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The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is a great airline card for someone who flies with Delta a few times per year. With benefits such as the first checked bag free (up to $70 per person on a round-trip Delta flight) and a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel, after you spend $10,000 in purchases on your card in a calendar year, can easily make the card worth holding onto for years if you're a consistent Delta flyer.
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card has the right mix of benefits if you occasionally fly with Delta, such as free checked bags, priority boarding and discounts.
- Earn up to $300 in travel credit every year
- First checked bag free for you and up to eight companions on eligible flights
- Discounts on eligible in-flight purchases and on Delta award flights (Not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees).
- Annual fee after the first year
- Delta flight credit benefit has a high spending requirement to earn
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- You may be eligible for as high as 80,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 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.
- Enjoy a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150.
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- $200 Delta Flight Credit: After you spend $10,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel.
- When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, you can earn: 2X miles on Delta Purchases, 2X miles at restaurants, 2X miles at U.S. supermarkets, 1X miles on all other eligible purchases. Every mile you earn brings you closer to the places you want to go. Turn them into your next trip, use them for seat upgrades, and more.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights and save up to $70 per person on a round-trip Delta flight.
- Receive Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
- $100 Delta Stays Credit: Get up to $100 back per year as a statement credit after using your Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
- Want even more flexibility? Take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
- Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit on eligible Delta in-flight purchases after using your Card.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- With Send & Split®, you can send money and split your Card purchases with any other Venmo or PayPal user, directly from the Amex App. Enroll today.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees.
Welcome bonus
With the current welcome bonus, you may be eligible for as high as 80,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases on your new Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card in your first six months of card membership.**
If you value Delta SkyMiles at a modest one cent per point, the bonus is worth $900 in value. Plus, there's a $0 introductory annual fee during the first year (then $150, see rates and fees). Delta SkyMiles® are often worth more than one cent apiece, so the real value of this bonus is likely higher.
Compared to other travel cards with no annual fee (see rates and fees) during the first year, this offers a competitive value.
Benefits and perks
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card comes with several great benefits for Delta flyers, including:
- First checked bag free (up to $70 per person) on Delta flights for you and up to eight companions
- TakeOff 15: Get 15% off the miles price when you book Delta award flights through Delta.com and the Delta app. This does not apply to partner flights or taxes and fees.
- $200 Delta Flight Credit after you spend $10,000 in purchases on your card in a calendar year
- 20% back on eligible in-flight purchases of food and beverages (as a statement credit)
- Priority Boarding on Delta flights
- Up to $100 in Delta Stays credit (as a statement credit) when you book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays
You can also benefit from travel and shopping coverages, including:
- Rental car insurance*
- Purchase protection*
- Extended warranty*
- Baggage insurance*
- No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees)
* 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. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
Rewards
Earning Delta SkyMiles
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card earns Delta SkyMiles at the following rates:
- 2X miles on Delta Purchases
- 2X miles at restaurants
- 2X miles at U.S. supermarkets
- 1X miles on all other eligible purchases
Redeeming Delta SkyMiles
You can redeem Delta SkyMiles in many different ways, including:
- Award flights with Delta and its partner airlines
- Seat upgrades
- Purchase a Delta SkyClub lounge membership
- Book a Delta vacation package
- Purchase a magazine subscription
- Purchase a Delta gift card
Each of these redemptions may be tempting, but booking an award flight typically provides the highest value. Delta doesn't have an award chart, so the price varies depending on the day and time you want to travel. However, it's not uncommon to find domestic economy flights for around 10,000 miles one-way.
As a Delta cardholder, you can also take advantage of the Pay with Miles feature, which allows you to purchase Delta flights with your miles at a rate of one cent per mile (5,000 miles minimum). So when you're using miles for award travel, be sure you're getting more value than one cent per mile.
There are no hard and fast rules to redeeming your SkyMiles, but it is in your best interest to use them for the highest value possible. Delta often has flash sales to destinations in the U.S. and around the globe, which can increase the value of your miles.
Rates and fees
The card has a $150 annual fee*, but it has an intro $0 fee for the first year. It does not have any foreign transaction fees*.
However, the card has a high variable APR of 19.49%-28.49%* for purchases. If you want to avoid interest in the first year, consider a credit card with a 0% introductory APR offer.
The late payment and returned payment fees can be up to $40*.
*See rates and fees
Alternatives to the Amex Delta SkyMiles Gold Card
The Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card is a great card for someone who enjoys flying with Delta. But, is it the best Delta SkyMiles card for you? We analyzed two other Delta SkyMiles cards to see how they match up with one another.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card vs. Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card is a good fit for anyone who wants Delta elite status and isn't interested in airport lounge access.
