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Revenue-based on own flights, distance on partners

How to earn Delta SkyMiles

Delta flights earn 5 miles per US dollar on Main Classic and refundable fares, 7 on Extra and 2 on Delta Basic experiences; Delta Main Basic tickets earn nothing. The eligible price is base fare plus carrier surcharges, not government taxes.

Partner-marketed flights earn a percentage of distance flown by fare class, from 10% up to 300% depending on the partner. Delta's airline partners page has every chart, and basic or excluded fares earn nothing on several partners.

Official earning page: SkyMiles: how to earn miles.

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

How to join Delta SkyMiles

Enrol at delta.com. What the program requires and offers:

  • Free and open to any individual in any country. A child under 13 can be enrolled with a parent's consent.
  • Country of residence follows the primary address on the account and decides which card and partner offers apply.
  • No welcome bonus for joining; the bonuses sit on the American Express co-brand cards.
  • The program rules allow up to eight weeks for miles to post; Delta flights usually take days.

Airlines whose flights earn miles here

Flights on these carriers can be credited to Delta SkyMiles by adding your number to the booking.

  • Aeromexico
  • Air France
  • KLM
  • China Eastern
  • Korean Air
  • LATAM
  • Virgin Atlantic
  • EL AL
  • Aerolíneas Argentinas
  • Air Europa
  • China Airlines
  • Garuda Indonesia
  • Kenya Airways
  • Middle East Airlines
  • SAS
  • Saudia
  • TAROM
  • Vietnam Airlines
  • WestJet
  • Xiamen Airlines
  • Cape Air
  • airBaltic

From Delta's airline partners page. Cape Air earns 5 miles per dollar, and airBaltic-marketed flights earn nothing.

Where else Delta flights can be credited

  • Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

    Distance times class: Delta One and first fares earn 400% for Red members, main cabin Y, B and M 150%, discount economy 50%. Basic Economy (E class) earns nothing.

  • Air France-KLM Flying Blue

    Flying Blue earns on Delta by distance, cabin and airline. The Delta chart on flyingblue.com could not be read, so check it before choosing; useful if you want Flying Blue Promo Rewards to Europe.

  • Korean Air SKYPASS

    Korean Air credits Delta flights at 70% to 135% of distance, up to 200% in premium international cabins, by booking class.

Which program should I select for Delta flights?

Delta One or first class on a long route: Virgin Atlantic pays 400% of distance, so a 2,500-mile transcontinental Delta One seat earns 10,000 Virgin Points. At 5 SkyMiles per dollar the same seat on a US$1,200 fare earns 6,000 SkyMiles.

Expensive short flights, and anything you want counted toward Medallion status, go to SkyMiles: Medallion Qualification Dollars accrue only there, and the per-dollar rate beats distance on a pricey hop.

Cheap main cabin fares: Virgin Atlantic at 150% of distance usually wins on flights over 1,000 miles, but Basic Economy earns nothing there and only 2 SkyMiles per dollar with Delta.

Claiming miles after the flight

Claim window: 9 months from the flight.

  • Use the mileage credit form on delta.com; it has separate options for Delta flights, Delta and partner flights, and other SkyMiles partners.
  • Delta and partner flights need the ticket number; partner claims can take several weeks.
  • Delta's pages do not say whether flights taken before you joined can be claimed; the program rules set only the nine-month limit from the flight date.

Source: Delta mileage credit request. Every program's window is compared on the missing miles page.

Ways to earn miles without flying

Uber and Uber Eats

Link the accounts in the Uber app to earn 3 miles per US dollar on Uber Reserve, 2 on UberXL, Comfort, Black and Black SUV, 1 on UberX rides to or from airports, and 1 per dollar on Uber Eats orders of US$40 or more; a Delta Amex card adds 1 more. Taxes, tips and fees are excluded, and miles post within 10 business days, per Delta's partner offers page and Uber's Delta page. Lyft no longer appears on Delta's partner page.

Starbucks

Link Starbucks Rewards and SkyMiles to earn 1 mile per eligible dollar at Starbucks on top of Stars, relaunched in August 2026 for members who have flown Delta in the previous 12 months.

Hotels and homes

Delta Stays pays 2 miles per dollar on the base rate, Marriott Bonvoy 1 to 2 per dollar, Hyatt 500 per stay, Airbnb homes 1 per dollar and Airbnb Experiences 3 per dollar.

Rental cars

Hertz pays 4 to 8 miles per dollar by Medallion tier, Dollar and Thrifty 4, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, National, Alamo and Sixt 2, and Europcar 60 miles a day.

SkyMiles Dining and Shopping

Up to 5 miles per dollar at partner restaurants through SkyMiles Dining and per-store rates at 1,000 or more retailers through SkyMiles Shopping.

Buy miles

US$0.035 per mile plus taxes, 2,000 minimum and 60,000 a year; transfers cost US$0.01 per mile plus US$30. At these prices buying only makes sense to top up an award.

American Express co-brand cards

Delta SkyMiles American Express cards earn on everyday spend and carry the program's biggest bonuses; see Delta's card page.

Bank point transfers

Amex (1:1), Marriott (3:1) transfer into Delta SkyMiles. See the transfer partner matrix and how transfers work.

Booking awards with the miles

Booking window: Delta does not state a booking window. Change fee: None for US and Canada origins; Delta Basic awards pay a fee in miles. Cancellation: None for US and Canada origins; Delta Basic awards pay a fee in miles. The full rules are on the award fees table and the availability guide.

Using the miles you earn

See the Delta SkyMiles award chart for what the miles buy, what they are worth, and what Points Plug pays for a balance you will not use.

Earning Delta SkyMiles: FAQ

Do Delta miles expire?
No. SkyMiles never expire under the program rules, so an old balance from an occasional flight is still good.
Which fares earn no SkyMiles?
Delta Main Basic tickets earn no miles or Medallion credit. On partner airlines, the basic and excluded fare classes shown as earning nothing on Delta's chart earn nothing, and airBaltic-marketed flights earn nothing.
Can I credit a Delta flight to Virgin Atlantic?
Yes. Put your Flying Club number on the booking instead of SkyMiles. Premium cabins earn 400% of distance and main cabin 150%, but Basic Economy earns nothing, and claims close six months after the flight.
How long do SkyMiles take to post?
Delta flights usually post within days and partner flights within weeks; the program rules allow up to eight weeks for any qualifying activity.

Sources

Other SkyTeam programs