Delta SkyMiles is the loyalty program people love to hate. But after years of complaining about what Delta has done to the program, I’ve finally learned how to live with it.
I don’t save SkyMiles for some imaginary dream redemption.
I use them.
Delta has spent years making SkyMiles less appealing to people who enjoy squeezing outsized value from airline miles. It eliminated published award charts, embraced dynamic award pricing and began awarding miles based largely on ticket price rather than the number of miles flown.
The result is a program that often feels less like a traditional frequent flyer program and more like a discount currency for Delta flights.
Once I accepted that, SkyMiles became much easier to use.
I’m Not Saving SkyMiles For Business Class
There was a time when airline miles were something I accumulated for a future trip. I’d save them until I had enough for an aspirational redemption.
I don’t look at SkyMiles that way.
When Delta releases premium cabin awards at a reasonable price, it can sometimes cost fewer miles to book the same Delta flight through a partner program such as Flying Blue or Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. Naturally, that depends on partner availability and the price being charged at the time.
That’s what I did when we flew from Frankfurt to Orlando in Delta business class, even though the aircraft featured what was then one of Delta’s weakest long-haul business-class seats.
The last time I used SkyMiles for anything resembling an aspirational international redemption was in early 2019, when I redeemed 55,000 miles for Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy from New York to London.
Those aren’t the types of redemptions I expect from SkyMiles anymore.
Delta Finally Taught Me To Earn And Burn
I’m usually terrible at following the earn-and-burn philosophy.
I tend to accumulate more points than I redeem, partly because I’m always thinking about what I might use them for later. But SkyMiles are different. I don’t assume they’ll become more valuable by sitting in my account.
Whenever we’re considering a Delta flight, I compare the cash price with the mileage price. If the value is reasonable, I’m perfectly happy to redeem the miles.
A recent search for a nonstop flight from Orlando to New York provides a good example.
Delta was charging $139 for the 8 a.m. flight and $104 for the 10 a.m. departure in the Main Cabin.
We’ve flown Delta Basic Economy before, and it isn’t for us. Delta Main was the fare we wanted.
The same flights were available for 11,400 and 8,100 SkyMiles, respectively, plus $6 in taxes.
However, because I have an eligible Delta American Express card, TakeOff 15 reduced the prices to 9,600 miles for the earlier flight and 6,800 miles for the later one.
After subtracting the $6 in taxes from the comparable cash fares, the 8 a.m. flight provided about 1.39 cents per SkyMile. The cheaper 10 a.m. departure worked out even better, at approximately 1.44 cents per mile.
Neither redemption would impress someone looking for a five-cent-per-point international business-class award. But I’d be using 6,800 SkyMiles instead of paying $104 for a flight we actually wanted to take.
That’s exactly what I now consider a good use of SkyMiles.
A Good SkyMiles Redemption Doesn’t Need To Be Spectacular
I no longer think of SkyMiles as a currency I need to protect until the perfect opportunity appears.
If I can redeem SkyMiles for somewhere around 1.3 to 1.4 cents each on a Delta flight that fits our schedule, I’m usually satisfied. TakeOff 15 makes those calculations somewhat more favorable, although the discount only applies to eligible Delta-operated award flights and not partner awards.
That doesn’t mean I actively put large amounts of spending on a Delta credit card just to earn more SkyMiles. However, Delta’s co-branded American Express cards occasionally offer large welcome bonuses, and those miles can still cover a meaningful amount of Delta travel.
Just don’t sign up expecting those miles to automatically provide a business or first-class trip to Europe.
Delta taught me that holding onto its miles doesn’t necessarily make them more valuable. So when I find a decent redemption for a flight we need, I use them and move on.
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