Will Amex refund the transfer if the award seat is gone?

No. Amex's pages make no exception for award seats that disappear after a transfer, which is why the usual advice is to find the seat and confirm the price before moving points. Once the miles post, the choice is between waiting for new availability, using them another way or selling them.

How much are my Delta SkyMiles worth now?

Published valuations put Delta SkyMiles at 1.10¢ to 1.20¢ each when redeemed for flights, with partner premium-cabin awards above that and cash-style redemptions below. As cash, Points Plug pays 0.93¢ to 1.10¢ per mile depending on the balance, so 100,000 miles fetch about $990.

How does selling Delta SkyMiles to Points Plug work?

Enter your balance in the quote form for an instant offer and price per mile. Accept it, and our team confirms the details, books last-minute travel for pre-qualified customers through your account and pays you by your preferred method, typically within 24-48 hours of the booking. The minimum is 50,000 miles in one program, and the quote is free with no obligation.

Accidental transfer · Amex to Delta SkyMiles

Accidentally transferred Amex points to Delta SkyMiles? Here's how to sell the miles

No bank reverses a points transfer, and Amex is no exception. The Membership Rewards program terms say that once you transfer points the transfer cannot be reversed and the partner program's terms apply, and that points transferred to a partner account cannot be converted back into Membership Rewards points. The American Express Membership Rewards points you moved are Delta SkyMiles now, and Delta SkyMiles's rules decide what can happen to them.

If you will not fly on them, Points Plug buys Delta SkyMiles from 50,000 miles at 0.93¢ to 1.10¢ per mile, depending on the balance, with payment in 24-48 hours: 100,000 miles fetch about $990. This page covers what the miles are worth, what Delta SkyMiles lets you do with them instead, and how to sell.

Written and reviewed by the Points Plug team. Last reviewed October 29, 2026.

Can Amex reverse it?: No; Stated on its own pages
Transfer ratio: 1:1; Excise fee of $0.0006 per point, capped at $99
Miles expiry: Never
Points Plug pays: 0.93¢ to 1.10¢ per mile; From 50,000 miles

Can a Amex transfer to Delta SkyMiles be reversed?

The Membership Rewards program terms state that once you transfer points, the transfer cannot be reversed and the partner loyalty program's terms and conditions apply, and that points transferred to a partner account cannot be converted back into Membership Rewards points. Amex's transfer FAQ says the same in plainer words: transfers are final, so check award availability and the points needed before you move anything.

Amex's international help pages answer the exact question, "I transferred points to my airline account but can't get the booking I want, can I transfer them back?", with no. The US terms leave no more room than that, and the excise fee charged on transfers to US airlines is not refunded either.

How Amex transfers work

Most airlines are 1:1 in 1,000-point increments; Cathay Pacific and Emirates are 5:4. Transfers to US airline programs such as Delta and JetBlue carry an excise tax offset fee of $0.0006 per point, capped at $99.
The airline account must be in your name or the name of an Additional Card Member whose card was issued at least 90 days before you link it.
Amex says transfers typically take up to 48 hours; British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Delta and Aeroplan usually post within minutes, while Cathay Pacific, Etihad and KrisFlyer can take several business days.
For Delta SkyMiles specifically: Excise fee of $0.0006 per point, capped at $99.

If the points have not posted, or went somewhere you did not expect

If the points have left your Membership Rewards balance but have not reached the airline after 48 hours, contact Amex through the chat or the number on your account with the transfer confirmation, and check the airline account for a pending credit.
Amex's pages describe no process for moving points that posted to the wrong partner. From that point the airline's rules decide what can be done with them.

What your Delta SkyMiles are worth now

Published valuations put Delta SkyMiles at 1.10¢ to 1.20¢ each, about 1.16¢ on average, as of September 22, 2026. American Express Membership Rewards points were valued at 1.30¢ to 2.20¢ before the transfer. At 1:1, each point you moved is now worth about 1.16¢ as Delta SkyMiles, against about 1.74¢ as a transferable point: a loss of roughly 33% on paper, which a well-chosen award can still recover. The published figure assumes the miles go on flights; what you actually get depends on the award, and the Delta SkyMiles valuation page lists the redemptions behind the range.

Before the transfer, Amex would have paid about 0.60¢ per point as statement credit, and that option is gone. For the miles you hold now, Points Plug pays 0.93¢ to 1.10¢ per mile, rising with the balance; 100,000 Delta SkyMiles, roughly what 100,000 Amex points became at 1:1, fetch about $990. The quote form on this page shows the exact figure for your balance.

Balance	Rate per mile	Example offer
50,000 to 99,999 miles	0.93¢	50,000 miles: $465
100,000 to 199,999 miles	0.99¢	100,000 miles: $990
200,000 to 499,999 miles	1.04¢	200,000 miles: $2,080
500,000+ miles	1.10¢	500,000 miles: $5,500

Offers are a share of the program's typical published value; our rates page explains how they are set for every program.

