SkyMiles Redemption
May 19, 2019, 12:35 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: TVC
Programs: DL SM
Posts: 39
SkyMiles Redemption
Question about SM redemption...if my spouse books us a ticket with their miles, can I use my miles to upgrade both of us or would DL require them to be transferred to the person that did the booking, which would almost completely devalue them.
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Last edited by GRG; May 19, 2019 at 2:39 pm
May 19, 2019, 3:25 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Back in Reds Country (DAY/CVG). Previously: SEA & SAT.
Programs: DL PM 1MM, AA PLAT, UA Silver, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 10,334
You still have to be on a paid fare to be able to upgrade with miles domestically. You may still be offered cash or miles buy-ups after purchase but this is different than the “Skymiles Upgrade Award” which comes out of a different inventory bucket.
May 19, 2019, 3:27 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,021
Okay, with FCM offers it will draw the miles from whatever account you are logged into. So, yes, you can use your miles by logging into your account and bringing up the reservation from there and then selecting the offer. You can also choose the cash option. The mileage amount is just cash amount less the 7.5% US Excise tax at the rate of 1 cent per mile. You won't know the FCM offer until after purchase. It could either be more or less than the difference if buying an FC award outright (but it will almost certainly be a better deal than transferring the miles to one account to redeem an FC award).
May 19, 2019, 3:50 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: TVC
Programs: DL SM
Posts: 39
Would "Miles+Cash" qualify or would it have to be a strictly cash only booking in order to be eligible for upgrade with miles?
May 19, 2019, 4:25 pm
#7
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,021
"Applicable Routes: Mileage Upgrade Awards are not valid for Delta-operated flights in North America or South America. "
May 19, 2019, 4:26 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Back in Reds Country (DAY/CVG). Previously: SEA & SAT.
Programs: DL PM 1MM, AA PLAT, UA Silver, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 10,334
If it’s the “Miles+Cash” I believe it ultimately books into a Skymiles Award inventory and is treated as a mileage ticket. If you use “Pay With Miles” where you get $100 off the price per 10,000 miles used, then it books into a revenue fare bucket. I do know Delta did finally allow use of RUCs and such on tickets purchased with Pay With Miles. Don’t know about mileage upgrades though. EDIT: Appears domestic mileage upgrades are gone - the only way is to buy-up with cash or miles if any offers are given in the “Manage My Trip” section.
Last edited by ATOBTTR; May 19, 2019 at 4:39 pm
May 19, 2019, 4:35 pm
#9
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,021
Mileage Upgrade Awards no longer exist for flights in North and South America. Whether you book with cash, miles+cash, or revenue doesn't matter. You will have the option to post-purchase upgrade on these routes using miles or cash, but it will not be a fixed amount like the Mileage Upgrade Awards used to be. The mileage amount will be based on whatever the cash FCM offer price is. Mile+Cash redemptions are almost always a bad deal (you are effectively paying for miles at almost 2 CPM).
May 19, 2019, 4:37 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: TVC
Programs: DL SM
Posts: 39
I do have the "pay with miles" option available to me being a Gold SkyMiles CC holder, if that makes any difference. So if my spouse were to book us C+ award tickets with their miles could I then log in to my account, look up the booking and, assuming there's an FCM offer, use "pay with miles" on my account to upgrade us to first? I know that devalues them slightly, but the goal is to get is into F without spending any cash. Not a deal breaker if we can't, but I figured it's worth looking into as neither of us has ever flown F before and it would be a treat.
May 19, 2019, 4:40 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Back in Reds Country (DAY/CVG). Previously: SEA & SAT.
Programs: DL PM 1MM, AA PLAT, UA Silver, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 10,334
Mileage Upgrade Awards are no longer available for flights in North or South America. For award tickets, your options will be the FCM offer or re-deposit and rebook as FC. For revenue tickets, there is the FCM offer, or possibly paying with miles in lieu of cash for fare difference by calling. But there are no longer any Mileage Upgrade Awards for these routes. From program T&C's --
"Applicable Routes: Mileage Upgrade Awards are not valid for Delta-operated flights in North America or South America. "
"Applicable Routes: Mileage Upgrade Awards are not valid for Delta-operated flights in North America or South America. "
May 19, 2019, 4:42 pm
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,021
I would recommend just booking coach award tickets and then checking out the FCM offer and compare it to what you would get with pay-with-miles. You have the 24-hour Risk Free cancellation policy with the award tickets to cancel and get all your miles and fees back if the deal is not as good.