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Delta SkyMiles and Starbucks Rewards have launched a formal partnership that lets members earn in both programs simultaneously. You can earn miles on coffee purchases and Stars on Delta flights.
You can sign-up at this link.
The program is live now and requires members to link their two accounts to activate the earning. There is no limited enrollment window announced, making this an ongoing benefit rather than a one-time promotion.
What the Partnership Covers
Once you link your Delta SkyMiles and Starbucks Rewards accounts, the earning flows both ways. Delta SkyMiles members earn 1 mile per dollar spent at Starbucks.
Starbucks Rewards members earn Stars on eligible Delta flights, though the exact Stars-per-dollar or Stars-per-flight rate should be confirmed at the time of linking, as Delta and Starbucks have not broadly publicized a fixed rate in early coverage. According to Doctor of Credit’s breakdown of the partnership, both sides of the earning are activated through a single account link and no separate enrollment steps are needed beyond that connection.
The linking process runs through the Delta SkyMiles account portal. Members connect their Starbucks Rewards account, and both programs recognize the link going forward. There are no reported fees to participate, and no Delta credit card is required to qualify.
Who Qualifies
Any Delta SkyMiles member with an active account can participate. You do not need elite status, a co-branded card, or a minimum balance of miles. On the Starbucks side, you need an active Starbucks Rewards account. All tiers including the free tier qualifies, not just Starbucks Rewards Gold or any paid tier.
Holders of Delta co-branded American Express cards including the Delta SkyMiles Gold Amex, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex, and the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Amex would stack their card’s category earning on top of the partnership miles at Starbucks, though this depends on whether Starbucks codes as a restaurant or a grocery purchase on a given card.
Who Actually Benefits
The best case here is a frequent Delta flyer who also visits Starbucks regularly. If you are spending $50 or more per month at Starbucks, earning miles on top of your existing Starbucks Stars adds real value with zero extra effort after linking. For someone already holding a Delta co-branded card, the miles from the partnership are additive to card spending rewards.
The weakest case is someone who rarely flies Delta and visits Starbucks occasionally. A mile per dollar at Starbucks is a modest earn rate, and Stars on flights only matter if you are redeeming Starbucks Rewards with any frequency. If you are only on one or two Delta flights per year and buy coffee a few times a month, the total accumulation will be small. It is worth doing because there is no cost, but it should not drive any spending decisions on its own.
This partnership does not replace or compete with stronger earning strategies. Our complete guide to Delta SkyMiles earning and redeeming covers the fastest ways to accumulate miles, and dining partnerships like this one sit in the supplemental category — useful for rounding up your balance, not for building it from scratch. Similarly, our roundup of 15 ways to earn Delta SkyMiles quickly puts programs like this in context alongside higher-yield options.
Our Take
Link your accounts now if you use both Delta and Starbucks. It takes a few minutes and costs nothing. The earning rate on coffee is modest, but free miles is free miles. This will not move the needle for infrequent Delta flyers or casual Starbucks visitors, but for Delta loyalists who are already buying coffee regularly, it is a clean addition to their earning stack.
Frequently Asked Questions
You link your accounts through the Delta SkyMiles account portal. Once connected, both programs recognize the link and earning activates automatically u2014 no separate enrollment steps are needed beyond that initial connection.
Delta SkyMiles members earn 1 mile per dollar spent at Starbucks after linking their accounts. This is on top of the Stars you already earn through Starbucks Rewards, so both programs credit simultaneously.
No. Any active Delta SkyMiles member qualifies regardless of elite status, co-branded card holding, or miles balance. On the Starbucks side, all Rewards tiers including the free tier are eligible.
Yes, if you hold a Delta SkyMiles Gold, Platinum, or Reserve Amex, you can earn card rewards on top of the partnership miles at Starbucks. The actual stacking depends on how Starbucks is coded by the card u2014 whether it processes as a restaurant or grocery purchase.
No limited enrollment window has been announced, which means this is structured as an ongoing benefit rather than a one-time promotion. You can link your accounts at any time after the program went live.
