Uber announced during CES 2025 an exclusive multi-year partnership with Delta Air Lines that allows SkyMiles members to earn miles when they travel with Uber or order delivery through Uber Eats in the United States. The deal marks the end of Delta’s partnership with Lyft.
The Uber partnership will launch in the spring, giving Uber customers access to benefits such as “enhanced Uber pickup and drop-off experiences at Delta hubs,” according to a statement from the company. When asked what that meant, an Uber spokesperson declined to elaborate.
Lyft and Delta formed its partnership in 2018; will expire on April 7, 2025.
“Years ago we partnered with our first airline to unlock more ways to elevate and innovate travel experiences, turning those customers into Lyft loyalists,” it said in an emailed statement. from Lyft. “We are continuing to expand our horizons by joining forces with leading brands that share our customer obsession, such as Alaska Airlines, Chase, DoorDash, Mastercard, Hilton, Disney and Bilt. Connect your Lyft account and discover a growing world of benefits.”
Uber is promising its customers accounts linked to a Delta Skymiles membership 1 mile per dollar spent on $40+ on restaurant and food orders with Uber Eats and on UberX rides to and from the airport. Premium rides, such as Uber Comfort or Uber Black, will earn users 2 miles per dollar spent. And for riders who book in advance, they can earn 3 miles per dollar spent.
The tie-up with Delta could be one of the steps connecting the airline and Uber with Joby Aviation, an eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) startup that has its own separate partnerships with Uber and Delta. Delta’s partnership with Joby means Delta customers will one day be able to use Joby’s electric air taxi service, starting in NYC.
Uber’s partnership with Joby is more involved. Joby acquired Uber Elevate, Uber’s urban air mobility unit, in 2020. Part of that deal was to integrate their respective services into each other’s apps for a smoother connection between ground and air travel. Additionally, Joby’s air taxi software, ElevateOS, which came out of that partnership, promises to enable on-demand mobility, not unlike riding with Uber.
Last October, the three companies held an event in NYC where they talked about a vision of connected mobility, not shying away from announcing a full, three-way partnership.
Joby, which is backed by Uber and Delta, has yet to receive the necessary certifications to operate an electric air taxi service, but aims to launch in 2025.
Spokesmen for Uber, Joby and Delta declined to share any progress on what I predict will be an apparent alliance.
