Earning free flights with Delta SkyMiles has always been a popular goal for many frequent flyers. With enough miles, you can redeem award tickets for free flights to destinations around the world. However, the number of SkyMiles needed for a free flight depends on a variety of factors.
Delta SkyMiles Program Overview
First, it’s helpful to understand the basics of Delta’s SkyMiles program. SkyMiles is Delta’s loyalty program that allows members to earn miles when flying with Delta and its partners. Miles can then be redeemed for award flights and other rewards.
When it comes to redeeming SkyMiles for flights, there are a few key things to know:
- Award prices are based on the cash price of the ticket.
- Awards are subject to availability.
- You can redeem for flights on Delta and Delta partner airlines.
- There are different award pricing levels – mainly Main Cabin, Delta One/First Class and Premium Select.
Keep these factors in mind as award pricing can vary significantly. Now let’s look at how many miles you actually need.
SkyMiles Needed for Domestic Flights
For domestic Main Cabin flights within the U.S. and between the U.S. and Canada, the SkyMiles needed for a free flight are:
Flight Distance | Miles Needed (One-Way) |
---|---|
Under 500 miles | 6,000 miles |
501 to 1,000 miles | 7,500 miles |
1,001 to 1,500 miles | 10,000 miles |
Over 1,500 miles | 12,500 miles |
As you can see, shorter flights require fewer miles, while cross-country itineraries will be at the higher end around 12,500 miles each way.
First Class Awards
If you want to fly in domestic First Class, the miles required are higher:
Flight Distance | Miles Needed (One-Way) |
---|---|
Under 500 miles | 9,000 miles |
501 to 1,500 miles | 12,500 miles |
Over 1,500 miles | 15,000 miles |
SkyMiles Needed for International Flights
On international flights, Delta awards start at:
- Main Cabin: 35,000 miles one-way
- Delta One: 85,000 miles one-way
However, prices are dependent on the cash fare for your specific itinerary. Long-haul flights like Europe and Asia can be much higher, usually between 50,000-70,000 miles each way in economy.
Partner Award Charts
For award flights on Delta’s partner airlines like Air France and KLM, you’ll need to reference the specific partner’s award chart. Partner awards tend to be better value than booking Delta-operated flights.
For example, Flying Blue (Air France/KLM’s program) has region-based award pricing to Europe that starts at just 30,000 miles one-way in economy and 62,500 miles one-way in business class.
How to Get More Delta SkyMiles
To earn enough SkyMiles for an award flight, here are some of the best ways to rack up miles quickly:
- Fly frequently – You’ll earn miles for flights based on the cash fare and your Medallion status.
- Get a co-branded credit card – Delta cards from American Express offer sign-up bonuses and miles for spending.
- Use shopping portals – Earn bonus miles by shopping online via delta.com.
- Book hotel stays – Stay at Marriott, IHG and other chains to earn miles.
- Rent cars – Rentals with Hertz, Avis and Budget offer miles.
Taking advantage of promotions and bonuses is key to quickly stockpiling enough SkyMiles. With some strategic planning, you can earn tens of thousands of miles to redeem for an award flight.
Tips for Booking Award Flights
Here are some important tips to keep in mind when it’s time to book your award ticket:
- Book early to secure availability in advance
- Be flexible with your dates/destinations if possible
- Aim to book at least 5-6 months out for peak travel periods
- Consider using partners to access better award rates
- Check award availability before transferring points from Amex or Marriott
Following these tips will help increase your chances of success using SkyMiles to book an award. With some advance planning, you can get amazing value from your SkyMiles.
Conclusion
In summary, the number of Delta SkyMiles needed for a free flight can range greatly based on the cash fare, your cabin choice and destination. For domestic Main Cabin awards, you’ll generally need 12,500-25,000 roundtrip. International economy awards tend to start around 70,000 miles roundtrip, while business/first class can be 150,000+ miles.
To earn these amounts of miles, you’ll need to take advantage of credit cards, flights, hotels, shopping portals and more. With some strategic mileage earning and award booking, you can fly for free with your hard-earned Delta SkyMiles.