Delta SkyMiles Members: Here’s How to Earn Miles Every Time You Uber
Ubers to the airport can earn travelers 1 SkyMile per dollar, with premium rides worth more
Photo: Courtesy of Delta Air Lines
Delta frequent flyers can now earn SkyMiles on Uber rides to and from the airport, restaurant, and grocery orders with Uber Eats, as well as certain other spending with the rideshare giant.
The partnership, announced by Delta CEO Ed Bastian and Uber boss Dara Khosrowshahi in January, went live on April 24.
Photo: Courtesy of Delta Air Lines
Now, travelers who’ve linked their Delta SkyMiles and Uber accounts can earn miles on the following spending with Uber:
- Airport rides: 1 mile per dollar spent on UberX rides to and from the airport
- Premium rides: 2 miles per dollar on premium rides such as Uber Comfort and Uber Black
- Uber Reserve: 3 miles per dollar spent on Uber Reserve trips, Uber’s prescheduled ride service
- Uber Eats: 1 mile per dollar spent on restaurant and grocery orders over $40
Program Limitations
You can only earn on Uber spending within the U.S., which may disappoint Delta globe-trotters who use the rideshare app in the 69 other countries where it operates.
Additionally, you won’t earn miles on standard UberX rides unless they’re to or from an airport. However, around 15 percent of Uber rides start or end at an airport, so the earning potential is decent, especially if you’re a SkyMiles elite with a permanently packed suitcase.
Photo: Courtesy of Delta Air Lines
“We know that Uber is an integral part of the travel experience for millions of people,” Camiel Irving, VP of Operations and GM Mobility, US&C at Uber, said.
“Partnering with Delta offers an even more connected experience for those travelers, turning their everyday moments into miles that will take them even further,” she added.
“Our new partnership with Uber not only expands the value of loyalty and makes it easier than ever for our Members to get rewarded – it also opens the door for new audiences to find reasons to love SkyMiles, no matter how often they fly,” Prashant Sharma, V.P. of Loyalty at Delta, said.
Uber Takes Over Lyft
The Uber collaboration replaces Delta’s previous partnership with rival Lyft, which ended on April 7.
In some ways, the Lyft collaboration was a better deal for travelers, who earned 1 mile per $1 spent on all rides in the U.S., not just premium or pre-booked rides. Rides to and from the airport were valued at a generous 2 miles per $1.
Photo: Courtesy of Delta Air Lines
However, Lyft has fewer customers and drivers and has a smaller geographic reach than Uber. It also doesn’t have an alternative to Uber Eats, where Americans spent around $3.5 billion last year.
Uber is coming to the Delta App
Uber and Delta have promised to extend their collaboration later this year to “make your end-to-end travel experience even more seamless.”
Soon, the rideshare service will be integrated into the Fly Delta app, enabling travelers to reserve Uber rides to the airport at the same time they book their flights.
Later this year, SkyMiles members who log into Delta’s free in-flight Wi-Fi, Delta Sync, will receive a special offer to book an Uber ride when they land.
Photo: Courtesy of Delta Air Lines
Next month, the rideshare company will introduce its Uber Shuttle at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Delta’s primary hub. The 14-passenger vans will run between stops in midtown and downtown Atlanta and Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. The shuttles will depart every 30 minutes from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. Rides can be reserved through the Uber app up to a week before departure.
Initially, one-way trips will cost $10. Uber says these prices will eventually rise but won’t exceed $18.50.
Uber already operates shuttles similar to those at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and LaGuardia Airport (LGA).
How to link SkyMiles and Uber accounts
You’ll only earn SkyMiles on Uber spending once you’ve linked your Delta and Uber or Uber Eats accounts. To do so:
- Open the Uber or Uber Eats app on your cell phone (ensure you’ve downloaded the latest version) and navigate to ‘Account.’
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and click ‘Partner Rewards,’ where you’ll see ‘Delta SkyMiles’ as an option. Click that, and you’ll be directed to a landing page detailing the program.
- Click ‘Link to start earning miles,’ and you’ll be prompted to log into your SkyMiles account.
- Once logged in, your accounts are officially linked, and you’re ready to earn.
If you’re not already a SkyMiles member, you can join on Delta’s website for free.
