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Airbnb users can now earn even more Delta Air Lines miles each time they book through the short-term rental platform.
Starting May 5, 2026, Delta SkyMiles members can earn 3 miles per $1 spent on qualifying Airbnb services and experiences. Those offerings are relatively new additions to Airbnb, allowing guests to book activities and tours the way one might using TripAdvisor or GetYourGuide.
SkyMiles members will continue to earn 1 mile per $1 on Airbnb stays. These earnings are on top of any credit card rewards you might receive.
Here’s what to know about the new changes, including an update on how to activate the ability to earn rewards.
How to activate these rewards
As part of the changes, Airbnb and Delta have introduced a new way to activate the partnership to earn miles on eligible bookings.
You’ll still need to connect your Delta SkyMiles and Airbnb accounts by going to www.deltaairbnb.com.
» Learn more: The complete guide to Delta SkyMiles
Your accounts will remain connected for a 10-day booking period, and any eligible purchases for Airbnb homes, experiences and services made during that time will earn miles.
Airbnb stays will earn 1 mile per $1 spent, while qualifying Airbnb services and experiences will earn at a higher 3 miles per $1. Taxes, discounts, incentives and other fees are ineligible for mileage earning. All stays and experiences are eligible to earn Delta miles, but some services are excluded, such as Instacart grocery delivery and airport pickups from Welcome Pickups.
Make sure you can see Delta’s logo along with the estimated number of miles you’ll earn. That means your booking is eligible for earning miles, which will be deposited into your Delta SkyMiles account after your booking is completed. If you don’t see the logo, you won’t earn miles on the booking.
After the 10-day window expires, you will need to reconnect your accounts by going through the same process.
While these may seem like small changes, they are an improvement over the previous system, which required you to access Airbnb through the portal before making each booking. There also wasn’t an easy way to see if your purchase would track or how many miles you would earn.
Potential alternatives to consider
If you are an Airbnb power user, this is great news. It’s much easier to make sure you’re earning the correct number of Delta miles on your purchases, and more purchase types are now eligible.
However, that doesn’t mean you should go out of your way to book Airbnb services and experiences through the Delta partnership.
There may be other ways to earn Delta miles, such as through Delta’s SkyMiles Shopping portal, when purchasing an activity or experience via another platform like GetYourGuide and Viator. It’s worth checking to see if there is an elevated earning rate that might be higher than the 3 miles per $1 for Airbnb experiences and services.
Also, price shop between the various platforms to make sure you’re getting the best deal. Use NerdWallet’s valuation of Delta miles at 1.2 cents apiece to determine how much value you are really getting.
Top photo courtesy of Delta Air Lines.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2026:
- Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
- Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Luxury perks: American Express Platinum Card®
- Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
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