You already know you can earn Delta SkyMiles when you fly Delta.

But did you know you may also be able to earn miles before you even make it to the airport?

If you’re a Delta SkyMiles member and you use Uber, this is one of those easy travel perks you should set up once and then allow to do its thing in the background. No spreadsheets. No complicated rewards strategy. No trying to remember which card earns 2.7 points on alternate Tuesdays.

You simply link your accounts.

According to Delta, SkyMiles members can earn miles on eligible U.S. Uber rides and qualifying Uber Eats orders after connecting their Delta SkyMiles and Uber accounts.

That means your airport ride, your reserved pickup, your more comfortable premium ride, and even some Uber Eats orders could help increase your SkyMiles balance.

And honestly, if you’re already paying for the Uber, you don’t want the miles riding away with somebody else.

How the Delta and Uber Partnership Works

Delta’s current earning structure allows linked SkyMiles members to earn:

• 1 mile per eligible $1 spent on UberX rides to and from airports
• 2 miles per eligible $1 spent on premium rides, including Uber Comfort, UberXL, Uber Black, and Black SUV
• 3 miles per eligible $1 spent on Uber Reserve rides
• 1 mile per eligible $1 spent on qualifying Uber Eats restaurant and grocery orders over $40

Suppose you book an eligible $50 Uber Reserve ride to the airport.

Here’s the calculation:

$50 in eligible spending × 3 miles per $1 = 150 Delta SkyMiles

Will those 150 miles immediately fly you to Greece?

Absolutely not.

They may not even get your suitcase to Greece.

But that’s not really the point. If you travel regularly, order Uber Eats, or depend on rideshare services for airport transportation, the miles can accumulate quietly over time.

It’s similar to finding a few dollars in a coat pocket—except you had to order an SUV because your luggage apparently packed for a six-month international tour.

Why This Is Worth Doing Before Your Next Trip

This isn’t the most dramatic travel perk you’ll ever encounter.

It’s not a free hotel night, automatic flight upgrade, or a massive credit-card welcome bonus that has you mentally booking Bora Bora before the card arrives in the mail.

But it’s still useful because it rewards purchases you may already be making.

You may already use Uber to:

• Get to and from the airport
• Reserve an early-morning pickup
• Book Uber Comfort when you’d like more room
• Request UberXL when you’re traveling with family, friends, or an unreasonable number of suitcases
• Order a qualifying restaurant or grocery delivery through Uber Eats

You don’t have to change the way you travel to benefit. You just have to make sure your accounts are connected before the eligible activity occurs.

That’s my favorite kind of travel tip: useful, easy, and unlikely to require a color-coded binder.

How to Link Your Delta SkyMiles and Uber Accounts

Uber’s official partnership instructions explain that you can connect your accounts through the Uber or Uber Eats app.

Here’s how:

1. Make sure you have the latest version of the Uber or Uber Eats app.
2. Open the app and select Account.
3. Choose Partner Rewards.
4. Select Delta SkyMiles.
5. Tap Link or Link Account.
6. Sign in to your Delta SkyMiles account and follow the prompts.

You can also begin through Uber’s Delta SkyMiles partnership page or Delta’s SkyMiles partner page.

Uber states that you only need to link your accounts once. After that, qualifying activity across both Uber rides and Uber Eats can earn miles automatically.

That makes this a true “set it and forget it” travel move.

Not the “forget it” where you leave your passport on the kitchen counter. The helpful kind.

Check Your Active Loyalty Partner

There’s one important detail you shouldn’t skip.

Uber explains that you can earn points or miles with only one active loyalty partner at a time.

Uber also offers loyalty earning through Marriott Bonvoy. Therefore, if your account is currently set to earn Marriott points, linking Delta may not automatically make Delta your active earning partner.

Check the Partner Rewards section in your Uber app and confirm which program is selected.

This doesn’t necessarily mean Delta is the better choice for everyone. Your best option depends on which rewards you value most and how you plan to use them.

If you’re actively saving SkyMiles for a Delta flight, choosing Delta may make sense. If you’re working toward a Marriott hotel stay, Marriott points may be more useful.

In other words, don’t accidentally abandon one rewards strategy while chasing another. Your points and miles deserve better than that kind of confusion.

A Few Important Restrictions

Before you start mentally assigning SkyMiles to every Uber you’ve taken since 2017, there are a few limitations.

The partnership is currently limited to eligible U.S. activity

Delta specifies that the partnership applies to qualifying activity in the United States.

That means you shouldn’t assume your Uber ride through Paris, London, Montego Bay, or anywhere else outside the United States will earn Delta miles through this partnership.

Enjoy the international ride. Take in the scenery. Just don’t count the miles before they post.

Not every part of your total counts

Delta’s stated terms exclude taxes, discounts, promotions, fees, tips, service charges, and certain non-food or beverage charges from eligible spending.

For example, suppose your Uber receipt looks like this:

• Eligible ride cost: $40
• Fees and taxes: $7
• Tip: $8
• Total charged: $55

Your mileage would generally be calculated from the eligible $40—not necessarily the entire $55.

If the ride earned 3 miles per eligible dollar, the calculation would be:

$40 × 3 miles = 120 Delta SkyMiles

Not:

$55 × 3 miles = 165 Delta SkyMiles

Your tip is still appreciated. It’s just not packing its bags and joining your SkyMiles account.

Uber Eats orders must meet the qualifying threshold

Delta currently states that qualifying Uber Eats restaurant and grocery orders must be over $40 to earn miles.

Because taxes, tips, delivery fees, service charges, and certain other charges may be excluded, don’t assume a $34 food subtotal qualifies simply because the final amount charged to your card is $46.

Check the eligible order subtotal before placing an order primarily for the mileage benefit.

And please don’t order an extra $18 appetizer just to earn a few Delta miles. At that point, you haven’t discovered a travel hack. You’ve simply purchased mozzarella sticks.

Who Should Link Their Accounts?

You should seriously consider linking your Delta SkyMiles and Uber accounts if:

• You fly Delta at least a few times a year
• You use Uber for airport transportation
• You book Uber Reserve for early or important pickups
• You choose Uber Comfort, UberXL, Uber Black, or Black SUV
• You place larger restaurant or grocery orders through Uber Eats
• You’re intentionally building your Delta SkyMiles balance for a future trip

Even if you only use Uber occasionally, linking your accounts takes very little effort.

The worst-case scenario is that you earn only a small number of miles.

The better scenario is that you gradually collect miles on rides and meals you were already planning to purchase.

And the truly unfortunate scenario is realizing a year from now that you could have been earning miles the entire time but never bothered to link the accounts.

Let’s avoid that one.

The Bottom Line

If you’re a Delta SkyMiles member and you use Uber, connect your accounts before your next eligible ride or Uber Eats order.

It’s a simple way to make your regular travel spending work a little harder for you without adding another complicated step to your trip.

You probably won’t notice a dramatic difference after one ride. But over time, small rewards can accumulate. That’s how travel rewards often work: one flight, one purchase, one airport ride, and one “I refuse to cook tonight” dinner order at a time.

Take a few minutes to link your accounts, confirm that Delta is your active Uber loyalty partner, and then go about your life.

Your future SkyMiles balance, and possibly your future vacation, may thank you.