What's the value of Delta Airlines SkyMiles? The simple answer: 1.2 cents per point. This means 10,000 SkyMiles are equal to about $120 in flight value.
Here our valuations for Delta SkyMiles based on redemption:
Redemption option | Redemption value in cents |
---|---|
Delta Flights | 1.2 |
Pay With Miles | 1.0 |
Car Rentals | 0.84 |
Delta Gift Cards | 0.69 |
Merchandise | 0.55 |
Cruises | 0.47 |
Hotels | 0.42 |
Other Gift Cards | 0.41 |
Learn more: Best Delta Credit Cards (+ SkyMiles Calculator)
Delta Flights: 1.2 cents per mile.
The best way to get the most out of Delta SkyMiles is to redeem them for flights on Delta Airlines and their airline partners. This will give you an average redemption value of 1.2 cents per mile. So 10,000 SkyMiles translates to around $120 in flight value.
Delta Airlines has a handful of sweet spots when it comes to redeeming your SkyMiles for solid value.
Short-haul flights in the U.S.
Short-haul flights in the United States is one of the best uses of Delta SkyMiles. It's easy way to get from point A to point B for a small amount of SkyMiles. You can find round-trip flights ranging from 10,000 to 15,000 Delta SkyMiles on average between many cities.
Long-haul economy flights in the U.S.
You can get some bang out of your Delta SkyMiles when it comes to booking long-haul flights in Economy with Delta. This can typically give you average to higher-than-average value on your bookings.
For a round-trip flight from New York (JFK) to San Francisco in October, the cost in SkyMiles start for as low as 26,000 to 27,000 SkyMiles plus $12 in taxes. The lowest cost in cash for most of the flights between these two cities are $357. This gives Delta SkyMiles a cash value of around 1.3 cents each which is great value.
International redemptions
Delta has a handful of redemptions to international destinations that can net you some solid value. This includes:
- Flights to Brazil on LATAM
- Flights to the U.K. on Virgin Atlantic
- Flights with Korean Airlines
- Flights from the U.S. to Canada
- Flights from the U.S. to Middle East
These will mainly be for First, Business, and Delta One flights, but there's some sweet spots for economy as well for these particular flights and destinations.
All partner award bookings can be booked directly though the Delta website by entering your destination, dates, and selecting 'Shop with Miles'. Results for both Delta and airline partners will appear in the results.
I recommend using the 'My dates are flexible' option so that you can find the best value across multiple dates.
Delta flash sales & weekend getaways
Delta has weekend getaway deals to several destinations around the globe for anyone who wants to plan a quick weekend trip. These deals are usually heavily reduced and can save you some serious SkyMiles.
Along with weekend getaways, Delta also has consistent Flash Sales. These are random deals that pop up to excellent destinations for great value.
Both of these add to the reasons why I recommend keeping a stash of SkyMiles handy so you can be ready for that next deal to a place on your bucket list or to a favorite travel destination.
Finding other great redemptions
The Delta SkyMiles program has a handful of sweet spots when it comes to redemptions. If you're looking for flights outside of the sweet spots mentioned, your best bet is to use Advanced Search and select the My Dates Are Flexible option when searching flights.
This allows you to easily toggle between seeing the cost of flights in SkyMiles and the cost of flights in cash. From there, you can easily calculate which flights offer you great value.
Below are a few examples of how to use Advance Search to find some solid redemptions.
Detroit to Orlando
For a round-trip flight from Detroit to Orlando in mid-August, I was able to find several great redemptions starting at 13,000 SkyMiles plus $12 in taxes/fees. Cash prices for the same flights started as low as $197 meaning these redemptions offer a value of 1.42 cents per SkyMile which is great.
Miles + Cash redemptions
Along with booking award flights using all miles, you can also book using Miles + Cash. This allows you to flexibility to pay for a flight using a combination of miles and dollars.
While that's a nice benefit to have, do note that you will not receive Medallion Qualification Segments (MQSs), Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) or Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) for Miles + Cash redemptions. They are treated just like normal award tickets.
If you want to use your miles and still earn progress towards Delta Medallion status, you can consider the Pay with Miles option explained below.

Seat upgrades
Delta SkyMiles can be used to upgrade your seat. This can be done at checkout while booking your trip or you can use your SkyMiles to a upgrade your seat on a trip you've already booked.
If you're reservation is eligible and you have enough Skymiles, you will see the options you have for upgrading your trip in the Trip Summary section when booking your trip and in the 'Select Seats' for money or miles section when in My Trips for a trip you have already booked.
Pay with Miles: 1 cent per mile.
Pay with Miles is an exclusive redemption option that is only available to Delta credit cardholders. It allows you to use Delta SkyMiles to reduce the overall cost of your flight in increments of 5,000 SkyMiles for a $50 credit. This comes out to 1 cent per mile.
Car Rentals: 0.84 cents per mile.
Redeeming Delta SkyMiles for car rentals through the Delta SkyMiles Marketplace will give your miles a value of about 0.84 cents. You'll be able to book car with all of the top car rental companies including Enterprise, Hertz, and Alamo.
Merchandise: 0.55 cents per mile.
Redeeming Delta SkyMiles for merchandise through the Delta SkyMiles Marketplace will give your points an average of 0.55 cents per mile, though it will vary based on what you're purchasing. There are a lot of products available ranging from suitcases and outdoor to kitchen appliances and Apple electronics.
