Delta and Hyatt announced a long-term loyalty partnership on September 9, 2026. When it launches, eligible elite members of Delta SkyMiles and World of Hyatt will earn in both programs at once: Hyatt points on qualifying Delta fares, and Delta miles on qualifying Hyatt stays. Neither company has given a launch date yet.

That last part matters more than the headline. Nothing changes on your next trip. What you can do now is understand who the first benefits are for, and what is still unknown.

What Delta and Hyatt Announced

Both companies published the news the same afternoon, in the Delta News Hub and the Hyatt Newsroom. They describe the same deal in slightly different words.

Delta calls it a "new, exclusive loyalty relationship launching in the coming months." Hyatt calls it a "long-term strategic loyalty collaboration." Both say the first benefits are aimed at elite members, and both say more details are coming.

The core benefit has a name. Delta calls it Dual Earn.

How Dual Earn Will Work

There are two sides to it, and each one is for a different member.

World of Hyatt elites flying Delta. Hyatt says eligible World of Hyatt elite members will be able to earn World of Hyatt points on qualifying Delta airfare purchases within qualifying fare classes. Delta adds that these members will also earn "certain other SkyMiles benefits."

Delta Medallion members staying at Hyatt. Delta SkyMiles Medallion members will be eligible to earn miles for qualifying stays at participating Hyatt properties. Delta says they will also earn certain other World of Hyatt benefits.

So the earning stacks. A Medallion member at a Hyatt earns Hyatt points as usual, plus Delta miles. A Hyatt elite on a Delta flight earns miles as usual, plus Hyatt points.

Note the words doing the work: eligible, qualifying, participating. Neither release defines them. We do not yet know which fare classes count, which hotels take part, or which elite tiers qualify.

What We Do Not Know Yet

This is a list of open questions, and it is longer than the list of answers.

  • The launch date. Delta says "the coming months." Hyatt says details on launch timing and eligibility will come "soon."
  • Enrollment. Hyatt says details on enrollment, eligibility, earning opportunities and launch experiences will be shared "in the months ahead." Whether members will need to link accounts is one of those details.
  • Earning rates. No release gives a number of miles per stay or points per dollar.
  • Status benefits. Both companies mention "certain other" benefits for elites. Neither says what they are.

Hyatt also says the partnership will offer exclusive benefits and experiences, "many of which will be unveiled later this year."

The Size of Each Side

Delta's release gives a sense of scale. Hyatt has 36 brands across 83 countries. Delta serves more than 200 million customers a year across more than 300 destinations on six continents.

Hyatt's release pairs Delta routes with Hyatt hotels to show the idea. Its examples include Los Angeles to Hong Kong with Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, the new JFK to Malta route with Hyatt Centric Malta, and Atlanta to Cancun with Secrets Moxche Playa del Carmen.

Why This Partnership Matters

Hyatt brings an award chart that still publishes prices, which we cover in our World of Hyatt award chart guide. Delta brings a route network that reaches most of the places Hyatt's resort guests are going.

Delta frames it as part of a wider plan. Its release says the deal adds "a dedicated premium hotel loyalty program" to the ways SkyMiles members can already plan and book trips.

"At Delta, premium has never been about just a seat," said Ed Bastian, Chief Executive Officer of Delta Air Lines, in the release. Mark Hoplamazian, Chairman, President and CEO of Hyatt, said the two brands "share a vision for delivering thoughtful, premium experiences that put our members first."

That is corporate framing, and it should be read as such. The practical read is simpler. Travelers who split their loyalty between Delta and Hyatt will soon get paid twice for the same trip.

Hyatt's Other Airline News

The same day, Hyatt posted an update on its American Airlines relationship. The two companies "mutually decided to not continue" their enhanced relationship. Members who have linked accounts keep earning for now, and Hyatt gives dates for when that ends. We cover those dates in a separate piece.

Both announcements came out on the same day. If you earn with Hyatt through American today, read both.

What to Do Now

For most members, nothing yet. There is no enrollment page and no earning to claim.

If you are a Delta Medallion member, keep booking where you were going to stay. When Dual Earn launches, Hyatt stays should earn miles on top of Hyatt points. Our Delta SkyMiles hub will carry the details once Delta publishes them.

If you hold World of Hyatt status, the same logic runs the other way. Delta fares in qualifying classes should start earning Hyatt points. Our World of Hyatt hub and Globalist status guide cover what that status is worth today.

If you have neither status, this first phase is not aimed at you. Both companies say initial benefits focus on elites, with additional eligibility details to come.

We will update this piece when Delta and Hyatt publish launch timing and earning rates.

This article contains affiliate links. If you apply through our links, we may earn a commission at no cost to you, which helps us continue sharing points and miles strategies with the community.

Sources

  1. Delta News Hub, Delta and Hyatt introduce new strategic relationship (Sep 9, 2026; read 2026-09-11): exclusive relationship launching in the coming months, initial benefits for elites, Dual Earn, Ed Bastian quote, Hyatt 36 brands and 83 countries, Delta 200M customers and 300 destinations
  2. Hyatt Newsroom, Hyatt and Delta announce strategic loyalty collaboration (Sep 9, 2026; read 2026-09-11): dual earn terms for Hyatt elites and Medallion members, launch timing and eligibility to come, benefits unveiled later this year, Mark Hoplamazian quote, route and hotel pairings
  3. Hyatt Newsroom, Update on American Airlines and Hyatt Relationship (Sep 9, 2026; read 2026-09-11): the two companies mutually decided not to continue the enhanced relationship

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