Having trouble spending Delta SkyMiles? Try these (sort-of) secret options

by John Harper

Delta has earned a dualistic reputation among frequent fliers. By just about every metric, the airline easily tops its major competitors in the United States. Delta is more frequently on-time, offers more legroom in economy seats, often has better beds in business class and serves better food in both places. Then there is the frequent flier program: SkyMiles.

On one hand, a business analyst might call Delta “progressive” in its frequent flier decisions. Delta has certainly been ahead of an industry wide trend of mileage devaluations. A premium one-way award on Delta costs about 12 percent more than it did 12 months ago. This is a trend that has continued since at least 2014. Awards on Delta’s partner airlines have been devalued even more. Of course, that’s if you’re able to find a flight to begin with.

Delta, now joined by American, releases a paltry minimum of seats at their lowest SkyMiles award levels. Often times, instead of finding mileage award fares to Europe for 30,000 SkyMiles in economy and 70,000 in business class, frequent fliers will see prices double, or even triple. Ouch.

Fortunately, there is something about the Delta.com award system that keeps certain SkyMiles awards available on a regular basis, at the lowest price. That’s because you can’t see these awards at all on Delta.com.

Here are a few hidden options bookable using SkyMiles. If you don’t have time to go on a miles hunt, the folks at Juicy Miles can take care of the award search for you.

Asia, on Delta’s (often) hidden partner carrier

Say you want to book an award flight this fall from New York City to Bangkok in business class. Here are the options you are getting when you put in a search on Delta.com:

a screenshot of a calendar

Not a pretty picture. No one should ever, ever, ever spend 280,000 SkyMiles on a one-way business class award. If this was the only way to save the life of a family member, it might make sense. But if times are that desperate it probably won’t kill you to sit in the back. The one and only non-fortune award showing up on Delta’s calendar is for 165,000 miles, double the cost of a one-way award. That flight requires a 10 hour layover in Paris and you won’t arrive until two days after departure. Ouch. Not a great mileage redemption.

a screenshot of a computer

There is a much, much better option than this, however, that you will never see on the Delta Air Lines website.

China Airlines is a SkyTeam member airline, meaning that all of their available partner awards can be booked through Delta and can be combined with flights on any other SkyTeam member. They operate daily nonstop service between their hub in Taipei and four North American cities: Los Angeles, New York Kennedy,  San Francisco and Vancouver. All of the flights are on either Boeing 777-300er or Airbus A350-900 aircraft, featuring the airline’s renowned Premium Business Class seats and service.

In the past, China Airlines awards appeared on Delta.com on a route-by-route basis. That meant that only nonstop flights would appear, while China Airlines connections would not. Following recent changes to the Delta website, not even these nonstop awards are appearing in Delta’s online search engine.

a screenshot of a computer

A search for China Airlines nonstop flights between JFK and Taipei (TPE) comes up blank on Delta.com.

China Airlines awards do appear on Air France, however. You will need a Flying Blue membership in order to search award space through Air France, however. China Airlines awards can also be searched on a nonstop basis using ExpertFlyer.

a screenshot of a flight

 

Once you’ve found space on China Airlines, you’ll have to call Delta to book the award using SkyMiles. Delta’s rate for partner awards between North America and Asia is 95,000 miles, and taxes and fees on China Airlines usually amount to about $60 one-way.

I generally find wide open availability on China Airlines in both economy and premium business class. To sweeten the deal, the airline offers a generally higher level of service than some of the other commonly available carriers when searching for flights between the U.S. and Asia on Delta, such as China Eastern and China Southern. China Airlines’ Taipei-based route network provides easy connections to most major airport in Southeast Asia and Oceania, as well, making a luxurious award vacation fairly attainable on most dates.

Europe, the long way

While award availability to Europe is generally easier to come by than Asia, it can still be tricky to find level 1 awards using SkyMiles on certain dates and at certain times. Lets take a look at award space to Amsterdam, around Christmas time.

a screenshot of a computer

Delta’s award availability isn’t looking great between New York and Amsterdam this holiday season, but wait, there’s more!

