Lyft Is Out, Uber Is In: Delta Unveils Tech Upgrades and New Partners, Including YouTube and Joby

Delta Air Lines unveiled multiple new partnerships today, as well as several technological enhancements to improve customers’ flying experience.

These announcements came during Delta’s CES 2025 keynote speech in Las Vegas, and customers will start seeing these improvements soon. Here’s what you need to know.

Delta’s New Partnership With Uber

Delta Air Lines has had a partnership with Lyft for years now, but it’s forming a new partnership with Uber instead. This signals the end of the Lyft partnership.

More than 15% of all Uber rides are going to or from an airport, and Delta wants its SkyMiles members to benefit from these rides. There’s no official launch date yet, but here’s what members will earn after linking their SkyMiles and Uber accounts:

• 3x SkyMiles on Uber Reserve rides to and from airports
• 2x SkyMiles per $1 spent on premium rides to and from airports
• 1x SkyMile per $1 spent on Uber X rides to and from airports
• 1x SkyMile on eligible restaurant and grocery orders

Delta’s partnership with Lyft will end on April 7, as confirmed by the airline.

“While Delta’s partnership with Lyft is ending, customers can continue earning miles with Delta via Lyft rides through April 7, 2025. Customers with linked accounts will receive direct communication from Delta and Lyft in the coming days about the transition. We are appreciative of the partnership we’ve had with Lyft benefiting loyal customers who have collectively earned billions of miles.”

-Statement from a Delta spokesperson

Joby Partnership for Electric Air Taxis

Delta is partnering with Joby, which hopes to transform the way you get between home and the airport. Delta and Joby are waiting for regulatory approval to start offering “electric air taxis” to Los Angeles (LAX) and both JFK and LaGuardia airports in New York City.

Inflight Entertainment Upgrades

Delta’s new partnership with YouTube and upgrades to the Delta Sync inflight entertainment system will soon improve the passenger experience. SkyMiles members will have free access to YouTube Premium, YouTube Music, and personalized content while onboard.

Plus, starting in 2026, Delta’s next-generation entertainment system will offer state-of-the-art features like 4K HDR QLED displays, Bluetooth pairing, and advanced content recommendations, alongside innovations like a “Do Not Disturb” mode and multilingual seatback announcements

Other Delta News From CES

Delta has unveiled its AI-powered Delta Concierge, which will be integrated into the Fly Delta app starting this year. It will offer real-time, personalized guidance using AI to help with airport navigation or to answer general questions. It will also be integrated with SkyMiles to help with membership questions or even answer queries about passport and visa requirements.

In the future, the goal is for this AI to give you personalized inflight entertainment suggestions.

Delta also talked about its deepening partnership with Airbus. Both companies are focusing on the future of flying, exploring improved fuel efficiency and wing performance. They’re also looking at new technology for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and even Airbus’ “fello’fly” technique, inspired by the flying V formation geese use, to potentially increase fuel efficiency during flights.

Final Thoughts

Delta and Airbus are working on some interesting technologies. However, those may not lead to anything — and probably won’t affect the travel experience the way other announcements from today can.

Travelers will soon have access to premium YouTube content (at no charge) during flights, will see upgraded inflight entertainment systems, and will be able to earn SkyMiles on Uber rides to and from airports.

And if the missing signatures come through, you may even be able to book an electric air taxi to the airport for your next Delta flight.