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Old Nov 30, 12, 12:21 pm   #1
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Queens, NY
Programs: Delta SkyMiles, AMEX Plat
Posts: 33
What can i do with over 100k in miles?

i recently cancelled the delta amex credit card and I'm stuck with over 100k in skymiles. I recently found out that i can't redeem for amex gift card if i'm not a delta amex credit card holder. So i tried to book a ticket and "pay with miles" option is not there(1 cent per 1 mile). It use to be there before. So "pay with miles" only work for delta amex credit card holders also?

If yes.. what can i really do with my miles now? i know that i can book for reward ticket but it's a rip off.. they want 60k miles for $200 ticket.

Any help?

Thanks
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Old Nov 30, 12, 12:25 pm   #2
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
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100k miles is good for a rountdrip ticket to Europe in Business Class. If you're looking at the best value for your miles that's probably it.
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Old Nov 30, 12, 12:25 pm   #3
 
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Book a business class ticket to Europe.

As far as your question is concerned, I'm pretty sure PWM is only for Amex CH's.
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Old Nov 30, 12, 12:30 pm   #4
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stark4 View Post
i recently cancelled the delta amex credit card and I'm stuck with over 100k in skymiles. I recently found out that i can't redeem for amex gift card if i'm not a delta amex credit card holder. So i tried to book a ticket and "pay with miles" option is not there(1 cent per 1 mile). It use to be there before. So "pay with miles" only work for delta amex credit card holders also?

If yes.. what can i really do with my miles now? i know that i can book for reward ticket but it's a rip off.. they want 60k miles for $200 ticket.

Any help?

Thanks
I think the DLAMEX is needed for the PWM option.

1. Reapply for the AMEX, Purchase a PWM ticket or two...or purchase gift cards in the marketplace and then cancel...
2. You can transfer the miles to friend or relative...maybe some bartering involved (although, I think that violates the terms of SM, so keep it quiet)
4. Wait around till you find a low ticket to somewhere you wanna go.
5. Hold them for some emergency, last minute trip where the CPM makes it worthwhile...or to book a ticket for a friend or relative.
6.You can donate the miles...no tax deduction though.
7. If none of those work for you, you can give them to me

Good luck
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Old Nov 30, 12, 12:33 pm   #5
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: San Jose, CA
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If you can be flexible with your travel and plan far out (or do a spur of the moment trip to a flexible destination), you can get great value from 100k miles. 100k miles is enough for one round trip to Europe in business. If you can get up to 120k miles, that is enough for 2 round trip tickets to Europe in economy. If you have an American Express with membership rewards, you could transfer those points 1:1 to Delta Skymiles to cover any difference that you are short.

It's important to udnerstand that Delta has 3 award price levels, and the # of miles required for an award has nothing to do with price. So you may be able to spend 25k miles for a domestic economy ticket that would cost $700, or spend 60k miles for a domestic economy ticket that would cost $200.

If you are a little flexible, then you can usually find the low level awards. I would only use your miles to book one of those, and you would get a lot more value from the miles than any other redemption including pay with miles or AMEX gift cards.
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Old Nov 30, 12, 12:45 pm   #6
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Queens, NY
Programs: Delta SkyMiles, AMEX Plat
Posts: 33
Thanks for all the input guys. So i guess i'll have to re-apply for Delta AMEX card again in order to redeem amex gift card or to use "pay with miles"
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Old Nov 30, 12, 1:07 pm   #7
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
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When is the last time you guys actually tried to redeem on Delta? Because I have been trying to do the same thing all morning for a person with 100K Skymiles and I can assure you that there is not any Business Elite to Europe possible. It may still be listed in the award chart but the reality seems to be otherwise. What the OP described is the actuality. Unfortunately, if you don't have the Amex card, as others report, PWM is not an option. As far as flexibility, my friend can pretty much go anywhere at any time but low awards are just not there? A poster on Deltapoints suggested that if you live at a hub, then you might still be able to book low awards, and I tested it with ATL, so if you live at a hub, OK. But if you don't, I think the news is grim.

I would be thrilled to be proved wrong but these changes are recent so stories based on the past will not necessarily be helpful. Thanks!

