: In many cases, you'll need to search for a trip of at least seven or eight days in order to get the lowest prices – especially if you're flying somewhere far away.
Step 3: Use the Filters to Find the Best Flights
Once you've zeroed in on the dates with the cheapest fares, you'll be taken to this page where you can see all the available flights. Select the “Sort and Filter” button in the upper right-hand corner to filter for the best flights.
Here you can filter by number of stops, length of potential layovers, and even for the cheapest SkyMiles fares.
You can also choose to sort the results as you wish to help you find the best flights.
Step 4: Select Your Flights & Book!
Choose the flights with the SkyMiles fares you're comfortable with and click through to book!
Unlike some other airlines, Delta's lowest-priced SkyMiles award tickets are almost always in Delta basic economy, meaning you can't pick your seat or change or cancel your flight for free. If you want to cancel or change your ticket, you can expect to fork over 9,900 SkyMiles for domestic trips or to Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean – and 19,900 for long-haul international travel – to get the rest of your miles back.
That's why we regularly recommend picking a main Main Cabin fare that includes advanced seat assignments and the ability to cancel online for a full refund of your SkyMiles and fees. That can easily be worth paying the upcharge in SkyMiles.
After a tweak to its website last year, Delta makes it confusing by lumping both basic economy and Main Cabin “Classic” fares under the “Delta Main” heading. Be sure to pay close attention when booking to choose the fare you want.
Have a Delta Card? Get 15% Off SkyMiles Award Tickets
If you hold a Delta SkyMiles co-branded credit card (except for the free Delta Blue card), you'll get a 15% discount when booking Delta flights with SkyMiles. So long as you're logged in and your card is connected to your SkyMiles account, you'll see that TakeOff 15 discount reflected in your search results from the get go.
That 15% discount applies to all fare classes from basic economy all the way to Delta One business class.
Bottom Line
Delta SkyMiles may get a bad rap, but they still have plenty of value for everyday travelers – especially when a good flash sale rolls around. And that's happening all the time.
Whether you've got a few thousand or more than 100,000 Delta SkyMiles in your account, use this guide to find the cheapest fares for your next trip.
I have been doing all your suggestions booking Delta, but their business rates are so high that i have used other airlines, AA, virgin, even KLM for Europe flights. I have the AMEX Deltaa platinum card, about 350K miles, and am stuck for two passengers. I may need to bookone ticket on miles, one cash. I hate going thru LHR due to landing fees on Virgin code-sharing but the UK is my primary destination.
Any ideas?
Steve Savran