Delta Airlines Frequent Flyer Program

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(Updated: 19-03-2018)

SkyMiles is the frequent flyer program of Delta Airlines.

There been a change in the program of the airline in the way the miles are earned.

From January 1, 2015, these will be based on spending in USD terms. How many miles you earn are also dependent on the current membership status.

It shall also be noted that the ticket price used for calculating these Miles will also include the base fare as well as those surcharges which are levied by the carrier. However, these would not include the government imposed taxes.

SkyMiles  Vs SkyMiles Qualification Miles

Another point to be noted is that the miles earned under SkyMiles are different from the ones earned towards defining the Medallion status (these are called Medallion Qualification Miles). SkyMiles are earned on amount spent, MQMs are earned on distance flown and fare choice booked. It is the SkyMiles which can be redeemed for different types of awards, not the MQMs.

MQDs have become active from the beginning of 2014.

This means that in order to determine the threshold for a particular type of membership, you would be required to earn particular number of MQMs or MQSs AND MQDs.These levels are defined below:

SkyMiles Medallion Membership Levels 

• Silver Medallion: 25000 MQMs or 30 MQSs AND $3000 MQDs spending
• Gold Medallion: 50000 MQMs or 60 MQSs AND $6000 MQDs spending
• Platinum Medallion: 75000 MQMs or 100 MQSs AND $9000 MQDs spending
• Diamond Medallion: 125000 MQMs or 140 MQSs AND $15000 MQD spending

Silver, Gold and Platinum members are waived off the MQDs requirements if they make eligible purchases using Delta SkyMiles Credit Cards from American Express worth $25000 in previous calendar year.

Diamond members, from 1 January 2018, are waived off the MQDs requirements if they use Delta SkyMiles Credit Cards from American Express to make purchasees woth $250000 during the calendar year. 

Roll-over MQMs, a Delta exclusive benefit, is given out to Medallion members. It is not meant for the General or the Standard passengers. Under this provision, the MQMs earned in a given year are rolled over to the next year for the purpose of getting status upgrade. Rollover MQMs are not permitted for passengers who have not achieved any Tier of earned Medallion Status. This means that only those members who have received complimentary or gifted MQMs are eligible for this rollover. 

Earning SkyMiles

Earning with Delta Flights

• General: 5 miles for every dollar spent
• Silver Medallion Members: 7 miles for every $1
• Gold Medallion Members: 8 miles for every $1
• Platinum Medallion Members: 9 miles for every $1
• Diamond Medallion Members: 11 miles for every $1

Earning on Delta Flight by Paying With Delta SkyMiles Credit Cards from AMEX

• 2 miles per eligible $1 spent on Delta purchases
• 1 miles per eligible $1 spent on everyday purchases

Vacations and Cruises

• People visiting more than 300 destinations around the world make passengers eligible to earn 7500 bonus miles per person with flight and hotel bookings. 
• Passengers can also earn 1500-30000 SkyMiles while booking cruises for vacations.

Bonus miles are eligible for tier upgrade, not for accumulation for further rewards.

Airlines Partners

20 airline partners allow passengers to earn SkyMiles. Passengers can earn Bonus Miles in terms of percentage of miles flown, such as:

These partners are given below: Aeromexico, Air France, Alitalia, China Eastern, GOL, KLM, Korean Air, JetAirways, Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Australia, Air Europa, Kenya Airways, MEA, Saudia, Aeroflot, Aerolineas Argentinas, China Airlines, China Southers, Czech Airlines, Garuda Indonesia, Vietnam Airlines, Xiamen Air, Great Lakes Airlines, Hawaiian airlines and Westjet. 

Others

Besides, there are hotels, car rental companies, shopping and dining companies where spending money can help you earn the SkyMiles.

Redemption of Miles

There are six ways in which the SkyMiles can be redeemed. You can either book an Award Travel, Shop with Miles, Donate Miles, get the Delta Sky club membership, get Mileage upgrades and ‘Pay with Miles’.

The Award Tickets are awarded for 74 countries and regions in the world. These tickets can be paid for by using the credit cards (American Express, Diners Club, Discover Network, MasterCard, UATP and Visa), Debit Cards, redeeming Delta eCredits (Travel Credit Voucher, Delta Travel Voucher, Delta Dollars, Miscellaneous Charge Order, Unused/partly used past date tickets and electronic gift certificates).

Shopping is another way in which you can use these SkyMiles. There is a specific SkyMiles Marketplace where you can buy products of electronics, fashion and beauty, food and wine, home decor, luggage, office items and sports and recreation. There is also a separate kids section for shopping related to children. You can also redeem the Miles for rentals of cars and booking of hotels. Special marketplaces also exist for Asia region and Philippines.

SkyMiles can also be redeemed by way of auctions. You can use these miles for paying for items which you win in bids.However, this method can be used only for within the US states.

Delta has teamed up with Audience Rewards for earning and redeeming miles for free tickets.

What is even more amazing is the fact that you can get magazines and newspapers with Miles.

Delta partners with a number of charities world over and you can make a donation to these charities by redeeming the SkyMiles.

You can also become a member of the Delta SkyClub by way of redeeming the earned miles.

Upgrading the class of travel is another way of redeeming the earned Miles. This upgrade can be done in different ways depending on the sector of travel.