Delta Air Lines to partner with DraftKings: Could gambling with SkyMiles be on the horizon?
On top of announcing new Bluetooth-capable seatback screens and new partnerships with Uber and YouTube, Delta Air Lines revealed a head-turning partnership during its star-studded spectacle at Las Vegas' Sphere last week.
The airline will soon launch a new partnership with online sports betting giant DraftKings, Delta CEO Ed Bastian announced during his keynote speech at CES, one of the world's largest consumer electronics shows.
“From fantasy sports to online adventures, gaming has become a regular part of the daily lives of millions of our customers. And you shouldn’t have to hit pause just because you’re in the sky,” Bastian told the Sphere audience.
Does that mean you could soon wager, say, 20,000 miles on a team to win the Super Bowl?
Not quite. Or, perhaps more accurately, not yet.
The DraftKings deal “will build on” the carrier’s existing portfolio of inflight games, Bastian said.
Using the airline's free "Delta Sync" Wi-Fi, customers today can play New York Times games like Wordle or try their hand at Delta's Sky Hopper game, which allows Delta SkyMiles loyalty members to compete for a shot at up to $400 in Delta gift cards.
It's not yet clear what exactly this “collaboration” between DraftKings and the Atlanta-based carrier will entail from the outset.
"Specific details on the agreement and the type of DraftKings offerings coming to Delta Sync [Wi-Fi] will be shared when they’re finalized," a company spokesperson said in a statement Tuesday.
But the airline’s top communications executive did offer an enlightening glimpse into what Delta envisions for the partnership in the long term. And it could — hypothetically, the carrier said — someday involve gambling with Delta's frequent flyer miles.
“The DraftKings announcement we made: If you played that forward — and I’m not saying this is where we’re going — but if you played that forward, international flights could have gambling. International flights could gamble with SkyMiles as a currency,” Delta's chief communications officer Tim Mapes told TPG in an interview.
Legal hurdles surround inflight gambling
There are plenty of legal and regulatory considerations that could surround a deeper Delta-DraftKings tie-up.
Longstanding U.S. law has prohibited airlines from installing or allowing gambling devices on commercial flights.
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As such, Delta tells TPG it is not currently exploring ways to let passengers gamble on board.
Yet Delta does seem to be considering its long-term options for getting in on a lucrative industry — and, perhaps, finding a way to incorporate its vast ecosystem of miles held by its millions of frequent flyers.
“You have a currency in SkyMiles, and you have all these different means to accumulate, redeem, find new ways of valuing that currency or elevating the utility of that currency in ways that people really enjoy,” Mapes said. “Whatever that is is where we will go, because it will be the customers’ preference that guide us.”
No SkyMiles gambling planned so far
Certainly any deeper partnership between the airline and DraftKings — including one that involved gambling frequent flyer miles — would be likely to draw at least some attention from lawmakers and regulators alike.
After all, recent years have seen Congress, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau deepen their scrutiny of airlines' highly lucrative loyalty programs and credit card portfolios.
How regulators might ultimately view a deeper Delta-DraftKings tie-up remains to be seen.
At the same time, it's worth noting that airlines widely expect the Trump administration to take a less stringent regulatory posture than the Biden administration.
Not to mention, sports betting has proliferated into a multibilllion-dollar industry in the wake of a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court ruling. Today, discussion about betting odds figures into mainstream analysis of nearly every major sporting event.
Far less new, of course, is gambling at airports. It's long been legal in local jurisdictions where the practice is permitted. Look no further than the bevy of slot machines and other casino games found inside the terminals at Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas.
Bottom line
For now, expect some sort of Delta-DraftKings game offerings — minus actual wagers — on board.
And, should gambling with frequent flyer miles ever become a reality, we'll surely be there urging you to consider the value of your hard-earned miles before putting them up as part of a wager.
In the meantime, we'll be watching how the early iteration of Delta's DraftKings partnership evolves.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.