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Delta Air Lines and DraftKings have launched SkyPicks, a free-to-play sports prediction contest available on domestic Delta flights through Delta Sync Wi-Fi.
The launch extends the DraftKings brand beyond the sportsbook and daily fantasy apps players already know, putting a no-risk DK Predictions game in front of a captive in-flight audience. It’s the latest example of a major operator building brand familiarity through free-to-play products rather than real-money wagering alone.
How SkyPicks works
SkyMiles Members 21 and older can access SkyPicks on their personal laptop or mobile device while connected to Delta Sync Wi-Fi on U.S. domestic flights. Players sign in with or create a DraftKings account, using their SkyMiles information to verify eligibility.
Contests ask players to make picks on real sporting events, including who scores first, which team wins, and a final-score tiebreaker. SkyPicks launched with MLB matchups, with NFL contests set to follow once the season kicks off. New entries can only be submitted while a flight is in the air, though players can manage existing entries after landing.
No real-money wagering involved
SkyPicks does not involve betting, deposits, or real-money prizes. That’s by design: real-money gambling on commercial flights is prohibited under federal law. Instead, top performers in individual contests and monthly leaderboards win Delta gift cards, redeemable toward future travel.
DraftKings Chief Commercial Officer Jeremy Elbaum framed the collaboration as a way to bring fans closer to the games they care about beyond traditional settings, while Delta’s Ranjan Goswami, the airline’s chief marketing and product officer, described SkyPicks as another way for SkyMiles Members to engage with sports they love while flying.
Why it matters
The Delta partnership was first announced at CES 2025, and this launch puts it into practice. For DraftKings, SkyPicks functions as a top-of-funnel play: a no-cost entry point that builds its user database and familiarizes travelers with its brand, with the door open for eventual conversion to real-money betting products once players are back on the ground and in a legal betting market.
