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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Delta says SkyMiles members can earn miles with more than 20 airline partners, but that figure describes earning in general. It is not one list you can use for every purpose. Earning miles on a partner flight and booking that partner’s seats with miles are governed by different rules and different lists. As of Delta’s pages checked on 8 October 2026, Delta lists 21 airlines for award booking on delta.com, three more airlines require a call to Delta Reservations, and a limited Skymark option exists for certain members living in Japan.
Earning and award booking are separate lists
Most confusion about SkyMiles partners comes from treating two different lists as one. The first is the earning network: airlines whose eligible flights can credit miles to your SkyMiles account. Delta describes this network as “more than 20 trusted airline partners anywhere in the world.” The second is the award-booking list: airlines whose seats you can redeem miles for through Delta’s own booking tools. The two overlap heavily, but they are not identical, and Delta’s pages describe them separately. The earning rules are set out on Delta’s Earning With Airline Partners page, and the award channels are described on Travel with Miles: Partner Airlines.
Award booking channels
Delta sorts partner award travel into three channels. The table shows what Delta’s current partner page says about each one.
| Channel | Airlines Delta lists | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Book online through delta.com | Aeromexico, Aerolineas Argentinas, Air France, Cape Air, China Eastern, China Airlines, EL AL Israel Airlines, Garuda Indonesia, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Korean Air, LATAM, Mandarin Airlines, Middle East Airlines, Saudia Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, TAROM, Vietnam Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, WestJet, Xiamen Airlines (21 airlines) | Search for award seats on delta.com like any other SkyMiles award. |
| Contact Delta Reservations | Air Europa, Air Tahiti Nui, Kenya Airways | Award travel on these airlines requires a call. Delta’s page does not state a separate online route for them. |
| Skymark (Japan only) | Skymark redemptions for certain Medallion members, and Japan-issued Delta SkyMiles credit card members, who reside in Japan | Eligibility is limited to qualifying members residing in Japan, and redemption is route-limited within Japan. |
Being on the award-booking list does not guarantee an available seat on a given date, a particular route, or identical fees. Each partner can apply its own conditions, covered in the limits section below.
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How partner flights earn miles
Earning depends on which airline sold the ticket, which airline operates the flight, and which fare class you bought. Delta’s rules draw a sharp line between flights Delta markets and flights a partner markets.
Partner-marketed flights
When a partner markets the flight, it generally earns under the partner chart’s distance-and-fare-class method. Delta publishes these charts with mileage percentages for each fare class. The charts also contain exceptions, and for some partners the amount depends on the marketing and ticketing carrier. Fare classes that are excluded earn no miles at all, so a partner flight that appears eligible can still produce zero miles if its fare class is excluded.
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Delta-marketed and Delta-ticketed flights
Delta-marketed flights, and certain Delta-ticketed flights, generally follow Delta’s fare-based earning rules. These are subject to qualifying experience and to ticket restrictions set out in the SkyMiles Program Rules.
Checking a specific flight before you buy
Because the same airline can earn differently depending on how the ticket is issued, check these details before purchase:
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- Find the marketing carrier. The two-letter code at the start of the flight number shows who marketed the flight. DL is Delta-marketed, and VS is Virgin Atlantic-marketed.
- Find the ticketing carrier. A ticket number beginning with 006 is Delta-ticketed.
- Confirm the operating carrier. The airline that physically flies the aircraft can differ from the marketing carrier, and Delta’s rules can depend on it.
- Check the fare class. Compare your fare class with the partner chart and confirm it is not excluded.
- Look up the partner chart on the day you travel. Delta says partner rules and mileage rates can change, and the rates in effect on the travel date apply.
Delta’s current partner-earning page is the authoritative place to confirm these details for your itinerary.
Limits to keep in mind
- Blackout dates. Delta says partner-operated award flights may have blackout dates, and each carrier defines its own.
- Surcharges. Some partners may impose a redemption surcharge, so the total cost of an award can exceed the mileage price alone.
- Award seat availability. Listing an airline does not mean every route or date has award seats.
- One loyalty program per flight. Delta’s rules state that flight credit is recorded in only one loyalty program and cannot be transferred after it is posted. If another program is also an option for the same flight, choose one before you check in.
Practical approach
To use SkyMiles with a partner, start by confirming the airline appears on the award-booking list if you plan to redeem miles, and on the partner earning charts if you plan to earn. Then check the flight number, ticket number, and fare class for the specific itinerary. For a real booking, use Delta’s live partner pages and award search, because partner lists, chart percentages, and seat availability change.
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