Delta partners with DraftKings; inflight gambling with SkyMiles not yet planned

Details about what this collaboration will entail are still forthcoming. A company spokesperson noted, "Specific details on the agreement and the type of DraftKings offerings coming to Delta Sync [Wi-Fi] will be shared when they're finalized."

Tim Mapes, Delta's chief communications officer, hinted at future possibilities for the partnership. He said, "The DraftKings announcement we made: If you played that forward — and I'm not saying this is where we're going — but if you played that forward, international flights could have gambling. International flights could gamble with SkyMiles as a currency."

Legal restrictions currently prevent airlines from offering gambling on commercial flights within U.S. airspace. Despite this, Delta seems interested in exploring potential opportunities within the gambling industry while considering how its frequent flyer miles might be used creatively.

Mapes added, "You have a currency in SkyMiles, and you have all these different means to accumulate, redeem, find new ways of valuing that currency or elevating the utility of that currency in ways that people really enjoy."

Any deeper involvement between Delta and DraftKings would likely attract regulatory scrutiny given recent increased oversight by Congress and federal agencies over airline loyalty programs.

For now, passengers can expect some form of game offerings through this partnership without actual wagers involved. Whether gambling with frequent flyer miles becomes feasible remains uncertain.