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Delta Is Selling Round-Trip Flights to Saudi Arabia From 30,000 SkyMiles — Or Even Less

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Ryan Smith
Edited by: Nick Ellis
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Delta’s first-ever flights to Saudi Arabia take off on October 23, 2026, when the airline launches nonstop service between Atlanta (ATL) and Riyadh (RUH). It’s the first nonstop route between the U.S. and Riyadh flown by a U.S. carrier.

To mark the occasion, Delta is running a SkyMiles award sale that puts a round-trip to the Kingdom within easy reach. Fares start at 30,000 miles plus $77 in taxes, and if you hold the right Delta credit card, you can pay 15% less.

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Delta SkyMiles Sale to Riyadh

The sale covers round-trip economy awards on Delta’s new Atlanta-Riyadh route, with 2 fare options. Main Basic starts at 30,000 SkyMiles plus $77 round-trip, while the full-fare Main runs from 47,500 SkyMiles plus $77. Those $77 in taxes and fees are refreshingly low for a long-haul international trip, and the pricing you see is per person round-trip.

Award travel is valid from October 23, 2026, through April 15, 2027, so you have close to 6 months of dates to work with, rather than a narrow launch window. The flight starts on October 23, which aligns with this sale.

Delta is offering the sale out of 8 additional cities that connect through its massive Atlanta hub: Chicago (MDW and ORD), Dallas Fort Worth (DFW), Detroit (DTW), Houston (HOU), Miami (MIA), New York (JFK), Orlando (MCO), and Washington, D.C. (DCA and IAD). The long-haul segment to Riyadh will be operated by the carrier’s flagship Airbus A350-900 aircraft.

Offer details are available here.

Delta ATL RUH one way SkyMiles
Prices start at 30,000 SkyMiles in Main Basic. Screenshot: Delta website

A few things are worth knowing before you book.

The 30,000-mile figure is a starting price, and award pricing varies by date, so some travel days are cheaper than others. Main Basic is the budget experience, which means you won’t earn SkyMiles or Medallion credit on the ticket, you won’t get a seat assignment until check-in, and upgrades aren’t possible. Plus, checked bags cost extra.

If any of that matters to you, the jump up to Main gains back most of the flexibility. And if you were hoping to fly in lie-flat comfort, note that the premium cabins aren’t part of this sale. Delta One was pricing north of 500,000 miles round-trip at the time of writing, so this deal is an economy play.

How To Save 15% With an Eligible Delta Credit Card

Here’s how you can do better than the advertised price. Most Delta SkyMiles American Express cards come with the TakeOff 15 benefit, which shaves 15% off the mileage cost of award flights booked on Delta or Delta Connection routes. The discount applies automatically at checkout, so there’s nothing to activate.

The savings here are real.

Delta ATL RUH round trip cardholder discount
Final pricing if you have an eligible Delta credit card. Screenshot: Delta website

That 30,000-mile Main Basic fare drops to 25,400 miles round-trip with the discount applied, and the Main cabin fare falls to 46,600 miles round-trip. Paying roughly 25,400 SkyMiles plus $77 to fly round-trip to Saudi Arabia is a very strong use of miles.

Hot Tip:

Take a look at our comparison of Delta credit cards to see which one could be the best for your wallet.

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Final Thoughts

Delta’s inaugural Saudi Arabia service gives points-and-miles travelers a great reason to look east, and the award sale makes the trip genuinely affordable.

The 6-month booking window gives you room to plan, and Delta Amex cardholders can drop the mileage cost by 15%. Award space is limited, so if Riyadh has been on your list, check dates soon and lock in a seat while the sale lasts.

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About Ryan Smith

Ryan completed his goal of visiting every country in the world in December of 2023 and is now revisiting some favorites. Over the years, he’s written about award travel and credit cards for publications like AwardWallet, The Points Guy, USA Today Blueprint, CNBC Select, Tripadvisor, Point.me, Forbes Advisor, and more.

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