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How to redeem Delta SkyMiles for maximum value

Since Delta eliminated its award charts in 2015, the SkyMiles program has become notably more unpredictable and, at times, outrageously expensive. With business-class flights on long-haul routes often priced at over 450,000 SkyMiles, it's understandable to feel like your SkyMiles balance holds little value.

But if you have a stockpile of Delta miles, they are far from worthless . There are still excellent redemptions available, particularly during the carrier's award sales.

So, let's explore some strategies for maximizing the value of your Delta SkyMiles.

Redeem on Delta flights

You can use your Delta SkyMiles to book Delta, Delta Connection and Delta Shuttle flights. Since Delta uses dynamic pricing, award rates can vary significantly. For example, in November, one-way main cabin award rates from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) range between 16,000 and 49,000 miles.

Even though Thanksgiving travel skews award prices over these dates, significant price volatility is normal. If you want to maximize your SkyMiles, flexibility is important.

Taxes and fees are generally reasonable on Delta tickets. Expect to pay $5.60 per person in taxes and fees on most domestic tickets and international tickets departing the U.S. However, Delta adds carrier-imposed surcharges on many awards that start outside the U.S., most notably those originating in Europe .

Keep an eye out for SkyMiles deals

A great option for redeeming Delta miles is taking advantage of SkyMiles deals. These deals typically apply to specific city pairs, so it may be necessary to book positioning flights to fully maximize these promotions.

Last year, Delta offered a flash sale with round-trip flights for just 5,000 SkyMiles . The airline recently offered round-trip airfare to Auckland Airport (AKL) from most major U.S. airports for just 37,400 SkyMiles round-trip.

If you have no immediate use for your SkyMiles, you may be best off saving them for the next big SkyMiles deal. Just be sure to keep an eye on Delta's SkyMiles deals page .

Save at least 15% with select Delta credit cards

If you have an eligible Delta credit card , you can save 15% on Delta-operated award flights when you use your miles and pay the taxes and fees with the card. This can be a great option to reduce the price you pay on Delta award tickets — and a major reason to open (and keep) a Delta card in your wallet.

Read more: Best Delta credit cards

Rebook when prices drop (or cancel when your plans change)

Once you've used your miles on a Delta flight, be sure to keep your eyes on the award rates. As long as you're not on a basic economy ticket, Delta offers the ability to rebook flights when prices drop, and you'll receive the mileage difference back in your account. You should even be able to do this right from the Delta App.

And if your plans change, you should be able to cancel your flight for a full refund of both the miles and the taxes and fees — again, unless you're on a basic economy ticket.

Related: Complete guide to changing and canceling award tickets

Redeem on partner flights

Delta is a member of the SkyTeam alliance and has three non-alliance airline partners. This gives you more flexibility to redeem your SkyMiles on various airlines and routes across the globe. Here is the complete list of Delta's airline partners:

SkyTeam partners

• Aerolinas Argentinas
• China Airlines
• China Eastern Airlines
• Czech Airlines
• Delta Air Lines
• Garuda Indonesia
• ITA Airways
• Kenya Airways
• Middle East Airlines
• Vietnam Airlines
• Virgin Atlantic

Non-alliance partners

• Hawaiian Airlines

Although there are no online award charts, partner awards generally have a specific price range. For example, one-way business-class airfare from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Mexico City International Airport (MEX) ranges between 42,000 and 44,000 miles.

Another great option is WestJet-operated flights from the U.S. to Canada. Round-trip award tickets in economy class still clock in at 25,000 miles plus ~$60 in taxes and fees, and availability is relatively widespread, especially when you book in advance.

These flights routinely cost more than $500, giving you a redemption value of more than 2 cents per miles.

Delta also has some appealing non-U.S. partner sweet spots.

For example, Dubai International Airport (DXB) to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) on Air France business class generally costs around 42,500 miles plus 120 United Arab Emirates Dirham (around $32). In comparison, Tokyo's Narita International Airport (NRT) or Haneda Airport (HND) to Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) costs 35,000 miles plus up to 6,910 Japanese Yen (around $50) for a connecting business-class Korean Air or China Airlines flight.

Delta can increase these rates at any time, and they have done so on multiple occasions . To obtain the current award price, you will need to contact Delta directly or search the website.

