How to Book Delta Flights Using Miles On Your Delta App

As various digital products are being introduced to make booking flights even simpler, Delta has recently added the option to book award flights with Delta miles on its mobile app!  I’m finding that many apps & websites in the airline industry are way behind the times (cough, United).

However, I think Delta has done a good job of keeping up with consumers demanding a great user experience.  That’s particularly handy, since Delta offers more credit cards than just about any other airline.  So you can collect miles super fast!  The most popular are:

• Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express
• Gold Delta SkyMiles® Business Credit Card from American Express
• Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Business Credit Card from American Express

Here is a quick walk through for anyone looking to book a flight on your Delta app.

Booking an Award Flight With the Delta App

It took me a while actually to budge and download the Delta app.  There is something nostalgic about having a printed boarding pass.  But now, unless I am going on a notable trip, I always use my Delta app for my boarding pass and checking flight status.  Time is way more important to me now.

Here is what it looks like step by step to book a flight with Delta SkyMiles:

Step 1.   Enter Your Travel Details

Immediately when you open the app, you’ll see the screen requiring your travel information, along with a money/miles toggle.  Tap “Miles“, then enter your info and click “Find Flights“.

Step 2.   Select Your Flights

You’ll be brought to a page with your search results and price in miles in the left column of the screen.  Tap the flight you want.

Step 3.   Check-Out!

You’ll then be taken to the payment page.  This flight I selected between Salt Lake City and Atlanta costs 32,000 miles and $11.20.

In this case, I don’t have enough miles to make the trip.  I drained my SkyMiles balance recently on a flight to Australia!  However, I do enjoy being able to book award flights on my cell phone.

From the searching I did above in comparison to the Delta website, the rates remain the same.

This Is a Great Addition to the Delta App, but It Does Come With Some Downfalls

For those looking for simple award bookings on Delta, the app gets the job done.

Overall, I wouldn’t recommend this approach to booking flights or searching for availability to use your Delta SkyMiles.  When I search for flights, I like to see multiple options on one screen.  Scrolling up and down because only 3 flights could fit on my cell phone screen was a tad bit annoying.  Along with that, I enjoy being able to see Delta’s monthly view of point trends.

Bottom Line

While this is a step in the right direction for the airline industry, they are unfortunately still way behind the times.  If you have taken the time to earn your valuable Delta SkyMiles or other points, it’s worth the time to make sure you are getting the best bang for your buck.

I love you Delta, but this is a ‘swing and a miss’.