Delta SkyMiles Dining: Earn bonus miles at restaurants, takeout and delivery
Delta Air Lines miles can offer surprisingly good value for some redemptions. Luckily, if you need a boost Delta SkyMiles balance, an easy way is through the SkyMiles Dining program.
This guide shows you how Earn Delta miles with the SkyMiles Dining program. We will also consider best rewards credit cards for use and to help you decide if the SkyMiles Meals program is the best meal rewards program for you.
How to join the SkyMiles Dining program
You can join the SkyMiles Dining program online by providing your name, ZIP code, SkyMiles number, and email address.
You also need to create a password for your account and opt in to the terms of use and privacy policy. I also recommend that you opt-in to receive program emails. Doing so will make you eligible for higher earnings and new member bonuses (see more about this below).
After joining the program, you must register for at least one credit or debit card. Then, when you use your registered card at participating restaurants, bars and clubs, you’ll earn bonus miles through the SkyMiles Dining program.
New member bonus
If you’re new to SkyMiles Dining, you may be Earn new member bonuses. Bonuses vary depending on when you sign up but typically provide extra miles the first few times you dine within a set time frame.
There’s usually a modest minimum spending requirement that you must meet every time you dine. To earn bonus miles, you generally must continue to opt-in to receive emails and complete an online review within 30 days of each restaurant visit.
Related: These airline and hotel programs offer free points when you sign up
How to accumulate airline miles with the SkyMiles Dining program
You must dine at an eligible restaurant, bar or club to earn miles with the program. Enter your city or ZIP code above SkyMiles dining website to see which nearby restaurants are participating.
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Once you’ve found a participating restaurant, click “Learn More” to make sure the day of the week you plan to dine in qualifies.
Pay with your registered card and your miles will be credited to your dining account within five days. Your miles will appear in your SkyMiles account one to two weeks later.
The amount you earn depends on your level in the SkyMiles Meals program. These levels are completely independent of Delta Medal elite status floor. Below are the levels in the SkyMiles Dining program:
| Level | How to reach this level | Earnings rate at this level |
|---|---|---|
| Member | Participate in the SkyMiles Dining program but do not opt-in to receive email communications | 1 mile for every $2 |
| Select | Opt in to receive email communications from SkyMiles Dining | 3 miles per dollar |
| HIGH-CLASS | Opt in to receive email communications from SkyMiles Dining and complete 11 qualifying transactions in a calendar year | 5 miles per dollar |
VIP status is valid for both the year you earn it and the following year as long as you remain opted in to email communications.
Related: How to get value for 5,000 Delta SkyMiles or less
What cards are used with the SkyMiles Dining program
You can apply for almost any card in the SkyMiles Dining program, except Diners Club and internationally issued JBL cards. Since the miles you earn through SkyMiles Dining add to any rewards earned on your credit card, you may want to sign up and use one of these best card for meal to maximize your income. Here are some of TPG’s favorite cards to consider:
If you want to earn even more Delta miles, sign up and use the co-branded service Delta credit card. For example, Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Cardthe Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card and Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card each earn 2 miles for every dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide (and takeout and delivery in the US).
Related: Can I earn points and miles from 2 dining rewards programs at the same time?
Is the SkyMiles dining program worth it?
It’s certainly worth enrolling the card you use to dine in to a dining rewards program. It’s easy (and free) to sign up, and you can also earn rewards when you dine at select restaurants.
The question is Which dining rewards program is best for you. After all, you can only enroll each card in one dining rewards program run by the Rewards Network at a time. Here are some other dining rewards programs to consider:
Some programs can be more profitable than the SkyMiles Meals program. This is especially true if you don’t plan to opt in to email communications or dinners often enough to earn VIP status.
However, the SkyMiles Meal program may be worth it if you need more SkyMiles for an upcoming redemption or are inclined to get greater value when Redeem Delta SkyMiles.
Related: 5 things you need to know about Delta SkyMiles
Bottom line
The SkyMiles Dining Program is just one of many dining rewards programs. If you’re looking for more ways to earn Delta SkyMiles, you may want to sign up for some of the credit cards you use at restaurants in the SkyMiles Dining program.