While Delta has tried to improve its website to display partner awards, it may still have limitations, particularly when booking mixed-cabin itineraries. The website often prioritizes Delta-operated flights, which may not be ideal if you have specific flight requirements. We recommend searching for flights segment by segment and being prepared to call Delta if the website doesn't offer the desired trip options.

Related: The best websites for searching SkyTeam award availability

Redeem for upgrades

You can also use your SkyMiles for upgrades to a higher class of service. If you have a confirmed Delta-marketed and operated flight, you should have the option to pay cash or use miles to upgrade your flight directly on Delta's website.

If you redeem your miles for an upgrade using this method, you'll generally get around 1 cent per mile, which is lower than our 1.15 cent valuation of Delta SkyMiles . This could be a viable option if you have a surplus of SkyMiles and no immediate plans for their use. However, we generally recommend prioritizing award flight redemptions, as discussed in previous sections.

You can also use Delta miles to upgrade specific flights operated by Air France, KLM, Virgin Atlantic or Aeromexico. This option is subject to fare class requirements and is available only on select routes each partner operates. For more details, please refer to Delta's " upgrade with miles " page.

You'll also want to make sure there's upgrade inventory available. Fortunately, all four partner airlines mentioned above publish business-class award inventory on ExpertFlyer (owned by TPG's parent company, Red Ventures), allowing easy searching and setting up alerts if the desired seats are unavailable when you book your flight.

Related: All the tips and tricks you need to use Delta Upgrade Certificates

Redeem for Delta Vacations

Delta Vacations recently enhanced redemption rates for SkyMiles members looking to use their rewards for vacations. You'll get at least 1.15 cents when you use your miles to cover a Delta Vacation.

In practice, however, you can occasionally find better redemption rates.

A two-day escape from Los Angeles to Hawaii with lodging at the Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa, Waikiki Beach costs $1,797.90. Alternatively, you can redeem 143,832 SkyMiles to book this vacation (a 1.25-cent redemption rate).

In this example, Delta also includes a round-trip transfer from the airport to the hotel, whether you pay with miles or cash.

Related: Delta Vacations enhances earning rates and redemption value for SkyMiles members

How to earn Delta miles quickly

You'll need to have SkyMiles to take advantage of the redemptions mentioned above. Fortunately, there are several ways to increase your balance. One of the simplest ways to earn Delta miles is by using Delta's cobranded American Express credit cards (terms apply). Here are some of the current welcome offers available for these cards:

• Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card : Earn 65,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership.The card has a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 (see rates and fees ).
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card : Earn 85,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. The card has a $350 annual fee (see rates and fees ).
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card : Earn 95,000 bonus miles after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. The card has a $650 annual fee (see rates and fees ).
• Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card : Earn 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. The card has a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then a $150 annual fee (see rates and fees ).
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card : Earn 95,000 bonus miles after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. The card has a $350 annual fee (see rates and fees ).
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card : Earn 110,000 bonus miles after you spend $12,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. The card has a $650 annual fee (see rates and fees ).

Remember that any of these cards include access to the TakeOff 15 benefit , which will save you at least 15% on Delta-operated award flights.

You can also transfer American Express Membership Rewards points from cards like the American Express® Gold Card and The Platinum Card® from American Express to Delta SkyMiles at a 1:1 ratio. However, you'll be subject to an excise tax offset fee . And Marriott Bonvoy points transfer to Delta SkyMiles at a 3:1 ratio.

Related: Points of View: Which credit card should you use for Delta Air Lines flights?

Bottom line

Although the value of Delta SkyMiles has decreased in recent years, there are still excellent deals to be found. While the program has been moving toward a redemption value of 1 cent per mile, you can still surpass that, especially with SkyMiles deals and Delta Vacations.

Additional reporting by Ethan Steinberg.

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Gold Card, click here . For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card, click here . For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card, click here . For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Card, click here . For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Card, click here . For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business Card, click here .

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The Complete Guide to Redeeming Delta SkyMiles

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Table of Contents

The best Delta SkyMiles redemptions

(mostly) bad ways to redeem delta skymiles, other tips on how to use delta miles, delta skymiles redemptions recapped.

