It looks like you want more Delta SkyMiles. We get it, especially since Delta SkyMiles has been having some great flash deals lately like 32,000 SkyMiles to go round-trip to Europe or 50,000 SkyMiles to go to Tahiti and back. Relax, we’re here to assist you. You can easily earn SkyMiles in many ways besides going with Delta. You have more choices than you think.
You can’t move miles from other airlines to your Delta account, not even from partner airlines like KLM, Virgin Atlantic, or Air France. SkyMiles is great, but you can get more by using bank points from credit cards that aren’t Delta. Occasionally, hotel points can also be useful. Learn how to do it here.
Transfer Between SkyMiles Accounts
Do not delay. Miles can be moved between SkyMiles accounts. But don’t do it. Delta is like most airlines around the world in that it costs a lot to move SkyMiles between accounts, even between partners and family members. You will be charged one cent per mile plus a $30 purchase fee (plus any taxes that apply). And you can only move miles in groups of 1,000.
That means it would cost $330 to give someone else 30,000 SkyMiles ($300 for the miles plus a $30 transaction fee). Usually, that doesn’t make sense, especially when there are better choices.
Transfer From American Express Membership Rewards Cards
There are other ways to quickly earn Delta SkyMiles besides using a credit card. We would even say they aren’t the best credit cards for getting SkyMiles. The American Express Membership Rewards cards are the ones that deserve that honor. It is a little unclear because they share a bank with the co-branded Delta credit cards and have names that sound a lot alike… However, these cards that stand alone are very different. You can quickly and directly add these points to your Delta SkyMiles account.
A great example is the Platinum Card® from American Express. When you spend $8,000 in the first six months, you get an extra 80,000 points. Check to see if you can get a 150,000-point bonus through CardMatch, though. That stash of 150,000 points could be exchanged for 150,000 SkyMiles if the transfer rate is 1:1.
Even though changing all those points to Delta SkyMiles might not be the best deal, we still really like it, especially if we can find a Delta SkyMiles flash sale with a huge discount. The card also comes with a great set of benefits for people who travel a lot, such as entry to lounges.
It also includes many other money-saving benefits, such as up to $200 in yearly credits for Uber and flights, up to a $100 fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, and a credit that covers the cost of CLEAR. The card’s annual fee of $695 is well worth it because you get 5x points for flights made directly with airlines or American Express Travel up to $500,000.
There’s also the American Express® Gold Card, which could be the best credit card for tourists in every way. Also, up to $25,000 a year, it gives 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants and U.S. stores. After that, it only gives 1x points. Keep this card in your wallet if you plan to spend a lot of money on food or restaurants. The card costs $250 a year (see rates & fees) and gives you 60,000 points after you spend $6,000 in the first six months unless CardMatch is trying to get you a 75,000-point extra!
Last but not least is the updated American Express® Green Card. The price is lower because it costs $150 a year. But it’s still pretty good since $100 goes toward the annual CLEAR club fees that let you skip the line at airport security.
Get from Marriott Bonvoy
Miles from one flight can’t be changed into Delta SkyMiles credits. We have good news for you if you have the right hotel points. You can move your Marriott Bonvoy points to more than 40 airlines, including Delta SkyMiles. You can get three times as many Delta SkyMiles for every fifteen Marriott Bonvoy points you move. Although that may not seem like a good deal, there is an added benefit that might make it worth it.
The hotel company will give you an extra 5,000 miles for every 60,000 points you transfer. To put it another way, moving 60,000 hotel points would give you 25,000 SkyMiles. We wouldn’t send Marriott Bonvoy points to Delta as a first choice, even with this bonus. If you need to add miles to your Delta account to redeem them, it might be worth it.