If you have a stash of Delta SkyMiles and the desire to fly to far-flung Pacific locales like Australia, New Zealand, or Tahiti, we have some good news for you!
Delta ran a SkyMiles flash sale this week, and it could be your ticket for the Oceania getaway of your dreams.
Delta announced this sale on Wednesday in an email to SkyMiles members – but, as usual, it's even better than the airline is letting on. We let Thrifty Traveler Premium subscribers know as soon as we dug into the sale and found it had some amazing availability to these sought-after destinations.
The advertised SkyMiles prices are for basic economy fares. But you can book Main Cabin fares for just 10,000 SkyMiles more, and you can cancel these award fares at any time for free to get your SkyMiles and taxes and fees back. Even if you're on the fence about these flights, you could lock in a bargain now and cancel down the road if necessary.
Want more award alerts like this one? We send them to Thrifty Traveler Premium members first, along with dirt-cheap domestic and international flight deals.Â
The deal didn't stop in Tahiti. You can fly all the way to Australia and New Zealand for similar rates, too.
But you may want to book soon: Delta says these lower award rates only last until midnight today, Friday, Sept. 8. That means you've got just a few hours left to lock in flights to Tahiti, New Zealand, or Australia from just 42,000 SkyMiles roundtrip before they might cost you double that amount.
Thanks to a change from Delta, you'll even earn Medallion Qualifying Miles (MQMs) and Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs) toward Delta Medallion Status on these award tickets as long as you book at least a main cabin fare.
You could even see two destinations for the price of one by using Delta's “Multi-City” search tool to take advantage of this deal, specifically for the Australia and New Zealand flights. It's a great way to maximize your travels – especially because flights between Australia and New Zealand are cheap.
Considering Delta typically charges triple these rates (or more), this is a steal. Best of all, you can book Main Cabin fares for just 10,000 SkyMiles more, you can cancel these award fares at any time for free to get your SkyMiles and taxes and fees back. Even if you're on the fence about these flights, you could lock in a bargain now and cancel down the road if necessary.
Thrifty Tip: Have *amex platinum card*? Use the $200 airline fee credit to cover the taxes and fees. This works as long as you have Delta selected as your preferred airline.
Need SkyMiles to book this deal? If you have some American Express Membership Rewards points from cards like *amex platinum card* or the *amex gold card*, you're in luck: Delta is an Amex transfer partner, which means you can instantly transfer points to your Delta account to get all the miles you need.
Otherwise, you can load up on miles to catch the next great Delta SkyMiles flash sale. Delta and American Express are currently offering welcome bonuses on their suite of SkyMiles credit cards.
Plus, when you have a Delta SkyMiles credit card, you get 15% off all Delta flights when you book with SkyMiles thanks to Delta's Takeoff15 benefit.
Delta SkyMiles Flash Sale Availability
- Travel in October through March 2024, depending on your origin and destination.Â
- To book these fares, visit Delta.com and search from your home airport.Â
- This sale ends tonight, Sept. 8 at midnight!
To begin, do a normal search for flights at Delta.com and check the box that says “Shop with Miles.”
On the next page, you'll see a grid full of fares, but click the “Price Calendar” button to get the clearest view of what's available. Use the calendar to zero in on flights at the lowest rates.
Departure Cities
Dozens of U.S. airports got in on this deal flying to Oceania this year. The only nonstop routes are from Los Angeles (LAX), but all fares are roundtrip. Check your local airport! If your airport has Delta service, you'll likely see this pricing.
Remember, if you have a co-branded Delta American Express card, you can take advantage of the TakeOff15 benefit to get a 15% discount on SkyMiles bookings.
Bottom Line
If you've been stockpiling Delta SkyMiles for a chance to fly to Australia, New Zealand, or Tahiti this winter, this is the Delta SkyMiles flash sale you've been waiting for.
Delta might be advertising this deal, but the fact of the matter is that it's better than the airline is letting on – much, much better. Though Thrifty Traveler Premium members got the first shot at booking these deals, there are still seats out there to get to Oceania and back this fall and beyond.
Don't wait! This deal expires at midnight tonight, Sept. 8.
Lead photo courtesy of Delta
Great article and info. I unfortunately was waiting for miles to transfer from Amex and missed the midnight deadline. Do you know if the offers continue?? Appreciate your feedback before I waste my time trying.
Thank you