Another one of the major announcements from Delta Air Line’s Centennial kickoff at CES is shaking up the airline’s rideshare partnerships as it plans to shift from Lyft to Uber.
Delta and Uber announced a partnership that is scheduled to launch sometime this spring. The partnership with Uber will come at the expense of the airline’s current partnership with Lyft.
While limited details are available regarding the upcoming partnership, Uber has set up a website to allow SkyMiles members to join a waitlist which allows for exclusive updates and information on ways to earn via email. I didn’t receive any sort of conformation email after I joined the waitlist though I’m interested to see what they send my way in the future.
Delta SkyMiles members will earn miles depending on the type of ride or service they utilize with Lyft. Earning tiers are expected to be as follows:
- 3x SkyMiles per dollar spent on Uber Reserve rides;
- 2x SkyMiles per dollar spent on Uber Premium rides;
- 1x SkyMile per dollar spent on UberX rides to and from the airport as well as Uber Eats orders.
This will replace the outgoing partnership with Lyft which earned 2x SkyMiles per dollar spent on rides to and from the airport along with 1x SkyMiles per dollar for all other rides.
While the earnings are arguably a wash here, this seems like a net benefit to me. Honestly, I forget that Lyft exists most of the time and only remember to use it when Uber’s prices are sky high.
Though the Uber partnership is better for me than the Lyft partnership when it comes to Delta, I’ll likely continue earning Marriott Bonvoy points for Uber rides instead as I find those points to be more valuable.
Summary
Delta is swapping its longstanding partnership with Lift in favor of Uber. The airline and rideshare service are joining forces sometime in the spring of 2025 with more information to come. The shift in partners seems like a win to me, though I’ll likely continue to credit my Uber rides to Marriott Bonvoy.