Just three weeks ago, we warned travelers with their hearts set on flying business class to forget about earning Delta SkyMiles. The normal rates of 400,000 SkyMiles or more – yes, that's each way – these days have made those miles borderline worthless for a top-dollar redemption.
Maybe the fine folks down in Atlanta were reading…
Delta One deals that had all but disappeared over the years have made an unprecedented comeback lately. We've found and sent Thrifty Traveler Premium members a slew of alerts for deeply discounted SkyMiles rates on Delta business class redemptions in the last few weeks – more than the entire year beforehand, as a matter of fact. A few highlights include:
- Nationwide flights from the U.S. to Seoul (ICN) in Delta One Suites as low as 110,000 SkyMiles each way
- Roundtrip fares on the new route to Taipei (TPE) for as low as 146,000 SkyMiles roundtrip – again, flying Delta One Suites
- Lie-flat Delta One fares all the way to Brisbane (BNE) in Australia for 123,000 SkyMiles each way
- Roundtrips to Auckland (AKL) for under 300,000 SkyMiles total
- And going back a few months more, we've seen fares to Tokyo-Haneda (HND) as low as 85,000 SkyMiles each way
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Are one-way business class tickets for 100,000 miles or more the best deals in the world? Not even close. You can book United or American business class across the pond for 80,000 or 57,500 of their miles, respectively. And other airline programs can get you a lie-flat seat abroad for just 50,000 miles – maybe even less. These recent Delta redemptions don't hold a candle to those deals.
But for travelers who have got SkyMiles and only SkyMiles, this is as good as it gets.
There are countless diehard Delta flyers sitting on 1 million SkyMiles or more, dead set on flying only Delta and swiping their SkyMiles Amex card everywhere they go. For that crowd, these are the best deals we've seen in years – and one of the best ways to redeem SkyMiles, period.
But even if you've got a stash of 50,000 to 80,000 SkyMiles, it could easily be worth transferring some Amex Membership Rewards points from cards like the *amex gold* to Delta for enough SkyMiles to book deals like these.
As always, travelers with a co-branded Delta card in their wallet like the *delta skymiles gold card* get the best deal thanks to the automatic 15% discount on Delta award tickets.
To be clear: SkyMiles rates north of 400,000 SkyMiles to fly business class abroad are still, unfortunately, the norm. Many of these deals we've sent Thrifty Traveler Premium members are gone now. And if flying business class is your goal, you'd be much better off earning transferrable credit card points – not SkyMiles.
But the trend is undeniable: Delta One deals bookable with SkyMiles have made a comeback – particularly on those ultra-long flights across the Pacific, where a lie-flat seat is crucial. And considering one of the best ways to book Delta One for less recently took a hit, these recent SkyMiles deals are worth celebrating.
Getting to Brisbane (BNE) this coming winter – peak summer in Australia, no less – in a Delta One suite for 123,000 SkyMiles is tough to beat … not just with Delta, but any airline.
Oh, and just to remind you: Here's what Delta is charging for those exact same flights now.
Booking Delta One to Australia for a fraction of the SkyMiles Delta typically charges is one thing, but the alerts we've been sending Thrifty Traveler Premium are notable for another reason: Delta is even cutting a deal on many (but not all) one-way flights in business class. That's a rarity: With Delta SkyMiles flash sales, you almost always need to book roundtrip for savings.
Plus, every Delta One deal we've found lately is flying the airline's latest and greatest Delta One Suites on its Airbus A350-900 or Airbus A330-900neos – not the outdated business class seats you'll still find on the majority of Delta's fleet.
Best of all, we're not just seeing these lower Delta One rates from one or two major airports like Los Angeles (LAX) or Seattle (SEA). No, the savings spread nationwide to virtually every airport – even major Delta hubs like Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) and Atlanta (ATL) that typically miss out on the best SkyMiles deals.
Take a look at this long list of airports that could get to Seoul (ICN) in Delta One Suites for 165,000 SkyMiles or less each way. Factor in the TakeOff 15 benefit that gives Delta cardholders another 15% discount, and these rates get even better.
Again, booking a flight to Seoul or Tokyo in business class for 110,000 SkyMiles or more isn't the deal of the century by any means. Other airline programs can get you there for 70,000 points each way or less.
But if Delta SkyMiles are what you've got, you can't beat it.
Bottom Line
No matter how you're booking, getting a good deal flying Delta One business class is no sure thing. But after months (if not years) of staring down rates of 400,000 SkyMiles each way, this emerging trend of solid deals is amazing.
We still wouldn't encourage travelers to pile up SkyMiles for a big business class redemption. But for those of you who already have a mountain of SkyMiles and aims to book a lie-flat seat for less, things are suddenly looking up.