Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
GUIDE
How to buy Delta SkyMiles and what to check first
Delta SkyMiles is the loyalty programme of Delta Air Lines, and buying SkyMiles means paying Delta to add miles to your SkyMiles account through a mileage purchase instead of earning them by flying [3]. The miles join the same balance you spend on award travel and do not expire, while the purchase itself earns no miles and no Medallion Qualification Dollars [3] [4].
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- Buying SkyMiles puts miles into your SkyMiles account, where they do not expire [3] [4].
- Mileage purchase fees sit on Delta's list of charges that earn no miles and no MQDs, so a purchase builds no Medallion progress [3].
- Miles are forfeited if the account is closed, and members may not sell or barter miles [3].
- Whether an award is worth the miles depends on taxes and fees, seat availability, routing and change rules as well as the miles price [3].
What do you get when you buy Delta SkyMiles?
Delta's programme rules describe buying miles as a "mileage purchase" and list mileage purchase fees among the ancillary charges that do not earn miles or MQDs [3]. The miles you pay for are held in your SkyMiles account, the same account that award redemptions are deducted from [3]. This guide covers direct purchases; moving miles between members is a separate transaction inside the SkyMiles Transfer Miles Program [3].
SkyMiles is open to any individual person in any country that has not prohibited participation in frequent flyer programmes and where participation is not otherwise prohibited by law [3]. Once credited, purchased miles fall under Delta's Mileage Expiration policy, under which miles do not expire, and the programme overview promises members miles that don't expire [3] [4].
No expiry is not the same as permanence. Delta reserves the right to deactivate or close an account and remove all the miles in it — for example after fraudulent activity, at a member's request, if a member is deceased, if a member does not respond to repeated contact about the account, if duplicate accounts exist, if a member moves to a country where membership is prohibited, or if a member breaks the programme rules [3]. Medallion status, benefits and miles in the account are forfeited when an account is closed [3]. Delta also states that programme rules and benefits are subject to change at any time [3].
Do purchased SkyMiles count toward Medallion status?
The purchase does not. Medallion status is earned in line with the Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) a member collects during the Medallion Qualification Year, and Delta lists mileage purchases and mileage transfer fees among the transactions that earn neither miles nor MQDs [3]. MQDs from flying are credited to the member whose name and SkyMiles number are on the ticket, regardless of who booked or paid [3].
Million Miler status uses a different measure again: it is based on total flight miles flown over a member's lifetime, excluding Basic Economy fares [6]. Delta treats most miles earned through non-airline partner offers as bonus miles, and bonus miles do not count toward Million Miler Status [3].
Spending miles is a different matter from buying them. On award tickets operated by Delta and Delta Global Airline Partners, booked through a direct Delta channel in Delta Main Classic (or equivalent) or above and in Delta Comfort Basic, members earn MQDs equal to the miles redeemed toward the award price divided by 100 [3]. Apart from that MQD calculation, free tickets of any kind, including SkyMiles award tickets, earn no mileage credit [3].
How do you check an award before buying miles?
Award pricing is only part of the cost. Taxes and fees on award travel are the passenger's responsibility and must be paid when the ticket is booked [3]. The table below sets out the cash and rule factors Delta publishes for award travel, as of 18 October 2026.
| Factor | What Delta's rules state |
|---|---|
| U.S. government taxes and fees, domestic award | At least $11.20 [3] |
| Foreign government taxes and carrier-imposed fees, international award | May reach up to $600 [3] |
| September 11th Security Fee | $5.60 per one-way trip [3] |
| Seat availability | Award seats may be limited and are not available on all Delta Connection or partner-operated flights [3] |
| Routing | Award travel is limited to two connections per origin and destination domestically and three internationally [3] |
| Advance purchase | Award tickets for travel within or originating in China, Russia, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, Brazil or any country in Africa require 72 hours' advance purchase [3] |
Change and cancellation terms matter as much as the miles price. For award travel originating in the United States or Canada to anywhere in the world, members may change origin, destination, routing, date and time, or cancel, without a redeposit or change fee, except on Delta Basic experience fares, where a change fee applies if changes are permitted; any mileage difference, taxes and fees still apply [3]. For some travel originating outside the United States and Canada, award tickets may be non-cancelable or changeable only for a fee [3].
Two further adjustments change what a trip actually costs. Delta SkyMiles Reserve, Platinum and Gold American Express card members save 15% when booking award travel with miles on Delta-operated flights, and the saving does not apply to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees [4]. And because award seats are capacity controlled, a mileage price only matters if the seat is open on the date you need [3].
If the miles are being bought for one particular trip, work backwards from the award: confirm the miles price, the taxes and fees, the routing and the change rules first, then decide how many miles to buy. The step-by-step version is in buying miles for a specific trip.
Exceptions and limits
- No selling or bartering. Delta prohibits members from selling or bartering miles, vouchers, award tickets, upgrade certificates or other benefits, and award tickets or benefits obtained through prohibited sale or barter are void and will be confiscated [3].
- Miles are not property. Except where the programme rules or Delta in writing allow it, miles may not be sold, attached, seized, pledged or transferred under any circumstances, including on death or in a domestic relations dispute [3].
- Transfers are a separate product. Moving miles to another member is handled through the SkyMiles Transfer Miles Program, which carries its own fees and terms [3].
- Spending on other people is allowed; the ticket is not transferable. Miles may be redeemed for award tickets in the name of passengers other than the member, but award tickets cannot be transferred once issued and name changes are not permitted after issue [3].
- One account per person. Members may not maintain more than one SkyMiles account; where duplicates exist Delta may cancel or merge the extra account and transfer the mileage balance, but not credit toward Medallion or Million Miler status [3].
Frequently asked questions
Do Delta SkyMiles bought with cash expire?
The miles themselves do not expire under Delta's Mileage Expiration policy [3]. They can still be lost if Delta closes the account, for example after fraudulent activity or at the member's request [3].
Do you earn Medallion status by buying SkyMiles?
No. Mileage purchase fees are excluded from earning miles and MQDs, and MQDs are what drive Medallion qualification [3].
Can I use miles I bought to book an award for someone else?
Yes. Miles may be redeemed for award tickets in the name of passengers other than the member, but the ticket cannot be transferred and its name cannot be changed once issued [3].
What cash costs come on top of the miles price?
Taxes and fees are paid by the passenger at booking, with at least $11.20 in U.S. government taxes and fees on domestic award itineraries and up to $600 in foreign government taxes and carrier-imposed fees on some international ones [3].
Can I sell SkyMiles I no longer need?
No. Delta prohibits the sale or barter of miles and voids award tickets or benefits obtained through prohibited sale or barter [3].
Sources
Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. The rules described apply to Delta SkyMiles accounts; buying miles in other programmes, including United MileagePlus, American AAdvantage and Air Canada Aeroplan, is not covered here — see airline miles purchase programmes compared.
- Delta SkyMiles Membership Guide and Program Rules, checked 18 October 2026
- Delta SkyMiles loyalty programme overview, checked 18 October 2026
- Delta Million Miler programme page, checked 18 October 2026