Hello! I am a Diamond and looking to book some international flights next year with my AMEX pay with miles option. I know when I book with "just: miles I can get a full refund up to very close to departure time.

Any idea what the cancellation options are when I book a flight with pay with miles?

And if you are wondering - the cost of the flight is much less in dollars vs miles hence the reason I would use pay with miles instead of just mileage redemption.

Does that make sense? Thank you!

It's in the T&C's -- https://www.delta.com/us/en/skymiles...pay-with-miles


Except for tickets refunded under Delta's Risk Free Cancellation policy, miles redeemed with Pay with Miles cannot be re-deposited in the member's SkyMiles Account — even for fully refundable fares. In the event of a ticket being reissued, any residual dollar value between the original price of the ticket purchased using full or partial Pay with Miles and the reissued ticket price, can only be returned as a nonrefundable eCredit valid for future transportation. The expiration date of your eCredit will depend on the terms of your original ticket and any applicable waivers. Residual eCredit value will follow current Delta eCredit rules and will not be applicable on non-transportation fees. Pay with Miles unused tickets can be used as an eCredit when it is a primary exchange document. These Pay with Miles terms and conditions will apply to any ticket purchased using an unused Pay with Miles ticket.

In the event of a refund (including fully refundable fares), only the paid portion of a refundable fare will be credited back to the credit card. The Pay with Miles portion of the fare will be returned as non-refundable credit equivalent to the dollar value of the portion of the ticket redeemed with Pay with Miles. Credit may be used to purchase future travel and these Pay with Miles terms and conditions will not apply to such tickets.

In the event of a valid ticket cancellation under Delta's Risk Free Cancellation policy, the Pay with Miles portion of the fare will be redeposited into the member's SkyMiles account and the paid portion of the fare will be credited back to the credit card.

I have done this many times. You always get an ecredit as if you had paid by credit card. You never get points back. If you want your points back book an award ticket.

Thanks everyone!

I'm surprised that it's more cost effective to use pay-with-miles. It's usually the same price up to some rounding.

Regular award tickets can be more or less expensive than paying with money and IIRC DL now has some options to use part miles and part. money for award tickets.

MSP - that's a great point.

I'm using GUCs so need to pay for PS to upgrade to D1.

Cost is $2389 which I can use "pay with miles" then apply a GUC -OR- 570,000 miles for D1.

Its an easy decision for me. Unless someone has a better idea?

If you *want* to sit in PS at a minimum, then that's one thing, but note that you can use GUCs to go directly from main cabin straight to D1.

Two per flight then, right? I have two people travelling so really only wanted to use 4 GUCs for the RT.

No, a single GUC can be used to go from Main to D1.

How did I miss this important information?

So I can book Main and use a single GUC for D1?

isn't that exactly what it says in the response that you quoted?

You can read for yourself if you wish: https://www.delta.com/us/en/skymiles...llion-upgrades

scroll down to "What to Know About Being on the Waitlist" and specifically the chart in the section "Waitlist Options"

but yes, tldr you "can book Main and use a single GUC for D1" if it helps to hear it again Make sure the agent that creates the waitlist request is aware that you only want to be waitlisted for D1, not PS.

OK, so now I am more confused. I don't wish to be WAITLISTED for any segments. I want CONFIRMED upgrade, to D1, at time of booking. Can I do this by booking MAIN, confirming there is D1 space (the site now shows this) and then call in to Delta and use ONE GUC per person for Main to D1?

YES!!!!!!!!

Last question: So if I use MY miles (pay with miles) to book tickets for two members of my family and have to cancel I get an eCredit back that I can use? Or will half of it be in the other person's name and only they can use it? I assume my miles, my eCredit. Yes?

A revenue ticket (including PWM) will result in an ecredit that can only be used by the named passenger by 12/31/22 regardless who paid for it (except for 2+ hour schedule change). An award ticket can be canceled for any reason and refunded to the original SM account.