Delta Air Lines is one of the world’s largest airlines, with a huge presence throughout the U.S. as well as significant routes in Europe and Asia, making it one of the best airlines for redeeming miles no matter your destination. And, yes — even if you're flying somewhere that Delta doesn't fly, you can probably still redeem your miles for a free flight. That's because Delta has more than 20 airline partners that you can earn and redeem miles with.

If you're interested in finding and bookmarking a Delta SkyMiles redemption chart, the bad news is that Delta no longer publishes an award chart.

Assuming you've already done the work to earn Delta SkyMiles , let's get to the fun part: determining how to use Delta SkyMiles in ways that feel good to you.

1. Flying with Delta

Flying on Delta flights is one of the easiest, most straightforward ways to spend Delta SkyMiles.

If you're open to the date and destination

Check the Delta award sale page . This page lists ongoing deals on award flights — and keep checking back as they change frequently. Delta allows you to filter by origin and/or destination, meaning you could select your home airport and find a deal for airfare. Delta also lists the dates these deals are valid, so it helps if your travel schedule is flexible.

If you have a specific flight in mind

Head to Delta's website, and — when searching flights — display the cost to book using miles. Unlike many other airlines that price award flights based on distance or country, Delta doesn't publish an award chart. Instead, the pricing is dynamic, which has its pros and cons. The good news is the miles price is more likely to be closely tied to the cash price, but it removes the chances you'll find an incredible redemption by, say, booking a flight during an otherwise high-demand time (like to the city hosting the Super Bowl).

Check Delta.com for the cost of your flight, which will vary based on the routing and dates selected.

There is a general correlation between the cost of a flight in cash and its cost in SkyMiles. But you should always calculate the reward redemption rate versus the cost to book in cash. NerdWallet values Delta miles at 1.2 cents each. This is a baseline value, drawn from real-world data on hundreds of economy routes, not a maximized value. In other words, you should aim for award redemptions that offer 1.2 cents or more in value from your Delta miles.

2. Flying on Delta partners

Delta is a part of the SkyTeam alliance , and you can use your Delta SkyMiles to book flights on most of the SkyTeam and other Delta partners .

In addition to SkyTeam, Delta partners with several other carriers, bringing the total partner redemption options to about two dozen.

Delta’s core global airline partners are:

Aeromexico.

Air France.

China Eastern.

Korean Air.

Latam Airline.

Virgin Atlantic.

Virgin Australia.

Delta’s other global airline partners are:

Aerolineas Argentinas.

China Airlines.

China Southern Airlines.

Czech Airlines.

Garuda Indonesia.

Hawaiian Airlines.

ITA Airways.

Kenya Airways.

Middle East Airlines.

Vietnam Airlines.

Things to keep in mind when redeeming miles for flights

Whether you’re using your miles to fly on Delta or any of its partners, there are some rules and guidelines that you’ll want to keep in mind.

No blackout dates. One upside to the lack of an award chart is that there are no blackout dates for redeeming your miles. Every date and route that has open seats are available for a SkyMiles redemption. That said, dynamic pricing makes it so you may come across some dates and routes that cost so many SkyMiles that it’s not feasible to redeem miles (say, flying during the holidays).

Basic economy awards are cheaper. Delta does offer basic economy awards , which generally cost fewer SkyMiles than main cabin awards. Basic economy award tickets don’t allow you to pick your seat in advance, and you can’t make any ticket changes or get any upgrades. However, you are allowed to bring a personal item.

Sometimes flights are good, sometimes they're bad Delta SkyMiles redemptions. Nerdwallet values one Delta SkyMile at 1.2 cents each. Always calculate the cost to purchase flights in cash to see if it's worth it.

3. Upgrading your Delta flights

Another option for redeeming SkyMiles is to use your miles to upgrade your existing ticket. If your flight is eligible to be upgraded, you will see an option to upgrade in your reservation details page.

Delta gives you the option to upgrade with either miles or cash. As you can see above, this redemption gets you roughly 1 cent per point in value, which is close to Nerdwallet's value of 1.2 cents each. That said, always calculate the upgrade cost to see if it's worth it, as upgrade costs vary by flight.

