Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card review 2024: Modest Delta perks without an annual fee

Travelers looking to earn Delta miles on their credit card purchases and get discounts on in-flight purchases can unlock those benefits without paying an annual fee. You won’t get luxury perks, but the rewards may be enough for the casual Delta flyer. 

Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card

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BLUEPRINT RATING

Our ratings are based on specific use cases for each card. We compared this card to others in the same category and developed our rankings based on this criteria, along with our editorial input. Note that although we chose this card as the best in its category, the right card for you will depend on your own financial circumstances.

Rates & fees / Terms apply

Rates & fees / Terms apply

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BLUEPRINT RATING

Our ratings are based on specific use cases for each card. We compared this card to others in the same category and developed our rankings based on this criteria, along with our editorial input. Note that although we chose this card as the best in its category, the right card for you will depend on your own financial circumstances.

Welcome bonus

Earn 10,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.

Earn 10,000 miles

Annual fee

$0

Regular APR

20.99%-29.99% Variable

Credit score

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

(700 – 749) Good, Excellent

Earn 2X miles on eligible purchases made directly with Delta; Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide and on takeout and delivery in the U.S.; Earn 1X miles on all other eligible purchases

Editor’s take

Pros

• No annual fee.
• Decent welcome bonus.
• No foreign transaction fee.

Cons

• No 0% introductory APR offer.
• Welcome bonus is lowest among Delta’s credit cards.
• Lacks lounge access, priority boarding, and other airline perks.

If you’re looking for a Delta rewards card with no annual fee, check out the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card. The card earns above-average rewards on Delta spending and restaurants and basic rewards on everything else. 2 Delta SkyMiles per dollar spent on Delta purchases and restaurants and 1 mile on everything else with no limit or expiration.

Card details

• Earn 10,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
• No Annual Fee.
• Earn 2X Miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
• Earn 2X Miles per dollar spent on Delta purchases, and 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
• Pay with Miles: 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 after you use your Card on eligible Delta in-flight purchases of food and beverages.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Terms Apply.

Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card basics

• Annual fee: $0 (terms apply, rates & fees).
• Welcome bonus: 10,000 miles after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership.
• Rewards: 2 miles per $1 on Delta purchases, at restaurants worldwide and takeout and delivery in the U.S. and 1 mile per $1 on all other eligible purchases.
• Other benefits: Get a 20% discount (received as a statement credit) on eligible Delta in-flight purchases of food and beverages.
• Recommended credit score: Good or excellent (typically 700 or above).

Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card review

With the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card, you’ll earn rewards on every eligible purchase, which you can redeem on flights with not just Delta Air Lines — but also with over 15 additional airline partners. While you won’t get elite perks like lounge access or even free checked bags, you will earn miles on each eligible purchase, get a 20% discount (in the form of a statement credit) on eligible in-flight food and beverage purchases when flying with Delta and you won’t pay foreign transaction fees when using the card abroad. That’s pretty surprising, as most no-annual-fee cards — even travel-focused cards — tack on fees anywhere from 3% to 5% per transaction for using your card internationally.

This card is ideal for a specific profile: those who don’t want to pay an annual fee while earning rewards, or who want 20% back as a statement credit after purchasing eligible in-flight food or beverages on Delta flights with the card. It’s also a fit for those who don’t tend to check bags, as you won’t get any free checked bags as a built-in perk. Only Delta credit cards with an annual fee offer that benefit. 

This combination is its greatest strength and greatest weakness, as those looking for airline credit cards typically want perks like priority boarding and free checked bags. If you’re OK with foregoing those benefits in order to skip the annual fee, this can be an excellent card. 

As an American Express card, you’ll have access to Amex Offers (enrollment required), which are targeted offers you can add to your enrolled Amex credit card to earn extra rewards with merchant partners. Offers change regularly, and not everyone receives the same offers, so the utility of these varies from person to person.

