The Thrifty Traveler Podcast

Delta SkyMiles Aren’t As Good (Or as Bad) as You Think


Listen Later

How can you find the best value for your SkyMiles? Are Delta SkyMiles worthless? Can you book Delta One for cheap? Am I an idiot for caring about SkyMiles? These are the questions we get about the wildly popular (yet maddening) Delta SkyMiles program, so we do our best to answer all of them and more. Whether you want to book quick, cheap flights within the U.S. or fly business class to Asia (and everything in between), we go over all the best ways to earn and burn Delta SkyMiles.

Watch us on YouTube!

(00:00) - What level of Delta status does Kyle have?

(00:45) - What would we do with 200,000 Delta SkyMiles? 

(05:00) - Some of the best ways to use SkyMiles

(09:00) - And the worst…

(14:00) - A word from our sponsor (us): Get the Extra Mile Newsletter to earn more miles

(15:00) - Delta SkyMiles 101

(17:00) - Why Delta prices SkyMiles awards differently than other airlines

(20:30) - Inside the infamous “Sad State of SkyMiles” story from 2023

(23:15) - Why SkyMiles Flash Sales are like “Clearance Meat

(28:45) - The best destinations to target for a good SkyMiles deal

(34:00) - Where can you find a pseudo-Delta SkyMiles “award chart”?

(36:00) - American Express credit cards and what Delta’s strategy with its profitable partner

(39:30) - Delta One SkyMiles deals … are they even possible?

(42:15) - How to find Delta SkyMiles redemptions outside of flash sales

(45:30) - Are Delta SkyMiles worthless?

(47:00) - The #1 key to getting good value from your SkyMiles

(49:15) - Helping a traveler from SLC earn SkyMiles fast

(53:00) - What one change would Gunnar make to the SkyMiles program?

Produced by Gunnar Olson & Long Tran
Edited by David Strutt
Show music: “All That” by Benjamin Tissot

Support the show by leaving us a rating and a review wherever you get your podcasts! 

Have a question you want answered on-air or an idea for the show? Let us know at [email protected]

Get 20% off your first year of cheap flights and points and miles deals with Thrifty Traveler Premium - use promo code TTPOD to save even more!

See what we’re all about at https://thriftytraveler.com - or subscribe to our free weekly points and miles newsletter, The Extra Mile!

Follow us on…
Instagram
YouTube
Facebook
Bluesky

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Thrifty Traveler PodcastBy Thrifty Traveler

  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9

4.9

111 ratings


More shows like The Thrifty Traveler Podcast

View all
Miles to Go - Travel Tips, News & Reviews You Can't Afford to Miss! by Ed Pizza, Richard Kerr

Miles to Go - Travel Tips, News & Reviews You Can't Afford to Miss!

377 Listeners

Award Travel 101 by Award Travel 101 Team

Award Travel 101

166 Listeners

Frequent Miler on the Air by Frequent Miler

Frequent Miler on the Air

603 Listeners

Travel Squad Podcast by Travel Squad Podcast

Travel Squad Podcast

235 Listeners

MTM Travel - The Fun Side of Points & Travel! by Shawn Coomer & Mark Ostermann

MTM Travel - The Fun Side of Points & Travel!

340 Listeners

Geobreeze Travel by Julia Menez

Geobreeze Travel

406 Listeners

All the Hacks with Chris Hutchins by Chris Hutchins

All the Hacks with Chris Hutchins

1,604 Listeners

The Daily Churn by thedailychurn

The Daily Churn

134 Listeners

Points Talk® with the Travel Mom Squad by Travel Mom Squad: Travel on Credit Card Points

Points Talk® with the Travel Mom Squad

950 Listeners

Point Me To First Class by Devon Gimbel MD

Point Me To First Class

1,147 Listeners

Let's Get To The Points by Serena, Miguel and Mitch Shannon

Let's Get To The Points

117 Listeners

Takeoff: A Points and Miles Podcast by 10xTravel by 10xTravel

Takeoff: A Points and Miles Podcast by 10xTravel

382 Listeners

Wonderland on Points | Credit Card Rewards & Budget Travel by Mary Ellen and Jo

Wonderland on Points | Credit Card Rewards & Budget Travel

198 Listeners

Revolutionizing Your Journey: Travel With Points & Miles by DeAndre Coke

Revolutionizing Your Journey: Travel With Points & Miles

55 Listeners

Points for Normal People by Katie's Travel Tricks by Katie's Travel Tricks

Points for Normal People by Katie's Travel Tricks

360 Listeners