MileValue is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

Note: Some of the offers mentioned below may have changed or are no longer be available. You can view current offers here.


For travel in July through Mid November 2016, Delta is discounting Economy awards between Atlanta and Brazil.

As far as I can tell, it only applies to travel specifically between Atlanta and Rio de Janeiro or Atlanta and São Paulo, no other North or South American cities. The sale also appears to be unadvertised, I just stumbled upon the lower prices by doing some searching for myself.

The normal price for a one way in economy between the United States and Brazil is 30,000 Delta miles.

The current sale reduces that price to 27,500 Delta miles.

Atlanta to Rio de Janeiro

Screen Shot 2016-06-06 at 3.19.54 PM

Atlanta to São Paulo:

Screen Shot 2016-06-06 at 3.22.22 PM

That’s about an 8% discount– not huge, but notable, especially if you have Delta miles to burn. Not to mention the sale timing overlaps with the 2016 Summer Olympics that are about to take place in Rio de Janeiro (August 5 – 21).

23007119631_1bb89d9373_o

Roundtrip, the sale brings the price down from 60,000 to 55,000 Delta miles.

Award Space

In the following calendars, days that are priced at 27,500 have discounted economy space available. The days that do have discounted space have tons of it. The calendars didn’t change for most routes even when I input the maximum number of passengers (9).

Atlanta to Rio de Janeiro

The majority of available award space that’s on sale is in September and October, with a few dates scattered in July, August, and November.

Here is the calendar for nine people in September.

Screen Shot 2016-06-06 at 4.00.35 PM

And October’s, for nine people:

Screen Shot 2016-06-06 at 4.09.08 PM

Rio de Janeiro to Atlanta

The pattern of space on the return route is similar: a few days scattered in July and August, lots of space in September and October, and a few dates in November. Here is October’s calendar for nine people: Screen Shot 2016-06-06 at 4.21.45 PM

Atlanta to São Paulo

Discounted space is even more widely available to São Paulo. There’s just a couple days open in July, but there are tons of options August through Mid November for up to nine people.

Here is Mid August through Mid September’s calendar for nine people.

Screen Shot 2016-06-06 at 4.33.16 PM

São Paulo to Atlanta

This return route has a few days with discounted space available scattered in July and August, and tons of it in September through Mid November for up to nine people.

Here is the calendar for October and the beginning of November for nine people.

Screen Shot 2016-06-06 at 4.44.24 PM

Out of Pocket Fees

There are no fuel surcharges on these awards. The taxes flying from Atlanta to Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo are $5.60, and the return direction costs $46.16.

Is This Delta Sale a Good Deal?

The best deals to Brazil are:

  • with 20,000 Etihad miles on American Airlines flights from March 1 – May 31 or August 16 – November 30
  • with 20,000 Alaska miles on American Airlines flights from March 1 – May 31 or August 16 – November 30

…because you can still book on old American Airlines chart with Alaska or Etihad Miles.

The legacy carrier prices to Brazil are:

  • 30,000 American Airlines miles
  • 30,000 United miles

So, if you have Etihad miles (1:1 transfer partner of Citi ThankYou Points and SPG Points) or Alaska miles and want to travel March 1 – May 31 or August 16 – November 30, you’re better off using those. Otherwise, take advantage of the Delta economy sale that will save you 2,500 miles from July through Mid November.

How to Get the Miles

Until July 6, 2016, the Delta Gold card is offering 50,000 bonus Delta miles and a $50 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in your first three months.

Also until July 6, 2016, the Delta Platinum is offering 60,000 bonus miles, 10,000 status miles (MQMs), and a $100 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in your first three months.

Read my review of these 50k and 60k Delta offers to figure out which is better suited to you.

Bottom Line

Delta is offering discounted economy award travel between Atlanta and Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo during the months of July through mid November. The Olympics are during this time period (August 5 – 21), so if you were thinking of attending, this could be good news for you.

This sale is unadvertised so I have no idea how long it will last– act fast if you want to take advantage of it.