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Until July 5, 2017 the Platinum Delta credit card offers 70,000 bonus miles and the Gold Delta card offers 60,000 bonus miles. Both bonuses are enough for a roundtrip to Europe, and award space is fantastic with Delta miles to Europe for this September–when crowds have thinned, prices have fallen, but the air and water temperatures are still fantastic.

Credit card links have been removed from posts and added to the menu bar at the top of every page of MileValue under the heading Top Travel Credit Cards.

The Offers

  • Sign Up Bonus: Platinum: 70k miles, 10k MQMs, and $100 statement credit after spending $4,000 in the first three months. Gold: 60k miles and $50 statement credit after spending $3,000 in the first three months
  • Category Bonuses: 2 miles per dollar on Delta purchases
  • Value of Delta Miles: Worth 1.3 cents each to me
  • Free Checked Bag for you plus up to three others on same Delta reservation
  • Priority Boarding
  • No Foreign Transaction Fee
  • Annual Fee:
    Platinum: $195, not waived (so a net of -$95 after statement credit)
    Gold: $95, waived for first year (so a net of +$50 after statement credit)
  • Eligibility: You can only get the bonus once per lifetime on public Amex offers. Example: if in the past, you have had only the Gold, you are ineligible to get the bonus on the Gold, but you can get the bonus on the Platinum. 

The Award Space

All award charts show availability for one passenger. I only show the outbound award space, but return space is similar.

Atlanta to Paris

Atlanta to Paris has award space at the lowest 30,000 mile level on 31/35 days in September and early October.

New York to London

New York to London has award space at the 30,000 mile level on Delta flights on 33/35 days and the 35,000 mile level on partner flights the other two days.

Salt Lake City to Amsterdam

Salt Lake City to Amsterdam has award space on 31/35 days, so this award space is not confined to East Coast cities.
Los Angeles to Split

From Los Angeles to Split, Croatia, there is no award space across the Atlantic on Delta until the end of September, so the cheapest price is the partner price of 35,000 miles one way for most of the dates.

The shorter itinerary on Aeroflot is 35,000 miles + $176 one way.

The longer itineraries on Delta and partners within Europe cost 30,000 miles + $18.

I’ve never been to Split but nearby Dubrovnik is awesome during September and the very beginning of October when the water is still warm, the air is still warm, and the majority of tourists are gone.

Booking

With Delta miles, you can search award space to Europe on delta.com and book there.

Getting the Miles

Until July 5, 2017 the Platinum Delta credit card offers 70,000 bonus miles and the Gold Delta card offers 60,000 bonus miles. Both bonuses are enough for a roundtrip to Europe.

Credit card links have been removed from posts and added to the menu bar at the top of every page of MileValue under the heading Top Travel Credit Cards.

Bottom Line

Delta miles are frustrating because Delta doesn’t always offer great award space and because it constantly devalues its hidden award chart. But ignoring them means missing out on a free trip to Europe because right now the huge sign up bonuses on the Gold and Platinum Delta cards are enough to book the great award space Delta is offering to Europe this September, which is possibly the best month to visit Europe.

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

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With a bonus of 60,000 points after $4,000 spend in the first 3 months, 5x points on travel booked through the Chase Travel Portal and 3x points on restaurants, streaming services, and online groceries (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs), this card truly cannot be beat for getting started!


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