Last edited by peachfront; Nov 30, 12 at 1:12 pm..
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Old Nov 30, 12, 1:22 pm   #8
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by peachfront View Post
When is the last time you guys actually tried to redeem on Delta? Because I have been trying to do the same thing all morning for a person with 100K Skymiles and I can assure you that there is not any Business Elite to Europe possible.
About a month ago. I booked two business class tickets: MCO-MSP-LHR-OTP-MUC-ATL-MCO. 100k miles each. I cannot believe for one moment there is NO low level seats in BE available Delta, period. Sorry, not buying it.
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Old Nov 30, 12, 1:29 pm   #9
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: UnderH20, AUA, WNY (ROC)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by peachfront View Post
When is the last time you guys actually tried to redeem on Delta? Because I have been trying to do the same thing all morning for a person with 100K Skymiles and I can assure you that there is not any Business Elite to Europe possible. It may still be listed in the award chart but the reality seems to be otherwise. What the OP described is the actuality. Unfortunately, if you don't have the Amex card, as others report, PWM is not an option. As far as flexibility, my friend can pretty much go anywhere at any time but low awards are just not there? A poster on Deltapoints suggested that if you live at a hub, then you might still be able to book low awards, and I tested it with ATL, so if you live at a hub, OK. But if you don't, I think the news is grim.

I would be thrilled to be proved wrong but these changes are recent so stories based on the past will not necessarily be helpful. Thanks!
Just did several searches to find the elusive 100k - found many including one I booked ROC JFK DUB
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Old Nov 30, 12, 1:29 pm   #10
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by peachfront View Post
When is the last time you guys actually tried to redeem on Delta? Because I have been trying to do the same thing all morning for a person with 100K Skymiles and I can assure you that there is not any Business Elite to Europe possible. It may still be listed in the award chart but the reality seems to be otherwise. What the OP described is the actuality. Unfortunately, if you don't have the Amex card, as others report, PWM is not an option. As far as flexibility, my friend can pretty much go anywhere at any time but low awards are just not there? A poster on Deltapoints suggested that if you live at a hub, then you might still be able to book low awards, and I tested it with ATL, so if you live at a hub, OK. But if you don't, I think the news is grim.

I would be thrilled to be proved wrong but these changes are recent so stories based on the past will not necessarily be helpful. Thanks!
As I suspected, via a 5 minute search, I found a flight to London in BE, roundtrip.

JFK - LHR: 12/11
LHR -JFK: 12/17

100K miles total. BE to Europe.

Just one man giving back to my community
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Old Nov 30, 12, 1:34 pm   #11
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: Delta PM
Posts: 170
I just booked two seats to EZE from NYC for 100k miles in business. ;-)

There was also two seats in coach to SYD.
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Old Nov 30, 12, 1:38 pm   #12
fti
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Honestly I love it when people post about no business class awards available. That means they are not looking hard enough (or the "correct" way), which means it leaves more availability for those of us who do our diligent research.

As was said, there are low level awards available, and not just for international business class. I booked NINE award seats to Anchorage for next June using miles (all low level). Partly in F, partly in Y, all on the same non-stop returning, on two different flights (same day) via SEA on the outbound. Award seats are there. It just takes patience and diligence to find them.
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Old Nov 30, 12, 1:43 pm   #13
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 301
Quote:
Originally Posted by peachfront View Post
When is the last time you guys actually tried to redeem on Delta? Because I have been trying to do the same thing all morning for a person with 100K Skymiles and I can assure you that there is not any Business Elite to Europe possible. It may still be listed in the award chart but the reality seems to be otherwise. What the OP described is the actuality. Unfortunately, if you don't have the Amex card, as others report, PWM is not an option. As far as flexibility, my friend can pretty much go anywhere at any time but low awards are just not there? A poster on Deltapoints suggested that if you live at a hub, then you might still be able to book low awards, and I tested it with ATL, so if you live at a hub, OK. But if you don't, I think the news is grim.

I would be thrilled to be proved wrong but these changes are recent so stories based on the past will not necessarily be helpful. Thanks!
I can find RDU-CDG RT in economy for 60K + $91.40 in Oct 2013.
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Old Nov 30, 12, 1:49 pm   #14
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
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Quote:
Originally Posted by peachfront View Post
... if you live at a hub, then you might still be able to book low awards, and I tested it with ATL, so if you live at a hub, OK. But if you don't, I think the news is grim.
The RIGHT conclusion is that you're not finding low domestic award connections to get TO the hub. A medium domestic leg pushes the entire direction up to medium. Look differently for the domestic legs using one-way award searches, or consider paying for the positioning flight to the hub, on Delta or anybody else.
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Old Nov 30, 12, 1:57 pm   #15
fti
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Quote:
Originally Posted by peachfront View Post
A poster on Deltapoints suggested that if you live at a hub, then you might still be able to book low awards, and I tested it with ATL, so if you live at a hub, OK. But if you don't, I think the news is grim.

I would be thrilled to be proved wrong but these changes are recent so stories based on the past will not necessarily be helpful. Thanks!
No, these changes are not recent. It has always been a challenge to use DL miles (well, at least the past few years). It takes patience and persistence.

And I think you were proved wrong:

Quote:
Originally Posted by JCary View Post
I can find RDU-CDG RT in economy for 60K + $91.40 in Oct 2013.
non-hub, just found today.
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