Estate planning as a SkyMiles account holder
Delta Air Lines miles are forfeited when the account holder dies
OverviewWhen someone dies
(General customer service)
Verified May 2026
Delta SkyMiles is Delta Air Lines' loyalty program with over 100 million members. Miles are earned through flights, Delta SkyMiles co-branded American Express credit cards, and partner programs. SkyMiles do not expire during the member's lifetime as long as the account is active and in good standing (no-expiration policy since January 1, 2011). Members can redeem miles for award flights with no blackout dates on any Delta-operated flight, seat upgrades, vacation packages, gift cards, and merchandise. Miles can be transferred to other SkyMiles members for a fee ($0.01 per mile plus a $30 processing fee per transaction), gifted, or donated to charity through the SkyWish program. The program offers Medallion elite status tiers (Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond) with escalating benefits. Under the program rules, miles are explicitly "not the property of any Member" and cannot be transferred upon death.
When a SkyMiles account holder dies, their miles are forfeited. The program's terms state that miles do not constitute property of the account holder and cannot be transferred upon death, by operation of law, or through estate planning documents.
Members can transfer miles to other SkyMiles participants while their account is active. Fees generally apply, but this is the most direct way to move miles to family members.
What happens at death
The SkyMiles Membership Guide and Program Rules state: "Miles are not the property of any Member" and "miles may not be sold, attached, seized, levied upon, pledged, or transferred under any circumstances, including, without limitation, by operation of law, upon death, or in connection with any domestic relations dispute." The rules further provide that Delta "reserves the right to deactivate or close an account (and accordingly remove all miles in the account)" when "A Member is deceased," and that "Medallion Status, benefits, and/or miles in the SkyMiles account will be forfeited when an account is closed." Delta previously administered an Affidavit and Release process that let estates request a transfer of a deceased member's miles, but Delta has since discontinued that process. Under current policy, miles are forfeited when a member dies and the account is closed; there is no published exception process. The only practical alternative is to use the deceased member's account credentials (if available) to book award flights for family members before notifying Delta of the death, since miles can be redeemed for award travel for any passenger.
How to protect your SkyMiles
Delta Air Lines's terms state that miles are forfeited when the account holder dies. Lifetime planning is the only path to extracting value from the account before that happens.
Members can transfer miles to other SkyMiles members while their account is active. This may involve a fee, but it is the most straightforward way to share miles with family.
5 lifetime planning steps for your SkyMiles:
1
Redeem SkyMiles during your lifetime to capture their value for your family:
- •Book award flights for family members (no transfer fee required)
- •Use miles for seat upgrades on family travel
- •Redeem for Delta gift cards, vacation packages, or merchandise through the SkyMiles marketplace
2
Document your SkyMiles account number, login credentials, and SkyMiles PIN for your executor. Since miles are forfeited at death, account access is the only way for your family to use remaining miles by booking award flights before notifying Delta.
3
Consider transferring miles to family members during your lifetime if you have a large balance you may not use. The cost is $0.01 per mile plus a $30 processing fee, with a 30,000-mile-per-transaction cap and 150,000-mile annual sending limit (delta.com/buygftxfer/displayTransferMiles.action). This preserves the miles in the recipient's account permanently.
4
Donate unused miles to charity through the SkyWish program (delta.com/buygftxfer/displayDonateMiles.action). The Delta page describes participating organizations by region (U.S., Asia, Latin America, Europe/Africa/Middle East) focused on wounded veterans, children, disaster relief, education, and poverty.
5
SkyMiles do not expire during your lifetime as long as the account remains active, so there is no urgency to spend them while healthy. However, since they are forfeited at death, a large unused balance represents lost value for your estate.
Family sharing
Delta does not offer a formal family pooling or household sharing program. Members can transfer miles to other SkyMiles members through the Transfer Miles tool at a cost of $0.01 per mile plus a $30 processing fee per transaction (for example, transferring 30,000 miles costs $330). Transfers must be made in increments of 1,000 miles, with a minimum of 1,000 and a maximum of 30,000 miles per transaction. The annual limits are 150,000 miles sent per account and 300,000 miles received per account per calendar year. Members can also book award flights for anyone -- including non-members, non-family, and people not traveling with them -- which is a practical way to share the value of miles without paying transfer fees. Additionally, members can donate miles to charity through the SkyWish program. Mileage donations are not tax deductible.
When someone dies
Handling SkyMiles after a death
Miles are forfeited under the official terms, 5-step process, and 2 required documents.
View details →SkyMiles does not offer a beneficiary designation feature. Without this option, miles cannot be assigned to a named recipient through the program's own settings.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Delta allows members to use SkyMiles to book award travel for any passenger -- family, friends, or any other person -- even if the member is not traveling with them. The passenger does not need to be a SkyMiles member. There are no blackout dates on Delta-operated flights. This is the most practical way to share the value of SkyMiles.
Transferring miles costs $0.01 per mile plus a $30 processing fee per transaction. For example, transferring 30,000 miles costs $330. Transfers must be in 1,000-mile increments, with a 1,000-mile minimum and a 30,000-mile per-transaction cap. The annual limits are 150,000 miles sent per account and 300,000 miles received per account. Transfers are processed through the Transfer Miles tool at delta.com.
Yes. Through the SkyWish program (delta.com/buygftxfer/displayDonateMiles.action), members can donate miles to participating charities. Delta describes the partner organizations by region: in the U.S., charities supporting wounded veterans, children struggling with illness, disaster relief, and poverty. Donations are not tax deductible.
Sources
Data sourced from Delta Air Lines primary sources (7 pages reviewed). How we research.
(General customer service)
Verified May 2026
