airline comparison · 1.5¢ vs 1.2¢
American AAdvantage vs Delta SkyMiles
Side-by-side: cents-per-point, sweet-spot depth, and which program wins for your trip mix.
All program comparisons
Bottom line: our valuation framework values American AAdvantage higher at 1.5¢ per point. The other program at 1.2¢ still has its place, see below for use cases where it pulls ahead.
OUR PICK
American AAdvantage
airline · oneworld
CPP
1.5¢
Sweet spots
1+
Top redemption
AAdvantage Web Special Awards
3.5¢/pt
Full program details
Delta SkyMiles
airline · skyteam
CPP
1.2¢
Sweet spots
1+
Top redemption
Delta SkyMiles Flash Sales
4.0¢/pt
Full program details
When American AAdvantage wins
Higher baseline CPP (1.5¢ vs 1.2¢) means more travel value per point on a typical redemption. Lean toward American AAdvantage if your routes match its hub network and alliance partners.
When Delta SkyMiles wins
Lean toward Delta SkyMiles if you're loyal to its hubs or partner alliance.
How we value: our CPP numbers are anchored to saver award space at the median observed redemption, not chart-floor pricing. Read the full valuation methodology for why our numbers run lower than competitor rankings.