Do SkyMiles Earned on Delta Credit Cards Expire?

There’s no point of keeping you in suspense. No, Delta SkyMiles do not expire as long as you have an account with Delta. The question is worth asking, however, because you can’t say the same thing about some other airline rewards programs. That has long been a major sticking point for travelers who have lost reward points due to a lack of activity on their account.

There are certain circumstances under which Delta can terminate your account, including:

• Fraudulent activity on your account
• ​Closing the account
• ​Death of the account holder
• ​Failure to respond to repeated communications regarding the status of your account
• ​You move to a country where membership is prohibited by law
• You violate the terms of membership or program rules.

How to Earn SkyMiles

With that out of the way, all you need to do is enjoy the benefits of your SkyMiles rewards program which awards you miles for travel to 335 destinations across more than 60 countries. Not only can you earn SkyMiles for travel on Delta flights, including Delta Connection and Delta Shuttle, you can also earn SkyMiles on any one of Delta’s 20 airline partners, including Virgin Atlantic, Air France, and KLM. The number of SkyMiles you can earn on Delta-operated flights is based on the total paid fare (excluding taxes and fees) up to 75,000 SkyMiles. There is no cap on the amount of SkyMiles you can earn annually.

Earn SkyMiles Faster With Delta Credit Cards

Delta credit cardholders can earn SkyMiles more quickly by simply using their cards on every purchase they make. When using their card on Delta purchases they earn two SkyMiles for every dollar spent. They can also earn two SkyMiles for every dollar spent on dining purchases in the U.S. For every dollar spent on all other purchases they earn one SkyMile. Cardholders will also receive a 20 percent statement credit on in-flight Delta purchases.

SkyMiles rewards are the same for all of the credit cards offered through Delta, including the Gold Delta SkyMiles card, the Platinum Delta SkyMiles card, and the Delta Reserve Credit Card from American Express. The difference between the three are in the extra perks available to cardholders. All offer one free checked bag and priority boarding. The Platinum and Delta Reserve cards add a free coach companion ticket every year at card renewal as well as a miles boost for qualifying for Medallion elite status. As you work your way up the tiers of Medallion membership you continue to earn extra perks. The signup bonuses increase from the Gold to the Platinum to the Delta Reserve cards, but so too do the annual fees. The annual fee for the Gold card is $95, $195 for the Platinum card, and $450 for the Delta Reserve card.