One major misconception is that the only ways to earn miles are to fly an airline regularly or carry a travel rewards credit card. But one of the easiest ways to earn airline miles is to leverage online shopping portals. In this article, we’ll focus on how to use the Delta SkyMiles Shopping portal.
What is Delta SkyMiles Shopping?
Delta SkyMiles Shopping is an online portal where you can earn bonus miles on purchases with hundreds of merchants.
If you don’t already have an account, sign up using your Delta SkyMiles number.
Then use the search box to find your favorite stores or a specific product. Remember to look out for stores offering bonus miles, featured deals and special offers.
After you’ve selected a specific merchant, click “Shop now” to go to the merchant’s website, where you can shop and check out as normal.
If you make an eligible purchase, the merchant will alert Delta SkyMiles Shopping, and bonus miles will be added to your account. You’ll receive an email when your miles post, which usually takes three to five days (but can take up to 15 days).
If you frequently forget to check the Delta SkyMiles Shopping portal before making an online purchase — or don’t want to worry about remembering — you can download the Delta SkyMiles Shopping Chrome extension to remind you anytime you visit a website where you can earn bonus miles.
Related: 16 ways to earn more Delta SkyMiles, from using credit cards to online shopping
Earning rates for Delta SkyMiles Shopping
When you use Delta SkyMiles Shopping, you’ll earn bonus miles in one of two ways: as a set amount of miles per eligible purchase or as a multiplier of the cost of your eligible purchase. The earning rates you’ll see for a specific merchant through Delta SkyMiles Shopping change frequently and may vary depending on what you purchase.
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If you’re looking for merchants currently offering elevated earning rates, check the extra rewards page and sort by the earn rate.
When you visit some merchant pages on Delta SkyMiles Shopping, you may see special offers and discounts. For example, here’s an offer for up to 50% off bedding sets at The Home Depot, valid through Oct. 2.
In addition to bonus miles, the Delta SkyMiles Shopping portal has free shipping offers for some merchants.
Related: How to use and maximize Delta’s TakeOff 15 feature to save on award tickets
Best credit cards to use with Delta SkyMiles Shopping
You’ll shop with the merchant after you click through the Delta SkyMiles Shopping portal. So, you’ll usually want to use one of the best credit cards for online shopping. Unless your purchase is likely to post in a category where your card will earn bonus points or miles, you’ll likely want to use a card like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card or Chase Freedom Unlimited® that earns more than one point or mile per dollar on all purchases.
Depending on your purchase, you may want to use a card that offers extended warranty protection or purchase protection, even if it earns just one point or mile per dollar. Likewise, to earn even more Delta miles, consider using a cobranded Delta credit card for your purchase.
Whatever card you choose, check whether any credit card merchant offers may let you earn more rewards or enjoy a statement credit on your purchase. Some popular programs include Amex Offers, Chase Offers and Citi Merchant Offers, although occasionally offers through these programs may require you to purchase through a specific link (which means you won’t also be able to click through Delta SkyMiles Shopping).
Related: Delta Platinum vs. Delta Reserve: Picking a premium card for Delta perks
Aspects to keep in mind when using Delta SkyMiles Shopping
Using the Delta SkyMiles Shopping portal is an easy way to earn bonus miles when shopping online. But remember, you must click through the Delta SkyMiles Shopping site link and then make a purchase from the page that pops up. If you navigate away from this page and come back later to make a purchase, you may not earn bonus miles on your purchase.
You’ll also need to enable cookies in your web browser for the retailer’s site. Cookies are how your shopping activity is tracked, so you’ll need to keep them enabled if you want your purchases tracked through the Delta SkyMiles Shopping program.
Using discount codes you find via other methods, including the merchant’s site, may be tempting. But, if you want to earn bonus miles through Delta SkyMiles Shopping, you’ll need to only use promotions and discount codes that you find via the portal.
It’s also important to read the terms and conditions for each merchant, as these often say what types of purchases won’t earn bonus miles. For example, CVS won’t give bonus miles on prescriptions, gift cards, orders with five or more of the same item and orders over $500.
Finally, using a different online shopping portal may show different earning rates for the same merchant. We recommend using an online shopping portal aggregator to compare earning rates if you aren’t set on only earning Delta miles.
Related: How to redeem Delta SkyMiles for maximum value
Bottom line
The Delta SkyMiles Shopping portal is a fantastic way to earn bonus miles for online purchases at various merchants. You can rack up Delta miles on your everyday spending, from clothes to shoes to electronics. Even if you only earn an extra mile or two for every dollar you spend, these earnings can quickly add up.