As one of America’s largest airlines, Delta Air Lines is a pioneer in connecting people around the world. Together with partners around the world, Delta serves 200 million customers each year to more than 275 destinations in 50 countries. With more than 4,000 flights every day, Delta and its partners can take you to more destinations than you could ever imagine.
Best of all, members of the Delta SkyMiles frequent flyer program earn miles that can be redeemed for award tickets and more when they fly with Delta or its 20+ airline partners through the SkyTeam alliance. And remember, Delta SkyMiles never expire.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at Delta Airlines, its partners, and how you can earn Delta SkyMiles and use them for future travel.
Delta Air Lines Partners
How to earn Delta SkyMiles with our partners
To earn Delta SkyMiles, you earn points every time you fly with Delta or one of its partner airlines. Keep in mind that Delta doesn’t offer SkyMiles on flights booked in basic economy class. To figure out how many miles you’ll earn, it’s important to pay attention to the airline operating your flight.
For example, with Air France, one of Delta’s major global partners, you can earn miles based on the number of miles flown multiplied by a percentage determined by the fare class you booked, and this percentage also varies depending on whether you fly solely within Europe or to other international destinations.
So if you fly from Paris to Accra on a standard economy-fare Air France ticket, you’ll earn between 50 and 100 percent of the miles you actually fly, depending on how you purchase them. If you fly business class, you’ll earn 200 percent of your total SkyMiles miles.
Delta’s website details the various earning rates for each of its partner airlines.
Earn Delta SkyMiles with Credit Cards
Not only can you earn SkyMiles when flying with Delta and its partner airlines, but you can also earn SkyMiles when spending money with your credit card, another convenient way to earn miles on everyday purchases.
One of the easiest ways to accumulate SkyMiles is with Delta’s co-branded cards in partnership with American Express. These cards give you a set number of miles for every dollar you spend, but bonuses vary from card to card.
For example, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card earns 3x miles on Delta purchases. Delta offers several co-branded credit cards at a variety of annual fee prices, so you can shop around for one that best suits your needs. And if you’re not ready to purchase a full airline rewards card, you could also consider a general travel rewards card that earns American Express Membership Rewards points because it allows cardholders to transfer their Membership Rewards to a Delta Skymiles loyalty account.
How to Use Delta SkyMiles with Partners
Using miles on partner airlines is as easy as purchasing a Delta ticket. Simply search on Delta’s website or mobile app to redeem your miles. Once you’ve searched for your destination and desired dates, you can switch between viewing fares in dollars or SkyMiles. Depending on how many miles you have in your account, you can even book using a combination of miles and cash.
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When booking with miles, the options available to you may be different than when booking with dollars, as airlines may limit the number of seats in a particular cabin on an award ticket.
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Some of Delta’s partner airlines may not be available for booking online, but this may vary by partner airline. If the partner airline you would like to book with does not offer online booking, please call Delta reservations to learn more about your options.
Partner Status Transfer
As a Delta Medallion Member, you also retain some of your status benefits with partner airlines. These benefits vary depending on your Medallion status and the specific airline. For example, some partner airlines may not offer all Medallion benefits, and Delta’s flagship global airlines may offer a wider range of benefits than other global airline partners.
If maintaining your Medallion status benefits when flying with partner airlines is important to you, be sure to read all the details about the benefits you can expect with each partner airline before booking.
For more information on Medallion benefits with partner airlines, please visit Delta’s website.
Delta’s other partners
In addition to partnering with airlines, Delta also partners with hotels, car rental companies and other brands to help you earn more SkyMiles on your purchases. Below is a summary of Delta’s current non-airline partners:
How to Get the Most Out of Your Delta SkyMiles
If you’re a frequent flyer and fly with Delta, maximizing the number of SkyMiles you earn is a great way to save on annual travel costs and enjoy great perks when you fly.
Here are some ways to make the most of earning and using Delta SkyMiles.
Shopping with a partner
Delta’s non-airline partners can increase the value of your miles.
For example, if you already have a Starbucks account, you can link your SkyMiles account, load $100 onto your account and earn 2 miles for every dollar you spend at participating Starbucks locations. You’ll also earn Double Stars on Starbucks rewards on days you fly with Delta.
While these rewards may not add up as quickly as flights, they can help you earn more miles over time. Make sure you regularly check Delta’s SkyMiles partner offers to make sure you’re taking advantage of offers that fit into your regular spending.
Use a suitable credit card
A Delta credit card is a great way to increase your SkyMiles earnings.
You can also use a credit card that earns you reward points that can be transferred to Delta. For example, points earned through the American Express Membership Rewards program can be transferred to Delta SkyMiles at a 1:1 ratio. Using the card that best suits your budget and spending habits can help you maximize the number of SkyMiles you earn for future travel with Delta.
Be flexible with redemptions
Award tickets are one of the most effective ways to use your SkyMiles, but being flexible with your dates can help you get even more value out of your miles.
Delta offers dynamic pricing that varies depending on the route, date and time of booking. Before booking your award travel, try the booking tool on Delta’s website or app (select “flexible dates” to see different costs for a week or month before or after your desired dates) to get an idea of how prices may change a few days before or after your trip.
Conclusion
Delta has numerous partner airlines across the globe, giving you the option to earn miles using SkyMiles and travel almost anywhere in the world.
If you love flying with Delta, making the most of the SkyMiles you earn can help you unlock free award tickets, upgrades, travel perks, and more faster. When you’re ready to book, take the time to research your best options to ensure you’re getting the best redemption value possible.
For more tips and tricks on how to get the most out of your travels with credit cards, check out Bankrate’s Travel Toolkit.
