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Whether you travel for work or play, you may find yourself booking the same airline again and again. And if you find an airline you enjoy flying with, we get why you may stay loyal to them.
If Delta is your airline of choice, then having a Delta credit card in your back pocket may come in handy.
Airline-affiliated credit cards often make it easier to earn rewards and enjoy perks with their brand, which can make your travels more enjoyable.
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express is one credit card you may consider if you prefer to fly Delta. Here's what to keep in mind when deciding if it's the right card for you.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express
Rewards Rate
- 2x miles on Delta purchases
- 2x miles at U.S. supermarkets
- 2x miles at restaurants
- 1x miles on all other eligible purchases
Welcome Offer
Earn 50,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Annual Fee
$0 for the first year, then $150 (rates and fees)
Overview of the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card
If you're a frequent flyer who prefers booking your flights with Delta, you can reap a lot of rewards by using the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express.
Not only can you earn miles on Delta purchases, but you'll also access some perks that will make your time spent flying Delta more enjoyable. From priority boarding to a free checked bag on Delta flights, using a Delta SkyMiles Gold can lead to easier travel days.
You'll also receive 20% back (as a statement credit) on in-flight food and drink purchases with Delta.
Pros
- $0 introductory annual fee for your first year
- Free checked bag
- Priority boarding
Cons
- Annual fee after first year
- Limited redemption options
Redeeming Rewards
One of the main downsides of the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card is your redemption options — or lack thereof. Unfortunately, when it comes time to redeem your hard-earned rewards, you are quite limited.
You can only redeem miles through direct Delta bookings. There is no option to transfer miles to another airline or to convert them into cash, statement credits, or gift cards.
On the bright side — you can save a bit of money when redeeming miles with Delta. For every 5,000 miles you redeem when booking Delta flights through Delta.com, you can save $50.
Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card Benefits
Earning points or miles with a credit card when you make purchases is all well and good, but you only earn those rewards by spending money.
It’s equally important to pay attention to what perks and benefits you gain from a credit card without having to spend money.
With the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express, you'll get:
- Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights
- First checked bag free on Delta flights
- A $100 Delta Flight Credit for future travel after spending $10,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year
- No foreign transaction fees
- Baggage insurance coverage*
- Rental car loss and damage insurance*
- 24/7 Global Assist Hotline*
Those are some pretty nice perks that could make the annual fee worth it — if you frequently fly with Delta.
Who Should Get the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card?
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express only makes sense if you are a frequent Delta passenger.
If this is your preferred airline and they have a lot of routes out of your local airports, it may be a no-brainer to choose a credit card that rewards you for flying with them. If you want to earn some miles for flying Delta and tap into some convenient perks like priority boarding, it may be the right card for you.
This card is also an excellent fit for anyone who loves to dine at restaurants, order takeout, or use food delivery services. You can earn just as many miles for those purchases as you can on Delta flight bookings and in-flight purchases.
Who Shouldn’t Get the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card?
You should not choose the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card if you don’t fly Delta often or if you can simply find a better deal on another travel credit card. Remember — after the first year, you'll need to pay an annual fee to keep this credit card active. So you need to earn enough rewards and perks to cancel that fee out.
Other travel credit cards may charge a similar annual fee but give you more flexibility with which airlines you earn and redeem rewards with.
You can only redeem your rewards with this card on Delta flight bookings, so loyalty is the name of the game here. Even if you are a Delta fan, you may find it hard to book all of your air travel with just this airline.
You may also be able to find much more exciting travel perks (you know we love a good airport lounge) with another travel credit card. Do some digging before making a final decision.
Alternatives to the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card
For Delta perks with no annual fee
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express
Rewards Rate
- 2x miles on Delta purchases and at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- 1x miles on all other eligible purchases
Welcome Offer
Earn 10,000 Bonus Miles after spending $1,000 in the first 6 months
Annual Fee
You have more than one Delta-affiliated credit card to choose from if you are specifically looking for a travel credit card that makes the most of your Delta bookings.
For example, with the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card, you earn a similar amount of rewards as the Delta SkyMiles Gold, but without having to pay an annual fee.
The biggest difference is you won’t earn boosted rewards on grocery purchases. You also won’t get priority boarding or a free checked bag, but if those perks aren’t important to you, it may be worth it to skip out on the annual fee that comes with the Delta SkyMiles Gold.
For more Delta perks
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
Rewards Rate
- 3x miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels
- 2x miles at restaurants worldwide, and on U.S. takeout, delivery, and supermarkets
- 1x on all other eligible purchases
Welcome Offer
Earn 60,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Annual Fee
$350 (rates and fees)
Another option when it comes to Delta credit cards is the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card.
This credit card comes with the steepest annual fee of all the Delta SkyMiles cards we reviewed here, but it also brings you the most perks and a higher rewards earning rate.
Whether or not paying the increased annual fee for this credit card is worth it depends entirely on how often you fly Delta, as well as if you plan to take advantage of other cardholder benefits. For example, you will receive a statement credit to help with the cost of Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®.**
For general travel rewards
American Express Platinum Card®
Rewards Rate
- 5x points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year; 1x thereafter
- 5x points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®
- 1x points on all other spending
Welcome Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
Annual Fee
$895 (rates and fees)
You don’t have to choose a credit card affiliated with Delta to be able to earn rewards when flying Delta.
For example, with the American Express Platinum Card®, you can earn up to $200 in statement credit that you can apply to incidental fees charged to the card like seat selection fees and baggage fees. Even better, you can use this credit with other airlines in different calendar years.
You'll also gain access to hundreds of dollars' worth of credits each year to apply to flights, hotels, Uber, and entertainment purchases.
The Platinum Card comes with some very valuable perks — but at a price. You need to make sure the annual fee is worth it.
The Bottom Line
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express is designed for loyal Delta customers — so if this is your preferred airline, you'll get quite a bit out of it, including priority boarding, a free checked bag, and Delta-focused redemption options.
Alternatively, if you love Delta but prefer not to pay an annual fee (or are willing to pay a higher fee for more perks), you may want to consider one of Delta's other credit card options.
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* Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
** Receive either up to a $120 statement credit for Global Entry or a credit of up to $85 for TSA PreCheck after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. Only one credit will be given in a 4 year period for Global Entry or in a 4.5 year period for TSA PreCheck, depending on whichever application fee is charged to your eligible American Express® Card first.
Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
