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If you run a business, you know just how quickly expenses can mount. From office supplies to client lunches to business travel, it takes money to make money.
And if you find yourself jetting off to conferences or meetings multiple times a year, it’s a good idea to consider applying for a business credit card that rewards you for booking flights.
If Delta is your airline of choice, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card rewards you for booking Delta flights. Plus, it has some pretty handy perks, like priority boarding, a free checked bag, and in-flight discounts.
Quick Facts: Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card
- Rewards rate: 2x miles on Delta purchases; 2x miles on restaurants, U.S. shipping; and select U.S. advertising (up to $50,000 per category, per year); 1x miles on other purchases
- Welcome offer: Earn 55,000 Bonus Miles after spending $4,000 in 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 Business American Express Card
If you are loyal to Delta, then the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card may be worth considering. You can enjoy some impressive perks when flying Delta, and the annual fee doesn’t kick in until the second year.
If you think you can earn enough rewards with this card to balance out that annual fee year after year, the miles and other cardholder benefits may be very well worth it. From earning miles for booked flights to priority boarding and in-flight discounts, there are plenty of benefits frequent flyers will appreciate.
Pros
- First checked bag free on Delta flights
- 20% discount on in-flight Delta purchases (as statement credit)
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Annual fee after first year
- No Sky Club® lounge access
LEARN MORE: Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card
How to Redeem Delta SkyMiles®
You’ll get the best value from your miles when you use them for booking Delta flights directly. However, not all Delta flights are eligible to be bought with miles.
You’ll need to look specifically for the flights that are marked as eligible for “Pay with Miles.” Points are generally valued at $0.01, so 50,000 miles would get you $50.
As well, miles redemptions must be in 5,000-mile increments — the total cost of your flight will be rounded up to the nearest 5,000 miles. According to Delta, “you may receive less value per mile if the cost of a ticket you choose to cover entirely with miles is not a multiple of $50.”
Other ways you can redeem include:
- Upgrade your seat or get a Delta Sky Club® membership
- Book a vacation package through Delta Vacations
- Book a hotel through Delta
- Transfer your miles to a friend or family member
- Donate your miles to a charity through SkyWish
- Subscribe to selected magazines or newspapers
Delta also has a unique auction space, called SkyMiles Experiences®, where you can use your miles to bid on events like music festivals, dining experiences, and motorsports.
Benefits of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card comes with several perks, such as:
- A $200 Delta flight credit when you make $10,000 in purchases in a calendar year
- 15% off when you use miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights
- First checked bag for free
- 20% off in-flight purchases (redeemed as a statement credit)
- Zone 5 priority boarding
- No foreign transaction fees
It also comes with various types insurance, although no flight delay or cancellation insurance is included.
- Baggage insurance: Up to $1,250 for carry-on bags and up to $500 for checked luggage*
- Rental car insurance: Car loss and damage when you use your credit card to book the rental and decline the collision damage waiver*
- Global Assist® Hotline: Can help with everything for doctor referrals to visa issues when you travel more than 100 miles away from home*
- Purchase protection: Up to $1,000 if a covered purchase is stolen or accidentally damaged within 90 days of purchase*
- Extended warranty: Up to one additional year on top of manufacturers’ warranties of five years or less*
- Dispute resolution assistance: Amex will work with you to resolve fraudulent or incorrect charges on your card
Finally, since this is a business card, it’s no surprise that it has some nice perks specifically tailored to business owners and entrepreneurs:
- Employee cards linked to your main account so you can easily track spending and earn more miles
- Connect to Intuit QuickBooks for easier money management
- Easy vendor pay on Bill.com
Who Should Get the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card?
Getting the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card depends entirely on how committed you are to booking Delta flights.
You can earn a lot of miles that can help you save on future Delta travel, but to cancel out the annual fee (after the first year), you need to plan to book quite a few Delta flights.
If you fly Delta for work often, making the most of this card should be easy enough.
Who Shouldn’t Get the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card?
Even if you travel for business often, the availability of Delta flights at your local airports can play a significant role in whether you will be able to get enough use out of this card.
You may find that going with a business credit card that isn’t focused on a single airline can better suit your needs.
Alternatives to the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card
American Express® Business Gold Card
- Rewards rate: 4x points on the top two eligible categories where your business spends the most each month from 6 eligible categories, up to $150,000 in combined purchases (1x thereafter); 3x points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com; 1x points on everything else
- Welcome offer: Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months
- Annual fee: $375 (rates and fees)
- The Business Gold Card now comes in three metal designs: Gold, Rose Gold and Limited Edition White Gold. White Gold design is only available while supplies last. Make your selection when you apply on Americanexpress.com.
. . .
The American Express® Business Gold Card offers a lot more flexibility in how you earn and redeem rewards.
You can use rewards to book with Delta (rewards points transfer at a rate of 1:1), but you also have the option to book flights with more than a dozen other airlines. You can even redeem rewards points for hotel bookings.
On the downside, the Amex Business Gold charges a much higher annual fee — but you can earn a lot of rewards with this card, so you may find the higher fee is worth it.
LEARN MORE: American Express® Business Gold Card
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card
- Rewards rate: 3x miles on direct Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels; 1.5x miles on eligible transit and U.S. shipping purchases, plus single eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (terms and miles cap apply; if your purchase qualifies for a category that has a higher mileage accelerator, only the higher accelerator will apply); 1x miles on all other eligible purchases
- Welcome offer: Limited time offer: Earn 65,000 Bonus Miles after spending $6,000 in your first 6 months
- Annual fee: $350 (rates and fees)
. . .
While the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card comes with a higher annual fee, you can access some very valuable perks with it.
In addition to the perks of the SkyMiles Gold, you get an application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck enrollment** and discounted Delta Sky Club® access.
You also receive a Companion Certificate each year when you renew your credit card. This means a friend or family member can join you on a free domestic roundtrip flight in the main cabin (you do have to pay taxes and fees).
LEARN MORE: Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
- Rewards rate: 3x miles per $1 spent on Delta purchases; 1.5x miles on eligible transit, U.S. shipping, and U.S. office supply store purchases, plus all eligible purchases after you spend $150,000 in a year (if your purchase qualifies for a category that has a higher mileage accelerator, only the higher accelerator will apply); 1x miles on everything else
- Welcome offer: Earn 75,000 Bonus Miles after spending $10,000 in your first 6 months
- Annual fee: $650 (rates and fees)
. . .
If you really love flying Delta and need to travel often for business, you may not bat an eye at paying the high annual fee for the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card.
This card comes with more perks than either of the other Delta-branded business Amex cards, such as:
- Free access to Delta Sky Club®
- Two complimentary guest passes to the Delta Sky Club®
- Access to the American Express Centurion Lounge or Escape Lounge access when flying Delta
- A free companion ticket for a domestic flight each year at card renewal
You’ll also get access to complimentary seat upgrades and an application fee credit for TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry.**
LEARN MORE: Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
The Bottom Line
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card is a solid card if you’re a loyal Delta fan, and it also comes with some good general perks like baggage insurance and no foreign transaction fees.
If you want to stick with a Delta-branded credit card for your business, there are other options, but these have much higher annual fees.
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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 a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your American Express Card. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
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.
