Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
If you’ve considered adding a trip to your 2023 or early 2024 travel calendar, now may be the time to book your flights.
Delta Air Lines is running a SkyMiles award flash sale that’s dramatically cutting the number of SkyMiles you’ll need to book a flight to some coveted destinations.
The deals on award flights begin now and run through May 2024.
The sale includes flights from plenty of U.S. cities to numerous European destinations. Options include a slew of routes, so there’s a good chance you’ll find something that fits your needs.
Round-trip flights to Europe come in at as low as 34,000 miles for basic economy, with seemingly flexible availability from now through May.
Act quickly, though. This SkyMiles award flash sale might not last long.
Deal basics
Airline: Delta
Routes: From many U.S. cities to Amsterdam, Barcelona, Brussels, Milan, Paris, Zurich and more European cities
Travel dates: Now through May, availability varies by city
How to book: Directly with the airline
When to book: As soon as possible
Sample fares
Delta has a dedicated page for its SkyMiles award flash sale, which allows you to plug in your city and see which destinations, dates and award pricing are available to you.
Here are just a few of the routes and prices we found. They exclude taxes and fees, which can be a bit steep — sometimes more than $100 round-trip for international flights.
- John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Zurich Airport (ZRH) for 34,000 SkyMiles
- JFK to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) for 36,000 SkyMiles
- Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) to CDG for 36,000 SkyMiles
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) for 36,000 SkyMiles
- Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) to Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN) for 34,000 SkyMiles
- BOS to Dublin Airport for 36,000 SkyMiles
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) for 36,000 SkyMiles
Keep in mind, if you carry one of Delta’s cobranded American Express credit cards, you can also take advantage of the TakeOff 15 discount, which could lead to some sizable savings — a round-trip fare for 70,000 miles suddenly costs just 59,500 miles with the 15% discount.
Again, there are many options out there, so plug in your city and see what you can find.
For example, look at this nonstop flight from New York City to Zurich in January. You can spend a week in Switzerland for 34,000 SkyMiles plus $62 in taxes and fees.
Keep in mind that this price is for Delta’s basic economy. This means you’ll be assigned your seats at check-in and won’t be able to make changes or access the Sky Club.
For a Main Cabin ticket on the same flight, you’ll have to hand over 16,000 more SkyMiles. In return, you can select your seats in advance and make changes to your reservation without paying a fee.
Delta’s premium economy cabin, Premium Select, comes in at 128,000 miles, while Delta One suites are priced at 220,000 miles round-trip.
Back to basic economy deals: For just 2,000 SkyMiles more than the above trip from New York City to Zurich, you can book a flight all the way from Los Angeles to Europe. Check out this flight from Los Angeles to Milan, for example.
Again, this price reflects a basic economy ticket which comes with restrictions. It also includes a layover each way.
For the same number of miles (and a bit extra in taxes and fees), you can also fly from Austin to Paris in January.
Maximize your purchase
Use your Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card to earn 2 SkyMiles per dollar spent on Delta purchases. Or, pay for your flights with your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to earn 3 SkyMiles per dollar spent on Delta purchases.
Or, use a credit card that earns bonus points on airfare purchases, such as:
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card: 2 points per dollar spent on travel
- American Express® Gold Card: 3 points per dollar spent on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel
- The Platinum Card® from American Express: 5 points per dollar spent on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel, on up to $500,000 of these purchases per calendar year
- Citi Premier® Card (see rates and fees): 3 points per dollar spent on airfare
- Chase Sapphire Reserve: 3 points per dollar spent on airfare
Bottom line
Delta SkyMiles flash sales are a great opportunity to make the most of your hard-earned Delta miles.
You may need to be flexible on your travel dates (and perhaps even location) to take advantage of this deal. However, if you book quickly, you can spend part of this fall in an incredible destination, whether it’s Amsterdam, Barcelona, Milan, Paris, Zurich or some other charming European city.