How to sell Delta SkyMiles

Get a quote. The form on this page is preset to Delta SkyMiles; enter your balance and the offer and price per mile appear before you give up anything.
Accept the offer. Our team reaches out to confirm the details and explain how the booking will be handled. You keep your account and your login.
The miles are used to book last-minute travel for pre-qualified customers through your account, usually in one or two bookings rather than many small ones.
You are paid through the method you choose, typically within 24-48 hours of the booking.

The minimum is 50,000 miles in one program, and balances of 100,000, 200,000 and 500,000 earn higher rates. You never pay anything: the quote is free and the offer you accept is the amount you receive. Read how it works and the guide to selling airline miles for the detail.

Airline programs' terms restrict selling miles. Our Delta SkyMiles Q&A quotes Delta SkyMiles's own rule, so you can read it before you decide.

Other ways to use the miles

Fly on them

Delta flash sales, which periodically discount economy and Delta One awards on specific routes.
Partner awards on Virgin Atlantic, Air France and KLM, which are sometimes priced below Delta-operated flights.
Pay with Miles on Delta tickets, which gives a fixed value of one cent per mile for cardholders.

The Delta SkyMiles award chart shows what the balance books and which redemptions return the most per mile, and the Delta SkyMiles program guide covers the traps.

Share or pool them

Delta has no family pooling. Transfers to another member cost $0.01 per mile plus $30 per transaction and tax, in blocks of 1,000 to 30,000 miles, up to 150,000 miles sent and 300,000 received a year.

Move them to another program

No. The SkyMiles program rules let miles leave an account only through the paid Transfer Miles program between members; there is no conversion back to American Express or to another airline.

Points Plug can also convert Delta SkyMiles into another airline program from 50,000 miles, with the fee built into the rate the quote shows.

Top up for an award

A few thousand short of the award you wanted? How to buy Delta SkyMiles covers the price, the limits and any promotion running now.

Will the miles expire?

SkyMiles do not expire.

SkyMiles never expire, so there is no deadline on deciding what to do with the transferred miles.

Source: SkyMiles program rules. See do airline miles expire for every program's rule.

Avoiding the same mistake next time

Find the award seat first and confirm it books with Delta SkyMiles at the price you expect. Only then transfer, and only the amount the award needs; the rest keeps its flexibility in Amex.
Read the partner name on the confirmation screen before you confirm. Several partners have similar names (Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Red, the four Avios programs) and a mis-tap lands the points somewhere else for good.
Hold Amex points in Amex until a trip is certain. There they keep their cash option and their choice of partners, and transfer bonuses of 20 to 40 percent come round several times a year.
Keep the confirmation email until the miles post, and check the airline account under the same name before assuming a transfer failed; posting times run from minutes to two weeks depending on the issuer and the airline.
Our guide to transferring credit card points to airlines covers ratios, timing and fees for every issuer.

Amex to Delta SkyMiles: FAQ

Can I reverse a Amex transfer to Delta SkyMiles?: No. The Membership Rewards program terms say that once you transfer points the transfer cannot be reversed and the partner program's terms apply, and that points transferred to a partner account cannot be converted back into Membership Rewards points. The points are Delta SkyMiles now and follow Delta SkyMiles's rules.
Can I move Delta SkyMiles back to American Express Membership Rewards?: No. The SkyMiles program rules let miles leave an account only through the paid Transfer Miles program between members; there is no conversion back to American Express or to another airline.
Will Amex refund the transfer if the award seat is gone?: No. Amex's pages make no exception for award seats that disappear after a transfer, which is why the usual advice is to find the seat and confirm the price before moving points. Once the miles post, the choice is between waiting for new availability, using them another way or selling them.
How much are my Delta SkyMiles worth now?: Published valuations put Delta SkyMiles at 1.10¢ to 1.20¢ each when redeemed for flights, with partner premium-cabin awards above that and cash-style redemptions below. As cash, Points Plug pays 0.93¢ to 1.10¢ per mile depending on the balance, so 100,000 miles fetch about $990.
How does selling Delta SkyMiles to Points Plug work?: Enter your balance in the quote form for an instant offer and price per mile. Accept it, and our team confirms the details, books last-minute travel for pre-qualified customers through your account and pays you by your preferred method, typically within 24-48 hours of the booking. The minimum is 50,000 miles in one program, and the quote is free with no obligation.
Can I give the miles to someone else or pool them?: Delta has no family pooling. Transfers to another member cost $0.01 per mile plus $30 per transaction and tax, in blocks of 1,000 to 30,000 miles, up to 150,000 miles sent and 300,000 received a year.
Do Delta SkyMiles expire after a transfer?: SkyMiles do not expire. SkyMiles never expire, so there is no deadline on deciding what to do with the transferred miles.

Sources

American Express: Membership Rewards program terms and conditions · official page
American Express: how do I transfer Membership Rewards points? (FAQ) · official page
American Express help centre: I transferred points to an airline program but cannot get the booking I want, can I transfer them back? · official page
Delta: SkyMiles program rules · official page
Delta: buy, gift, transfer or donate miles · official page