You can earn miles by flying, sure, but sometimes it's faster and easier to rack them up through everyday purchases instead.
One of the simplest ways to earn Delta miles is to link your Delta SkyMiles account with your Starbucks Rewards account, so every latte run also earns you a few miles. And by the way — you can earn Delta miles through Airbnb stays too!
Now, Delta and Starbucks are changing how this partnership works. Here's what's new:
- You'll need to have flown Delta within the past 12 months to keep earning miles at Starbucks. This is a big one — if you're a heavy Starbucks drinker but an infrequent Delta flyer, pay attention here.
- The program is moving back to a flat 1 mile per $1 spent on eligible Starbucks purchases, replacing the old model where miles were earned only when reloading your Starbucks balance in certain tiers. One nuance worth noting: reloading your card won't earn miles anymore — it's the purchase itself that counts.
- Double Stars on Delta travel days are sticking around — so on days you're flying Delta, your Starbucks purchases still earn double Stars. 🌟
This change kicks in August 5, 2026.
If you've already linked your accounts, Delta is giving you a grace period through October 5, 2026 to get a qualifying flight in and keep earning, regardless of your flying history before that.
If you're not linked yet: wait to link your accounts until after August 5th, you'll get 12 months of automatic earning eligibility from the start — even without a Delta flight on the books yet.
You can connect your accounts here
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