4. Using miles for Delta reservation services

If you need to pay for services such as a ticket change fee, your Delta SkyMiles may be able to pay for it. In most cases, you can use your miles instead of money to fund products and services you'd receive when calling Delta Reservations at 1-800-323-2323.

You can use your miles for:

Selecting preferred seats (waived for all Medallion members as part of Medallion benefits).

Ticket change fees.

Same-day confirmed fees (waived for Diamond, Platinum and Gold Medallion members as part of Medallion Benefits).

External ticket charges (applies to all tickets issued in the U.S. or Canada by companies other than Delta).

Keep in mind that these mileage redemptions listed are nonrefundable.

» Learn more: The Delta seat selection guide

5. Book with Delta Vacations

With Delta Vacations , you can bundle a package of Delta flights, plus other hotels and activities. You can pay for it with cash, but you might prefer paying with miles, which you can do, too.

When building your vacation package, enter your SkyMiles number, which will allow you to choose miles as your payment type at checkout. What’s nice is that even if you don’t have enough miles to cover the whole trip, Delta allows you to purchase tickets as Miles + Cash, so you can apply your mileage as a discount and pay the rest in cash.

If you have a mega sum of miles, this should come as good news, too: You don’t only have to use the miles on yourself. Your miles can pay for everyone on your Delta Vacation, as long as they’re on the same reservation. Though, you are limited to redeeming up to 999,999 miles when booking online. If you will be redeeming more miles, contact Delta Vacations at 1-800-800-1504.

Delta Vacations also provides one of the few solid ways to pay for Disney trips on points and miles . Very few travel programs allow you to use points or miles to pay for Disney theme park tickets, making Delta vacations a rare exception.

6. Ordering magazines

Redeem your Delta SkyMiles for magazines through MagsforMiles . Rates vary by the magazine and also change depending on when you’re ordering, but past examples have included 15 issues of Wine Spectator for 1,000 miles, which comes out to about 66 miles per issue.

Given NerdWallet’s valuation of a Delta mile at 1.2 cents , that’s less than 50 cents per issue, which might not be a bad deal.

Delta offers myriad ways to redeem miles, but not all of them are good. Going back to the valuation of a Delta mile at 1.2 cents each, and you’ll find most of these redemptions fall flat.

That said, these redemptions can make sense every once in a while. Maybe you used to live in a Delta hub and acquired oodles of miles, but you’ve since moved to an airport that isn't served by Delta. Perhaps a change in circumstances means you can no longer fly, period. In scenarios such as these, the following redemptions might still be a smart money move.

For everyone else, these redemptions tend to be pretty bad. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

Donating Delta miles through SkyWish

Delta partners with dozens of charities worldwide that support a range of causes, to which you can donate your miles, through a program called SkyWish. However, mileage donations to SkyWish charities aren't tax deductible — neither for SkyMiles members nor Delta.

Transferring Delta miles to a friend

If you’re not using your miles on yourself, you could give them to someone else.

Delta allows you to transfer miles from your personal SkyMiles account to another SkyMiles account in increments of 1,000 miles. However, Delta charges a boatload of fees that probably don’t make it worth it. For starters, there’s a $30 processing fee per transaction. You’ll also pay $0.01 per mile on top of that.

Considering NerdWallet values one Delta mile at just 1.2 cents this isn’t a good deal. Transferring 30,000 miles — worth roughly $390 — would cost you about $330 in combined fees. In most cases, transferring miles isn’t worth it given they lose so much value (in this scenario, it’s 85% of the overall value).

You can give away up to 150,000 miles per year, and each SkyMiles account can receive up to 300,000 miles per year.

Bidding on trips, theater tickets, culinary classes and more at SkyMiles Experiences

Delta SkyMiles Experiences offers a unique way to spend your points, but it's tough to say it's the best. The experiential online auction platform allows Delta SkyMiles Members to bid miles in exchange for relatively difficult experiences (and sometimes impossible) for money to buy, such as tickets to exclusive sports experiences or celebrity-attended events.

Because the experiences are billed as money-can't buy, it's difficult to assess whether they're truly a good 'deal' or not. Some, like a stay at Waikiki's Halekulani Hotel, are easier to assign worth. Others, like a private meet-and-greet with the cast of Monty Python's "Spamalot" on Broadway in NYC, depend on how much you value such an experience.

