How To Use The Delta SkyMiles Dining Portal to Earn More Miles

BY 

Caroline Lupini

- UPDATED: February 18, 2019

1. Earn Points  / 
2. Shopping & Dining

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Today you’ll learn how to easily earn extra miles for many of your dining purchases for no additional cost or work. It’s called SkyMiles Dining, a program put on by Delta and managed through the Rewards Network.

Delta’s SkyMiles Dining program rewards you for eating out by giving you bonus miles. This article will walk you through exactly how the dining program works and how many miles you can earn.

How To Join/Log in & Basics of Using the Program

Delta Air Lines‘ dining rewards program requires a separate account from your regular frequent flyer account, but you’ll need a lot of the same information. This includes your SkyMiles number, name, email, and address; you’ll also need to select a username and password.

When you register your account, you need to link a credit card to your profile. Don’t worry, you won’t be charged for anything!

The credit card is required to earn bonus miles. Each time you dine at a participating restaurant using that credit card, you will earn bonus points based on the cost of your meal, including tax and tip!

You don’t need to register your meal afterwards; the miles will be credited automatically. Depending on your membership level, you can earn up to 5 bonus miles per dollar spent.

As a “Member” you’ll earn 1 SkyMile per dollar spent. Become an “Online Member” by opting into emails, and you will earn 3 miles per dollar.

Complete 11 transactions in a year to become a “VIP Member,” where you’ll start to earn 5x SkyMiles from your 12th meal.

Intro Bonuses

There is usually an introductory sign-up bonus so you can earn even more miles the first time (or first few times) you dine at a participating restaurant, as long as you complete the requirement in a specific time period.

The current bonus available allows you to earn up to 3,000 miles over the course of your first 3 meals within the first 30 days of signing up.

All meals must be over $30 in order to earn the bonus. The first meal earns 500 bonus SkyMiles, the second earns 1,000, and the third earns 1,500. Completing an online review is required within 30 days of visiting each restaurant in order to earn the bonus.

SkyMiles Medallion Members can earn an extra 500 bonus miles of top of this as they get 1,000 miles for their first visit, making a total of up to 3,500!

This is one of the higher bonuses we have seen from Delta’s dining rewards program, so now would be a great time to join!

Example Restaurants

As mentioned above, the number of SkyMiles earned doesn’t vary by restaurant. However, you should make sure that the restaurants you dine at are participating in the program.

I searched for participating restaurants near Ann Arbor, MI and the results came back showing 97 restaurants within 30 miles. Most restaurants are small, local establishments rather than chain restaurants.

In addition to local restaurants, there were just a few chain options. Note that not all locations of a chain may be participating, but here are some examples:

• Buca di Beppo
• Edible Arrangements
• Hungry Howie’s Pizza

Using Credit Cards To Earn Extra Points

The points earned through SkyMiles Dining are in addition to any regular credit card points you will earn paying for your meal.

If you are mainly interested in earning Delta SkyMiles, you should consider using a co-branded Delta credit card. You could also use a card that earns American Express Membership Rewards points, which can be transferred to Delta at a 1:1 ratio.

American Express is the sole credit card issuer for Delta Air Lines’ branded products. Below you’ll find a list of cards that earn both Membership Rewards and Delta SkyMiles.

It may also be worth considering credit cards that offer dining as one of their bonus categories so you can earn even more points. Look for cards that have a good sign-up bonus if you’ll be getting a new one!

Amex Recommended Cards (Personal)

AMEX CARD	BENEFITS & INFO
The Platinum Card® from American Express How We Get $1,500+ In Value From This Card (Per Year) >	Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases in your first 3 months. 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel. Access 1,200+ airport lounges including the amazing Centurion® lounges. Up to $200 Uber Savings Annually. $200 Airline Fee Credit. Good to Excellent Credit Recommended (670-850) Annual Fee: $550 For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.
American Express® Gold Card	Earn 35,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $2,000 on eligible purchases with your new card within the first 3 months. Earn 4x points at US restaurants; Earn 4x points at US supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year in purchases, then 1X). Annual Fee: $250 Good to Excellent Credit Recommended (670-850) For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, please click here.

Amex Recommended Cards (Business)

AMEX CARD	BENEFITS & INFO
The Blue Business℠ Plus Credit Card from American Express	Earn 2X points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners. 0.0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months, then a variable rate, currently 15.49%, 18.49% or 21.49%. Annual Fee: $0 For rates and fees of The Blue Business℠ Plus Credit Card from American Express, please click here.
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express See How To Also Get $1,250+ in Value Per Year >>	Welcome Offer: Earn up to 75,000 Membership Rewards® Points. Earn 50,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $10,000 & an extra 25,000 points after you spend an additional $10,000 all on qualifying purchases within your first 3 months of Card Membership. Get 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com. Access 1,200+ airport lounges, including the amazing Centurion® lounges. $200 Airline Fee Credit. Annual Fee: $595 For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.
American Express® Business Gold Card	Earn 35,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $5,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.* More Rewards: Get 4X Membership Rewards® points on the 2 select categories where your business spent the most each month 4X points apply to the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these 2 categories each calendar year. Pay Over Time Option: A flexible payment option to help manage cash flow on purchases of $100 or more. Annual Fee: $295 For rates and fees of the American Express® Business Gold Card, please click here.
Are you a business owner? For more details, see our American Express business credit cards article or in-depth 2019 business credit cards guide to find the perfect card for your company.

Delta SkyMiles Cards

CREDIT CARD	CARD INFO
Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express	Earn 30,000 Bonus Miles after you use your new Card to make $1,000 in purchases within your first 3 months. Annual Fee: $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95. For rates and fees of the Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express, please click here.

Final Thoughts

Joining SkyMiles Dining and linking a credit card is an easy way to start earning more rewards. You’ll earn miles on dining purchases at participating restaurants with no extra work required.

You may want to also consider checking out their shopping portal to earn even more rewards and get closer to your next SkyMiles redemption!