Members who purchase an upgrade through the seat map after booking will be eligible for mileage accrual based on the total amount spent in USD. Miles are always earned by the Member who is flying (whose name and SkyMiles number are listed on the ticket) regardless of who purchased the flight.
Delta SkyMiles dealsFor example, in the past, Delta has offered: Round-trip flights to Caribbean destinations starting at just 11,000 SkyMiles. Round-trip tickets to some major European cities starting at just 22,000 miles. Round-trip flights to Asia starting at just 30,000 miles.
If someone passes away, Delta feels the miles are theirs and they won't transfer them to anyone else. If you have access to the delta.com account, you should be able to use the miles without any issues. Just don't tell Delta the person is deceased.
Delta SkyMiles members with Reserve miles or the American Express card are eligible for a free upgrade to first and comfort seats. Moreover, it also qualifies for unlimited updates to Delta One seat on the departure day for flights originating within the United States and Hawaii.
Calculating the value of SkyMilesFor example, if a flight from Boston to Miami costs $99 or 7,500 SkyMiles, your SkyMiles are worth 1.3 cents ($99 / 7,500 = $0.013 or 1.3 cents).
To sell your Delta SkyMiles, you will typically need to create an account with the marketplace and provide your SkyMiles account information. The marketplace will then assess your miles and provide you with a quote. Once you accept the quote, the marketplace will purchase your miles and send you the cash proceeds.