Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
Part of Delta SkyMiles hub
GUIDE
How to check travel insurance for award tickets
Travel insurance for award tickets turns on the cash side of the booking rather than the miles: an award ticket still carries taxes and fees that must be paid when the ticket is issued, and the Delta Air Lines SkyMiles programme accepts a credit or debit card, an eCredit or a Delta Gift Card for that payment. [7] Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) EuroBonus requires the fare in points and the taxes and fees by card. [5]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- An award ticket is not a zero-cost ticket: Delta says taxes and fees for Award Travel are the passenger's responsibility and must be paid when the ticket is booked. [7] SAS adds taxes and fees at booking. [5]
- A Delta award booking does not always create a card charge, because Delta also accepts an eCredit or a Delta Gift Card for the taxes and fees. [7] SAS asks for the taxes and fees to be paid by card. [5]
- Delta may require the member to show the paying card and ID at a ticket office before an award ticket is issued. [7]
- SkyMiles Award Travel is subject to the contract of carriage of the operating carrier. [7]
Does travel insurance cover award tickets?
Start with the payment record, because the taxes and fees on an award ticket are charged separately from the miles, and the programme rules decide which payment forms are allowed. Delta requires immediate payment of the applicable taxes and fees with a form of payment that it accepts — for example a credit or debit card, an eCredit, or a Delta Gift Card — at the time of ticketing. [7] Because eCredits and gift cards are on that list, a Delta award ticket does not necessarily produce a card charge at all. [7] SAS is more prescriptive: the fare is paid in EuroBonus points and the taxes and fees are paid by card. [5]
Delta also verifies the card itself in some cases. To safeguard against credit card fraud, some reservations require the member to come into a Delta ticket office to make payment, or to show a Delta representative the credit card and ID so the ticket can be issued; if the member redeeming miles is not travelling, the card and ID can be shown at an airport ticket counter or ticket office before check-in. [7]
What happens to the trip after ticketing sits outside the loyalty rules: all SkyMiles Award Travel is subject to the terms and conditions of the contract of carriage of the operating carrier. [7]
Buying protection does not add to the mileage balance either — Delta lists insurance and trip protection purchases among the ancillary purchases that do not count toward miles or MQDs. [7]
Which taxes and fees are charged on an award ticket?
Delta's programme rules put a floor and a ceiling on the cash part of an award ticket. [7]
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| September 11th Security Fee, per one-way trip | $5.60 [7] |
| U.S. government taxes and fees, domestic itinerary | at least $11.20 [7] |
| U.S. User Fees (APHIS, INCS, Customs) and September 11th Security Fee, international itinerary | up to $40.00 [7] |
| Foreign user, inspection, security or similar charges, international itinerary | up to $400 [7] |
| Foreign government taxes and fees and/or carrier-imposed fees, international itinerary | up to $600 [7] |
Some airline partners charge a fee of their own for award redemptions on their flights, and Delta collects it at the time of booking. [7]
SAS publishes no fixed figure: taxes and fees vary by trip and are added at booking. [5] Children aged 2 to 11 pay 50% in points and children under 2 fly free, but taxes still apply. [5]
What documents should you keep for an award-ticket claim?
The paper trail on an award trip is short: the ticket receipt that shows the taxes and fees, and the boarding pass that shows the trip was flown. Delta asks members to retain their ticket receipts and boarding passes until mileage credit appears on their SkyMiles statement, and states that altered or illegible documents will not be accepted. [7]
The ticket also has to match the traveller. Miles may be redeemed for award tickets in the name of passengers other than the SkyMiles member, but award tickets are not transferable once issued and name changes are not permitted once an award ticket has been issued. [7] Delta issues award tickets itself and only on Delta ticket stock. [7]
On the SAS side the equivalent record is the points movement: when an award is cancelled or rebooked, valid points are credited back to the member's EuroBonus account. [5]
What changes or cancels an award ticket?
Delta, travel from the United States and Canada. For travel originating in 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, except on Delta Basic experience fares, where a change fee applies if changes are permitted. [7] The mileage difference, taxes and fees still apply to any change. [7]
Delta, travel originating elsewhere. For some travel originating outside the United States and Canada, award ticket restrictions vary and may be non-cancelable or changeable for a fee. [7] 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. [7]
Part-used tickets. Once travel has commenced on an award ticket, the award is considered used and mileage is not credited back for the unused portion. [7]
SAS. An SAS award can be cancelled or rebooked up to one hour before departure if the points are valid, a fee applies, and valid points are credited back to the EuroBonus account. [5] When an SAS award ticket is combined with a regular ticket for points, the regular fare rules govern rebooking and cancellation. [5] SAS may change points and fare rules at any time. [5]
| Flights | Fee |
|---|---|
| Domestic and European flights | 250 SEK / 250 NOK / 175 DKK [5] |
| Flights to and from Asia and North America | 750 SEK / 750 NOK / 525 DKK [5] |
Frequently asked questions
Do you pay taxes and fees on an award ticket?
Yes. Delta requires payment of the applicable taxes and fees at the time of ticketing, [7] and SAS adds taxes and fees at booking on top of the points price. [5]
Can award-ticket taxes be paid with an eCredit or gift card instead of a credit card?
On Delta they can: the taxes and fees may be paid with a credit or debit card, an eCredit or a Delta Gift Card. [7] Delta eCredits are valid only for tickets and government-imposed taxes and fees, and are not accepted for other fees such as checked baggage or change fees. [7]
Do you earn miles or status on an award ticket?
Delta gives no mileage credit for SkyMiles Award Tickets, which it treats as free tickets, [7] but members can earn Medallion Qualification Dollars on award tickets operated by Delta and Delta Global Airline Partners in Delta Main Classic or above and in Delta Comfort Basic when booked through a direct Delta channel, calculated as the miles redeemed divided by 100. [7] SAS says EuroBonus points and qualifying flights are not earned on award trips. [5]
Can you change the name on an award ticket?
Not on Delta: name changes are not permitted once an award ticket has been issued, and award tickets are not transferable once issued. [7]
Does buying travel insurance earn miles?
No. Insurance and trip protection purchases are listed among the ancillary purchases that do not count toward Delta miles or MQDs. [7]
Sources
Sources checked on 18 October 2026. This page covers Delta SkyMiles and SAS EuroBonus only; other airlines, alliances and card issuers are not covered here.
- SAS award tickets – book with your EuroBonus points, checked 18 October 2026
- Delta SkyMiles membership guide and program rules, checked 18 October 2026