Delta SkyMiles^® Gold American Express Card Review [2023]: Generous Rewards For Delta Flyers

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.

Great Welcome Offer and Continuing Rewards

Delta SkyMiles^® Gold American Express Card

Delta SkyMiles^® Gold American Express Card

Learn How to Apply

See rates and fees | Terms Apply

Current Offer

Earn 40,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 in purchases in the first 6 months

Annual Fee

$0 intro annual fee for the first year, $99 per year thereafter

Rewards 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

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• Earn 40,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 in purchases in the first 6 months
• 2X miles on purchases made directly with Delta, restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets
• Check your first bag free on Delta flights and enjoy Main Cabin 1 priority boarding
• $0 intro annual fee for the first year, $99 per year thereafter. Terms apply.

Drawbacks

• Has annual fee
• Best for frequent Delta travelers

Card Details

• Earn 40,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 in purchases in the first 6 months
• 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
• Terms apply

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

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

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

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.

Great Welcome Offer and Continuing Rewards

Delta SkyMiles^® Gold American Express Card

Delta SkyMiles^® Gold American Express Card

Learn How to Apply

Why We Like It

Earn 40,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 in purchases in the first 6 months

See rates and fees | Terms Apply

Learn How to Apply

See how these cards compare:

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
• 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
• 25% more value when redeeming rewards for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards
• 10% anniversary point bonus each year
• $50 annual credit on hotel stays booked through Ultimate Rewards
• Premium travel protection benefits

American Express® Gold Card

• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases within the first 6 months of card membership
• Choose your color: gold or rose gold
• Up to $120 in dining credits per year
• Up to $120 in Uber Cash per year
• $250 annual fee
• Select benefits require enrollment.
• See rates and fees | Terms Apply

Author Details

Robin Kavanagh Robin is a freelance writer who lives on the South Carolina beach. She has spent the last 20 years writing about all kinds of topics for publications such as The New York Times, Yes! Magazine, Next Tribe, Parenting, and various trade magazines. On FinanceBuzz.com, you’ll find her mostly writing about smart ways to use credit cards, navigating personal loans, how to save when traveling, and ways to improve your financial health.

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