Delta Air Lines' SkyMiles partnership with Uber launches this week

Delta Air Lines' new partnership with Uber goes live this week, meaning you'll soon be able to earn Delta SkyMiles on certain rides and food deliveries.

It's a launch four months in the making. The Atlanta-based airline and ride-hailing service announced their tie-up just a few days into 2025.

As part of the arrangement, Delta loyalists who link their account to Uber will be able to earn SkyMiles on standard rides to and from the airport, along with pre-reserved rides, premium trips and Uber Eats deliveries.

For most of the general public, the Delta-Uber partnership launches April 24, so you'll be able to start earning SkyMiles on select Uber purchases that day.

However, as TPG reported in January, the companies let travelers particularly eager to earn SkyMiles on Uber join a "waitlist" of sorts before that date. Customers who joined the waitlist by April 2 can now (already!) earn SkyMiles.

How to earn Delta SkyMiles with Uber

To earn Delta SkyMiles on Uber rides and Uber Eats deliveries, U.S. customers should head to delta.com/uber and follow the instructions to link their SkyMiles and Uber accounts.

Here's a rundown of how the earning works:

• 3 miles per eligible dollar spent on Uber Reserve trips (rides that you schedule in advance)
• 2 miles per eligible dollar spent on "premium" rides, such as Uber Comfort and Uber Black
• 1 mile per eligible dollar spent on UberX rides to and from the airport
• 1 mile per eligible dollar spent on restaurant and grocery orders of at least $40 with Uber Eats

So, essentially, if you book a standard UberX ride, it'll need to be a ride to and from the airport to qualify for earning SkyMiles.

Daily Newsletter

Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter

Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts

Email address

Sign up

By signing up, you will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.

But Uber Reserve rides, along with Comfort and Black rides and the like, would qualify for mileage earning, even on nonairport rides.

And, on Uber Eats deliveries, there's just that one bit of fine print: It'll need to be an order of at least $40 to qualify for SkyMiles. That's a requirement reminiscent of Delta's Starbucks partnership, which now requires you to spend at least $25 on card reloads to earn miles at the coffee chain.

Delta announced its joining of forces with Uber at the Sphere in Las Vegas back in January as part of a huge spectacle of a keynote during the Consumer Electronics Show. At that same event, the carrier announced new inflight tie-ups with YouTube and DraftKings.

The Delta-Uber partnership did spell the end of the airline's link with ride-hailing competitor Lyft earlier this month.

Which credit card should you use?

Your best bet for earning the most points on Uber rides is to use a card that earns bonus points on ride-hailing services or general everyday purchases ­— or one that allows you to stack your Delta earnings and/or take advantage of Uber discounts.

Personally, I charge all of my Uber rides to The Platinum Card® from American Express because I get up to $15 per month in Uber Cash* (plus an extra $20 in December). That ensures I use my monthly "use-it-or-lose-it" credit, though Uber rides only qualify for 1 Amex Membership Rewards point per dollar. The card has a $895 annual fee (see rates and fees).

You can transfer Amex points to Delta at a 1:1 ratio.

Keep in mind that cards like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card ($95 annual fee) and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card ($395 annual fee) offer 2 miles per dollar spent on every purchase.

If you're all-in on earning as many Delta SkyMiles as you can, any Uber purchases you charge to a Delta card like the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card ($350 annual fee; see rates and fees) would stack your SkyMiles earnings — albeit at a rate of 1 mile per dollar.

*Uber Cash is valid on Uber purchases in the U.S. Your Amex Plat must be added to your Uber account, and you can redeem Uber Cash with any Amex card.

Related: Best Delta credit cards

New tech features coming

Delta plans to soon launch new Uber linkages through its mobile app and inflight Wi-Fi channels.

In the not-too-distant future, customers will be able to reserve an Uber ride via the airline's app when booking a flight.

Delta also plans to soon let customers who use the carrier's free inflight Wi-Fi service reserve a ride upon landing.

Bottom line

If you're hoping to earn SkyMiles on Uber rides, be sure to link your account to start earning this week. Keep in mind, if you're not booking a ride to or from an airport, you'll need to either book a premium Uber ride or reserve one in advance to earn miles.

For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum, click here.

Related reading:

• Delta Medallion status: What it is and how to earn it
• Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
• The best credit cards to reach elite status
• Delta basic economy: What you need to know about bags, seats, boarding and more