Is The Relative Value Of Delta SkyMiles Increasing?

This is a refreshing post! I see so much hate about SkyMiles, it's good to know my main loyalty program isn't a total waste (what can I say? I'm hub trapped)! I'm hoping that their Level 1/Saver awards are still available for one-way redemptions come January 1st. I have a sneaking suspicion low level awards for international business class will become fewer and farther between once they make one-way awards bookable. I intend on booking a one way award from LAX to SYD on VA (it should be only 80,000 miles) and hopefully returning on Qantas first class using AAdvantage miles.

Surprised you don't want to fly Aerolineas Argentinas. I mean their premium cabin comes with a fax machine! 😛 That's even better than having a private suite!! 😉

I'm looking for a one-way on KLM AMS-DFW in 2015. However, it seems like they (a) don't yet have one-ways pricing out correctly and (b) are showing taxes/fees of well over 200 Euros. So, I'd definitely rather do United/Lufthansa, or even American, before that!

They both suck compared to AS, AA & US miles, and even Avios and Aeroplan. So, at least until AA devalues, they are still relatively poor value if you are comparing properly and not just narrowly to UA.

@ Reine -- I doubt they'll block any more space on partners as a result of allowing one-ways, so I think more limited partner availability would simply be a function of more people making bookings.

@ Joe -- Right, they're not doing one-way pricing till 2015, and they do impose fuel surcharges for awards originating in Europe. Both weaknesses as of now.

Yeah, they are leading the race to the bottom. Skymiles become relatively more attractive when all others become less so. That's like saying, "Oh, now that the woman I never liked before is standing next to a troll, she isn't half bad".

Sadly, though, you are correct. Skymiles have a relative value improvement. I will continue to try and redeem them primarily to Australia.

DL long-haul low-level business class availability on their own metal is also better, I would argue, than either UA on their own metal or AA on their own metal -- though more because both UA and AA have gotten worse than because DL has gotten better. But, I would argue DL's longhaul business class is pretty competitive with the European majors these days, and better than UA's, so it's another good option to have.

Good luck getting to Asia. Or South America. Or Hawaii. Or Europe less than 11 months out.

We're here for the trip reports.

Try harder on the Star Biz Class seat from the West Coast.

most of what's described here aren't "new" revelations .... VS and VA awards has been around for quite some time.

the single best item of new skymiles is one-way awards. and the single worst item about skymiles is still lack of any F awards whatsoever.

UA mileage levels stinks for partner F, but at least the option exists for those who are really miles rich.

This whole post exists just to reason why you should use his referral link. Watch in the next couple of days we'll see BA bloggers trying to spin anything about Delta into a post so they can use the 50k signup referrals.

"most of what’s described here aren’t “new” revelations …. VS and VA awards has been around for quite some time." The new revelation is the limited time chance to justify conversions to the Delta Amex...

Much like some Disney rides exist solely to push a gift shop, this post felt like it solely existed just to push a crap load of referral links

I haven't lately found that sort of availability to Europe (thinking about a trip late next Spring since I'm graduating) ... wish I could. 🙁

DL points have long been the best way to get access to certain destinations. Particularly for parties seeking multiple pax (four or more) on transoceanic j travel.

If you don't know the low cost workaround to the historic no round trip policy, you've been missing out.

F would be nice, but the excellent availability on several of their partners more than makes up for it. While it might not be as sexy as LH F (now pretty much only bookable on short notice), DL points far more effective for certain travel than this or other BA blogs have historically given credit for.

I agree with most of what you said...however, there are sweet spots to every chart and this one is no different.

Also, *Alliance to and from Europe was available until yesterday...just snagged IST-SFO for next Summer to complete our R/T. Thanks to you, snagged LAX-JFK-LHR on AA F on June 30 next year 🙂

SFO-IST on TK is available all summer next year.

@Ted - you think it's worth 140k miles roundtrip to fly TK business class (assuming you are redeeming United miles)? It's nice but not THAT nice. The middle section has 3 seats side by side. That's more miles than flying first class in Cathay Pacific from LA to Hong Kong using AA miles.

@Luis - Definitely not worth 70k miles...however, 52.5k Lifemiles is totally worth it!

Gotta strongly disagree. AZ award availability on the new business seat flights was actually much, much better last year. Same with AF. (I booked last June for 2014 and last month for 2015). Are the Virgin partners new?

So it's harder to get TATL first on One World now. The Sky Peso stink index is down 1%. BFD. They'll be worth a penny a point a la Southwest next year. You need a horizon longer than the current moment for your valuations.

It all depends on where you are flying out of and SFO has been horrible for UA/LH/LX/BA for some time......and I've never seen a rational routing on an AA premium award from SFO to Europe so they are the true dirtbags in this picture IMHO..........Going to France from SFO can't be worse on Delta?

