This is a common question for Delta SkyMiles members who are considering canceling an upcoming flight. The short answer is yes, you can get your SkyMiles back if you cancel a flight, but there are some caveats. Keep reading for a detailed breakdown of the SkyMiles refund policy and how to request miles back after a cancellation.
Delta’s SkyMiles Refund Policy
Delta has a standard policy for refunding SkyMiles when a flight is canceled by the passenger. Here are the key details:
- Refunds are issued in the form of SkyMiles credits, not cash.
- The number of miles refunded depends on the type of ticket purchased.
- Refund requests must be made within 1 year of travel date.
Let’s take a closer look at how the refund amount is calculated.
Refund Amount Based on Ticket Type
The number of SkyMiles you can get back depends on whether you booked an award ticket or a regular paid ticket:
- Award tickets – You will get back the miles redeemed for the award, minus any applicable fees or taxes. For example, if you booked a 25,000 mile award ticket, you would get back 25,000 miles when canceling.
- Paid tickets – You will get back the miles earned from the base fare and carrier-imposed fees. Any miles earned from add-ons like upgrades or extras are non-refundable. For a partially used ticket, miles will be prorated based on the unused portion.
Award tickets offer the best value when it comes to refunds. You get 100% of the redeemed miles back, regardless of any cash outlay. With paid tickets, the refund is based on a prorated amount of the base fare only.
Redeposit Fee
Delta charges a redeposit fee for miles put back into your account from a canceled flight. The fee is:
- $150 for domestic tickets
- $300 for international tickets
This fee applies to both award and paid tickets. It is deducted from your refunded miles, so the total miles returned to your account will be the calculated refund amount minus the applicable redeposit fee.
Refunds on Companion Tickets
If you cancel a flight that used a Delta Companion Certificate, you can get the certificate back to use again. However, any miles redeemed for taxes and fees on the Companion ticket are forfeited. You do not get those miles refunded when canceling.
How to Request SkyMiles Refunds
To request a refund of SkyMiles after a cancellation, you need to contact Delta directly. Here are the steps:
- Call Delta reservations at 800-221-1212.
- Provide details on the flight canceled including date, destinations, and confirmation code.
- Confirm that the reservation is canceled and not just changed.
- Ask for the miles to be redeposited into your SkyMiles account.
- Pay any applicable redeposit fees.
- Allow 6-8 weeks for the refunded miles to post to your account.
Instead of calling, you can also submit a refund request via Delta’s post-travel customer care form. Just provide the same details on your canceled flight.
Important Refund Rules and Conditions
Keep these Delta policies in mind when seeking SkyMiles refunds:
- Refund requests must be made within 1 year of the original travel date.
- Elite Medallion members can have the redeposit fee waived once per year.
- No redeposit fee applies if the flight was canceled by Delta, not the passenger.
- Refunds are only issued to the original booking passenger in their SkyMiles account.
Using SkyMiles Credits
Once the miles from your canceled flight post back to your SkyMiles account, they will be held as a credit to use on future travel. Here are some key things to know about using SkyMiles credits:
- Credits don’t expire, so there is no time limit to use them.
- They can be used just like regular SkyMiles to book award tickets.
- If you don’t have enough credits for an award, you can combine them with regular miles.
- Any type of Delta flight is eligible – domestic, international, etc.
In many cases it makes sense to hold onto credits until you are ready to rebook instead of transferring them back to regular miles. This avoids paying additional SkyMiles fees.
Combining SkyMiles Credits
If you have multiple SkyMiles credits from different canceled flights, you may be able to combine them into one credit for easier tracking and use. Contact Delta to make this request.
Using SkyTeam Partner Miles
If your canceled flight was booked with miles from a Delta SkyTeam partner such as Air France-KLM, here is how it works:
- You need to contact the partner airline directly to request a refund.
- Refunded miles will go back to your frequent flyer account with that airline.
- Redeposit fees may apply based on the partner’s policies.
- Refunded partner miles can’t be converted to Delta miles.
Tips for Avoiding Lost Miles
While Delta’s refund policy allows you to recoup most SkyMiles on a canceled flight, there are still some scenarios where miles can be permanently forfeited. Here are some tips to avoid lost miles when canceling a booking:
- Cancel as early as possible – the earlier the better for lowest redeposit fees.
- Understand Companion Cert rules – miles used for taxes aren’t refunded.
- Check partner policies – redeposit and expiration rules can vary.
- Use credits promptly – no expired miles but Better to reuse soon.
- Book refundable fares when possible – allows free cancellation in some cases.
Examples of SkyMiles Refunds
Here are some example scenarios to illustrate how many SkyMiles you can expect to get back with different ticket types and itineraries:
Ticket Details | Miles Refunded |
---|---|
50,000 mile award ticket from JFK-LAX (roundtrip) | 50,000 miles minus $150 redeposit fee |
15,000 mile paid ticket ORD-MIA with 30,000 bonus miles earned | 8,000 miles (prorated base fare portion only) |
Companion Cert ticket ATL-SFO with 10,000 miles redeemed for taxes | 0 miles (companion cert refunded but no miles) |
Conclusion
Delta does allow passengers to get their SkyMiles back when a flight is canceled proactively. The number of miles refunded will depend on the ticket type, with award tickets offering the most generous refunds. Be sure to request the refund promptly and understand any applicable fees to maximize the miles you get back.
With a little planning, you can take advantage of Delta’s refund policy to avoid losing your hard-earned miles, even after a cancellation. The key is knowing what types of tickets and miles are refundable, and how to make the request. This will ensure you can reuse those valuable SkyMiles for future award travel.