I Wouldn’t Redeem Delta Miles This RIDICULOUS Way (Would You?)

Update: One or more card offers in this post are no longer available. Check our Hot Deals for the latest offers.

Feel like partying like a rock star?  If you’re struggling to use Delta miles, you might consider redeeming them at Delta Sky Club lounges for luxury champagne!

Million Mile Secrets contributor Avery was recently at the Boston Delta Sky Club and redeemed 26,250 Delta miles for 1 bottle of Dom Pérignon and Cristal champagne worth ~$440!

I’d rather spend miles on Big Travel and NOT merchandise, but I’ll let Avery tell you about it! Avery:   Thanks, Daraius!  You’ll get better value from redeeming your Delta miles for flights, but if you have a lot of miles, are struggling to use them, or want to make a trip special, this is certainly an unusual and decadent way of using Delta miles!

Spending Delta Miles at Delta Sky Club

Link:   Delta Sky Clubs

You can spend your Delta miles for champagne at Delta Sky Club locations throughout the US (and possibly internationally).  Not all locations offer this program – it’s only offered at certain Delta Sky Clubs that have a service bar, and not all bars will offer champagne.

Each Delta Sky Club may offer different champagnes, though the 3 standard luxury offers are:

• Krug
• Dom Pérignon
• Cristal

A qualifying bar will have a bar menu that includes champagne, and the cost in money or miles for each bottle.  Note that some champagnes may NOT be in the menu – ask the bartender if they have any other champagnes in the fridge.

My Experience at the Boston Delta Sky Club

I accessed the Boston Delta Sky Club using my Platinum Card® from American Express, which gives you access to the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.

You can also access the Delta Sky Club if you are traveling internationally on a Business Class ticket, or have top-tier Delta elite status.

Note that the Platinum Delta Skymiles credit card does NOT give you Delta Sky Club access, but the Delta Reserve credit card does.

Upon entering the Delta Sky Club, I went to the bartender and asked for a bar menu.  On the menu, they offered:

• Glass of La Marca Prosecco Brut for $8 or 400 miles
• Glass of Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial for $14 or 700 miles
• Bottle of Canard-Duchêne Authentic Brut for $22 or 1,100 miles
• Bottle of Dom Pérignon for $250 or 12,500 miles

Although it wasn’t in the menu, they also offered a bottle of Cristal champagne for 13,750 miles.  I did not see the retail price.

Prices online vary for each bottle, but you can regularly buy Cristal for $250 and Dom Pérignon for $190.

You are getting ~1.7 cents per mile ($440 retail price / 26,250 miles), which for Delta, is not at all a bad use of miles.

I decided to order a bottle each of Dom Pérignon and Cristal, for a total of 26,250 Delta miles.  The bartender said he never did this before, and gave me 2 huge ice buckets. Both champagnes were delicious, and I was especially excited to try Cristal, since I’ve had Dom Pérignon and Krug before on First Class flights with Emirates and Cathay Pacific.

A Great Time To Earn Delta Miles

Until November 8, 2017, the AMEX Delta cards are offering their highest sign-up bonuses ever!  

Bottom Line

While redeeming miles for saver award seats is one of the best uses of Delta miles, if you’re struggling to use your miles or want to celebrate an occasion, redeeming them for luxury champagne is decent value and can make a bland trip truly special!

Through November 8, 2017, you’ll earn up to 60,000 Delta miles with the Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express and Gold Delta SkyMiles® Business Credit Card from American Express.  And 70,000 Delta miles with Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express and Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Business Credit Card from American Express.

Minimum spending requirements vary with each card.

You can also look at the sign-up bonuses being worth around 5 bottles of Dom Pérignon 😉

What’s the most unusual way you’ve used your miles?