And since it's bid-based, prices can swing wildly. Here's a list of experiences that were available in late 2023, and how much they sold for. Given NerdWallet's valuation of a Delta mile at 1.2 cents , we included a rough estimation of the value of that experience in terms of your Delta mile exchange:

Access for four to Crash My Playa, a 5-night, all-inclusive concert vacation in Mexico: 346,000 miles (worth about $4,150).

An 8-day, 7-night trip for two on the Southeast Asia Culinary Odyssey of Thailand & Vietnam culinary tour, including lodging (no airfare): 341,000 miles (worth about $4,000).

Two tickets to Z100's "Jingle Ball" at Madison Square Garden in New York: 75,250 miles (worth about $900).

Two VIP tickets to the Opry Country Christmas Show in Nashville, plus artist meet and greet: 27,000 miles (worth about $325).

There are a few Delta sweet spots

There are a few Delta sweet spots to watch for when redeeming Delta SkyMiles:

Routes that are on sale or part of Delta’s current award sale promotions .

Business class seats from the U.S. to Asia. These should cost 85,000 SkyMiles one way, as in this example:

Economy class to the South Pacific on Virgin Australia for 40,000 miles.

You can earn miles for your next redemption more quickly with a Delta SkyMiles credit card

To have plenty of SkyMiles to redeem, you first have to earn them. While there are a variety of ways to earn Delta SkyMiles , one of the fastest is through a credit card welcome offer. Delta and American Express offer four different personal credit cards:

Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card .

Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card .

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card .

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card .

» Learn more: Blue Delta SkyMiles review: Ideal for loyal but infrequent flyers

There are also business versions of three of these cards:

Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card .

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card .

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card .

» Learn more: Delta SkyMiles Gold Business review: Decent perks, mundane rewards

Not interested in a Delta credit card, or simply seeking even more ways to earn Delta SkyMiles? Here's a guide to nearly two dozen ways to earn Delta SkyMiles .

You now know how to use Delta SkyMiles on a myriad of redemptions, and that some uses are better than others. Stick to using your miles to book flights for yourself, but don’t overlook Delta’s deals page for award flights.

And look beyond Delta, too, as Delta’s partners may offer the best redemptions of them all.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

75,000 Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

Skymiles Calculator

How many MQMs will you earn for your next flight? Use this tool to find out!

About this tool

Hello. This tool calculates how many SkyMiles are earned flying on Delta and its partners. Plan your trips — or mileage runs — to maximize mileage earning, or just see where you'll end up this year with your miles obsession.

Type your route. jfk-atl-sfo-atl-jfk is a round trip from New York JFK to San Francisco with a stop in Atlanta, all on Delta, using the "Default fare" specified above. Enter more trips on separate lines.

Specify carrier and fare bucket by typing something like ke.f between the airport codes; that means that the segment is on Korean Air in the F fare bucket. Omit the carrier code to default to DL, such that y means Y on Delta. So, jfk-k-atl-ke.c-icn means New York JFK to Atlanta on a K fare on Delta, then onward to Seoul Incheon on Korean Air on a C fare.

To see your cost per mile for a trip, type the fare too. For example: lga-mdw-lga $199 . Revenue-based redeemable miles will be estimated for all-Delta trips. If you specify more than one dollar amount on the line, only the first will be used for this calculation, since Delta does not give you miles for government taxes and fees. The sum will be used for the other costs per mile.

This tool does not currently take into account Delta exception fares such as consolidator and cruise fares which can still earn redeemable miles based on distance flown.

If you received bonus miles include that amount as well. For example: jfk-lax-jfk 500 would specify a trip from New York to Los Angeles that you got a 500-mile redeemable miles bonus for.

Delta's guide to miles earning on its own tickets is here and with partners is here . I make my best guess, but remember that this website is not affiliated in any way with Delta Air Lines . No guarantee of accuracy is made; Delta is the final authority on how many miles they actually award. A discrepancy of a few miles can be expected because I probably round numbers a bit differently than Delta does. If you get a really incorrect result, I'd appreciate hearing about it so I can fix it (I'm @michaelpanik on Twitter; or email me ).