Cruises: 0.47 cents per mile.
Using your Delta SkyMiles for cruise redemptions through the Delta SkyMiles Marketplace will give your miles a value of around 0.47 cents per mile. While the value isn't the best, being able to book a full cruise starting at 78,000 SkyMiles isn't too shabby for anyone who loves cruising.
Standard interior rooms ranged between 78,000 to 227,000 depending on the brand and length of cruise. The value of your SkyMiles will heavily depend on the brand.
Hotels: 0.42 cents per mile.
Redeeming Delta SkyMiles for hotels through the Delta SkyMiles Marketplace will give your miles an average value of 0.42 cents per mile. You'll be able to book hotels with Marriott, Wyndham, and other popular hotel chains.
You must have at least half of the miles required to reserve the room. You can pay cash for the remainder of the balance if you do not have enough SkyMiles.
Learn more: Best Hotel Credit Cards (+ Rewards Calculator)
Gift Cards: 0.41 to 0.69 cents per mile.
SkyMiles can be redeemed for a large variety of gift cards include dining, entertainment, gas, retail, and travel which will give you about 0.41 cents in value per mile. You can obtain as much as 0.69 cents per mile using SkyMiles towards Delta Gift Cards.
Experiences: value varies.
Delta SkyMiles can be used to bid on once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Skymiles Experiences includes experiences such as VIP tickets to the Grammy's, Wine and Food tasting with well-known chefs, suite tickets to sporting events, and more. The value of these experience will depend solely on how much you value the event itself.
Convert Delta Miles To Dollars
Use the Delta SkyMiles Value Calculator to determine the dollar value of your miles when redeemed for flights, hotels, gift cards, and other rewards. This will give you an idea of the average value for all the redemption options available with your Delta SkyMiles.
Redemption | Average Dollar Value |
---|---|
Award Flights (Average) 1.2+ cents |
$0+ |
Pay with Miles 1.0 cent |
$0 |
Car Rentals 0.84 cents each |
$0 |
Delta Gift Cards 7,150 Miles for $50 | ~0.69 Cents |
$0 |
Hotels 0.42 cents each |
$0 |
Merchandise 0.5 to 0.6 cents each |
$0 - $0 |
Cruises 0.4 to 0.55 cents each |
$0 - $0 |
Other Gift Cards Amounts 0.39 to 0.42 cents each |
$0 - $0 |
Use Delta SkyMiles or Pay Cash?
Use our SkyMiles or Cash Calculator to determine the cash value of a redemption based on the cost in cash versus the cost in Delta SkyMiles. This tool is useful when trying to decide whether to use cash or SkyMiles to book a flight.
Credit Cards that earn Delta SkyMiles
Delta offers a total of seven co-branded American Express credit cards that you can use to earn SkyMiles. Not only does these cards earn SkyMiles for every $1 spent, but they also provide valuable benefits including free checked bags, annual companion passes, and priority boarding.
Credit Card | Highlights |
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Best For No Annual Fee
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Best For Free Checked Bags
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Best Overall For Delta Travelers
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Best For Benefits & Medallion Status Chasers
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Best Business Card For Free Checked Bags
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Best Overall For Delta Business Travelers
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Best Business Card For Benefits & Medallion Status Chasers
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American Express Membership Rewards is the only major credit card transfer partner of Delta SkyMiles.
Points earned in the program can be transferred to Delta SkyMiles at a 1:1 ratio which means that every 1,000 AMEX points you transfer to Delta will give you 1,000 SkyMiles. This opens a handful of top-notch travel credit cards that you can use to earn tens of thousands of Delta SkyMiles via intro bonuses and everyday spending.
Here's just a few of our favorite Membership Rewards credit cards for Delta flyers:
Credit Card | Highlights |
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Best For Lounge Access & Luxury Travel
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Best For Restaurants & U.S. Supermarkets
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Best For Lounge Access & Luxury Business Travel
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Best For Business Rewards
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Best For Small Business & Miscellaneous Purchases
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FAQ
How much are Delta SkyMiles worth in dollars?
The Point Calculator values Delta SkyMiles at an average of 1.2 cents each. So 10,000 SkyMiles would be equal to about $120 in cash value.
How do you calculate Delta Skymiles?
Delta SkyMiles are earned per $1 spent and are based on the base fare of the Delta flight, the fare class you're flying in, and your Delta Medallion status.
How many SkyMiles do you need for a free flight on Delta?
One way tickets can be as low as 10,000 miles during sales, but you will generally find that most flights start around 25,000 miles for round-trip.
How much is 60,000 Delta SkyMiles worth?
At our valuation of 1.2 cents per point, 60,000 Delta SkyMiles is worth $720.
How much is 70,000 SkyMiles worth?
At our valuation of 1.2 cents per point, 70,000 Delta SkyMiles is worth $840.
How much is 75,000 SkyMiles worth?
At our valuation of 1.2 cents per point, 75,000 Delta SkyMiles is worth $900.
How much is 90,000 SkyMiles worth?
At our valuation of 1.2 cents per point, 90,000 Delta SkyMiles is worth $1,080.
How much is 100,000 SkyMiles worth?
At our valuation of 1.2 cents per point, 100,000 Delta SkyMiles is worth $1,200.
How much is 110,000 SkyMiles worth?
At our valuation of 1.2 cents per point, 110,000 Delta SkyMiles is worth $1,320.