Delta SkyMiles are known for high prices and unpredictable award charts. The good news? You don’t have to use SkyMiles to fly Delta. Thanks to airline partnerships, you can book Delta-operated flights using either Virgin Atlantic Flying Club or Flying Blue (Air France/KLM) miles—often for far fewer points.

In this post, I’ll show you exactly how to book Delta flights using both of these partner programs, with real examples, tips for beginners, transfer strategies, and troubleshooting help.

Glossary (Start Here If You’re New)

• Award Availability: Seats the airline makes available to be booked with miles.
• Transferable Points: Points from credit card programs that you can move to different airline or hotel partners.
• Dynamic Pricing: The number of points needed for a flight changes based on demand and season.
• Partner Airline: An airline that lets you book its flights with miles from a different airline’s program.

Option 1: Book Delta Flights with Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Virgin Atlantic partners with Delta, which means you can use Virgin points to book many Delta flights—often at a fixed rate.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Go to virginatlantic.com
2. Select “Reward Flights”
3. Log into your Flying Club account
4. Enter your cities, dates, number of passengers, and class of service
5. Select Delta-operated flights from the results
6. Book using Flying Club points and pay taxes/fees

Real Example:

• Route: Atlanta (ATL) to Salt Lake City (SLC)
• Points: 12,500 Flying Club points one-way in economy
• Taxes/Fees: $5.60
• Compared to: Delta SkyMiles pricing this same flight at 42,000 miles!

How to Earn Virgin Points:

You can transfer from:

• American Express Membership Rewards
• Chase Ultimate Rewards
• Citi ThankYou Points
• Bilt Rewards
• Capital One Miles (via Virgin Red)

Transfers are usually instant, but always double-check award availability before initiating.

Tips and Considerations:

• Delta award availability is limited for partners like Virgin
• Each flight segment (connections) costs more points
• Taxes and surcharges are added during booking
• Virgin’s change and cancellation policy applies
• You cannot use Delta SkyMiles in the Virgin portal

Option 2: Book Delta Flights with Flying Blue (Air France/KLM)

Flying Blue is the loyalty program for Air France and KLM. It also lets you book Delta-operated flights.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Create a Flying Blue account at airfrance.com or klm.com
2. Log into your account
3. Search using “Book with Miles”
4. Select Delta-operated flights from the search results
5. Transfer miles from a flexible points program if needed
6. Book and pay taxes/fees

Real Example:

• Route: Minneapolis (MSP) to San Francisco (SFO)
• Points: 17,500 Flying Blue miles
• Taxes/Fees: ~$20
• Dynamic pricing means this could be higher or lower depending on demand

How to Earn Flying Blue Miles:

You can transfer from:

• Amex Membership Rewards
• Chase Ultimate Rewards
• Capital One Miles
• Citi ThankYou Points
• Bilt Rewards

Transfers are generally instant or near-instant. Check flight availability first.

Tips for Using Flying Blue:

• Prices change dynamically—be flexible for the best deals
• Check for monthly Promo Rewards (discounted routes)
• Flying Blue sometimes has better pricing for connecting or international flights
• Consider one-way searches for better results
• Stopovers in Paris or Amsterdam are allowed (must call to book)

Quick Comparison Table

Feature	Virgin Atlantic	Flying Blue
Pricing	Fixed (on some routes)	Dynamic
Stopovers	No	Yes (by phone)
Best For	Nonstop domestic Delta flights	International & connections
Fees	Low	Varies
Transfer Bonuses	Frequent	Frequent

Beginner Transfer Tips

• Link your credit card and airline accounts ahead of time
• Only transfer once you confirm the flight is available
• Transfers are one-way and usually cannot be reversed

What to Do If You Don’t See Any Flights

• Try searching one-way instead of round-trip
• Look at nearby airports
• Search different dates
• Check both Virgin and Flying Blue
• Use tools like point.me or ExpertFlyer to explore availability

Booking Strategy for Families

• Search 1 seat first to see if award space exists
• Book one-way flights separately
• Mix programs if needed (e.g., one way with Virgin, return with Flying Blue)
• Be open to connections for more availability

FAQ Section

Q: Can I book one-way flights?
A: Yes. Both Virgin and Flying Blue allow one-way award tickets.

Q: Do I earn SkyMiles or elite credits?
A: No. Award tickets booked through partners typically don’t earn status miles.

Q: What happens if I cancel?
A: Virgin and Flying Blue have their own change and cancel policies. Review before booking.

Q: Can I book flights for other people?
A: Yes, you can book award flights for friends and family using your miles.

Q: Are lap infants allowed?
A: Yes, but policies vary by program. Virgin typically charges 10% of the adult points; Flying Blue may allow them for free on some routes.

Credit Card Earning Strategy Table

Program	Best Cards to Earn	Transfer Ratio	Typical Transfer Time
Virgin Atlantic	Amex Gold, Chase Sapphire Preferred, Citi Premier	1:1	Instant
Flying Blue	Amex Gold, Chase Sapphire Preferred, Capital One Venture X	1:1	Instant

Watch for 15-30% transfer bonuses throughout the year from both programs.

Final Tips

• Always check both Virgin and Flying Blue before booking
• Promo Rewards from Flying Blue are updated monthly
• Booking partner awards can save you thousands of points vs. SkyMiles
• Reach out if you want help choosing the right card to start earning these points