Delta Business Traveler program: How it works and how you can benefit from signing up

Delta Air Lines is known for business travel — it's earned the top spot in Business Travel News' annual airline survey for 13 years running. Now it's trying to broaden its presence in the space with a new program called Delta Business Traveler.

If you're familiar with Delta's existing SkyMiles for Business program (formerly SkyBonus), this isn't replacing it — in fact, the two programs are designed to complement each other. Here's everything you need to know about the new Delta Business Traveler program: who it's for, what perks it offers and how it works in tandem with SkyMiles for Business.

Related: What hotel loyalty program is best for business travelers?

What is the Delta Business Traveler program?

Delta describes Delta Business Traveler as a "complimentary offers program that provides individual business travelers with exclusive offers from both Delta and our partners." In short, it's aimed to serve business travelers who don't have a corporate travel arrangement with Delta or don't qualify to join SkyMiles for Business. It's designed for small-business owners, employees of small to midsize companies and corporate business travelers.

To join Delta Business Traveler, all you have to do is be a Delta SkyMiles member and identify as a business traveler. To sign up, head to this link. You'll need to enter your SkyMiles number and some information on your company and role, but there's no employer verification required.

Benefits of the Delta Business Traveler program

Delta Business Traveler rewards members with discounts, bonus miles and other perks at various partners. These include:

• Six months of complimentary Hertz Five Star Status and a faster track to President's Circle Status
• 3 additional bonus miles per dollar spent on Delta Stays and car rentals through the end of 2024
• A free month trial and discounted access ($99 per month) to Industrious' global network of over 200 premium workplaces with the Industrious x Delta Business Traveler Pass
• Special offers on vacation packages from Delta Vacations

The above benefits are listed on the Delta Business Traveler page. However, if you sign up for the program (which is free and took me about 10 seconds), a host of new offers will appear in your account. Mine include the following:

• A $250 sponsored job credit if I create a new employer account with Indeed
• A "unique offering" of annual protection plans from Allianz Travel Insurance
• A discount on an annual Clear Plus membership if I enroll by Dec. 31
• 20% off Someone Somewhere products like backpacks and totes
• 30% off a MasterClass membership

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These offers may be targeted, so yours may look a little different.

As you can see, the program doesn't offer many rewards for actually flying Delta for business. What it does offer are discounts and perks on various travel purchases. These could be particularly helpful to business travelers who want to extend their stay after their meeting or conference by, for instance, booking a hotel or rental car on their own dime.

The program also provides benefits at work-related places like Industrious and Indeed, which may be useful to remote workers and small-business owners. Basically, for just $99 per month, you can rent an office space through Industrious' network of premium workplaces.

Related: Delta adds Hertz status for all Medallion elites, revamps earning structure for rentals

Delta Business Traveler vs. SkyMiles for Business

If you've heard of Delta's other business program, SkyMiles for Business, it's understandable if you're a little confused. Delta Business Traveler is a separate program designed to complement SkyMiles for Business by serving a different group of business travelers.

While Delta Business Traveler is designed for anyone who travels for work, SkyMiles for Business is geared for small and medium-size enterprises. To enroll, you must be a business or owner administrator of a company. You will be required to provide a valid tax identification number or value-added tax number, and you may need to show written proof of authorization from the company.

The basic member tier of SkyMiles for Business is open to all companies, regardless of size and annual revenue. This tier provides tailored offers from Delta and third parties, similar to Delta Business Traveler. It does not allow your business to earn SkyMiles, although individual employees will still earn miles on Delta and partner flights as SkyMiles members.

To reach the higher tiers, your company must have at least five unique employee travelers and spend at least $5,000 in eligible flight revenue every calendar year. If you meet these criteria, your company will earn SkyMiles on eligible flights taken by employees, while the employees will continue to earn miles on flights as they normally would.

As you can see, SkyMiles for Business is more rewarding for larger companies with at least five employees who travel and an annual spend of at least $5,000 on flights. Delta Business Traveler, on the other hand, is open to anyone who identifies as a business traveler, no matter how much or how little you travel.

Related: Delta Medallion status: What it is and how to earn it

Bottom line

Delta has reaffirmed its commitment to the business travel sector with its newest offering, Delta Business Traveler, which is accessible to anyone who travels for work. The program's benefits aren't groundbreaking, but it's free and easy to join. If you travel for work at all, it's worth enrolling in the program to see what kind of discounts and offers you may get.