When Delta added Airbnb to its SkyMiles program as an earning partner in November of 2016, it was a clear sign that Airbnb had come of age. The home-sharing service was no longer a novelty; it had earned a durable place in the travel landscape, alongside the likes of Hilton and Marriott.
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For the second time since the partnership’s launch, Delta has doubled down on that endorsement, offering bonus miles for first-time Airbnb customers and tripling the earning rate for established customers.
Offer Details
Through October 31, SkyMiles members can earn a 2,000-mile bonus and a $25 discount for their first Airbnb stay. And during the same period, all Airbnb customers can earn three Delta miles for every $1 spent for their stays—triple the normal earning rate.
Also through October 31, there are special incentives in place for new Airbnb hosts:
- 2,500 bonus miles after the first $250 in host earnings
- 7,500 additional bonus miles after $1,000 in earnings
- 15,000 additional bonus miles after $2,500 in earnings
To earn the bonuses, sign-ups and bookings must be made through the dedicated deltaairbnb.com webpage.
Deal or No Deal
Airbnb has mileage-earning relationships with Virgin America and Qantas, and with United via that airline’s MileagePlus X shopping app. But the Delta tie-up is its highest-profile marketing relationship to date. Triple miles are clearly designed to raise that profile even further.
If the normal earning rate is a difference-maker, then triple miles can only be that much more meaningful. For stays at the major hotel chains, SkyMiles members generally earn between one and three miles per $1 spent. So this promotion makes Airbnb competitive with traditional hotels, mileage-wise.
Reader Reality Check
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After 20 years working in the travel industry, and almost that long writing about it, Tim Winship knows a thing or two about travel. Follow him on Twitter @twinship.
This article first appeared on SmarterTravel.com, where Tim is Editor-at-Large.
