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Those who do not read the blog and learn how to redeem Skymiles at low level, can spend a TON of points to get a seat.
But wait. Just what would it cost me to buy a ticket to fly from the NYC area to LAX? in coach?
A layman may say that the cost for the ticket is almost $400 so the redemption at 1 cent per mile is not all that bad. We know better. We do know that redeeming for 25,000 Skymiles would be a good value redemption. But then we have this.
Delta asks us to Shop Your Heart out:
“Miles can be used for more than just travel. Now you can shop luxury gifts, Broadway tickets, exclusive auction items and more using miles. So next time you find an item you just can’t live without, put away your wallet and bring it home with miles.“
Well gee whiz kids that just sounds like such a great deal! A way to use my Skymiles for something other than flying. But wait, who can use these Super Neat-O redemptions?
Ah. Well this must be a great deal since it is only open to some of the best of the best who support Delta Air Lines right? You would be very wrong. Years ago there was some good value. You could get a $100 AMEX gift card for example for 11,000 Skymiles. Look what that costs now!
OK that is a gift card. What else? How about this. The Chicago Seminars this year is OCT 11-13. Say you want to spend Skymiles to book a hotel. Let’s take a look.
So you could stay at a Best Western for just 14,976. Now since you can, if you have a Delta AMEX card, any day redeem ONE Skymile for ONE cent when buying a ticket. So, are two nights $149.76?
Ah. $118 plus tax. So, not such a great deal. Once we add Chicago tax it gets a little better but still not full value. Then let’s forget about the hotel, how about a rental car so I can get around Chicago?
So, we can get a car for 17,685 points. Is that a good deal? Is $176.85 a good deal vs. just renting the car and paying for it less or more?
Oh. $118.98 plus tax. So again here we are not getting full value for our Skymiles for renting a car either. Since you have to be one of those Delta LOVES, should these deals not be a GREAT deal? These are, at a stretch, almost equal to “Pay with Miles” remediation. Skymiles marketplace is not a value to those who qualify.
OK that is just cars & hotels. There are many other things like being able to catch a show. Look at this
Hey, in Chicago we could go and catch a show if we come in early or stay a day after the Chicago Seminars. Is this a good deal? Let’s take a look.
So to redeem points it would cost 17,200 Skymiles. That does seem like a lot, $172.00 for a ticket. Maybe this is just an expensive show. Lets look.
YIKES! Seats for $64-$84 can be had. So, once again, redeeming Delta Skymiles for a show would be a HUGE mistake. These three redemptions would cost you almost 50,000 Skymiles. To me, I would rather redeem 45,000 Skymiles and fly in 1st class to Chicago and spend my own money on the hotel, car & catch a show.
Most of us are already well aware that the Skymiles Marketplace is 99.99% of the time NOT a good way to spend our Skymiles, but a review is always good now and then. – René
▲Delta▲ SkyMiles® Credit Card
RESERVE/PLATINUM/GOLD
from American Express®
Click here for more information
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“I would rather redeem 45,000 Skymiles and fly in 1st class to Chicago”
Gee, Rene, it’s what, 100 miles from South Bend to Chicago? (And that’s road miles, not as the crow flies.) I know you like Delta first class, but 45,000 Skymiles for 100 miles in first class? 🙂 🙂
@Scott – ok so I was not talking about me. 😉 Talking in general. I will drive my nice Van to the DO. Nice big 1st class seat there! 🙂
I found it hilarious the FOs can’t shop there. Only GM+ – it is like a smoking or alcohol warning label:
WARNING: Hazardous redemption rates, you may deplete your stash. Only experienced redeemers, who wouldn’t buy into this anyway, may proceed. FOs and NMs prohibited.
But that being said, when you reach gold you are getting 2x miles plus if you pay with Amex or Suntrust Debit you get 2x $$points. So in a way Delta has devalued the net worth of a point by flooding the market with points causing inflation in their currency. Which is why I will probably only use those point to reposition from CVG to ORD, JFK, ATL, DTW to get the $300 plus savings for the miles.
Glad they dont allow lowly silvers like me to take advantage of these incredible deals…
We are new but like the miles plus the free bags
@Jay, Hey, are you in CVG? I’ve bee doing the cc points for awhile but just testing out the mileage run business. Any pointers? Don’t want to give out my e-mail but you could twitter @richoconor Happy travels 🙂
Such a deal! The cost of redeeming Skymiles for flights and trinkets Keep Climbing. Oh, wait a sececond, isn’t that Delta’s slogan.
ADK -U earning them so cheap it really doesnt matter. 😉
i haver a delta-plat amex but it does not work as well as the reg amex plat for us..