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Buying miles · sold by Delta

How to buy Delta SkyMiles

Yes. Delta sells SkyMiles directly on delta.com at a flat US$0.035 per mile plus 7.5% US federal excise tax, from 2,000 miles per purchase up to 60,000 miles per calendar year.

Delta's buy page shows no bonus or discount, so every purchase is at the standard price. Bought miles post in 24 to 48 hours, are non-refundable and don't count toward Medallion status.

Written and reviewed by the Points Plug team. Last reviewed .

Standard price
US$35 per 1,000 miles, plus tax
Promotion now
None shown
Yearly limit
60,000 miles
Where to buy
Delta: Buy Miles

Delta SkyMiles buy miles promotion

None shown

Delta's buy, gift and transfer page advertised no bonus or discount on bought or gifted miles when checked, so the price is the standard US$0.035 per mile plus tax.

Checked on on Delta: Buy, gift, transfer or donate miles.

What Delta SkyMiles cost

The standard price is US$35 per 1,000 miles, plus tax.

Taxes and fees

  • US federal excise tax of 7.5% on top of the US$0.035 per mile price, which Delta notes is subject to change.
  • Canadian residents pay an additional 5% GST and/or other applicable taxes.
  • No separate transaction fee is listed for buying or gifting miles.

Is buying Delta SkyMiles worth it?

At the standard price of 3.50¢ per mile, buying Delta SkyMiles costs 3.0 times their typical value of 1.16¢. So buying makes sense only to top up an award you have already found, when the cash fare costs more than the miles you need.

The 1.16¢ figure is the average of the published valuations on our Delta SkyMiles value page. Price the award on the Delta SkyMiles award chart before you buy.

How to buy Delta SkyMiles

  1. Log in to your SkyMiles account on delta.com. Your account must be at least 10 days old and have earned at least one mile that posted automatically.
  2. Open Buy Miles (delta.com/marketplace/buy-miles) and choose how many miles to buy, from 2,000 per transaction.
  3. Pay; Delta adds 7.5% US federal excise tax, and Canadian residents pay 5% GST or other applicable taxes.
  4. The miles post to your account within 24 to 48 hours.

Limits

  • Minimum 2,000 miles per transaction.
  • Up to 60,000 bought miles per calendar year, the same for every member.
  • Gifting has its own limit of 60,000 miles a year, and transfers their own caps (below).

Rules to know before you buy

  • The account must have been open at least 10 days and have earned at least one automatically posted mile.
  • Miles post within 24 to 48 hours.
  • All Buy Miles transactions are final and the fees are non-refundable.
  • Purchased miles don't count toward Medallion or Million Miler status.

Buying miles for someone else, and transfers

Gifting miles

  • Gift miles to another SkyMiles member at the same US$0.035 per mile plus tax.
  • Up to 60,000 miles a year, to as many as 4 members in one transaction; the recipient's account must be at least 10 days old and have earned at least one mile.
  • Gifted miles generally post within 24 to 48 hours and don't affect Medallion qualification.

Transferring between members

  • Move your own miles to another member for US$0.01 per mile plus US$30 per transaction, plus tax.
  • Between 1,000 and 30,000 miles per transaction in 1,000-mile steps, to as many as 4 members at once.
  • Up to 150,000 miles a year can leave an account and up to 300,000 can arrive in one.
  • Transfers are final and transferred miles don't count toward Medallion status. Canadian residents pay 5% GST on the US$30 fee.

How every program handles pooling, transfers and inheritance is compared in family pooling and transferring miles.

Top-ups, boosters and other ways to pay for miles

Donate miles with SkyWish

The same page lets members donate miles to charities through SkyWish, grouped under four cause categories.

Buying Delta SkyMiles: FAQ

How much does it cost to buy Delta SkyMiles?
US$0.035 per mile, so 10,000 miles cost US$350 before the 7.5% US federal excise tax. Canadian residents also pay 5% GST or other applicable taxes.
How many SkyMiles can I buy in a year?
Up to 60,000 miles per calendar year, with a 2,000-mile minimum per purchase. You can separately gift up to 60,000 miles a year to other members.
Do bought SkyMiles count toward Medallion status?
No. Delta says purchased miles don't count toward qualification for any Medallion or Million Miler status.
How long do bought SkyMiles take to post?
Delta says 24 to 48 hours, for bought, gifted and transferred miles alike.
Can I transfer SkyMiles to a family member?
Yes, for US$0.01 per mile plus US$30 per transaction and tax, 1,000 to 30,000 miles at a time and up to 150,000 miles out of an account per year.
Is it worth buying Delta SkyMiles?
At the standard price of 3.50¢ per mile, buying Delta SkyMiles costs 3.0 times their typical value of 1.16¢. So buying makes sense only to top up an award you have already found, when the cash fare costs more than the miles you need.

Sources

More on Delta SkyMiles