Oh, so now you DON'T want to fly on Aerolineas anymore... okay...

Interesting perspective now, but I'll wait until ALL the changes have been put into the 2015 Skymiles program first before I make my final judgement call.

And I'm not sure if you can also put Aeromexico in as a good way to redeem to Europe, considering they have their 787 now... Then there's also Aeroflot...

The highlight of this post, is using Delta miles to only book partners. When partners flights are booked, they almost always price out at the lowest mileage tier. This is really good for people who use JFK, LAX, ORD as their point of origin. Using KLM or Air France, TATL, and then using KL or AF connecting flights to get wherever in Europe for only a 125,000 miles (Business Elite), is a great deal. Generally there is good availability for these flights even as little as 90 days out. One can plan a trip closer to departure and still use their miles.

Regarding Aerolineas Argentinas, it is my understanding that they are flying a newer plane to NYC (maybe MIA too, but not sure) that used to be an Air France one. To be more precise they are flying one A330-200 with the recliner/pods in business which is a nice addition IMHO. I'll probably fly them later this year and might report back unless Lucky does it first 🙂

Commission links beget posts. It's just a fact of life and if it really drives you crazy, then Boarding Area is not for you. But, I think Lucky, et al. are doing a service by promoting bonused signups and explaining their usefulness. 50K Skymiles is a pretty decent deal for a no-fee (first year) card, but many folks might dismiss it because "Skypesos are worthless."

I'd feel differently about repeated posts related to an offer, if that offer was not a limited time, bonused, offer.

Anyone who hasn't figured out that credit card signup bonusues are one of the 4 key pillars of frequent flyer earning has been living under a rock........I love the constant stream of offers.......it's not everything to earning but it's the absolute first leg.............keep them coming..........and I am grateful to have someone up at 35,000 feet looking down at SFO and guiding us to new openings..........we don't see that at the ground level with the clarity that a Lucky does.......

Devils advocate: first class fares in that March timeframe from ORD-LHR-BKK-LHR-ORD on UA and TG have a cash cost of about $30,000. How much does 8 nights at the Park Hyatt Tokyo in that timeframe cost? About $4,000.

This just highlights
1. the ridiculous cost of international long-haul F
2. how much value you can get when you redeem for F

@ Polk -- Agreed, but I don't really think it's worth comparing the cost of a revenue first class ticket to anything, since it's not something I'd otherwise pay. Similarly, United charges substantially more for first class between Los Angeles and Sydney than Etihad charges for A380 Apartments between Abu Dhabi and Sydney, which is in no way correlated to the quality/value.

Think we're on the same page, though. 😀

Liar.

You originally pasted that Delta miles had become more valuable recently. Not "more valuable relative to other currencies." Not "more valuable because others had become even more worthless." You posted that they had become "more valuable" without any qualifiers, period. Which anyone with half a brain knows is a bald-faced lie. ALL FF currencies have become less valuable, and continue to (thanks to the likes of you).

Of course, it was said only to pimp your credit card referral income. When several people called you out on it, you went back and now have changed the language. Nice way to try and cover your self-serving lies.

You are a dishonest shill. Is there ever ANYTHING you do that's not done to screw others and benefit yourself?

@ Rob -- I haven't gone back and changed any of the language. If you email me I'd be more than happy to forward you the original post as published, which hasn't changed...

Hope you have a nice weekend!

@rob - All statements about a currencies value are relative and can never be absolute. When the news says the dollar has strengthened over the past day, week, month or year it only means the dollar has risen in value compared to a majority of the major currencies worldwide. You don’t need to put in a caveat that the dollar/euro/pound has strengthen relative to any other currency. It is assumed that that is the case since any type of currency can only be measured again other similar currencies. There is no other way to measure the value of a currency, whether a FF mile or a dollar. A FF mile doesn’t have an absolute value like an ounce of gold.

I find star alliance space more open (especially to Asia, but also to Europe) than skyteam space. Delta seems to release most business seats on their own planes just at the mid-level rather than the low-level.

A roundtrip between New York and Rome on Alitalia costs 80k korean miles + $950 in fuel surcharges & taxes -- as opposed to 125k skypesos & $100 in taxes. (it's alitalia's fault the fuel surcharge is so high not Korean's). I think the cost is similar although I'd rather spend more miles and less money.
I just booked this itinerary with Korean miles (which I transferred from Chase) and it took about 10 days to finally ticket, after about 10 phone calls, so Delta's ticketing process is definitely better. But, Korean allows unlimited changes and free cancellation & refund of award tickets, so if you're not exactly sure if you'll keep the dates or make the trip, they're the best choice.