On the same day Hyatt announced the end of its exclusive loyalty relationship with American Airlines, it lined up its replacement, too.
Hyatt and Delta Air Lines announced Wednesday, September 9, that they’re forming a new long-term partnership. The relationship will formally launch in the coming months.
World of Hyatt elites will be able to earn Hyatt points on qualifying Delta flights, while Delta Medallion members will earn SkyMiles on qualifying Hyatt stays.
That’s about as specific as Hyatt and Delta are getting for now. The companies haven’t said which elite members will qualify, how much they’ll earn, or even exactly when the partnership will launch.
But the timing clears up at least some of the mystery from earlier Wednesday. Hyatt isn’t walking away from airline partnerships. It’s swapping one exclusive airline relationship for another.
World of Hyatt and Delta SkyMiles Members Will Be Able to Double Dip
The first confirmed benefit is reciprocal earning.
Eligible World of Hyatt elite members will earn Hyatt points on qualifying Delta airfare purchases in eligible fare classes. Delta Medallion members, meanwhile, will be able to earn SkyMiles on qualifying stays at participating Hyatt properties.
Those rewards will come on top of what members already earn through the program they’re doing business with. Naturally, this will create a chance to double dip across flights and hotel stays.
But there are still plenty of blanks to fill in.
Hyatt and Delta haven’t shared which elite tiers will qualify, the earning rates, which Delta fares or Hyatt properties will participate, or exactly when the partnership will launch. Enrollment details are also coming later.
And apparently, reciprocal earning is only the beginning. The companies say additional benefits and experiences will be unveiled later this year.
Hyatt Is Swapping American for Delta
Earlier Wednesday, American and Hyatt announced that they won’t continue their enhanced loyalty relationship. American later confirmed to Points Insider that its exclusive Hyatt partnership expires in November and won’t be renewed.
A few hours later, Hyatt described its new relationship with Delta as exclusive.
That explains quite a bit.
We’ve covered the American breakup separately, including what happens to existing benefits and what AA told Points Insider about the decision. The short version is that a relationship that had already been scaled back in 2025 is winding down, while Hyatt is preparing to launch a new one with Delta.
There’s an interesting reversal here, too. American and Hyatt eliminated reciprocal earning last year. Hyatt and Delta are putting it back at the center of their new partnership, at least for eligible elite members.
However, the full details will determine whether that’s as useful as it sounds.
Leave a Reply