The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card is the entry-level Delta business card offering from Amex. Unfortunately, that means a somewhat disappointing welcome bonus for new cardmembers when compared to the more premium Delta credit cards.
Let’s dig into the details to see if the perks outweigh the cons — or if you should focus your rewards travel elsewhere.
- Who should get Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express Card?
- Card basics
- Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Credit Card benefits and perks
- Drawbacks to the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Credit Card
- Earning & redeeming Delta SkyMiles
- FAQs about the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express Card
- Other cards to consider
Who should get Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express Card?
Small business owners who are frequent flyers on Delta could find value in the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express Card. Travel perks include priority boarding, your first checked bag free, in-flight savings, and travel insurance options when using this card.
Delta purchases earn bonus miles with this card, too. Card members earn 2X miles per $1 spent on eligible Delta and restaurant purchases, and on eligible U.S. shipping purchases and eligible U.S. advertising in select media up to $50,000 per category, per year. Plus, 1X miles per $1 on all other eligible purchases.
You get all of that for $0 intro annual fee for the first year, $150 per year thereafter. But if you aren’t able to frequently take advantage of the card’s Delta perks, such as waived baggage fees on your first checked bag, it’s hard to justify paying the annual fee, and this may not be the best airline credit card for you. If your main goal is to earn and redeem Delta SkyMiles, there are other Delta credit cards that have a higher earning potential.
Card basics
Card type | Business |
Credit card issuer | American Express |
Annual fee | $0 intro annual fee for the first year, $150 per year thereafter. Terms apply. |
Intro bonus | Earn 55,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases in your first 6 months |
Reward rate | 2X miles per $1 spent on eligible Delta and restaurant purchases, and on eligible U.S. shipping purchases and eligible U.S. advertising in select media up to $50,000 per category, per year. Plus, 1X miles per $1 on all other eligible purchases |
Recommended credit score | Excellent, Good |
Foreign transaction fee | None |
Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Credit Card benefits and perks
- Decent welcome offer: With this card, you can earn 55,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases in your first 6 months of account opening.
- Free checked bags: The Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Credit Card gets you your first checked bag free of charge. This can add up to a $60 savings for round-trip flights. Keep in mind that you also must have your SkyMiles number attached to your reservation to take advantage of this benefit.
- Priority boarding: Enjoy early Zone 5 priority boarding privileges on Delta. You’ll get first dibs on the best spot for your carry-on bag and relax in your seat before other passengers. It’s such a nice feeling to avoid the line at the gate before your flight.
- In-flight savings: Cardholders receive 20% off Delta in-flight purchases, including food and drinks. This comes in the form of statement credits, which will appear on your statement 6 to 8 weeks after the transaction is posted.
- Flight credit: Once you have put $10,000 of purchases on your card within one calendar year, you earn a $200 Delta Flight Credit. You can use this credit toward future travel with Delta.
- TakeOff 15: New and existing cardmembers can get a 15% discount when booking Award Travel with miles on Delta flights. This discount does not apply to partner-operated flights or taxes and fees.
- Baggage and rental car insurance: You’re covered for baggage insurance worth up to $1,250 for carry-ons and up to $500 for checked bags if your luggage is lost or stolen.1 Cardmembers also get secondary coverage if their rental car is damaged or stolen.2 Purchases must be made with your Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Credit Card to be eligible.
Drawbacks to the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Credit Card
- Has annual fee: This card has a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, $150 per year thereafter.
- Limited reward redemptions: With other travel rewards cards, you might have the option to redeem your rewards in the form of a statement credit or transfer them to a car rental or hotel partner. With the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Credit Card, your reward redemption options are somewhat limited. You can redeem your rewards for Delta airfare, Delta gift cards, or Skymiles Experiences, or transfer them to an airline partner.
Earning & redeeming Delta SkyMiles
Best ways to earn
The Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express Card offers a straightforward rewards program. It’s easy to understand, since there are only two spending categories: Delta and non-Delta purchases. But unless you’re a frequent Delta traveler, your earning potential is limited with this business card.
Categories | Rewards rate |
Eligible purchases at Delta and restaurants, and on eligible U.S. shipping purchases and eligible U.S. advertising in select media up to $50,000 per category, per year | 2X |
All other eligible purchases | 1X |
The most lucrative way to earn miles is through purchases made directly with Delta. This includes flight purchases, as well as seat upgrades, pre-purchased meals, in-flight purchases, Delta Sky Club memberships or passes, and Delta Vacation packages.
Beyond Delta purchases, the card earns just one mile per dollar spent elsewhere. If your goal is to earn enough Delta miles to fund travel, you may need to charge quite a lot to this card to earn enough miles.
Maximizing your redemptions
The Delta SkyMiles program offers a couple of redemption options for card members. The smart choice is to spend your SkyMiles on travel with Delta and its airline partners.
There’s also a SkyMiles Marketplace where you can redeem miles for other things, such as gift cards, merchandise, and booking other travel options. The redemption value for these is often lower than using your miles toward Delta flights. If you’re interested in using rewards for shopping, this card probably won’t be of much value to you.
Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express transfer partners
If you're interested in transferring your Delta miles to an airline partner, you're in luck. Delta has a number of airline partners, including Air France, Vietnam Airlines, Korean Air, and Virgin Atlantic. Its full list of SkyTeam partners includes:
- Aerolíneas Argentinas
- Aeroméxico
- Air Europa
- Air France
- China Airlines
- China Eastern
- Czech Airlines
- Delta Air Lines
- Garuda Indonesia
- ITA Airways
- Kenya Airways
- KLM
- Korean Air
- Middle East Airlines
- Saudia
- TAROM
- Vietnam Airlines
- Virgin Atlantic
- Xiamen Airlines
FAQs about the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express Card
How much are Delta SkyMiles worth?
There isn’t a set standard value for SkyMiles; the value varies depending on the specific redemption you pursue. One way to calculate the value is to take the cash price of flight (including taxes and fees) and divide it by the number of miles needed.
This gives you the value of one point for your flight. Aim to get more than one cent per mile with redemptions.
Can you have two Delta Amex cards?
Yes, you can. Having more than one Delta Amex card can speed up your SkyMiles earning, but make sure any potential rewards outweigh the cost of the annual fees. Instead of getting multiple co-branded Delta Amex cards, you may want to opt for a card that earns American Express Membership Rewards as an alternative.
American Express® Business Gold Card could be worth considering. Or if you want more luxury travel perks, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express could be an option. This card comes with perks like lounge access and a statement credit of up to $85 every 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck. Enrollment is required for select benefits.
How many miles do you need for a free flight on Delta?
The number of miles needed for a free flight depends on many factors, such as arrival and destination locations, if it’s a one-way or round-trip ticket, and the time and day of the week.
Do Delta miles expire?
You can take your time building up your SkyMiles for your next big adventure knowing that they will never expire.
Other cards to consider
Delta lovers who are looking for a new card may want to opt for the most elite Delta Amex business card: the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card.
It offers all of the same travel perks (and more), but it has a larger welcome bonus: Earn 65,000 bonus miles after you spend $6,000 in purchases in your first 6 months. The annual fee for this card is higher, however, at $350.
Another solid choice for earning travel rewards is the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. It has an annual fee of $95, but this credit card offers the chance to earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Your points are worth 25% more when you redeem them for travel through the Chase Travel℠ portal.