How to plan Delta SkyMiles stopovers and open jaws

Do Delta SkyMiles awards allow stopovers?

SkyMiles sets connection limits for award travel: Award Travel is limited to two connections per origin and destination for domestic travel and three connections for international travel. [2] Taxes and fees for Award Travel are the responsibility of the passenger and must be paid at the time the ticket is booked. [2]

A ticket cannot be left hanging open-ended, because completely open tickets will not be issued. [2] For international Award Travel, if a published routing does not exist between two cities, or service is not offered via a published routing, travel must be within the maximum permitted mileage. [2]

For Pay with Miles tickets, open jaw, routing, stopover and ticket validity rules are determined by the fare rules of the ticket purchased. [2] For Mileage Upgrade Awards, any stopovers are governed by the fare rule, and additional mileage will be required for broken fares. [2] Mileage Upgrade Awards are valid only for upgraded one-way travel in certain markets and carriers, other than Delta-operated and marketed flights. [2] Delta asks members with questions about how the rules apply to a specific situation to check delta.com, contact a Delta representative or message the Help Center. [2]

How are Delta SkyMiles open-jaw awards priced?

All open-jaw itineraries are priced based on One-Way Award Travel pricing rules. [2] Routing restrictions apply for Award Travel, and valid routings vary based on the operating carriers of the award ticket; any exceptions or variations to those routings may require additional mileage for the award. [2]

How does award pricing shape the routing you pick?

Award prices move with the itinerary: redemption requirements for award tickets differ based upon the flight(s) sought, [2] and the prices and benefits for each award and each partner airline are subject to change at any time. [2] The routing itself can change the mileage bill, because exceptions or variations to valid routings may require additional mileage. [2]

Cash charges vary by itinerary too. Award travel tickets will be required to pay the September 11th Security Fee of $5.60 per one-way trip. [2] International award tickets, including travel to and from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, are required to pay U.S. User Fees (APHIS, INCS and Customs) and the September 11th Security Fee of up to $40.00, plus foreign user, inspection, security or other similarly based charges of up to $400, depending on itinerary. [2] An award redemption requires payment of at least $11.20 in U.S. government taxes and fees for domestic itineraries, and international itineraries may include up to $600 in foreign government taxes and fees and carrier-imposed fees. [2] Some airline partners also charge a fee for Award Travel redemptions on their airlines. [2]

Availability moves with the route as well. Delta says members can use miles to travel on any Delta Air Lines flight with no blackout dates, [5] while the programme rules note that award seats may be limited and not available on all Delta Connection or airline partner-operated flights. [2] Rules for Award Travel on other SkyMiles partner airlines may vary, and each partner's prices and benefits are subject to that partner's terms and conditions. [2]

When are separate one-way awards the practical alternative?

An open jaw is already priced on One-Way Award Travel pricing rules, [2] and the ticketing rules push some trips toward separate awards: Award Tickets may be issued only by Delta and only on Delta ticket stock, and all other air travel must be ticketed separately from Award Travel. [2]

Change and cancellation terms are worth weighing before a trip is ticketed. For travel originating from the United States and Canada to anywhere in the world, including flights operated by joint venture and codeshare partners, members may change the origin, destination, routing, date and time, or cancel award tickets without a redeposit or change fee, excluding Delta Basic experience fares, for which a change fee applies if changes are permitted; mileage difference, taxes and fees apply for any changes. [2] For some travel originating outside the United States and Canada, award ticket restrictions will vary and may be non-cancelable or may be changeable for a fee. [2] Once travel has commenced on an award ticket, the award is considered used and mileage will not be credited back for the unused portion, [2] and name changes are not permitted once an Award Ticket has been issued. [2]

Exceptions and limits

• Advance purchase in some markets. Award Tickets for travel within or originating in China, Russia, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, Brazil and any country in Africa require a 72-hour advance purchase, and members who want to travel within 72 hours must go to the airport to purchase their ticket, including ticket reissues; the rule applies to all award bookings in those markets. [2]
• Market of ticket issue. For some travel originating outside the United States and Canada, award tickets may be non-cancelable or changeable only for a fee. [2]
• Partner variations. Rules for Award Travel on other SkyMiles partner airlines may vary, and partner prices and benefits are subject to each partner's terms and conditions. [2]
• Seat availability. Award seats may be limited and not available on all Delta Connection or airline partner-operated flights. [2]
• Mileage Upgrade Awards. Mileage Upgrade Awards are valid only for upgraded one-way travel in certain markets and carriers other than Delta-operated and marketed flights. [2] Any stopovers are governed by the fare rule, and additional mileage will be required for broken fares. [2]

Frequently asked questions

How many connections can a Delta SkyMiles award ticket have?

Two connections per origin and destination for domestic travel, and three per origin and destination for international travel. [2] Seats may be limited and are not available on all Delta Connection or partner-operated flights. [2]

How is an open-jaw SkyMiles award priced?

All open-jaw itineraries are priced based on One-Way Award Travel pricing rules. [2] Valid routings vary by the operating carriers, and variations may require additional mileage. [2]

Can I book an award ticket without dates?

No: completely open tickets will not be issued. [2] For international award travel where no published routing exists between two cities, travel must be within the maximum permitted mileage. [2]

Can I change or cancel a SkyMiles award after booking?

For travel originating from the United States and Canada to anywhere in the world, members may change origin, destination, routing, date and time, or cancel without a redeposit or change fee, excluding Delta Basic experience fares, with any mileage difference, taxes and fees applying. [2] Some travel originating outside the United States and Canada may be non-cancelable or changeable for a fee. [2]

Related pages

Guides: stopovers and open jaws, how to book Delta SkyMiles awards, Delta SkyMiles fees guide. Glossary: one-way award, all frequent flyer terms.

Sources

Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. This guide covers Delta SkyMiles rules for Award Travel, Pay with Miles tickets and Mileage Upgrade Awards; other programmes, including United MileagePlus, American AAdvantage, Alaska Mileage Plan and Air Canada Aeroplan, are not covered here.

1. Delta SkyMiles Membership Guide and Program Rules, checked 18 October 2026
2. Delta SkyMiles Medallion Status Match Challenge, checked 18 October 2026