Amex Pays Delta 3.8 Cents Per Dollar Charged—Why Banks Pay More For Miles Than You Do

September 18, 2026

Banks pay for miles, lounge access, brand rights and a chance to sell credit cards to loyal travelers. Delta’s disclosures and an unusually detailed contract from another airline show how much money changes hands.

news

Sources

viewfromthewing

Never miss an award travel update

AwardClaw scans 16+ blogs hourly and monitors award availability across 125+ destinations daily. Get the signal, skip the noise.

More news news

Oct 14

Chase Increasing the Legacy IHG Select Card Annual Fee — Is It Still Worth Keeping?

Oct 14

Good (Spending) Leads The Way: United Will Increase Elite Requirements, While Giving Fewer Benefits

Oct 14

Exclusive: Delta Eyes American’s Austin Admirals Club For A Temporary Delta One Lounge

Oct 14

Bittersweet: Hyatt Online Transfers Will Finally Arrive Tomorrow, But New Limits Will Be In Place

Oct 14

Amex Pays Delta 3.8 Cents Per Dollar Charged—Why Banks Pay More For Miles Than You Do

Sources

Never miss an award travel update

More news news

Chase Increasing the Legacy IHG Select Card Annual Fee — Is It Still Worth Keeping?

Good (Spending) Leads The Way: United Will Increase Elite Requirements, While Giving Fewer Benefits

Exclusive: Delta Eyes American’s Austin Admirals Club For A Temporary Delta One Lounge

Bittersweet: Hyatt Online Transfers Will Finally Arrive Tomorrow, But New Limits Will Be In Place

Air Canada Will Fly Non-Stop from Montréal to Seville on the A321XLR