Travel Hacking: How to Fly Delta Cheap

Everyone has their own favorite airlines.  I prefer to fly Southwest and Delta airlines.  I like Southwest due to their flight cheap redemption options for direct flights to Las Vegas and Orlando from Milwaukee.  Another reason is due to their nonstop fights for Cancun out of Chicago Midway. However the other airline that I like to use is Delta.  So one of the first things I had to figure out was how to fly Delta cheap.

Delta has a very heavy presence in Minneapolis.  You can get many different nonstop flights to areas throughout the US.  Delta has to compete against Spirit, Southwest, and Sun Country for Minneapolis travel.  Because they are up against these ‘low cost carriers’ they tend to have cheaper rates for travel. This allows you to fly Delta cheap without putting in a lot of extra effort right off the bat.  I have been able to book several trips now for as low as 12,000 miles round trip from Minneapolis to Vegas or Phoenix which would be over 30,000 miles from our local airport.

A big feature I enjoy of Delta is being able to book my trip 300 days in advance. I was already able to book my Las Vegas trip at the end of December 2018 during the busy holiday season.  By booking the travel this far out, you do receive better redemption options.

I hate flying out of Chicago O’Hare mostly due to the flight delays. According to multiple articles on www.insuremytrip.com, Chicago O’Hare consistently appears in the top three airports for flight delays.  That airport is a main hub for American and United Airlines.

Due to enjoying the Delta flight options one of the first travel credit cards I got was the Delta Amex.  Delta charges for bags as part of your flight reservations but with the Delta Credit Card I am able to check my bags for free.  The annual fee for the card is $95 however they do not charge an annual fee for the first year to allow you to get a good feel of the card.  I am going to assume that I will have two round trip flights each year. By saving the money for baggage, I have already covered the cost of the annual fee. One of the benefits I consider priceless is the better boarding position.  Nothing is worse than getting on the plane, and having to put your carry on bag rows and rows away from where you are sitting.  Being one of the first several groups on the plane with your Delta Amex almost guarantees you will have your bag near you.

Right now, by using my referral link, you will receive 50,000 miles after spending $2,000 in normal purchases in the first three months.  This is enough miles for 2 round trip tickets to many areas throughout the continental United States when flying out of Minneapolis.  You also have an option for a $50 credit if you have to do a Delta purchase and 10,000 more miles with $1,000 in purchases within the first 90 days.  The fact that American Express does have the no annual fee the first year, this is a great starter card to consider.  Another huge perk is that Delta Miles, unlike other airlines, do not expire due to inactivity.

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