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You Can Score Up to 110K Delta SkyMiles With This Limited-time Amex Offer

The offer is available through July 17.

Courtesy of Amex

Delta Air Lines and American Express are making it easier to plan a summer getaway with new card offers, offering up to 110,000 bonus miles when card holders sign up.

The limited-time offer is available to new Delta SkyMiles American Express card members who sign up through July 17, the company shared with Travel + Leisure . New card offers with bonus mileage are valid for the Delta SkyMiles Gold, Platinum, Reserve, and business cards.

“Whether it’s a long weekend trip, or a short excursion, eligible new Delta SkyMiles American Express Card Members can earn on all types of summer getaways by taking advantage of the limited-time offers,” the company wrote in a statement shared with T+L. 

Travelers who sign up for a new Delta SkyMiles American Express card can earn bonus miles when they spend a certain amount within the first six months of getting the card. The total required spend varies by card.

• Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express card: 65,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 
• Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express card: 75,000 bonus miles after spending $6,000
• Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express card: 85,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000
• Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business American Express card: 95,000 bonus miles after spending $8,000
• Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express card: 95,000 bonus miles after spending $6,000 
• Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express card: 110,000 bonus miles after spending $12,000

This year, Delta added more perks to its American Express-branded cards , but charged more for them. The annual fee for the Delta Reserve card, for example, has increased to $650 from $550. For that fee, which went into effect on May 1, customers receive a $240 Resy credit, $120 rideshare credit, and $200 Delta Stays credit.

The airline has also overhauled its loyalty program , choosing to only count Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) toward elite status. Travelers earn MQDs when they purchase a Delta or Delta-partner flight, book a hotel, a car rental, or a Delta Vacations trip directly through the airline's website. Travelers can also earn MQDs with a Delta credit card, but earn fewer per dollar spent.

Related Articles

Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex review: Mid-tier benefits for Delta loyalists

Delta skymiles® platinum american express card overview.

T he Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card is a good choice for Delta loyalists who need a little help reaching their elite status goals. This card offers valuable perks, including a domestic companion certificate each year after renewing your card, the ability to purchase Sky Club access when flying Delta on a per-visit basis, and your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐½

The Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card is one of the best credit cards for Delta travelers. It has attractive perks for Delta loyalists in exchange for a $350 annual fee (see rates and fees ), including an annual companion certificate (Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean, or Central American roundtrip flights each year after renewal of your card), solid earning rates and other perks.

In February, Delta refreshed its credit card lineup , increasing annual fees, introducing new perks, enhancing existing benefits and restricting lounge access across the board. If you were looking at this card previously, there are several changes you'll want to keep in mind.

The recommended credit score for this card is at least 670.

The Delta Platinum Amex is a good fit if you're chasing Delta Medallion elite status thanks to its earning structure for Medallion Qualification Dollars.

Delta Platinum Amex pros and cons

Delta platinum amex welcome offer.

The Delta Platinum Amex currently earns 85,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months.

Based on TPG's valuation of Delta miles at 1.15 cents each, this bonus is worth $978. This is only 5,000 fewer miles than the best welcome offer we've seen, so now is a great time to apply for the card.

However, you likely won't be eligible for this welcome offer if you have the Delta Amex Platinum or have had it before. Amex may also consider the number of American Express cards you've opened and closed and other factors when deciding whether you're eligible to earn the welcome offer.

Luckily, Amex will notify you if you aren't eligible for a welcome offer , displaying a message soon after submitting your application. So, don't ignore any messages or warnings that appear after you hit submit.

Related: A complete guide to Amex one-welcome offer-per-lifetime restrictions

Delta Platinum Amex benefits

The Delta Platinum Amex offers many perks for Delta flyers, and we will take a closer look at all of the card's perks and benefits.

Elite status perks

Delta has overhauled how its credit cards help cardmembers earn elite status with one metric: Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs). Delta Platinum Amex cardholders earn 1 MQD for every $20 spent with no limit on how many MQDs can be earned through credit card spending.

They also receive an MQD boost of 2,500 MQDs each year.

Annual companion certificate

The other primary benefit offered by the Delta Platinum Amex is an annual companion certificate . You'll receive this perk each year after your account renewal.

