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Personal Finance

4 best ways to save money (or miles) on Delta flights

The right Delta credit card can help you save on award flights and avoid checked baggage fees.

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Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

Delta Air Lines is one of the largest airlines in the world, with flights to over 290 destinations across six continents. Delta is a popular choice thanks to perks like free Wi-Fi on most domestic flights and seat-back entertainment screens on many aircraft.

Understanding how to get the best deal on Delta flights can go a long way to getting you to your next vacation destination while staying within your budget. Below, CNBC Select shares four tips and tricks that can help you save cash and miles on your next Delta flight.

How to save on Delta flights

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Book in advance

Airfare costs (both cash and mile prices) frequently change. By booking your flight as far in advance as possible, you have a longer time to monitor prices and have a better chance to lock in a price drop, just beware of Delta's change and cancellation policies. Certain cash or awards flights may not incur a fee for changes or cancellations, while you may pay up to $400 in some instances.

According to Expedia's 2024 Air Travel Hacks Report, which analyzed billions of data points through collaboration with the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) and OAG, domestic economy flights should be booked at least a month before to save 24% on average compared to booking at the last minute. Meanwhile, the ideal booking window for international flights is around 60 days out, and no earlier than four months in advance, for optimal availability, selection and savings.

Several major online travel agencies (OTAs), including Expedia, Capital One Travel and Google Flights, offer price drop protections on certain bookings, where you may receive a refund or travel credit if the price of your flight drops after booking.

Be flexible

If your travel dates are flexible, you can save miles or pay less on your Delta flights by flying during times when there is less demand. You can usually book cheaper tickets during a shoulder season or the middle of the week, such as a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. According to Expedia's report, Sundays are the most expensive days, on average, to travel.

At the time of writing, nonstop Delta flights from Detroit to Paris in April 2025 (shoulder season in Paris) are available for under $1,100 roundtrip or 120,000 SkyMiles plus taxes and fees. But the prices jump to over $1,700 or 164,000 miles plus taxes and fees in June.

As with many other airlines, Delta sometimes also overbooks flights and may offer large sums of cash to passengers who volunteer to take a later flight.

Don't miss: 5 expert travel tips that can help you save money and minimize flight disruptions

Use credit cards to save on Delta flights

One of the best ways to save on Delta flights is by opening certain travel credit cards and airline credit cards. With a Delta credit card, you can earn Delta SkyMiles and receive other card-specific benefits, such as Delta Sky Club airport lounge access, discounts on in-flight purchases and a companion certificate, which allows you to book a second ticket on eligible flights for the cost of the taxes and fees.

You can also earn Delta miles indirectly with any American Express card that earns American Express Membership Rewards® points because Membership Rewards points transfer to Delta at a 1:1 ratio. For example, if you open the American Express Platinum Card®, you may be eligible to earn as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $12,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership, and you'll be able to convert those points into Delta SkyMiles.

The card also comes with an up to $200 annual airline credit (enrollment required) to cover checked bag fees, seat selection fees and other incidentals if Delta is selected as your preferred airline.

American Express Platinum Card®

CNBC Select Rating
5.0

On the American Express site

CNBC Select Rating
5.0

On the American Express site

Spotlight

The Amex Platinum Card provides access to Amex Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Clubs® , Lufthansa Lounges, Escape Lounges and more. (Enrollment required)

Credit score

Good to Excellent

Regular APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Annual fee

$895

Welcome bonus

You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® points

See rates and fees, terms apply. Read our Amex Platinum Card review. The American Express Platinum 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 $12,000 on eligible purchases within the first 6 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.

The American Express Platinum Card® is a premium card loaded with annual statement credits, entertainment benefits, extensive airport lounge access, elite status perks and more. (Enrollment required for select benefits mentioned)

  • Access to 1,550+ airport lounges, including Priority Pass™ Select lounges (enrollment required) and Amex Centurion lounges
  • Statement credit offers worth up to twice what the annual fee costs
  • Elite status perks for hotels and rental cars (Enrollment required for select benefits mentioned)
  • High annual fee
  • Many statement credit offers are complicated and are earned in increments or limited to specific purchases