Moreover, it’s worth knowing how this card fits into the bigger picture of Delta credit cards from American Express. American Express has strict application rules, barring you from earning a welcome bonus on a credit card you’ve had previously. Thus, it could be worth considering the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card if you’ve had other Delta cards in the past and wouldn’t be eligible for the welcome bonus on those. 

Lastly, you should know that Amex sends upgrade offers to some of its cardholders, hoping to entice them to upgrade to a different card in the same family (in this case, potentially the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card or the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card) (terms apply). It could be worth maintaining a card in the Delta credit card family if you hope to receive one of these lucrative offers.

Pros

• No annual fee: There’s no fee to keep this card in your pocket year after year.
• No foreign transaction fees: You won’t pay fees when making payments outside the U.S. or shopping in a foreign currency.
• Insurance and purchase protections: Surprisingly, this no-annual-fee card offers benefits such as car rental insurance¹, 90 days worth of purchase protection on new purchases² and an additional year of extended warranty on some purchases³.

Cons

• No free checked bags: Free checked bags are one of the most common benefits on co-branded airline credit cards, but that perk isn’t included here.
• Earning structure is a bit flat: Only Delta flights and restaurants earn at an elevated rewards rate.
• Lack of additional perks: While you might unlock additional perks through spending money on your other credit cards, that’s absent from this card.

Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card rewards

New applicants can earn 10,000 miles after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership.

Beyond the welcome bonus, you’ll earn rewards on eligible daily purchases. The card earns:

• 2 miles per $1 on Delta purchases, at restaurants worldwide and takeout and delivery in the U.S.
• 1 mile per $1 on all other eligible purchases.

Using government data and other publicly available information, we considered a U.S. household that could purchase $25,087 of its most common expenses with this card to earn rewards for these purchases. Here’s how our sample household’s rewards could break down:

SPENDING CATEGORY	SPENDING AMOUNT	MILES PER DOLLAR	MILES EARNED
Restaurants	$3,526	2 miles	7,052 miles
Delta flights	$1,188	2 miles	2,376 miles
Other spending	$20,373	1 miles	20,373 miles
TOTAL	$25,087		29,801 miles

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This sample cardholder earns a total of 29,801 miles in rewards annually. The value of the miles depends on how you redeem them, so let’s look at a few examples.

In a recent Delta flash sale — a short period when Delta reduces costs on certain award flights booked with miles — the person in this example could’ve flown round-trip between Houston, Los Angeles, or Providence, Rhode Island, for 12,000 to 22,000 Delta SkyMiles round-trip, depending on the dates.

This person would also earn enough in rewards from everyday spending to book a round-trip flight between Los Angeles and Maui each year, using 20,000 miles and paying $11.20 in mandatory government taxes for these flights.

Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card perks

Aside from earning rewards on your purchases, you’ll also receive a 20% discount on eligible in-flight purchases. This applies to eligible food and beverages purchased on Delta Air Lines flights, and you’ll receive the discount in the form of a statement credit, applied to your monthly credit card bill, after using your card to pay.

When making purchases with your card, you’ll enjoy several protections and benefits, including: 

• Purchase protection: This covers your new items for 90 days against theft or accidental damage.²
• Extended warranty: This adds up to an additional year to U.S. manufacturers’ warranties of five years or less.³ 
• Complimentary ShopRunner membership: Enroll in this benefit and receive free two-day shipping and free return shipping on eligible items (terms apply).
• Secondary car rental insurance: Decline the rental company’s damage insurance and receive secondary coverage on an eligible vehicle.¹
• Access to the Global Assist Hotline: Get referrals to emergency assistance services when traveling 100 or more miles away from home. There may be charges associated with these services.⁴

How the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card compares to other no-annual-fee airline cards 

Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card vs. American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® * The information for the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

American Airlines’ no-annual-fee credit card has a lot in common with the Delta SkyMiles Blue Amex card. The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® * The information for the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. earns 2 AAdvantage miles per $1 at grocery stores, including grocery delivery services, 2 AAdvantage miles per $1 on eligible American Airlines purchases and 1 AAdvantage mile per $1 on all other purchases.

