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Delta SkyMiles is the loyalty program of Delta Air Lines, the only North American member of the SkyTeam alliance. With direct flights from Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver, the program deserves the attention of Canadian travelers. This guide covers everything you need to know to earn and redeem Delta SkyMiles from Canada.
SkyMiles are nicknamed “SkyPesos” in the points and miles community because Delta uses aggressive dynamic pricing for its award flights. The price in miles varies by date, route, and cabin class. Despite this, certain opportunities offer interesting value, especially from Canada.
Due to dynamic pricing, the value of a SkyMile fluctuates considerably. On average, expect approximately 1.1 cents US per mile (about 1.5 cents CA per mile at the current exchange rate). However, certain deals like Flash Sales or partner flights on Korean Air can offer up to 3 to 4 cents CA per mile.
If you hold a U.S. Delta credit card with the 15% discount on award flights, the effective value rises to approximately 1.3 cents US per mile.
Earning SkyMiles from Canada requires a bit more creativity than for other programs. Here are the methods accessible to Canadian travelers.
On a ticket purchased directly from Delta, SkyMiles members earn miles based on their elite status:
Basic Economy tickets do not earn miles. This is an important point to keep in mind when booking.
For flights with partner airlines like WestJet, Air France/KLM (Flying Blue), or Korean Air, earning is based on a percentage of the distance flown (between 25% and 300%), depending on the booking class.
This is the primary method to fund your SkyMiles account from Canada. The American Express Membership Rewards program allows you to transfer points to Delta SkyMiles at a ratio of 1:0.75 (1,000 Membership Rewards = 750 SkyMiles).
This ratio is less favorable than the 1:1 offered for several other transfer partners, but it remains useful if you have earned SkyMiles from flights and are short a few miles for a specific booking.
Among the best Membership Rewards credit cards, the American Express Cobalt Card stands out. It earns up to 5 points per dollar spent on groceries and dining, making it a powerful tool for building a balance of transferable points.
Several hotel programs allow you to convert points to SkyMiles. This is generally not recommended, unless your hotel points are at risk of expiring without use.
Delta allows you to purchase SkyMiles directly on its website, but the base cost is approximately 3.5 cents US per mile. This is almost three times the average value of a SkyMile. This option is only worthwhile if you need a small top-up to reach a specific booking threshold.
Before buying miles, check if it is more advantageous to transfer American Express Membership Rewards to your Delta account.
Delta has an online shopping portal that offers bonus miles at over 1,000 retailers. Rates vary from 1 to 15 miles per dollar spent. However, the retailer must ship to Canada to take advantage.
This is a simple way to earn a few extra miles, but Rakuten portals or other programs often offer superior flexibility for Canadians.
The best use of your SkyMiles remains redeeming them for flights. Delta uses dynamic pricing: there is no fixed award chart. The number of miles required varies constantly based on demand, date, and route.
Search for award flights directly on delta.com by checking “Shop with Miles.” The flexible calendar helps identify the cheapest dates. Delta award tickets are fully refundable (except Basic Economy), which allows you to rebook if the price in miles drops.
For partner flights, Delta sometimes displays interesting rates on Korean Air, LATAM, or WestJet. Partner pricing is increasingly aligned with Delta’s prices, but some exceptions remain.
Delta regularly launches Flash Sales with reduced mileage prices. In the past, we have seen round trips to Europe for 34,000 miles or short flights starting at 5,900 miles. These offers are in Basic Economy class.
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Here are some of the best uses of SkyMiles from Canada:
Delta also allows you to redeem SkyMiles for checked bags, seat upgrades, vacation packages, hotels via Delta Stays, and exclusive experiences. Most of these options offer less than 1 cent per mile, except vacation packages which are around 1.6 cents CA per mile.
Delta is part of the SkyTeam alliance, which allows you to earn and redeem SkyMiles with about twenty airlines:
“Core” partners offer better earning conditions and more redemption opportunities than other partners. For Canadians, WestJet is a key partner thanks to its domestic network.
Delta offers four elite status levels: Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond. Since recent changes, qualification is based solely on Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQD), meaning dollars spent on Delta and partner flights.
All Medallion members enjoy one free checked bag for themselves and up to 8 companions. U.S. Delta cardholders can earn up to $10,000 in “Head Start” MQD, sufficient for Gold status.
For most Canadians, reaching Medallion status through flights alone is difficult. If you travel frequently with Delta, Gold status remains the most realistic thanks to the combination of flights + card spending.
There is no co-branded Delta SkyMiles credit card in Canada. All Delta cards are issued by American Express in the United States. If you have access to U.S. credit cards, here is an overview of the options:
Business versions exist for each of these levels with similar benefits. The 15% discount on award flights is offered with all Gold and higher cards.
Check out the best Delta SkyMiles credit cards in the United States on Milesopedia USA.
Since no Delta card is available in Canada, the strategy involves American Express Membership Rewards cards. Earn Membership Rewards, then transfer them to Delta as needed.
Here are the most relevant Canadian cards:
Check out our ranking of the best credit cards to choose the card that maximizes your points based on your spending habits.
For Canadians, Delta SkyMiles is not a program to target as a priority. The 1:0.75 transfer ratio from Membership Rewards, the absence of a credit card in Canada, and aggressive dynamic pricing make it less attractive than programs like Aeroplan or Flying Blue.
That said, SkyMiles remains useful in three specific situations:
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