This summer, Delta Air Lines will be streamlining travel options for premium flyers to many of Europe’s hard-to-reach summer destinations. The carrier will now allow Delta One passengers the opportunity to book final-leg charter flights through the carrier’s private jet subsidiary, Wheels Up.

Those traveling to destinations like Athens, Nice, or Rome will be able to book onward private jet travel to high-profile but hard-to-reach destinations like Mykonos or St. Tropez.

Wheels Up will arrange charter and transfer operations using its global fleet of more than 7,000 aircraft and helicopters.

Customers booking these new transfers will have the option to purchase Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), to ensure that their flight has as low of a carbon footprint as possible. Delta SkyMiles and Wheels Up’s loyalty programs are now fully integrated, offering additional benefits to frequent travelers.

This initiative will bring together both commercial and private aviation, offering a seamless and customizable luxury travel experience for premium passengers of all kinds.

Why Is This A Good Idea For Delta?

This new partnership, which was originally reported on by Condé Nast Traveller, is a strategic win for both companies involved. This partnership opens doors for premium travelers across both operators.

For Delta, it increases the appeal of the company’s highest-end services by seamlessly connecting Delta One passengers to some of Europe’s most sought-after summer destinations without requiring passengers to take an inconvenient ferry or regional flight.

This partnership also opens up many doors for Wheels Up and makes the company more attractive than many of its competitors for charter flights to and from these destinations. George Mattson, the CEO of Wheels Up and a former member of Delta’s Board of Directors, had the following words to share regarding the matter:

“Delta has a huge global network. They fly to hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of airports. But if you connect it now to Wheels Up, it’s every airport—it’s infinite.”

Mattson went on to discuss how this move helps merge two previously separated sectors of the aviation industry from a supply perspective.

The passengers who are looking for private flights to St. Tropez are likely the same customers looking for business class tickets on transatlantic flights from New York to Nice. At the end of the day, serving these customers together is better than doing so separately.

Loyalty Program Integration Is A Key Piece Of Delta’s Strategy

The integration of these two companies’ loyalty programs is another key piece of this strategy. The airline is offering a number of incentives to Wheels Up members.

For starters, those who spend more than $100,000 over a one-year period will automatically receive Diamond Medallion Status with Delta Air Lines.

Furthermore, Delta SkyMiles members with Diamond or Platinum Medallion status will be able to select a Wheels Up flight credit as one of their annual Choice Benefits.

Wheels Up members who add to their existing balances through the end of the month will receive their choice among multiple lucrative benefits. These include a 5% Wheels Up flight credit or a million bonus SkyMiles.

A Bigger Piece Of Delta’s Overarching Strategy

Delta Air Lines has gone out of its way over the past year to cater to premium travelers, primarily by expanding its offerings in higher-end cabins.

Premium travelers have single-handedly helped keep Delta on the path towards sustained profitability despite industry uncertainty created by trade wars and geopolitical tension.

Attempting to appeal to this newest high-spending demographic of the travel market is an essential piece of Delta’s operational strategy. Trying to cater to ultra-high-net-worth individuals who routinely vacation in places like St. Tropez looks on paper to be a winning strategy.

However, Wheels Up has had its struggles in recent years, and many passengers who are looking to fly private will be looking to travel on premium carriers that offer first-class cabins.

Many of Delta’s European competitors, such as Air France and SWISS International Air Lines, do offer first-class accommodations, while Delta only has a business-class cabin.