Incredible deal: Fly to Alaska this summer from 5,000 Delta SkyMiles roundtrip

© Provided by The Points Guy

For many in the lower 48, this summer will be the first time you'll be saying hello to Alaska.

With popular international destinations remaining off-limits to U.S. residents, this summer travel season will be domestic-heavy. Airlines have adjusted in recent weeks and months, increasing the number of seats available to leisure destinations, including the state known as "The Last Frontier." 

Delta is offering an incredible SkyMiles award flash sale from dozens of continental U.S. airports to several Alaskan cities. Although Delta has marketed that the sale is from 5,000 SkyMiles roundtrip, but as of publication, most awards are pricing at 10,000 miles. (Seattle and Portland are still available from 5,000 miles.)

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This deal is available from a wide array of airports from coast-to-coast like New York and Atlanta, and even non-hub cities such as Dallas, San Francisco and many, many more. There's availability through the peak summer travel season, but you'll want to act quickly because there's no telling how long this availability will be around.

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In This Post

The deal

Airline: Delta

Routes: Dozens of continental U.S. cities to Alaska, roundtrip

Cost: From 5,000 SkyMiles roundtrip

Dates: Now through early Fall 2021

How to book: Go to this Delta landing page and enter your origin and select a city in Alaska. Real-time fares will populate and then select your preferred dates using the calendar tool on the next page.

Pay Taxes/Fees With: The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on airfare booked directly with the airline; on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), Chase Sapphire Reserve (3x on travel) or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on travel) for travel protections on the award flight.

Is it worth it?

TPG values SkyMiles at 1.1 cents apiece, so a 10,000-mile award is worth $110, an incredible deal for roundtrip economy travel.

However, it is very important to note that all SkyMiles tickets now include fee-free changes and cancellations to domestic and most international awards, but this excludes basic economy fares. That means if you book in basic economy, you cannot change your ticket or refund your miles (but some Basic Economy tickets originating from Europe, Africa, and other international markets may be changeable for a fee).

With all that said, only book basic economy if your plans are set in stone.

Related: Your complete guide to earning and redeeming Delta SkyMiles

Sample itineraries

Here are a few examples of what you can book. Your best bet will be to navigate to this Delta landing page to search for flights. 

Seattle to various Alaska airports (from 5,000 miles)

© The Points Guy(Screenshot courtesy of Delta)

New York to various Alaska airports (from 10,000 miles)

© The Points Guy(Screenshot courtesy of Delta)

Boston to various Alaska airports (from 10,000 miles)

© The Points Guy(Screenshot courtesy of Delta)

Los Angeles to various Alaska airports (from 10,000 miles)

© The Points Guy(Screenshot courtesy of Delta)

Dallas to various Alaska airports (from 10,000 miles)

© The Points Guy(Screenshot courtesy of Delta)

Boosting your SkyMiles balance

There are several ways to earn Delta SkyMiles for the next time there's a deal. The easiest is by flying Delta-operated flights, traveling with a SkyTeam partner or opening a Delta cobranded credit card. You can also earn miles through everyday activities like shopping and dining.

Here are some of our top picks for Delta cards, exclusively issued by Amex:

• Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card:
  • Earn 40,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 in purchases on and up to $50 back in statement credits for eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants within your first three months of account opening.
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card:
  • Earn 50,000 bonus miles, plus 5,000 Medallion Qualification Miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases and up to $100 back in statement credits for eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants within the first three months of account opening.
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card:
  • Earn 50,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $3,000 in purchases in the first three months. Plus, earn up to $100 back in statement credits for eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants with your card within the first three months of card membership.

Maximize your purchase

When paying the taxes and fees on your award ticket, be sure to use a credit card that earns additional points on airfare purchases and offers travel protections in case anything goes wrong. Cards that fit the bill include The Platinum Card® from American Express, Chase Sapphire Reserve, or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card.

Related: The best credit cards for paying taxes and fees on award tickets

Featured photo of Denali National Park by Seth K. Hughes / Getty Images.