This is another situation where a Delta partner has award inventory between North America and the destination, but won’t show you the availability in these calendar results. Jet Airways operates a daily nonstop between Toronto and Amsterdam using a three-class 777-300er airplane. Their business class cabin features direct-aisle access herringbone-style seats similar to those used on Delta’s own 777 aircraft.

a man lying in a bed

Jet Airways 777 premiere business class features the same herringbone seats used on Delta and Air New Zealand’s 777s. Award availability between Toronto and Amsterdam is generally wide open.

To search for Jet Airways availability, you’ll have to specifically look at the Toronto (YYZ) to Amsterdam (AMS) route.

a screenshot of a flight ticket

Jet Airways is not a member of any airline alliance, and also shares partnerships with United Airlines and American Airlines (though not for long). Delta does allow you to combine a Jet Airways flight with Delta flight, though, meaning you could arrange an itinerary between a U.S. city and Amsterdam using Toronto as a connection.

Delta flights don’t have to be available at Level 1, but you will pay additional miles to book a Delta connection at a higher mileage level. If you can find Level 1 space on a Delta flight into Toronto, the whole award will cost 85,000 miles, one-way.

a screenshot of a computer

If you can find a connecting flight to Toronto at the Level 1 price (12,500 miles economy, 25,000 miles in first), you can tack it together with a Jet Airways award for no additional miles.

While nonstop Jet Airways awards can be booked through Delta.com, any connecting itinerary will have to be completed over the phone. Be sure to have the specific flight numbers available.

Europe, the expedient way

Another option to get between the U.S. and Europe is on little-known SkyTeam partner Air Europa. While their business class product lags behind the likes of Delta, Air France and KLM, their award availability is significantly better. Like other SkyTeam partners, a single award can be assembled using partner awards on any other airline, making it possible to assemble a journey to just about any European destination via the airline’s Madrid hub. The catch: none of the major SkyTeam airlines show Air Europa availability online. This means calling and specifically asking about awards on Air Europa, or using an inventory search engine like ExpertFlyer.

a screenshot of a computer

Air Europa’s onboard experience is improving, too. Their new Boeing 787 Dreamliners, operated between Miami and Madrid, feature fully lie-flat seats. Their Airbus A330s, still in use on routes between Madrid and Boston or New York (JFK), feature outdated angled seats in business class.

a plane with blue seats

AirEuropa is now offering flat-bed seating on some U.S. routes, served by the 787 Dreamliner.

Once you’ve found award availability, you will have to book AirEuropa awards over the phone. Business class awards are charged at the partner rate, 85,000 miles each way, but come with minimal taxes and fees.

Last minute to Australia

Finding availability to Australia and New Zealand can be uniquely frustrating on Delta. Unlike United, Delta’s award rules do not favor booking through Asian hubs like Seoul and Taipei (the airline charges extra miles). Delta cranks up prices on its own flights down under, leaving its award calendar, even far out in the distance, looking rather barren.

a screenshot of a calendar

Even far in advance, Delta business class awards to Australia can be painfully expensive.

There is a way around this, however, if you’re willing to hold your breath. Virgin Australia has one of the latest partner award windows of any airline I normally book with. The Aussie outpost of Richard Branson’s airline empire keeps its business class seats off-limits to partners until about two weeks before departure, at the earliest.

The good news for flexible vacationers is that this means wonderful availability once the awards finally do open. Delta seems to follow suit with its own awards on these routes, too, meaning overall reliable availability up close, if you’re willing to build a day or two of flexibility into your travel plans. The Level 1 price for Delta awards to Australia is 95,000 SkyMiles, while Virgin Australia awards clock in at 115,000 miles. This is still a bit steep, but much more attractive than the 175,000 the airline is asking for throughout the rest of the calendar year.

a screenshot of a calendar

SkyMiles award availability to Australia becomes miraculously available just one to two weeks out.

a screenshot of a computer

Even on dates when Delta is offering slightly cheaper awards, it might be worth it to pay up to Virgin Australia’s superior B/E Diamond reverse herringbone seats. That will all change once Delta begins operating the A350, with enclosed Delta One suites, to Sydney.

