Delta SkyMiles^® Gold Business American Express Card Review [2024]: Just How Many Miles Can You Earn?

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.

Double miles on Delta purchases

Delta SkyMiles^® Gold Business American Express Card

4.8

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

Delta SkyMiles^® Gold Business American Express Card

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See rates and fees | Terms Apply

Current Offer

Earn 55,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases in your first 6 months

Annual Fee

$0 intro annual fee for the first year, $150 per year thereafter

Rewards 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

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• Earn 55,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases in your first 6 months
• Earn 2X points on 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
• First checked bag free + priority boarding
• No foreign transaction fees
• $0 intro annual fee for the first year, $150 per year thereafter. Terms apply.

Drawbacks

• Best suited for frequent Delta travelers
• Has annual fee after first year

Card Details

• Welcome Offer: Earn 55,000 Bonus Miles after spending $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150
• Card Members save 15% when booking Award Travel with miles on Delta flights when using delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
• Additionally, you can receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel after you spend $10,000 in purchases in a year.
• Earn 2 miles per dollar spent on purchases at U.S. Shipping providers and at U.S. providers for Advertising in select media on up to $50,000 of purchases per category, per year.
• Earn 2 Miles on every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta and on every eligible dollar spent at restaurants.
• Earn 1 Mile on every eligible dollar spent on other purchases.
• Check and stow your bag with ease: First Checked Bag Free on Delta Flights + Zone 5 Priority Boarding.
• Elevate your travel experience with an annual statement credit of up to $150 after using your Delta Gold American Express Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
• Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit on eligible Delta in-flight purchases after using your Card.
• Pay no foreign transaction fees when you travel overseas.
• Terms and limitations apply.

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

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.

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

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.

Double miles on Delta purchases

Delta SkyMiles^® Gold Business American Express Card

4.8

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

Delta SkyMiles^® Gold Business American Express Card

4.8

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

Apply Now

Why We Like It

Earn 55,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases in your first 6 months

See rates and fees | Terms Apply

Apply Now

See how these cards compare:

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card

• Earn 65,000 bonus miles after you spend $6,000 in purchases in your first 6 months
• Earn 1.5X points on eligible transit and U.S. shipping purchases, plus single eligible purchases of $5,000 or more
• Annual companion certificates
• Free checked bag + priority boarding
• No foreign transaction fees
• $350 annual fee. Terms apply.
• See rates and fees | Terms Apply

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

• Generous welcome offer valued at $750 when redeemed via Chase Travel
• High rewards on dining and bookings via Chase Travel
• 25% more value when redeeming points for travel through Chase Travel
• Up to $50 in annual statement credits for hotel stays booked through Chase Travel
• Receive valuable travel protections like trip delay reimbursement and primary rental car insurance

Author Details

Kevin Payne Kevin Payne is a freelance writer specializing in student loans, credit cards, personal finance, and travel. He is a regular contributor to Club Thrifty, Millennial Money, and Student Loan Planner. As the budget and family travel expert behind FamilyMoneyAdventure.com, Kevin recently turned his writing side hustle into his full-time career. He lives in Cleveland, Ohio, with his wife and four kids.

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