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 175,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $12,000 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. 
  • Get more for your travels with 5X Membership Rewards® points on all flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel®, including Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings. You earn 5X points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel® on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year. 
  • With over 1,550 airport lounges - more than any other credit card company on the market* - enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection®, over $850 of annual value, with access to Centurion Lounges, 10 complimentary Delta Sky Club® visits when flying on an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations), Priority Pass Select membership (enrollment required), and other select partner lounges.* As of 07/2025. 
  • $200 Uber Cash + $120 Uber One Credit: With the Platinum Card® you can receive $15 in Uber Cash each month plus a bonus $20 in December when you add your Platinum Card® to your Uber account to use on rides and orders in the U.S when you select an Amex Card for your transaction. Plus, when you use the Platinum Card® to pay for an auto-renewing Uber One membership, you can get up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year. Terms apply. 
  • $300 Digital Entertainment Credit: Experience the latest shows, news and recipes. Get up to $25 in statement credits each month when you use your Platinum Card® for eligible purchases on Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN streaming services, Hulu, The New York Times, Paramount+, Peacock, The Wall Street Journal, YouTube Premium, and YouTube TV when you purchase directly from one or more of the providers. Enrollment required. 
  • $600 Hotel Credit: Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection* bookings through American Express Travel® using the Platinum Card®. *The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay. 
  • $400 Resy Credit + Platinum Nights by Resy: Get up to $100 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card® to make eligible purchases with Resy, including dining purchases at U.S. Resy restaurants. Enrollment required. Plus, with Platinum Nights by Resy, you can get special access to reservations on select nights at participating in demand Resy restaurants with the Platinum Card®. Simply add your eligible Card to your Resy profile to book and discover Platinum Nights reservations near you.
  • $209 CLEAR+ Credit: CLEAR+ helps get you to your gate faster by using your face to verify you are you at 55+ airports nationwide. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR+ Membership* with up to $209 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR+ with your Platinum Card®. *Excluding any applicable taxes and fees. Subject to auto-renewal. 
  • $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to the Platinum Card® Account. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details. 
  • Start your vacation sooner, and keep it going longer. When you book Fine Hotels + Resorts® through American Express Travel®, enjoy noon check-in, when available, and guaranteed 4PM check-out. 
  • $300 lululemon Credit: Enjoy up to $75 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card® for eligible purchases at U.S. lululemon retail stores (excluding outlets) and lululemon.com. That's up to $300 in statement credits each calendar year. Enrollment required. 
  • $155 Walmart+ Credit: Receive a statement credit* for one monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) after you pay for Walmart+ each month with the Platinum Card®.* Up to $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Ups not eligible. 
  • Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7. 
  • $895 annual fee. 
  • Terms Apply.
  • See Rates & Fees

Balance transfer fee

N/A

Foreign transaction fee

None

TakeOff 15 Perk

Certain Delta credit cards save 15% when booking Delta awards (not applicable to partner-operated flights or taxes and fees). To take advantage of this perk, you don't need to do anything other than have one of the following Delta co-branded credit cards:

On the American Express site

CNBC Select Rating
4.8

On the American Express site

Credit score

Good to Excellent

Regular APR

19.49%-28.49% Variable

Annual fee

$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150

Welcome bonus

You may be eligible for as high as 80,000 Bonus Miles

See rates and fees, terms apply. Read our Amex Delta Gold review. 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.

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.

On the American Express site

CNBC Select Rating
4.8

On the American Express site

Spotlight

The Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card can help you earn Delta Medallion status with its Platinum MQD Headstart and Platinum MQD Boost.

Credit score

Good to Excellent

Regular APR

19.49%-28.49% Variable

Annual fee

$350

Welcome bonus

You may be eligible for as high as 90,000 Bonus Miles

See rates and fees, terms apply. Read our Amex Delta Platinum review. Delta SkyMiles® Platinum 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 $3,000 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.

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

On the American Express site

CNBC Select Rating
4.8

On the American Express site

Spotlight

Every year after renewal, you'll receive a companion certificate valid for Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight 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.)

Credit score

Good to Excellent

Regular APR

19.49%-28.49% Variable

Annual fee

$650

Welcome bonus

You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Bonus Miles

See rates and fees, terms apply. Read our Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card review. Delta SkyMiles® Reserve 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 $5,000 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.

The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card's array of premium benefits make it a perfect fit for the most loyal Delta flyers, including elite status boosts, rideshare credits (enrollment required) and airport lounge access.

  • Access to airport lounges, including Amex Centurion lounges
  • Up to $560 in annual statement credits (Enrollment may be required)
  • 15% discount for eligible Delta award flights (Not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.)
  • High annual fee
  • No bonus spending categories outside of Delta purchases

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 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $5,000 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.
  • Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you'll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together. 
  • Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight. 
  • Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year. 
  • Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main domestic, Caribbean, or Central American round-trip flight 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. 
  • $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required. 
  • $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required. 
  • Delta SkyMiles® Reserve 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. 
  • With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta. 
  • Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. 
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad. 
  • $650 Annual Fee. 
  • Terms Apply.
  • See Rates & Fees

The nice thing about this benefit is it's a discount, not a rebate, this allows you to book an award with fewer miles. The discount is automatically applied when signed into your SkyMiles account.

Just note that the no annual fee (see rates and fees) Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card does not have access to the TakeOff 15 perk.

Free checked bags

Delta charges $35 each way for the first standard checked bag on domestic itineraries with a Basic Economy, Main Cabin or Comfort+ ticket. However, you can get the first checked bag free for yourself and up to 8 companions with these Delta cards:

These cards all have annual fees, but in certain cases, the free checked bag benefit can make the card worth it. For example, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card has a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $150 (see rates and fees). So if you check a bag for two or more roundtrip Delta flights a year, the free checked bag perk alone makes the annual fee worth it.

Pro tip: Pair any of these cards with an Amex bank account to save for your trip

When saving up for a big trip, it pays to earn interest on your account balance. The American Express® Rewards Checking offers a 1.00% Annual Percentage Yield (APY) as of 06/24/2024, with a $0 monthly maintenance fee and $0 minimum opening deposit. Plus, you'll earn Amex Membership Rewards® points on debit card transactions at a rate of one point per $2 you spend.

