Frequent flier miles are an easy way to help cut travel costs and earn free airline tickets or upgrades—but accumulating enough miles to score a freebie flight can take a while.
One way to help speed up the process is to stack rewards. It’s when you use multiple credit cards, shopping portals, linked loyalty accounts, or other tactics to double-dip on the number of miles you earn.
Some rewards stacking methods are akin to extreme couponing, and they can be more convoluted and time-consuming than is worth it for a lot of travelers. Others are easy, like linking your airline frequent flier account to your Lyft account and using the ride-hailing app as you usually would.
Lyft currently offers two partnerships—one with Alaska Airlines and one with Delta—that can help you earn additional miles. Here’s how:
Linking Lyft to an Alaska Mileage Plan
Alaska Airlines and Lyft announced a partnership in November 2022. Through their alliance, travelers earn one mile per dollar on all Lyft rides in the United States and Canada (not including fees, taxes, tolls, and tips). There’s no limit to how many Alaska miles you can earn with Lyft. It’s worth noting that flying Alaska, however, doesn’t earn any additional perks within the Lyft app.
How to link the accounts
Go to AlaskaLyft.com and click “Link your accounts.” You’ll then be prompted to sign into your Alaska Airlines account (if you’re not a Mileage Plan Member, click “Join Now” and create a new account) and then agree to the terms and conditions. You’ll then be brought to the Lyft website, where you’ll be asked to enter your phone number. Lyft will text you a six-digit verification code, and after you enter it on the website, the two accounts will automatically be linked.
Linking Lyft to Delta SkyMiles
Delta and Lyft’s partnership has been around since 2017. Through this alliance, Lyft riders can earn one mile per dollar spent on rides within the U.S. and two miles per dollar on rides to or from an airport in the U.S. (excluding fees, taxes, tolls, and tips). Those who are new Lyft users can also earn a $20 ride credit by making an account to link to their Delta SkyMiles number. As with Alaska Airlines, flying Delta doesn’t earn any additional bonuses for your Lyft account—it’s a one-way earning relationship.
How to link the accounts
Visit DeltaLyft.com, where you’ll be asked to enter your full name and SkyMiles number. After agreeing to the terms and conditions, click “Link Account.” You’ll then get a pop-up that reads, “We’ve validated your Delta SkyMiles account, now confirm or create your Lyft account to complete the linking process,” followed by a red button that says, “continue with Lyft.” Once you click the button and confirm your details with Lyft, your accounts will be linked, and you’ll earn miles on every eligible ride.
Can I link to both Alaska and Delta?
Sadly, no, you can only link to either Alaska or Delta, so you’ll need to choose the one that makes the most sense for you. But don’t worry: If you change your mind, you can always switch what accounts are linked.
Are there other ways to earn additional miles on my Lyft rides?
Yes! Beyond stacking the loyalty program bonuses, you can also stack points with Chase-branded credit cards through March 2025. Here’s the rundown:
- The Chase Sapphire Reserve card earns users 10 points per dollar spent on Lyft rides.
- The Chase Sapphire card earns 5 points per dollar spent on Lyft rides.
- The Chase Freedom, Chase Freedom Flex, Chase Freedom Unlimited, and Chase Freedom Student cards earn users 5 percent total cash back on Lyft rides.
- The Chase Ink Business Unlimited, Chase Ink Business Cash, Chase Ink Cash, and Chase Ink Business Premier cards also earn 5 percent total cash back on Lyft rides.
- The J.P. Morgan Reserve card earns 10 points per dollar spent on Lyft rides.
As long as an eligible Chase credit card is set as the default payment in Lyft, you’ll earn the additional points with no enrollment required. Those points can then be redeemed for travel, like flights and hotels, through the above Chase cards and their affiliated rewards programs.
