It’s no secret that rewards cards can offer great benefits to those who travel often, especially when you have a preferred airline. With the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, fans of Delta Air Lines can earn some significant perks and travel savings that might make it a smart choice to add to their wallets.
In this Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card review, we’ll look at what this card has to offer, who it will benefit the most, and other options worth considering before applying.
- Who should get the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card?
- Card basics
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card benefits and perks
- Drawbacks to the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
- Earning and redeeming Delta SkyMiles
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card FAQs
- Other cards to consider
Who should get the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card?
As its name suggests, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is one of the best airline credit cards for those who prefer to fly with Delta Air Lines often. You’ll earn 2X miles on purchases made directly with Delta, restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets; and 1X miles per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
Frequent Delta flyers can easily earn miles with this card. For those who travel less frequently on Delta or use the card primarily for everyday purchases, a general travel or rewards card might be more beneficial.
Card basics
Card type | Travel |
Credit card issuer | American Express |
Annual fee | $0 intro annual fee for the first year, $99 per year thereafter (terms apply) |
Welcome bonus | Earn 40,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 in purchases in the first 6 months |
Reward rate | 2X miles on qualifying Delta purchases, at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S supermarkets; and 1 mile per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases |
Recommended credit score | Excellent, Good |
Foreign transaction fee | None |
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card benefits and perks
- Generous welcome offer: Earn 40,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 in purchases in the first 6 months. With some Delta flights priced as low as 20,000 miles, this is a fantastic benefit.
- Bonus miles on your purchases: Cardholders get 2X miles on qualifying Delta purchases, at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S supermarkets; and 1 mile per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Twenty percent back on in-flight purchases: You'll also get 20% back on in-flight purchases in the form of a statement credit with this card. Qualifying in-flight purchases include food, beverages, and audio headsets.
- Reasonable annual fee: This card has a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, $99 per year thereafter.
- Flight credit: Once you have put $10,000 of purchases on your card within one calendar year, you earn a $100 Delta Flight Credit. Use this credit to offset the cost of airfare on your next Delta trip.
- TakeOff 15: New and existing cardmembers can get a 15% discount when booking Award Travel with miles on Delta flights. Keep in mind that this discount does not apply to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Free checked bags: Cardmembers receive a free checked bag for themselves and companions booked on the same reservation — note that reservations must include your SkyMiles number. This can equate to $120 of savings on a round-trip flight for you and a travel companion.
- Additional travel perks: Great for U.S. and international travel, this card offers car rental loss and damage insurance (secondary coverage, activation applies), Main Cabin 1 priority boarding and one free checked bag on Delta flights (reservations must include your SkyMiles number), a global assistance hotline, and no foreign transaction fees.
- Purchase protection: American Express offers protection for purchases made with its cards. This includes extended warranties, dispute resolution services, accidental damage or theft protection, as well as return protection for eligible purchases.1
Drawbacks to the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
- Has annual fee: Though the $0 intro annual fee for the first year, $99 per year thereafter is fairly reasonable, it still exists. If you don't travel with Delta often or are looking for a credit card without an annual fee, another option may be better for your wallet.
- Lack of flexibility with rewards: This card is best for frequent Delta flyers and those who travel with SkyTeam alliance airlines often. If you aren't a loyal Delta customer, you might get more value from a more flexible travel rewards credit card.
Earning and redeeming Delta SkyMiles
Earning Delta miles is simple with the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card. On purchases made directly with Delta, restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets, you’ll earn 2X miles for every dollar you spend. On all other eligible purchases, you’ll earn 1X mile per dollar spent.
Potential earnings in years one and two
Here's a look at how your miles can add up with the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card. To calculate these values, we used a point valuation of 1.41 cents per mile.
Remember, this is an estimation. The actual value will be determined by how much you spend and in which categories you spend.
Year one earnings: $1,252.08
Year two earnings: $589.08
These values are based on the FinanceBuzz Credit Card Rewards Valuation Model, which takes a look at points earned via spending, the welcome bonus, and the annual fee. If you earn the statement credit, this card could be worth even more.
Additionally, the values above only account for general travel spending, not Delta-specific spending. However, you'll earn bonus miles with this card when you spend with Delta. And it's safe to assume that if this particular card is in your wallet, you're likely using it for Delta flight purchases. If that's the case, the value you'll get in years one and two may increase significantly.
Best ways to earn
Categories | Rewards rate |
Purchases made directly with Delta, restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets | 2X |
All other eligible purchases | 1X |
Miles can be redeemed to purchase tickets with Delta and partner companies, upgrades, preferred seating, ticket change fees, Delta Sky Club access and membership, Delta gift cards, magazines, and other items through the SkyMiles Marketplace.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card transfer partners
Delta is a member of the SkyTeam alliance, which has over 20 airline partners. You can choose to use your miles to book award flights with the following SkyTeam partners:
- Aeroflot
- Aerolíneas Argentinas
- Aeroméxico
- Air France
- Air Europa Alitalia
- China Airlines
- China Eastern
- China Southern
- Czech Airlines
- Garuda Indonesia
- Hawaiian Airlines
- Kenya Airways
- KLM
- Korean Air
- LATAM
- MEA
- Saudia Airlines
- TAROM
- Vietnam Airlines
- Virgin Atlantic
- Virgin Australia
- WestJet
- Xiamen Airlines
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card FAQs
Is the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card worth it?
If you often fly with Delta (or its partners) and make Delta purchases, this card may well be worth adding to your wallet. Depending on your travels, the miles you earn with the intro bonus could cover the equivalent of a free ticket, and you can continue to earn additional miles with every purchase you make directly with Delta. This adds up quickly if you travel with Delta often.
What credit score can improve my chances of getting approved for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card?
For this card, American Express looks for a good-to-excellent credit score. A score of 700 or above is considered good and 800 or above excellent, according to Experian. A good FICO score can range from 670 to 799, with anything over 800 being excellent.
What are the main differences between the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card and the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex card?
The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card offers several additional benefits over the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card.
Despite having a higher annual fee of $250, it offers a larger welcome bonus and a free companion certificate each year you renew the card. And if earning elite status is important to you, Delta SkyMiles Platinum cardholders can earn bonus Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after making a certain amount of eligible purchases during a calendar year (through 12/31/23).
Does the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card offer priority boarding or lounge access?
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card offers several travel benefits, such as a free first checked bag. This card does not currently offer priority boarding or lounge access.
Other cards to consider
While the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is one of the best credit cards for Delta frequent flyers, it’s always a good idea to consider other options before applying for a new card to decide which is the best choice for you.
If you're looking for a more flexible option, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card could be your next travel card. It has a $95 annual fee, but it offers flexible rewards and the ability to earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Those points are worth $750 in travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards. The bonus points you earn with your Sapphire Preferred card can also be transferred to over a dozen airline and hotel partners.
The American Express® Gold Card is another option worth considering. It has a $250 annual fee, but it offers greater earning potential than either of the Delta credit cards, especially on everyday spending. Cardmembers also earn Amex Membership Rewards points, which are among the most flexible and valuable reward currencies. Like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, the Amex Gold could be a great option for your next travel card if you aren't loyal to one particular airline.