(EXPIRED) Delta Award Sale: 40k SkyMiles roundtrip in economy to Australia (and many more)

Delta is running a very good two day award sale that includes Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Mexico, and the Caribbean. But there’s a catch – the low pricing and wide open award availability is for economy class only.

The Deal

• Delta is running an economy award flash sale that includes the following routes (and probably many more). Prices are for basic economy:
  • Atlanta to Sydney – 70,000 SkyMiles
  • Chicago to Sydney – 70,000 SkyMiles
  • Los Angeles to Sydney – 50,000 SkyMiles
  • New York to Sydney – 70,000 SkyMiles
  • San Francisco to Sydney – 70,000 SkyMiles
  • San Francisco to Auckland – 70,000 SkyMiles
  • Seattle to Auckland – 70,000 SkyMiles
  • Atlanta to Papeete – 70,000 SkyMiles
  • New York to Papeete – 70,000 SkyMiles
  • New York to San Juan – 11,000 SkyMiles
  • Los Angeles to San Juan – 19,000 SkyMiles
  • D.C to Cancun – 11,000 SkyMiles
  • Los Angeles to Cancun – 16,500 SkyMiles
  • Seattle to Cancun – 14,000 SkyMiles
  • DC to Nassau – 12,000 SkyMiles
  • Los Angeles to Nassau – 20,000 SkyMiles
  • Seattle to Nassau – 20,000 SkyMiles
• Although these are the official prices listed on the promotion page, even lower pricing can be found on some routes using the flexible dates option on the website

Direct Link to Sale Page

Key Terms

• Valid for booking through July 28, 2023.
• Includes flights to Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America and Oceania
• Travel dates vary by route

Quick Thoughts

Delta’s award pricing to can be astronomical at times, especially to the Asia-Pacific region. For example, if you want to travel in high season, many dates often price out at more than 200,000+ SkyMiles round trip…in economy.

This award sale is therefore significantly better at only 50,000-70,000 SkyMiles round trip, depending on the departure point. The cheapest pricing seems to only be available when flying direct from LAX to Sydney, but it’s completely wide open. For example, here’s the availability for at least 8 people smack dab in the middle of the Jan/Feb high season:

As is often the case with these Delta Flash Sales, certain routes and dates can be found that are actually even cheaper than the advertised sale. As an example, late November between LA and Sydney can be booked for only 40,000 miles roundtrip, 10K less than what Delta advertises:

Although the pricing is good, the key thing to be aware of for this award sale is that you’ll be flying in economy class. You’re looking at a 15 hour flight to Sydney and 13.5 hour flight back which is a long time in economy. I couldn’t sleep in economy if my life depended on it, so this fare sale isn’t for me. However, I have many friends (including members of the FM Team) who can sleep for hours like a baby. If that’s you, this is a heckuva deal.

Earlier this year, Delta added a 15% discount on award bookings for  Delta cardholders. It appears that this 15% discount is stacking with the sale, making the value proposition even better for folks who have a Delta card.

Want to learn more about miles and points? Subscribe to email updates or check out our podcast on your favorite podcast platform.