Delta flyers have been padding their stash of SkyMiles while buying iced lattes and PSLs since 2022. But a new wrinkle with how you earn – or more importantly, who can earn – SkyMiles at Starbucks could make your next purchase less rewarding … or, maybe, even better.
The good news? Delta and Starbucks are bringing back a simpler way to earn SkyMiles on your morning coffee run: Starting Aug. 5, linked Starbucks Rewards and Delta SkyMiles accounts will earn 1x mile per $1 spent at participating Starbucks coffeehouses. That replaces the current system, where you'd only earn miles with a minimum $25 reload.
While the new system is no doubt simpler, it's not all positive: You'll no longer earn bonus points (up to 2x miles) on bigger reloads, and you'll need to have flown a qualifying Delta flight within the previous 12 months. If it’s been a while since you've taken a flight, Delta and Starbucks are giving travelers until Oct. 5, 2026, to get in the air and keep earning SkyMiles.
Meanwhile, newly linked accounts are eligible to earn SkyMiles for the first 12 months without a qualifying Delta flight – but you'll need to take to the skies to continue earning beyond that date.
Whether these changes are good or bad will likely depend on just how much you're currently spending at Starbucks. Under the old system, you'd earn 200 SkyMiles for every $100 you loaded to your Starbucks Rewards account – soon, you'll earn half of that. For frequent flyers drinkers, that was a nice boost.
For more casual Starbucks sippers, the new system might actually work better, as it removes the hurdle of first loading your Starbucks Rewards account with a minimum of $25 and then using that to pay for your coffee. This way, you can just swipe your credit card – preferably, one that earns a bonus on dining – and earn 1x SkyMiles, no matter the amount you're spending.
What's most annoying about this change is that you'll need to actively fly Delta or risk earning nothing at all. Many travelers are already flying Delta annually – and it makes perfect sense to only reward those who are actively engaged in both programs – but sometimes life gets in the way and more than a year goes by without setting foot on a Delta plane. If you value the extra SkyMiles you're earning at Starbucks, you'll want to be sure to mix in a Delta flight every year going forward.
As has been the case since the Delta and Starbucks partnership began in 2022, customers still must have accounts with both companies and link them at deltastarbucks.com to earn miles. While you won't earn a ton of miles on coffee orders, it's an easy and creative way to keep earning SkyMiles.
Bottom Line
Earning Delta SkyMiles from Starbucks Rewards is about to get both easier and harder.
Starting Aug. 5, you'll earn a flat 1x SkyMiles per $1 spent at Starbucks … but only if you've flown Delta in the past 12 months. This replaces the old system that allowed you to earn up to 2x SkyMiles per dollar on Starbucks Rewards reloads, without any qualifying flight activity.
What say you, travelers? Are these changes good, bad, or is it too meaningless to matter?
Lead photo courtesy of Delta
