Delta and DraftKings Launch Free SkyPicks Sports Prediction Game for Airline Passengers

Delta Air Lines has launched SkyPicks, a free DraftKings-branded sports prediction game available to passengers on flights equipped with Delta Sync Wi-Fi. The game is open only to travelers 21 and older, and Delta has been careful to note that it does not constitute gambling under federal aviation law.

Instead of wagering real money, players compete for Delta gift cards by answering prediction questions tied to live sports matchups. The launch marks the first tangible product to come out of a partnership Delta and DraftKings first teased at CES back in January 2025.

How SkyPicks Works in the Air

SkyPicks runs through Delta Sync Wi-Fi and is accessed on a personal laptop or mobile device rather than through seatback entertainment screens. To play, passengers sign in with an existing DraftKings account or create a new one, then choose a league to unlock a set of eight to 12 questions built around a single game or group of games.

The format blends player head-to-head comparisons with straightforward winner picks, giving it the feel of a lightweight version of the daily fantasy contests DraftKings built its early business on. Players can revise their picks right up until a matchup starts, so a late scratch or lineup change doesn’t lock anyone out. Ties in a contest are broken using predicted total points or runs scored, depending on the sport.

Delta said the game will always have an active contest available for passengers to join, even on days when a traveler’s preferred team isn’t in action. Top finishers earn rewards both in individual contests and on recurring monthly leaderboards, with new contests rolling out twice a week.

Why No Real Money Changes Hands

The no-wagering structure isn’t just a design choice — it’s a legal necessity. A 1962 federal law bars gambling on commercial aircraft, a statute Senator Richard Blumenthal invoked last year when he pressed Delta and DraftKings not to allow in-flight sports betting. SkyPicks appears built specifically to satisfy that boundary: it carries DraftKings branding and sportsbook-style mechanics, but strips out any deposit function, buy-in, or financial risk.

SkyPicks is starting with MLB matchups, with NFL contests set to be added once that season kicks off. Delta says sports content already performs well across its in-flight entertainment platform, which factored into the decision to add an interactive, prediction-based product built around live games.

Part of a Bigger DraftKings Push

The airline partnership lands as DraftKings works to fold its sportsbook, casino, lottery, and prediction-market products into what the company calls a “Super App.” That effort also includes the recent rollout of DKeX, DraftKings’ own prediction-markets exchange.

“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. “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.”

Delta operates as many as 5,500 flights daily to more than 300 destinations across six continents, and carried over 200 million passengers last year — giving DraftKings a sizable new audience with essentially no overlap with its existing sportsbook or casino apps. For fans who like to track odds and lines even when they’re not betting, sites like MLB odds pages remain the go-to resource once the plane lands and real wagering is back on the table.