- Up to $390 in statement credits annually (Enrollment required)
- Receive a Companion Certificate on a Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- 15% Delta award flight discount (Not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.)
- High annual fee
- Delta dynamically prices award flights, which makes it more difficult to redeem miles for higher values
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- You may be eligible for as high as 90,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 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.
- Receive a Companion Certificate on a Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $20 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Resy Credit: Get up to $10 in statement credits each month after you pay with your enrolled Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: earn up to $10 in statement credits each month after using your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights and save up to $70 per person on a round-trip Delta flight.
- Receive either a $120 statement credit for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee every 4 years, when charged to your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card Members with an eligible ticket will be added to the Complimentary Upgrade list, after Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members and Reserve Card Members.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $350 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card is a great airline card for Delta flyers who fly a bit more frequently and are interested in earning Delta SkyMiles Medallion status.
With the Delta Platinum card, you'll earn more miles on Delta purchases and have access to a bigger welcome bonus. On top of that, every year when you renew your card, you will be awarded an Annual Companion Certificate. This is essentially a buy-one-get-one free round-trip ticket for you and a travel buddy. It's good for a Main Cabin round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your card (taxes and fees apply).
This card also comes with more statement credits than the Delta Gold card. You can receive a statement credit for TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry, up to $120 in rideshare statement credit* every year (up to $10 per month for U.S. rideshare purchases), up to $120 in Resy statement credit* (up to $10 per month when you pay with your enrolled card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants and other eligible purchases) and up to $150 in Delta Stays statement credit for prepaid hotels and vacation rentals you book through Delta Stays. *Enrollment required
This card also helps you boost your elite status progress with two features. Every Medallion Qualification Year, you'll receive $2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) with MQD Headstart, and you'll earn one MQD for every $20 in purchases you make with your card.
The benefits are much more robust, but the Delta Platinum card has higher a $350 annual fee (see rates and fees).
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card vs. Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card
The Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card gives you the opportunity to earn Delta miles without paying an annual fee.
- No annual fee
- No foreign transaction fee
- Low rewards rate
- Few meaningful Delta perks
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn 10,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- No Annual Fee.
- Earn 2X Miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- Earn 2X Miles per dollar spent on Delta purchases, and 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay with Miles: take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
- Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit after you use your Card on eligible Delta in-flight purchases of food, beverages, and audio headsets.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
The Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card is a simple airline card with few frills, but it has no annual fee (see rates and fees).
You will earn 2X miles at restaurants worldwide and purchases made directly with Delta. All other purchases will earn 1X miles. The card comes with a modest welcome offer of 10,000 Delta SkyMiles after spending $1,000 in the first six months of card membership.
When deciding between these two cards, it comes down to how much you spend and fly with Delta. The Delta Blue card costs less but it lacks perks such as the 15% award flight discount and free checked bags. If the Gold card's benefits outweigh the annual fee (see rates and fees) for you, then it's likely the better pick between the two.
Compare CDs
Is the Amex Delta SkyMiles Gold Card right for you?
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is great for someone who flies with Delta semi-regularly. It offers a solid intro bonus and ongoing useful ongoing benefits. However, if you almost exclusively fly Delta, you may prefer a card with luxury features, such as access to airport lounges or elite status boosts.
Pros and cons of the Amex Delta SkyMiles Gold Card
- Low introductory cost: There is no annual fee* for the first year (then $150), so you can test out the card to see if you enjoy its perks
- Useful perks: The free checked bag and award flight discount benefits can save you money and miles on every flight
*See rates and fees
- No lounge access: The card lacks premium features, such as Delta Sky Club access
- Rewards are limited: It earns Delta miles, which have limited uses compared to flexible travel rewards
FAQs
How much are 80,000 Delta SkyMiles worth?
If you redeem Delta SkyMiles for at least one cent per point, which is a reasonable redemption rate, 80,000 Delta SkyMiles is worth roughly $800. However, it's not very hard to get more value than that.
What credit score do you need to get the Delta Gold Card?
To qualify for the Delta Gold card, you will typically need at least a good credit score.
Is the American Express Delta Gold Card metal?
The Delta Gold card is not metal. However, the Delta Platinum and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card are metal.
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*The Companion Ticket requires payment of the government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for round-trip domestic flights and no more than $250 for round-trip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
**Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card Welcome Offer: To view your personalized offer, you must first submit an application. If approved, you will: (1) receive your Welcome Offer details, (2) have the option to accept the Card with that offer, (3) be required to spend $2,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership, and (4) earn Membership Rewards® points. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. If you're approved and accept your offer, a credit check may be conducted, which could impact your credit score. Terms apply.
For rates and fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card, click here.
For rates and fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, click here.
For rates and fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, click here.
