I find it difficult to extract outsize value from Delta SkyMiles. That’s because I like to use my miles for long haul premium cabin redemptions and Delta has made that harder and harder over the years by removing award charts and jacking up the rates.
I value Delta SkyMiles among the lowest of all US airlines miles, at just 1.2 cents per mile, because it’s increasingly difficult to do much better than that without a ton of effort and patience. I generally can get over 2 cents myself, but with a ton of patience and pure unwillingness to take less.
Yet MANY MilesTalkers accrue a ton of miles from actual flying. The Delta experience, including Medallion upgrades, keep you flying Delta despite the low value of SkyMiles. So when they have a sale offering you 2 cents per mile in value, it’s worth perking up for.
Delta SkyMiles Sale: Miles Used for Vacation Packages Through Aug 30, 2019 are worth 2 cents a piece instead of the usual 1 cent
As this sale page explains, you can redeem your SkyMiles towards a vacation package (hotel and air) and your miles will be worth 2 cents a piece.
The most pertinent rules are:
Delta Vacations Sale Terms and Conditions
- When you book between August 26 – 30, 2019, your Delta miles with the SkyMiles Program are worth double (compared to the standard Delta Vacations miles redemption offer) when you use them towards the purchase of any Delta Vacations flight and hotel package from any Delta Vacations origin in the U.S. or Canada to any Delta Vacations destination, for travel anytime. Example: Example: 50,000 miles normally = $500. With the promotion 50,000 miles = $1000 off your flight and hotel package. Offer expires August 30, 2019 at 11:59 PM Eastern time.
- Minimum 2-night hotel stay required.
- Offer is redeemable up to 999,999 miles on flight and hotel packages to any Delta Vacations destination.
- To review rules for Delta Vacations miles redemption, please visit deltavacations.com/milestogo.
- Offer is not retroactive, and is not available on prior reservations. Must be purchased through Delta Vacations via delta.com/vacations or the customer engagement center: 1-800-800-1504. World Agent Direct bookings are not eligible.
- Programs and availability may vary. Delta Vacations air reservations may be made up to 331 days in advance of flight departure.
- Delta Vacations must issue all airline tickets.
- Standard Terms and Conditions apply.
- Delta Vacations is the final authority on the interpretation of these rules and reserves the right to change these Terms and Conditions without prior notice.
- Offer is not valid with gift cards, Ski packages, Dive packages, Globus family of brands including Globus, Cosmos, Monograms, and Avalon, other discounts or special status fares (such as companion, agency/industry discount, web fares, senior fares child rates), or for groups of 10 or more.
In short, while not a blockbuster redemption, it’s a solid way to spend your stash of miles. Your flights will earn mileage and MQM, but bear in mind your hotel stay will NOT earn points or qualify for any status benefits.
Will you spend your Delta SkyMiles on a Vacation Package?
Let me know here, on Twitter, or in the private MilesTalk Facebook group.
You can find credit cards that best match your spending habits and bonus categories at Your Best Credit Cards.
New to all of this? The MilesTalk “introduction to miles and points” book, MilesTalk: Live Your Wildest Travel Dreams Using Miles and Points is available on Amazon and at major booksellers.
