Delta lets you buy miles directly and send them to someone else's account, but the cost per mile is high and the recipient must have an active SkyMiles account
You can purchase Delta SkyMiles through Delta's website and transfer them to another person's account in the same transaction. The miles go into their account within 24 hours. This is useful if you want to help someone reach a redemption goal or give miles as a gift, but buying miles is one of the most expensive ways to get them — you typically pay 1.5 to 2.5 cents per mile, meaning 50,000 miles might cost $750 to $1,250.
The recipient does not need to be a cardholder or have any relationship to you beyond having a valid SkyMiles account number. Delta does not restrict who can receive transferred miles, so you can send them to a family member, friend, or anyone else with an account. The transfer is permanent once completed.
Key Takeaways
- You buy miles on Delta's website under "Buy Miles" and enter the recipient's SkyMiles number at checkout to transfer them directly.
- Miles arrive in the recipient's account within 24 hours, and the transaction is final — Delta does not reverse purchases or transfers.
- Buying miles costs roughly 1.5 to 2.5 cents per mile depending on the quantity, making it far more expensive than earning miles through credit card spending or flights.
- The recipient must have an active SkyMiles account but does not need to be a cardholder or have any prior relationship to you.
- Delta occasionally runs promotions offering bonus miles when you buy, so checking for current offers before purchasing can reduce your cost per mile.
How to buy and transfer miles in one transaction
Go to delta.com and log into your SkyMiles account. Look for the "Buy Miles" option, usually found under the "Manage My Miles" or account menu. Select the number of miles you want to purchase — Delta typically sells them in blocks starting at 5,000 miles.
At checkout, you will see a field asking whether the miles are for your account or someone else's. Select "Transfer to another account" and enter the recipient's SkyMiles number. Double-check the number before confirming, because the transfer cannot be undone. Complete payment with a credit card, and the miles will post to their account within 24 hours.
If you are buying miles as a gift and do not know the recipient's SkyMiles number, you can ask them for it directly or have them create a free SkyMiles account first. They do not need a credit card or any Delta history to open an account — they just need a name, email, and date of birth.
What Delta's mile pricing actually costs you
Delta's published price per mile varies by how many you buy at once. Buying 5,000 miles might cost 2.5 cents per mile ($125), while buying 100,000 miles might cost 1.5 cents per mile ($1,500). The exact rate changes periodically and depends on current promotions.
To put this in perspective: a domestic round-trip flight on Delta typically costs 25,000 to 50,000 miles. If you bought 50,000 miles at 2 cents each, you would spend $1,000 for a flight that might cost $300 to $500 in cash. Earning those same miles through a Delta credit card sign-up bonus (which often offers 50,000 to 75,000 miles) costs you nothing except the annual fee, usually $95 to $550 depending on the card.
Buying miles makes sense only if you are very close to a specific redemption and do not want to wait for earning opportunities, or if you are giving miles as a gift and the recipient has no other way to earn them quickly.
When Delta runs promotions on mile purchases
Delta periodically offers bonus miles when you buy — for example, "buy 50,000 miles and get 10,000 free" or "get a 50% bonus on your purchase." These promotions reduce your effective cost per mile and are worth waiting for if you have flexibility on timing.
Check delta.com/en/us/en/buy-miles before you purchase to see if a current offer is running. You can also sign up for Delta's email list to be notified when promotions launch. The offers typically run for a few weeks and then end, so if you see one you like, act within that window.
Even with a bonus, buying miles remains expensive compared to earning them through credit card bonuses or flying. But a 50% bonus does cut your cost per mile roughly in half, which can make the purchase more reasonable if you are already committed to buying.
Transferring miles between accounts you own
If you have multiple SkyMiles accounts in your own name, you can transfer miles between them using the same "Buy Miles" process. Log into the account you want to transfer from, select "Transfer to another account," and enter your other account's SkyMiles number. The miles move within 24 hours.
This is useful if you have miles scattered across multiple accounts and want to consolidate them for a single redemption. However, Delta does not allow you to merge accounts directly — you have to buy and transfer miles one direction at a time, which costs money. A better approach is to keep future miles in one account by using the same name and email for all your bookings and credit card applications.
What happens after the miles arrive
Once the recipient receives the miles, they appear in their SkyMiles account balance when ready and can be used for any redemption the account holder chooses — flights, seat upgrades, gift cards, or other Delta offerings. There are no restrictions on how transferred miles can be used.
Transferred miles do not expire as long as the recipient has account activity at least once every 24 months. Account activity includes flying on Delta, earning miles through a credit card, or even just logging into the SkyMiles website. If the account goes inactive for 24 months, the miles will expire, but the recipient can reactivate the account by flying or earning miles again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I buy miles and transfer them if the recipient doesn't have a SkyMiles account yet?
No, the recipient must have an active SkyMiles account number before you complete the purchase. Have them create a free account at delta.com first, which takes about five minutes. Once they have their SkyMiles number, you can buy and transfer the miles.
Is there a limit to how many miles I can buy and transfer at once?
Delta does not publish a hard limit, but very large purchases may require additional verification. For most transactions, you can buy up to 250,000 miles in a single purchase. If you need more, contact Delta directly or split the purchase across multiple transactions.
Can I get a refund if I buy miles by mistake?
No. Delta's policy is that mile purchases are final and non-refundable. Before you complete checkout, verify the recipient's SkyMiles number and the quantity of miles you intend to buy. Once the transaction processes, the miles cannot be returned or reversed.
What's the difference between buying miles and getting them from a credit card bonus?
A Delta credit card sign-up bonus typically gives you 50,000 to 75,000 miles for meeting a spending requirement, which costs you nothing in miles but may include an annual fee ($95 to $550). Buying miles directly costs 1.5 to 2.5 cents per mile. For the same 50,000 miles, buying costs $750 to $1,250, while a credit card bonus costs only the annual fee.
Do transferred miles expire?
Transferred miles follow the same expiration rules as any other miles in the account. They expire if the SkyMiles account has no activity for 24 months. Activity includes flying, earning miles through a credit card, or logging into the account. As long as the recipient keeps the account active, the miles will not expire.