You’ll also get a 25% discount on American Airlines in-flight food and beverage purchases (issued as a statement credit) — but won’t get free checked bags, priority boarding, or lounge access from either card.

The key difference between the two is that the MileUp card could potentially help you gain elite status and the Delta SkyMiles Blue Amex Card can’t. Elite status with American Airlines AAdvantage® is achieved by earning Loyalty Points, which can be earned with the MileUp card. You’ll also earn a welcome bonus of 15,000 miles after making $500 in purchases within the first three months of account opening.

Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card vs. United Gateway℠ Card * The information for the United Gateway℠ Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

The United Gateway℠ Card * The information for the United Gateway℠ Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. also has no annual fee and similar attributes as the Delta SkyMiles Blue Amex Card. You’ll earn 2 miles per $1 at United, gas stations and local transit and commuting and 1 mile per $1 on all other purchases.

You’ll get 25% back (as a statement credit) on United in-flight purchases as well as on premium drink purchases in United Club airport lounges. Neither card charges an annual fee or foreign transaction fees, but that’s where the similarities end.

The United Gateway Card has a welcome bonus of 20,000 miles after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. There’s also a 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months, then a regular 21.99% to 28.99% variable APR on purchases and balance transfers. A balance transfer fee of either $5 or 5% of each transfer, whichever is greater, applies.

United’s credit cards are issued by Chase, which is a positive and a negative. You’ll get access to the Chase Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection for valuable add-ons to certain hotel bookings and up to a one-year complimentary DashPass membership through DoorDash. However, you’ll need to be eligible for this card under the strict Chase 5/24 rule.

Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card vs. Amex EveryDay® Credit Card * The information for the Amex EveryDay® Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Many people prefer to earn flexible rewards that can be redeemed in a variety of ways, rather than earning miles in just one airline’s rewards program. If you’d like to have multiple options for redeeming your rewards, like statement credits or redeeming with multiple hotel and airline programs — including Delta — then a card that earns American Express Membership Rewards® points, like the Amex EveryDay card (terms apply), is a better choice. 

The Amex EveryDay card also has no annual fee and rewards points can be transferred to programs including Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy, British Airways Executive Club and Delta SkyMiles. The card earns 2 Membership Rewards points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year (then 1 point), 2 points per $1 on American Express Travel and 1 point per $1 on other purchases. Plus, use the card 20 or more times in a billing period and earn 20% extra points. 

New applicants for the Amex EveryDay® Credit Card * The information for the Amex EveryDay® Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. can earn 10,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. And the Amex EveryDay card also provides access to Amex Offers upon enrollment, which helps you earn extra rewards on targeted offers.

Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card is right for you if: 

• Earning rewards on your eligible daily spending is a top priority.
• You don’t want to pay an annual fee.
• A free checked bag perk is not important to you.
• Luxury travel perks are not what you’re seeking in a credit card.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

^{For rates and fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card please visit this page.}

^{¹Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.}

^{²When an American Express® Card Member charges a Covered Purchase with their Eligible Card, Purchase Protection can help protect their Covered Purchases for up to 90 days from the Covered Purchase date if it is stolen or accidentally damaged. The coverage is limited up to $1,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.}

^{³When an American Express® Card Member charges a Covered Purchase to an Eligible Card, Extended Warranty can provide up to one extra year added to the Original Manufacturer’s Warranty. Applies to warranties of five (5) years or less. Coverage is up to the actual amount charged to your Card for the item up to a maximum of $10,000; not to exceed $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.}

^{⁴You can rely on Global Assist Hotline 24 hours a day / 7 days a week for medical, legal, financial or other select emergency coordination and assistance services while traveling more than 100 miles away from your home. Third-party service costs may be your responsibility. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.}