How to Book SkyTeam Flights with Points
This guide covers the SkyTeam member airlines, which programs book them, and how to find space. Award prices and availability change constantly as programs devalue and adjust, so treat every points figure here as a rough, illustrative guide rather than a guarantee. Always confirm the current price and that an award seat is actually available on the airline own site before you transfer points, since transfers are one-way and cannot be reversed.
What SkyTeam is
SkyTeam is one of the three global alliances, with a strong presence in the US through Delta, in Europe through Air France and KLM, and in Asia through carriers like Korean Air. As with the other alliances, members sell awards on each other, so a SkyTeam flight can be booked through multiple member programs, though SkyTeam has historically had fewer programs that are easy to reach from US flexible points.
That makes the choice of booking program especially important for SkyTeam. See our transfer partners guide.
The member airlines
SkyTeam members include Delta in the US; Air France, KLM, and SAS in Europe, with SAS having joined SkyTeam; Korean Air, China Airlines, China Eastern, Vietnam Airlines, Garuda Indonesia, and XiamenAir in Asia; Aeromexico in Mexico; Saudia and Middle East Airlines in the Middle East; Kenya Airways in Africa; and others. ITA Airways has been part of SkyTeam during its ownership transition.
Note that Virgin Atlantic, while closely tied to Delta and Air France-KLM through joint ventures, is not a SkyTeam member but a partner, which still makes it useful for booking some SkyTeam flights. Alliance memberships and partnerships shift over time, with airlines occasionally joining or leaving, so verify an airline current alliance and partner relationships before planning a booking around them.
Which programs book SkyTeam
The most accessible SkyTeam booking program is Air France/KLM Flying Blue, which transfers from every major bank, American Express, Chase, Citi, Capital One, Bilt, and Wells Fargo, making it the natural workhorse for SkyTeam awards. Delta SkyMiles, reachable from American Express, books the alliance but tends to price awards higher. Virgin Atlantic, reachable from most banks, is valuable for specific partner sweet spots, especially on Delta.
Other SkyTeam programs like Korean Air SkyPass are harder to reach from US flexible points, though Korean is a Marriott transfer partner. For most people, Flying Blue is the key. See our Flying Blue and Virgin Atlantic deep dives.
Booking Delta and partners
Delta own SkyMiles can be expensive due to dynamic pricing, so for Delta flights, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club has long offered sweet-spot pricing on Delta One business class that can beat booking through Delta directly. For Air France and KLM, Flying Blue is the natural choice, with its monthly Promo Rewards sometimes discounting routes to Europe and beyond.
For Korean Air and the Asian SkyTeam carriers, options from US flexible points are more limited, so Flying Blue or transferring to a specific program when possible is the path. Compare Flying Blue, Virgin Atlantic, and Delta for any given SkyTeam route. See our sweet spots guide.
Finding space and value
To find SkyTeam space, the Flying Blue and Delta websites display awards well, and the SkyTeam alliance search can help locate partner seats. Flying Blue dynamic pricing means values vary, so check the miles cost against the cash price, and use Promo Rewards when they align with your plans for the best value.
SkyTeam is strongest for European travel via Air France and KLM and for Delta domestic and international flights, with Flying Blue as the accessible, versatile program tying it together. See our finding award space and Europe guides.
Frequently asked questions
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