Delta and DraftKings are bringing a new kind of sports experience onboard: SkyPicks, a free-to-play sports knowledge contest built for fans who want to do more than just watch. SkyMiles Members (ages 21 and up) can make sports prediction picks and play to win Delta Gift Cards – no betting, deposit functionality, buy-in, miles or financial risk involved. It’s one more way Delta is becoming the home for sports fandom in the sky.
For sports fans, passion doesn't pause when you board a plane. The trade deadline drama, the pennant race, the fantasy matchup — it all travels with you.
Through Delta's onboard entertainment offerings, customers can already watch live sports, stream games and matchups, and read in-depth coverage from some of the most trusted names in sports media — all at 35,000 feet. Sports content consistently ranks among the highest-performing content categories on Delta Sync, and live sports at altitude can create communal moments as fans watch and celebrate their seats.
86%
of sports fans say that watching sports help them
feel a sense of belonging, even when they feel
disconnected.
Source: Kantar Sports MONITOR 2025 Fan Engagement Study
That’s why Delta, in partnership with DraftKings, is bringing a new sports experience onboard, designed for the diehards and casual fans alike – one that meets you where your fandom lives.
Introducing SkyPicks
As announced at CES 2025, Delta is introducing a first-of-its-kind collaboration with DraftKings that lets fans flex their sports expertise in-flight to win Delta Gift Cards, awarded weekly and monthly.
Available starting today for eligible SkyMiles Members, SkyPicks™ gives sports fans a new way to engage with the teams and leagues they love – letting them participate in the sports conversation, not just watch.
SkyPicks is a completely free-to-play sports contest—no wagering, deposits, real money, miles, or currency involved. Similar to the Delta Sync Sky Hopper game, SkyPicks extends the play-to-win experience to sports fans. Designed solely as an entertainment experience within Delta Sync Wi-Fi, the contest gives fans a chance to test their sports knowledge and compete for Delta Gift Cards. SkyPicks will launch with Major League Baseball contests, with NFL matchups coming later this year as the season gets underway.
How it works: SkyMiles Members (21 and up) can use their laptop or mobile device to make predictions tied to real matchups. Whether you’re flying to cheer on your favorite team or simply following the action from your flight, SkyPicks gives fans an opportunity to put their sports knowledge and acumen to the test—and top scorers can win a Delta Gift Card toward their next trip.
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“With Delta Sync, our goal is to create an onboard experience that offers something for every customer—one that’s connected to what customers love on the ground,” said Ranjan Goswami, Chief Marketing and Product Officer. “For many of our customers, that includes sports. SkyPicks brings that passion onboard in a fun, free-to-play way, giving SkyMiles Members another way to engage with the games and conversations they love while they fly.”
SkyPicks: How to play (and win)
- Log on to Delta Sync Wi-Fi and open SkyPicks (note: SkyPicks is only available through Delta Sync Wi-Fi on personal devices, not through seatback screens)
- Sign in with your DraftKings account (or create one, if you’re new to DraftKings)†
- Choose your league to unlock a set of questions about a single game, or a predefined group of games
- Make your picks by answering a series of questions – a mix of player head-to-heads (“Who will have more points?”) and game-winner picks (“Which team will win?”)
- Submit your picks to enter the contest (you can edit your picks up until the game or match-up, so last-minute line-up changes or player injuries won’t affect your ability to compete)
- Prizes will be awarded to the top performers in individual contests and monthly leaderboards. Contests run twice a week, and while onboard, SkyMiles Members can always enter the next upcoming contest (so you can play even if your team’s games are on a different day than your Delta flight).
In the event of a tie, players must predict the total amount of points or runs scored in a game.
*Contest only available to customers 21+, on U.S. domestic routes. Customers under the age of 21 will not see the DraftKings experience within the Delta Sync Wi-Fi portal.
†To play, customers must sign in with or create a DraftKings account and agree to DraftKings’ contest terms, privacy policy and applicable email communications. Customers must be opted in to required SkyPicks-related emails to be notified if they win.
SkyPicks: At-A-Glance
- Free-to-play sports knowledge contest
- No wagering, deposits or financial risk
- Delta Gift Cards awarded to top performers
- Available through Delta Sync Wi-Fi (for Members 21+) on personal devices
- Not connected to real-money sportsbook activity
A new kind of onboard sports experience
As the “Official Airline of Champions,” Delta is already the airline of choice for some of the biggest names in sports, having flown 81 championship teams across multiple leagues since 2000.
Back in the New York groove: Delta carries championship Knicks team home after Game 5 series win
Delta adds another title as the official airline of champions, proudly flying the winning New York Knicks team throughout the regular season and postseason.
Now, with a growing portfolio of sports content and experiences onboard, Delta is making its name as the home for sports fandom in the sky.
"At DraftKings, we believe interaction with sports shouldn't begin and end with the game itself—it should extend to every moment fans care about," said Jeremy Elbaum, Chief Commercial Officer at DraftKings. "As we continue elevating the DraftKings Sports experience, we're also exploring new ways to bring fans closer to the action beyond the traditional settings. Collaborating with Delta gives us the opportunity to reimagine what sports engagement can look like while traveling, bringing innovative ways for fans to stay connected to the games they love—even when they’re in the air."
Whether you want to track a matchup, catch a game in real time with Live TV (available on 85% of Delta’s fleet), dive into the latest analysis or test your sports instincts for a chance to win, customers have a way to flex their fandom onboard.
Delta makes it easy to stay connected to the sports you love while you’re in the air.
- Explore the sports universe available on streaming partner FOX One, including live games and events from NFL on FOX, MLB, NASCAR, IndyCar and college football (including the Big Ten).
- Watch UFC on CBS streaming through Paramount+
- Cheer on your team with Amazon Prime Thursday Night Football, available on aircraft equipped with Live TV
- Dive deeper into in-depth, personalized coverage of your favorite sports, teams and players with expert insights from The Athletic, a sub-brand of The New York Times
It’s all part of the Delta Sync promise: using fast, free Wi-Fi (now available on more than 1,200 aircraft) and curated partnerships to make time onboard feel more personal, engaging and connected to what customers love on the ground. With SkyPicks, that means giving sports fans another way to follow the action, play along and make the most of their time onboard.
Read more on Delta Sync partnerships and experiences.
Related Topics: In-Flight Entertainment, Partnerships, Onboard