Virgin Australia has Delta beat in terms of product comfort, for now anyway. Virgin currently operates 777-300er aircraft outfitted with reverse herringbone B/E Diamond seating. These seats will be eclipses sometime in late 2017 or early 2018, however, when Delta begins operating its LAX to Sydney route using the Airbus A350, complete with enclosed Delta One suites.

a row of seats in an airplane

Virgin Australia offers reverse herringbone B/E Diamond business class seats on flights between Australia and Los Angeles. Image courtesy Virgin Australia.

Conclusion

While finding award space for SkyMiles seems impossible at times, employing these tricks makes it a lot easier. Taking advantage of these hidden options, I generally have an easier time finding award space on Delta partners than American. The competence of Delta’s phone reps makes booking with unusual partners fairly easy, so long as you’ve confirmed availability and have the schedule and flight numbers nailed down ahead of time.

If you’re having trouble finding awards with your miles, or don’t have the time to go on a hunt for availability, let the folks at Juicy Miles do the work for you. 

The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

Related Articles

9 comments

Gene July 31, 2017 - 4:53 pm

@ John — This is SUPER helpful. We can’t do anything to change the fact that Delta charges outrageous amounts of miles for their partner (and own) awards, but it is good too have an outline of the “best” remaining options. Hopefully, we can draw down some of our 2.8 million remaining SkyMiles via these awards rather than having to use PayWIthMiles, which sadly isn’t a bad option compared to what’s left these days.

I personally feel that Delta had committed theft by devaluing so massively. If they remove the AMEX revenue waiver for Diamond we will be cutting our paid Delta flying in half and using PWM for all of the flights we do book. I’d rather get 1 cpm now than even less later. The devaluations will not stop in the current environment. It is disgusting to see Delta get away with stealing from its long-term customers, while lying to the American public about the “evil” ME3. I hope Delta does end bankrupt as a result of the government subsidies provided to these airlines. That way, they will reap what they sow.

Reply
laptoptravel April 13, 2018 - 8:52 am

Gene,

You should contact Juicy Miles regarding their unique MQD Mileage Run strategies to help Diamond Medallion elites re-qualify at a much lower cost basis.

They are the only service who provides this and at the same time has personal expertise in this area.

Reply
Having trouble spending Delta SkyMiles? Try these (sort-of) secret options – TaiwanBIZZ July 31, 2017 - 6:04 pm

[…] Business class awards are charged at the partner rate … Unlike United, Delta’s award rules do not favor booking through Asian hubs like Seoul and Taipei (the airline charges extra miles). Delta cranks up prices on its own flights down under, leaving … ( read original story …) […]

Reply
AT July 31, 2017 - 9:52 pm

Funny, I just recently booked an award flight on China Airlines using SkyMiles and found it surprisingly easy with a reasonable cost (both in miles plus fees). Now I understand I hit a SkyMiles sweet spot! I just wish China Airlines was a tier 1 partner as I like their biz class seats and service but typically avoid them on paid flights to avoid losing half my earn rates.

Reply
Matt August 1, 2017 - 6:52 am

Just did this trick a few weeks back successfully: Air France blocks direct award flights to CDG from the US, but tack on a domestic leg within France e.g. CDG-MRS or CDG-BOD and voila! you’ll see saver space for 85,000 Skymiles in business.

Reply
Jaye August 4, 2017 - 11:29 am

This is really helpful. I’m having a terrible time trying to do RT JFK > LHR using SkyMiles. 140K for DeltaOne or UpperClass is stupid.

Reply
iPhone 7 Headphone Jack, Tesla Plant in China, Chicago One Corner at a Time - Rapid Travel Chai November 3, 2017 - 2:03 pm

[…] Having trouble spending Delta SkyMiles? Try these secret partner airlines. […]

Reply
Skymiles Is a Wasteland, Yet I'm Still Stuck With Delta. Stockholm Syndrome? - Point Me to the Plane March 8, 2018 - 8:28 am

[…] Skymiles isn’t exactly a wasteland, but it’s getting there. Like any frequent flier program, there are sweet spots. 90,000 miles […]

Reply
AMEX 70,000 Delta SkyMiles Bonus Is Back, But... - Point Me to the Plane July 13, 2018 - 2:19 pm

[…] Having Trouble Spending SkyMiles? Try These Hidden Options […]

Reply

Leave a Reply to Having trouble spending Delta SkyMiles? Try these (sort-of) secret options – TaiwanBIZZ Cancel Reply