Following in the footsteps of fellow carriers Qantas and Virgin Atlantic, Delta Air Lines says it’s also teaming up with Airbnb to reward travelers who book stays through the home-sharing service.
Delta says its SkyMiles members can earn award miles toward free flights by booking directly through a dedicated portal at delta.com/airbnb — and not where the airline displays hotel results, powered by Expedia. At least, for now.
“Our members have repeatedly expressed desire to have choices when it comes to which partners they can earn miles with,” a spokesman said in a statement to Reuters. “Airbnb offers… options for our members in nearly every city Delta and our partners fly to.”
Airbnb will pay the airline for the miles its airline customers stack up through bookings, just like hotels do in similar partnerships.
It’s not surprising that Delta and other carriers are jumping on the Airbnb bandwagon: as the home-sharing site’s popularity increases, airlines are realizing they can take advantage of that trend.
“Nearly 20 percent of U.S. travelers, based on our research, have used a home-sharing site like Airbnb,” Henry Harteveldt, founder of travel consultancy Atmosphere Research Group, told Reuters. “Delta recognizes that.”
Delta turns to apartment-sharing service Airbnb for more business [Reuters]
by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist
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