Questions and Answers

I recently signed up for an AMEX Delta Skymiles credit card. I’m wanting to use the 70,000 sign-up bonus miles for a one-way business class ticket to Europe and the seat is currently available but my bonus hasn’t yet posted to my Skymiles account. I read that it’s possible to book the award without the miles. Will the 70,000 bonus miles count as “spend” on the card so that I can avoid paying 2.5 cents per mile for any of the miles used to book the award?

Welcome [USER=3388]@Michael M[/USER] – I’m not 100% clear on your question. To get the 70K miles you get for signing up, you typically have to meet a minimum spend. So you must wait until those charges post to your CC account before the miles will post to your SkyMiles account. Sometimes you have to wait for the credit card statement to close before the miles will post, but that can vary from bank to bank.

If the annual fee is not waived, be aware that does NOT count toward the minimum spend.

Did that answer your question?

[QUOTE=”MidSouth Skier, post: 34482, member: 184″]Welcome [USER=3388]@Michael M[/USER] – I’m not 100% clear on your question. To get the 70K miles you get for signing up, you typically have to meet a minimum spend. So you must wait until those charges post to your CC account before the miles will post to your SkyMiles account. Sometimes you have to wait for the credit card statement to close before the miles will post, but that can vary from bank to bank.

If the annual fee is not waived, be aware that does NOT count toward the minimum spend.

Did that answer your question?[/QUOTE]
I’ve met the minimum 5K spend but but the statement has not closed yet. It’s my understanding that Delta allows the redemption for an award without yet having the miles in one’s account, if one has an AMEX Delta credit card. Then once the miles are earned, they are deducted from one’s account. I’m hoping to book the award now while it’s still available. My question is whether if I booked the award now, would the bonus miles that I’ll be earning count for booking the award? The award is 70K miles, which is what I’ll be earning for the sign-up bonus. I’m wanting to be sure to avoid being charged 2.5 cents per mile for the 70K miles I’d be redeeming for now. I also have a second unrelated question. I have enough Starpoints for a first class award on Lufthansa. I’ve opened a Miles & More account and want to book the award through Miles & More so that I have access to first class award space a few months out. In order to check for first class space on Lufthansa 3 months out, is it necessary to have at least 7K miles in one’s Miles & More account or is there another way to check for that award space?

Oh yes, the bonus miles you are given for meeting spend should count toward offsetting the miles you’ve “borrowed” to book the flight.

You can check for M&M availability via Expert Flyer.