American Express® Rewards Checking Account

American Express National Bank is a Member FDIC.
  • Monthly maintenance fee

    $0

  • Minimum deposit to open

    $0

  • Minimum balance

    $0

  • Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

    1.00% as of 06/24/2024

  • Free ATM network

    37,000+ MoneyPass® ATMs

  • ATM fee reimbursement

    None

  • Overdraft fee

    N/A

  • Mobile check deposit

    Yes

  • Terms apply.

Click here to view terms and conditions.

Delta flash sales

Delta's regular flash sales allow you to book flights for less cash or fewer SkyMiles than usual for a limited time. These sales are some of the best ways to maximize your miles, often featuring round-trip domestic Main Cabin flights for 15,000 miles or less. In the past, there have been Delta SkyMiles deals to the South Pacific from 60,000 miles round-trip, Europe for under 40,000 miles round-trip and the Caribbean for about 10,000 miles.

The flash sales are generally for economy awards, but there are sometimes deals for Delta One business class as well. Unlike many other frequent flyer programs, you may also sometimes find better deals when booking round-trip awards, as opposed to two one-ways, particularly for international itineraries.

You can search the current award deals here and other Delta flight deals (miles and cash) here.

Alternative cards to consider

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) earns Chase Ultimate Rewards® points. While Chase points can't be transferred directly to Delta, you can use them to book Delta flights by transferring to Air France/KLM Flying Blue or Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, which both partner with Delta. The Sapphire Preferred also has a long list of useful travel insurance, so you can rest easy without paying extra for your Delta flight when you checkout.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

CNBC Select Rating
5.0

On Chase's site

CNBC Select Rating
5.0

On Chase's site

Spotlight

With Points Boost, your rewards will be worth up to 1.5x on thousands of top-booked hotels and flights from select airlines through Chase TravelSM.

Credit score

Good to Excellent670–850

Regular APR

19.24% - 27.49% variable

Annual fee

$95

Welcome bonus

Earn 75,000 bonus points

See rates and fees. Terms apply. Member FDIC.

Read our Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card review.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card packs a punch for a $95 annual fee card, offering annual travel credits, comprehensive travel protections and more.

  • You can transfer rewards to all of Chase's travel partners including World of Hyatt, Southwest Rapid Rewards and many more
  • Long list of travel and shopping protections
  • $50 annual Chase Travel hotel credit
  • Has an annual fee
  • Requires a high credit score

Highlights

Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.

  • Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
  • Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase TravelSM
  • 10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
  • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
  • Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
  • Member FDIC

Balance transfer fee

Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater

Few cards are as rewarding for airfare purchases as Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card, which earns 4X points with airline purchases. With the Autograph Journey card, you can transfer Wells Fargo rewards to Virgin Red (linked to Virgin Atlantic) and Air France/KLM Flying Blue and use those programs to book Delta flights. Plus, every year you can earn a $50 statement credit (with a minimum $50 qualifying airline purchase).

On Wells Fargo's site

CNBC Select Rating
4.8

On Wells Fargo's site

Credit score

Good to Excellent670–850

Regular APR

19.49%, 25.49%, or 28.49% Variable APR 

Annual fee

$95

Welcome bonus

Earn 60,000 bonus points

See rates and fees. Terms apply

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card offers generous rewards on travel and dining purchases, along with flexible redemption options, all for a modest annual fee.

  • Excellent rewards rate for hotel, airfare and travel
  • Strong welcome bonus
  • Access to all of the Wells Fargo transfer partners including Flying Blue (Air France/KLM) and Virgin Red
  • Easy-to-use airline credit; Built-in cell phone protection
  • Fewer transfer partners than comparable programs
  • No intro APR offer

Highlights

Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.

  • Select Learn More to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
  • Earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months – that's $600 toward your next trip.
  • Earn unlimited 5X points with hotels, 4X points with airlines, 3X points on other travel and restaurants, and 1X points on other purchases.
  • $95 annual fee.
  • Book your travel with the Autograph Journey Card and enjoy Travel Accident Insurance, Lost Baggage Reimbursement, Trip Cancellation and Interruption Protection and Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver. 
  • Earn a $50 annual statement credit with $50 minimum airline purchase. 
  • Up to $1,000 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
  • Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.

Balance Transfer Fee

3% intro for 120 days from account opening, then up to 5%, min: $5

Foreign transaction fee

None

Bottom line

Delta has an extensive flight network and operates hubs in many major cities such as Atlanta, Minneapolis and Salt Lake City. If you live in or frequently travel to areas Delta serves, it pays to know how to find the cheapest possible Delta flights. To find the best deals, be flexible with when you travel, take advantage of Delta credit card benefits and pay attention to Delta's sales.

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For rates and fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, click here.

For rates and fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Business Gold American Express Card, click here.

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card card, click here.  

For rates and fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, click here.

For rates and fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Business Platinum American Express Card, click here.

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card card, click here.  

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Business Reserve American Express Card card, click here.  

For rates and fees of the American Express Platinum Card®, click here.  

Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.
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