Delta Devaluing Starbucks Partnership on August 5

Updated: July 27, 2026, 10:38am CDT

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Table of Contents

The Current Delta-Starbucks Setup
Earning Rates Changing in August
Final Thoughts

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Delta and Starbucks are changing their partnership in August, and it’s a bummer for anyone who’s enjoyed the current setup, which offers bonus miles on balance reloads and double stars on days with a Delta flight.

As of August 5, the earning rates will change, and not for the better. If you’re a Delta flyer who’s enjoyed earnings on your coffee purchases, here’s what you need to know.

The Current Delta-Starbucks Setup

Currently, members who link their Starbucks and Delta SkyMiles accounts can earn double Starbucks stars on Delta travel days (i.e., days when they are taking a Delta flight).

Members also earn miles when reloading their Starbucks balance:

Reloading $25 to $49.99 earns 25 miles
Reloading $50 to $74.99 earns 75 miles
Reloading $75 to $99.99 earns 125 miles
Reloading $100 earns 200 miles

Members can link their accounts here.

Depending on the reload amount, members can earn 2 SkyMiles per $1 spent under the current setup. However, this setup is changing in just a few days.

Earning Rates Changing in August

On August 5, 2026, the way members earn SkyMiles on Starbucks purchases will change, and it won’t be as lucrative.

As of August 5, members will no longer earn double stars or earn bonus miles. Instead, members will earn a flat 1 SkyMile per $1 spent at Starbucks — but only if they’ve taken a Delta flight in the past 12 months. That earning rate doesn’t include taxes, tips, gift cards, or alcohol purchases.

Delta email Starbucks changing 2026 — Screenshot: Communication from Delta

With these changes, members won’t earn double stars on Delta travel days; instead, they’ll earn based on spending, as long as they took a Delta flight in the past year.

Hot Tip:

Interestingly, this change brings back some of what this partnership used to offer (earning 1x miles) before it changed in 2024, ushering in the “reloads and double stars” setup that’s soon ending.

Final Thoughts

Delta and Starbucks formed their partnership back in 2022. Since then, the way members earn Skymiles and stars has changed multiple times.

On August 5, 2026, it’s changing once again. Members will need to take a Delta flight every 12 months to keep earning miles on Starbucks purchases, bonuses on balance reloads are going away, and the double stars looks set to end, as it’s nowhere to be found in the email going out to SkyMiles members this morning.