The Delta companion certificate is valid for round-trip, main cabin domestic travel booked in fare classes L, U, T, X or V. All you'll need to pay for the companion ticket is taxes and fees. Note that this excludes the carrier's basic economy tickets (which are booked into E fare class) and most higher-priced economy classes.

This certificate covers travel to all 50 U.S. states (including Hawaii and Alaska), Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.

If you use this certificate for expensive flights, you can easily cover most (or all) of the card's annual fee.

Related: What happens if you've used your companion certificate for a canceled flight?

Other travel perks

The Delta Platinum Amex also offers several other benefits you may find helpful, including Hertz Five Star status* , an annual up to $120 Resy statement credit (up to $10 monthly), an annual up to $120 ride-hailing statement credit (up to $10 monthly), an annual $150 Delta Stays statement credit, a 15% discount off award redemptions for Delta flights , first checked bag free for up to eight companions on the same flight, priority boarding, 20% off inflight purchases as statement credit (excluding Wi-Fi purchases), $100 statement credit for Global Entry every 4 years or up to $85 for TSA PreCheck every 4.5 years, and no foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees ). Enrollment is required for select benefits.

Related: How to maximize the new statement credits on the Delta Amex cards

Fortunately, Delta ties benefits such as the checked baggage allowance and priority boarding to your Delta SkyMiles account. So, you don't need to book flights with your Delta Platinum Amex to get access to these perks.

Additionally, cardmembers who are not SkyMiles Medallion Members are eligible to receive complimentary upgrades for Delta One (within the U.S.), First Class, and Delta Comfort+ after Medallion Members.

* Enrollment in the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Program is required

Related: 4 reasons why the Amex Platinum might be the ideal credit card for Delta flyers

Earning miles on the Delta Platinum Amex

You'll earn Delta SkyMiles when you make eligible purchases with the Delta Platinum Amex. In particular, you'll earn Delta miles with your card as follows:

• 3 miles per dollar on purchases made directly with Delta and at hotels
• 2 miles per dollar on purchases made at restaurants (including takeover and delivery) and U.S. supermarkets
• 1 mile per dollar on other eligible purchases

Since TPG's valuations peg the value of value Delta miles at 1.15 cents each, you'll get an effective return of roughly 3.4% on purchases with Delta and at hotels, 2.3% on purchases at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets, and 1.15% on other purchases. Though a loyal Delta traveler may enjoy earning bonus SkyMiles on these purchases, none of these returns are close to the best you can do in these categories.

Related: 9 Delta SkyMiles sweet spots worth saving up for

Redeeming miles on the Delta Platinum Amex

Delta's SkyMiles program doesn't have the best reputation among points and miles buffs. After all, Delta has devalued its miles many times over the years. And Delta doesn't publish an official award chart , meaning award costs can skyrocket overnight. But there are still some great ways to get value from the Delta SkyMiles program .

For example, Delta has frequent flash sales. In the past, we've seen deals like domestic awards from 2,000 SkyMiles one-way , awards to Alaska for as little as 5,000 SkyMiles round-trip , transcontinental awards from 10,000 SkyMiles round-trip and flights to Europe from 16,000 SkyMiles round-trip .

Consider snagging some great sweet spots when using SkyMiles to fly Delta partner airlines . This includes awards on SkyTeam partners such as Air France and Korean Air , but the program also has some non-alliance partners, including Air Tahiti Nui .

Just note that some partner awards don't show on Delta's website, including awards on Air Europa , Air Tahiti Nui, Czech Airlines and Kenya Airways . As a result, you'll want to use ExpertFlyer (owned by TPG's parent company, Red Ventures) or another SkyTeam website like Flying Blue to find availability before calling to book awards on these partners.

TPG's former executive director Scott Mayerowitz often utilizes Delta SkyMiles for domestic trips with his family, taking advantage of flight deals.

Related: How to earn and maximize 100,000 Delta SkyMiles

Which cards compete with the Delta Platinum Amex?

If you are interested in the Delta Platinum Amex because you fly (or plan to fly) Delta frequently, you may also be interested in these options.

