Summary

  • Delta Vacations offer lucrative bonuses up to 10,000 miles per person for high-priced packages.
  • Co-branded Amex cardholders can earn additional bonus miles based on the total vacation package price when using the card.
  • Other ways to earn SkyMiles include partner airlines, credit card spending, hotels, and car rentals.

SkyMiles is the loyalty program of Delta Air Lines. Members receive benefits based on elite status for frequent travel and can also collect and spend miles. There are many ways to earn miles in the SkyMiles program. Flying with Delta and other SkyTeam alliance members is the most popular method of earning miles. But there are many others.

Packages with Delta Vacations earn miles for the flight element, plus lucrative bonuses based on the total package price. All packages will earn a bonus of at least 1,000 miles per person, but this can go up to 10,000 miles per person for higher-priced packages.

Standard miles earnings with Delta Vacations

All packages booked through Delta Vacations earn miles for the flight component of the vacation package. Miles are earned in the normal way – based on the price of the flights, with bonus earnings based on elite status.

Delta Air Lines Boeing 757-200 landing in Fort Lauderdale.

Photo: Carlos Yudica | Shutterstock

For Delta Air Lines flights, you earn miles based on the cost of the ticket (excluding taxes but including carrier and all surcharges) as well as a bonus for Medallion status. Earnings are as follows:

  • No status: 5 miles per dollar spent
  • Silver Medallion: 7 miles per dollar spent
  • Gold Medallion: 8 miles per dollar spent
  • Platinum Medallion: 9 miles per dollar spent
  • Diamond Medallion: 11 miles per dollar spent

For more details on how miles are earned in SkyMiles, see our guide

Delta Vacations packages also help toward elite status qualification. All packages earn Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) at the rate of 1 MQD per Dollar spent in total. So members are earning MQD based not just on the flight, but also on the non-flight elements.

A big 10,000 miles per person bonus for the most expensive packages

In addition to the base miles earnings for the flights, members will earn bonus miles based on the total price of the package (so flights plus any hotels, cars, tours, or other extras). This starts at 1,000 miles per person but increases to 10,000 miles per person for higher-priced packages.

Remember that as these bonuses are awarded per person, the total bonus is likely to be higher. A $10,000 package for four people will earn a total 40,000 miles bonus. All passengers listed on the booking who are SkyMiles members (and over two years of age) will earn the bonus. These bonus miles are awarded as follows:

Total package Value

Bonus miles meaning (per person)

Up to $4,999

1,000

Between $5,000 and $9,999

5,000

Over $10,000

10,000

Delta Vacations earn miles

Image: Delta Air Lines

More bonus miles with co-branded credit cards

SkyMiles members who have a co-branded American Express credit card can earn even more miles. When a Delta Vacations package is paid using such an American Express card, there are bonus miles earned based on the total price.

These earnings depend on the card held and are as follows:

SkyMiles co-branded card

Bonus miles meaning (per dollar spent)

Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card

2 miles

Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card

2 miles

Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card

3 miles

Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card

3 miles

Related

5 Unique Benefits of the Delta Skymiles Platinum American Express Card

The card offers an array of key benefits.

What are 10,000 miles worth?

It is hard, of course, to put an exact value on miles with any loyalty program. The value you get depends on how you use them. Redeeming for premium cabins with partner airlines is likely to offer higher value than using for short domestic flights with Delta Air Lines, for example.

Delta Boeing 757

Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

The financial website NerdWallet has attempted to quantify the value by considering several award options. It estimates the value of miles at 1.2 cents each. This would make 10,000 miles worth $120. Again, remember that this bonus is awarded per person. If the package includes four SkyMiles members, the total bonus is a very lucrative 40,000 miles – worth £480. The value could be much higher than this if used strategically for the best value with partner airlines.

Related

5 Clever Ways To Use Delta Skymiles?

There are various ways to redeem Delta’s loyalty program miles.

Other ways to earn miles with Delta SkyMiles

Remember the other ways to earn miles to fully consider the value of 10,000 miles. Flying with Delta Air Lines or any of the partners will likely be the main earning method for most people, but other ways (including bonuses such as this from Delta Vacations) really help to boost mileage balances and reach award targets.

Some other earning options include:

  • All SkyTeam partner airlines earn miles based on the flight distance and ticket booking code. This can be more lucrative than Delta’s distance-based earnings, especially for low-priced tickets.
  • Credit card earning – SkyMiles and Delta Air Lines have partnered up exclusively with American Express in the US.
  • Spending on hotels, car hire, and through the Delta shopping portal.

Related

The Different Ways To Earn Delta Air Lines SkyMiles

Flying is the most obvious route to earn SkyMiles, but there are other ways too.

Have you earned miles through Delta Vacations? Do you value this as a SkyMiles earning opportunity, or are there better options? Feel free to discuss in the comments section below.


  • SkyMiles Tall-1

    SkyMiles

    Participating Airlines:
    Delta Air Lines

    Owner:
    Delta Air Lines

    Region:
    North America

    Countries:
    United States

    Established Date:
    1981-00-00

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