Delta Air Lines , an Atlanta-based legacy carrier, maintains an outstanding reputation for offering premium products and services, ranging from its comfortable domestic first-class products to fully enclosed suites onboard its long-haul aircraft in its Delta One cabin. As legacy airlines like Delta tend to derive the vast majority of profits from their services in premium cabins, purchasing premium cabin tickets outright is undeniably expensive and difficult to justify.
However, for those looking to fly these incredible products without breaking the bank, the Delta SkyMiles program provides members with the valuable opportunity to redeem miles for award travel, which will frequently offer a much better rate for those looking to fly in premium cabins.
We are not going to be discussing using miles to upgrade from a ticket purchased for one class of service to another one, but rather how many SkyMiles it would cost to book premium travel outright.
For starters, it is essential to note that SkyMiles booking prices across all routes and cabins vary wildly, as there are no longer strict award thresholds for routes between different markets. As a result, the amount of miles needed to book different flights will shift based on market demand and other factors. Nonetheless, let’s take a deeper look at some example routes that may help us gather a better picture of how many miles one might need to enjoy Delta’s highest-tier experiences.
Domestic first-class services
On short-haul domestic routes operated by Delta’s narrowbody fleet, first-class products primarily consist of recliner seats arranged in a 2-2 configuration, with some amenities that come along, including free food. While these are not the most luxurious seats in the entire fleet, they certainly do offer some unique benefits. Some examples of routes that would be offered on these kinds of aircraft include:
- Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) to Kansas City International Airport (MCI)
- LaGuardia Airport (LGA) to Boston Logan Airport (BOS)
- Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
During peak weekends, booking these seats can be rather expensive, with prices inflated by the presence of such heavy passenger demand.
As one may note, the prices are the highest on the Wednesday right before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after, as these are the dates on which Delta is most likely to be able to fill its cabins with business travelers flying home for the holiday. The convenient tool available on Delta’s website provides an easy booking experience and allows one to quickly compare prices across multiple potential dates with ease.
Transcontinental flights
On flights across the country, which often follow a red-eye schedule in the Eastbound direction, Delta steps up its game when it comes to premium cabin products, offering lie-flat seats on many of its routes. These services often include additional amenities, such as cabin sleepwear and chef-inspired meals. Here are some examples of transcontinental flights within Delta’s network that you might be interested in booking with miles:
- New York John F. Kenedy International Airport (JFK) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
- Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL)
- Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Traveling across the country in Delta One on miles is not cheap by any stretch of the imagination and not by a long shot. Delta makes the bulk of its profits on high-paying business travelers who fill these seats on corporate cards.
Some date combinations push up towards nearly 400,000 miles, an unbelievable amount for a single cross-country round trip that takes just a few days. Nonetheless, if what you really value is the comfort and convenience of a lie-flat seat, Delta will certainly give it to you for miles, just for a lot of them.
During off-peak times, the prices of these expensive tickets do not even improve significantly, with the lowest dropping to around 200,000 miles. Especially on Sunday evenings, when weekend travelers look to come home, prices are sky-high as a lie-flat bed can make a Sunday night red-eye before work week much more palatable.
Long-haul international journeys
On long-haul flights that cross international borders, Delta Air Lines tends to bring out its most luxurious cabin products. Most aircraft are configured with fully enclosed Delta One suites, offering an unparalleled level of passenger comfort. Examples of these kinds of routes include:
- John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
- Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) to Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport (CDG)
- Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS)
These flights, unsurprisingly, will also cost you a pretty penny, especially if you’re trying to redeem SkyMiles for travel on a high-demand weekend.
As one can see, prices are hefty, and landing yourself in a lie-flat seat across the Atlantic during a peak time could cost you over half a million SkyMiles. The lowest these tickets even drop to is around 265,000 SkyMiles roundtrip.
Even during off-peak times, the numbers do not tend to improve much, with roundtrips in October still around 300,000 SkyMiles. Crossing the Atlantic in Delta One with SkyMiles may be worth it, but be careful to select an appropriate route and time that offers a lower award rate.
