It's not just PSL season – it's SkyMiles season, too.
On Wednesday, Delta Air Lines and Starbucks unveiled a brand-new partnership allowing members to earn bonus SkyMiles on almost every coffee, cappuccino, cold brew, and yes, even pumpkin spice latte. It's Starbucks' first big partnership with a major U.S. airline, adding to the list of creative ways Delta flyers can keep padding their SkyMiles balance.
Starting today, Delta SkyMiles members can link their accounts with Starbucks Rewards at deltastarbucks.com and start earning miles on almost every purchase at participating Starbucks locations:
- Travelers will earn 1x SkyMile per $1 spent on eligible Starbucks purchases – everything except gift cards, alcohol, tax, and tips count towards earning bonus SkyMiles at participating Starbucks stores.
- On days when you're catching a Delta flight, you'll also earn double stars in your Starbucks Rewards account – even when ordering ahead via mobile at participating airport Starbucks
After a brief outage as travelers overwhelmed the site to link their accounts midday Wednesday, that feature came back online Wednesday evening.
Earning an extra 7 SkyMiles for that $7 Venti Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew won't exactly leave your SkyMiles account overflowing … but every little bit helps, right? But from earning SkyMiles on Instacart grocery deliveries to adding to your balance when you rent an Airbnb, book a Turo car rental, or hop in a Lyft, it's just another way to earn a few more Delta miles on what you're purchasing anyhow. There's no harm in linking your accounts.
Plus, Delta and Starbucks are sweetening the deal to help things add up faster.
So long as you link your SkyMiles and Starbucks account by Dec. 31, you'll earn 500 extra SkyMiles – plus an extra 150 Starbucks Rewards Stars after making a qualifying purchase, too. Just head to deltastarbucks.com, enter your SkyMiles account information, validate your Starbucks Rewards account, and you're ready to earn SkyMiles at Starbucks.
“We’re continuing to evolve Delta’s SkyMiles program to give our customers valuable, premium experiences not just on the days they travel but in their everyday lives as well,” Prashant Sharma, Delta's vice president of loyalty, said in a statement. “Through this new partnership with Starbucks, we can deliver more moments and interactions that matter, both in the air and on the ground.”
Got an American Express® Gold Card? You can double-dip to earn even more miles. Since the Amex Gold earns 4x on all dining (including Starbucks), you could earn 4x points on your Starbucks run – then transfer those points over to Delta if you want, since it's an Amex transfer partner. Add in the 1x SkyMiles you earn through this partnership, and you're getting up to 5x SkyMiles per $1.
Seattle residents and flyers with Delta Medallion Status can get even more out of this new partnership.
To mark the launch of their new partnership, Delta flyers departing Seattle (SEA) today (Wednesday, Oct. 12) will get a free “Star Card,” loaded with 150 Starbucks Rewards stars to redeem for a free drink. On the heels of a major refresh of its SkyMiles status program, flyers with top-tier Platinum and Diamond Medallion status can choose to select 4,000 Starbucks Rewards stars as one of their Choice Benefits starting next year.
Bottom Line
Why not earn some bonus SkyMiles on your weekly (or even daily) Starbucks order?
Delta and Starbucks just launched a first-of-its-kind partnership, allowing Delta flyers to earn bonus SkyMiles on almost any Starbucks purchase. While it may not be the best way to pile up SkyMiles, every mile counts. Link your accounts today to earn a 500-mile bonus, then keep earning SkyMiles for your coffees and lattes.