Lyft and Delta are ending their points-earning loyalty partnership in April and the airline will start a new program with rideshare competitor Uber.
Uber announced the multi-year strategic partnership on Tuesday evening at the CES tech conference in Las Vegas.
“Delta is thrilled to come together with Uber to create a connected travel experience from start to finish,” Delta CEO Ed Bastian said in a prepared statement. “This partnership creates more choice for customers to get to their destination in a way that works best for them.”
Delta SkyMiles Members who link their accounts to Uber will earn points on Uber rides and Uber Eats orders. Uber said people will earn one mile per dollar spent on restaurant and grocery orders worth $40 and up; one mile per dollar spent on UberX rides to and from airports; two miles per dollar spent on premium rides, such as Uber Comfort and Uber Black; and three miles per dollar spent on Uber Reserve trips. An Uber spokesperson says customers will also get access to benefits like “improved Uber pickup and drop off experiences at Delta hubs.”
Gig companies and airlines have for years been teaming up with other companies in an attempt to snag repeat customers through loyalty programs. A customer may feel more inclined to book a ride through a specific platform if it means they’re also earning tangible rewards for somewhere else. Uber has loyalty programs with Marriott, Aeroplan, and Qantas. Delta also has a loyalty program with Starbucks where customers can earn points when buying drinks.
Lyft’s program with Delta meant riders would earn 1 mile for every $1 spent in the U.S. and 2 miles per $1 spent on all airport rides.
“Years ago we teamed up with our first airline to unlock more ways to uplevel and innovate around travel experiences, thereby turning those customers into Lyft loyalists,” a Lyft spokesperson tells Fast Company when asked for comment. “We’re continuing to expand our horizons by joining forces with major brands who truly share our customer obsession, like Alaska Airlines, Bilt, Chase, Disney, DoorDash, Hilton, and Mastercard.”
It’s unclear why Lyft and Delta are ending the program that earns riders flight miles. A Delta spokesperson says that Lyft users can continue earning miles through April 7. Customers with linked accounts should expect to hear more “in the coming days,” the person adds.
“We are appreciative of the partnership we’ve had with Lyft benefiting loyal customers who have collectively earned billions of miles,” the Delta spokesperson says.
