Catching a Lift, Ordering Groceries, and Now Grabbing a Coffee. Delta’s Loyalty Partnerships Turning Everyday Life Into Miles
From 12 October, Delta SkyMiles members were able to turn their Starbucks coffees into miles. The partnership between Delta SkyMiles and Starbucks’ Rewards loyalty programs is the latest of Delta’s partnerships to allow customers to earn points through their every day lives.
Prashnat Sharma, Vice President of Loyalty at Delta said:
“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. Through this new partnership with Starbucks, we can deliver more moments and interactions that matter, both in the air and on the ground.”
Delta’s SkyMiles boasts approximately 100 million global members whilst Starbucks Rewards has over 27 million US members. For users who are enrolled in both loyalty programs, the accounts can be easily linked after which members will earn one mile per $1 spent of eligible purchases at Starbucks. On days when members have a scheduled flight with Delta they will earn double Stars at participating Starbucks stores.
In addition to the new partnership with Starbucks, other loyalty partnerships that enable Delta members to build points through their every day lives include Lyft and Instacart.
Delta’s longstanding partnership with Lyft has allowed members to gain points from hailing a ride since 2017. Like the Starbucks partnership, double miles can be earnt when going to an airport location.
In February 2022, Delta partnered with Instacart. The leading online grocery platform in the US. Members can link their accounts to earn one mile for every $1 spent with Instacart. At the announcement, Josh Kaehler, Director of SkyMiles Partnerships at Delta said:
“We know most shop for groceries more often than they fly. This new partnership is a way for us to give our most loyal customers even more value outside of their travel journey.”
With significant disruption to flights over the last few years and the daunting challenge of getting gen-Z to commit to a single loyalty programme, giving passengers the opportunity to earn points through everyday transactions is a promising way to build loyalty and one other airlines have also adopted.
Article by Jess Brownlow