• If you want Delta perks with a lower annual fee, The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is a good choice for getting Delta perks, like a free checked bag, but with a lower annual fee of $150 ($0 introductory fee for the first year; see rates and fees ). For more information, check out our full Delta SkyMiles Gold Amex review.
• If you want Delta Sky Club access: The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card has a higher annual fee of $650 (see rates and fees ) but offers more Delta perks, including lounge access. For more information, check out our full review of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Amex .
• If you want a card with more flexible rewards: The Platinum Card® from American Express gives you excellent travel benefits like comprehensive airport lounge access and earns rewards that you can transfer to any of American Express' travel partners. For more information, check out our full review of the Amex Platinum .

For additional options, check out our full list of best airline credit cards and best American Express credit cards .

Read more: Best Amex credit cards

Bottom line

The Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card can be a great addition to your wallet if Delta is your carrier of choice. Its annual fee may seem high compared to the lower-annual-fee Delta Gold Amex , but you get useful benefits in return, like the annual companion certificate that can provide significant value.

However, holding the card may be hard to justify if you don't fly Delta often enough to maximize this card's benefits.

Remember that to maximize your overall travel earning strategy, you'll likely want to pair the Delta Platinum with other cards offering higher bonus spending categories .

Apply here: Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card

For rates and fees of the Delta Platinum Amex, click here .

For rates and fees of the Delta Gold Amex, click here .

For rates and fees of the Delta Reserve Amex, click here .

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Putin warns that Russia could provide long-range weapons to others to strike Western targets

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Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Germany on Wednesday that the use of its weapons by Ukraine to strike targets inside Russia would mark a “dangerous step” and he said Moscow could provide long-range weapons to others to strike Western targets.

Such action by the West will further undermine international security and could lead to “very serious problems,” he said.

“That would mark their direct involvement in the war against the Russian Federation, and we reserve the right to act the same way,” Putin added.

He said the action by Germany could ruin relations between Berlin and Moscow.

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Germany joined the United States recently in authorizing Ukraine to hit some targets on Russian soil with the long-range weapons they are supplying to Kyiv. The deliveries of German tanks to Ukraine came as a shock to many in Russia, Putin said.

“Now if they use missiles to strike facilities on the Russian territory, it will completely ruin Russian-German relations,” he said.

On Wednesday, a Western official and a U.S. senator said Ukraine has used American weapons to strike inside Russia under newly approved guidance from President Biden. It allows U.S. arms to be used for the limited purpose of defending Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, which is near the Russian border. The official was not authorized to comment publicly on the matter and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Taking questions from international journalists for the first time since his inauguration last month to a fifth term, Putin also said nothing will change in terms of Russia-U.S. relations regardless of whether Biden or Donald Trump wins the U.S. presidential election in November.

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“We will work with any president the American people elect,” Putin said, speaking on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

“I say absolutely, sincerely, I wouldn’t say that we believe that after the election something will change on the Russian track in the American politics,” he added. “We don’t think so. We think nothing that serious will happen.”

Putin also said Trump’s felony conviction at his hush money trial last week was the result of “the use of the court system as part of the internal political struggle.”

The Russian leader faced questions on a wide range of topics from senior news leaders of international news agencies, including the Associated Press, although the war in Ukraine dominated the session.

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President Biden gives Ukraine the go-ahead to use American weaponry to strike inside Russia for the limited purpose of defending Kharkiv, officials say.

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Asked about the number of Russian military losses in more than two years of fighting, Putin said that no country would reveal that information during hostilities but claimed without offering proof that Ukraine’s casualties are five times greater than Russia’s.

He also asserted that Ukraine has more than 1,300 Russian troops in captivity, while more than 6,400 Ukrainian soldiers are being held in Russia. The claims could not be independently verified.

Putin has used the annual forum as a showcase for touting Russia’s development and seeking investors. While meetings with journalists were part of previous sessions, he has not taken questions from Western journalists at the St. Petersburg event since his troops invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Last year, journalists from countries that Russia regards as unfriendly — including the U.S., the U.K. and European Union nations — were not invited, and Western officials and investors also steered clear of the session after wide-ranging sanctions were imposed on Moscow over Ukraine.

Jordan and Morris write for the Associated Press. AP writer Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed to this report.

More to Read

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Islamic State claimed the attack on Russia. Why is Putin accusing Ukraine and the West?

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