What’s the deal
Delta has launched a flash sale for the fall and winter season, knocking several thousand miles off the usual award seat prices.
Award seat prices
One-way flights start as low as 5,000 miles plus taxes and fees of $5.60.
Additional terms
Direct flights only;
Round-trip required;
Friday or Saturday stay required;
Maximum stay of 30 days.
When to book
By September 25, 2018.
When to fly
Between October 30, 2018 and March 7, 2019.
Return flights must be complete by March 7, 2019.
Where to fly
Select cities in the contiguous U.S. 48.
Participating destinations
Delta has listed several dozen eligible routes on the deal’s page, but THE DISCOUNTS ARE NOT LIMITED TO THESE DESTINATIOS, so make sure to use Delta’s booking tool to search for destinations that are not on the list.
Delta deal: participating destinations
| FROM TO | MILES/ONE-WAY TICKET (+$5.60) |
| Atlanta -> Louisville | 6,000 |
| Atlanta -> Richmond | 6,000 |
| Austin -> Los Angeles | 9,000 |
| Austin -> Seattle | 7,000 |
| Baltimore -> Raleigh | 5,500 |
| Boston -> Kansas City | 6,000 |
| Boston -> Milwaukee | 7,500 |
| Boston -> New York | 5,500 |
| Boston -> Tampa | 8,000 |
| Charlotte -> Detroit | 7,500 |
| Columbus -> Raleigh | 6,000 |
| Detroit -> Philadelphia | 7,500 |
| Hartford -> Detroit | 7,500 |
| Hartford -> Minneapolis | 8,500 |
| Hartford -> Minneapolis | 8,500 |
| Indianapolis -> Minneapolis | 7,000 |
| Minneapolis -> Philadelphia | 9,500 |
| Minneapolis -> Pittsburgh | 8,500 |
| Nashville -> Raleigh | 5,000 |
| New York -> Pittsburgh | 6,000 |
| New York -> St. Louis | 8,500 |
| Phoenix -> Salt Lake City | 6,500 |
| Portland -> Salt Lake City | 8,500 |
| Salt Lake City -> Sacramento | 7,000 |
| San Francisco -> Salt Lake City | 7,000 |
| Seattle -> Salt Lake City | 8,500 |
| Washington -> Detroit | 7,500 |
| Washington -> Raleigh | 6,000 |
How to earn SkyMiles
If you are short on miles, then you’d have to sit this one out as there is no way to earn the required amount in such a short time. But, Delta’s flash sales are a frequent occasion, so you might as well think ahead and start collecting miles for the next one.
Your best bet is to open a credit card and collect the sign-up bonus, which is usually enough to get you a couple of free domestic flights or one or two international ones. For a co-branded card, take a look at the Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card, which comes with 30,000 mile sign-up bonus. Alternatively, you can pick up a travel card from American Express and collect Membership Rewards, which can then be transferred to Delta, as well as a number of other airlines.