Delta is pricing business class awards to Europe over the summer for less than usual pricing. They haven’t announced a sale that I’m aware of.

Of course, Delta no longer ‘publishes’ award charts. So it’s not surprising they wouldn’t publish sale pricing either. Delta claims that ‘the price displayed is the price’. Although we know that isn’t really true.

Despite eliminating published award charts, Delta does have an award chart. There is saver award inventory (all partner awards are saver awards), and the price of those awards is fixed when available. Delta just keep a copy of the chart on its website where members can see it any longer.

The ‘saver award’ price of roundtrip business class between the US and Europe is 125,000 miles.

And when you search one way awards New York JFK – London Heathrow, you see saver availability at half that price as you’d expect: 62,500 miles.

However when you search New York JFK – London Heathrow roundtrip the price drops to 105,000 miles (which is 52,500 miles each way, a discount of 16%)..

You get the same thing from other gateways like Atlanta – London. (And pricing works out not just for non-stops, either.)

Pricing from the West Coast is 115,000 miles roundtrip — so a discount but only of 8%. Here’s Seattle – London. (Los Angeles – London will price out the same way, but is far less available.)

Here’s the Seattle – London itinerary, it isn’t just a glitch with the website calendar.

Since Delta has run award sales before I’m assuming this is intentional, just announced. But without an announcement we also don’t know how long it will last.

So book your summer SkyMiles Europe award travel now!

(HT: Matthew)