Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express card review 2024: Cost-effective rewards for Delta fans

The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card (terms apply, rates & fees) offers enough benefits to justify an annual fee for occasional Delta flyers.

Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express card basics

• Annual fee: $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150.
• Welcome bonus: 65,000 miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership.
• Rewards: 2 miles per $1 on Delta purchases, at U.S. supermarkets and restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and 1 mile per $1 on other eligible purchases.
• APR: 20.99% to 29.99% variable APR on purchases.
• Other perks and benefits: $200 Delta Flight Credit after spending $10,000 in purchases within a calendar year, first checked bag free, 15% off Award Travel redemptions on Delta flights (taxes and fees apply), Zone 5 Priority Boarding and an annual up to $100 Delta Stays statement credit.
• Does the issuer offer a preapproval tool? Yes.
• Recommended credit score: Good to excellent.

About the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express card

The Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express is a perfect airline card for those who don’t fly very often but still want perks, like the ability to earn miles on everyday purchases and a first checked bag free when flying Delta.

For just a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150, you can earn 2 miles per $1 on Delta purchases, at U.S. supermarkets and restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and 1 mile per $1 on other eligible purchases. Those who spend $10,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year on the card will also earn a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel. The current welcome bonus is an accessible 65,000 miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership.

However, the lower annual fee also means that the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express doesn’t come with the luxury perks that you’ll find on pricier cards. For example, you won’t get access to the Delta Sky Club® or have the ability to earn Medallion® Qualification Dollars (MQDs) on card purchases. 

Pros

• First checked bag free: Even if you’re flying basic economy, you can get your first checked bag for free. If you fly regularly, this can add up to huge savings throughout the year.
• Discounted award redemption: Cardholders can take 15% off when booking Award Travel with miles on Delta flights using delta.com and the Fly Delta app, allowing you to stretch your miles further. (Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.)
• $200 Delta Flight Credit: If you spend at least $10,000 in eligible purchases on the card in a calendar year, which works out to just over $833 per month, you’ll earn a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel and essentially make up for the card’s annual fee.
• $100 Delta Stays credit: If you plan on traveling throughout the year, book your prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays and receive up to $100 back per year as a statement credit.

Cons

• No luxury benefits: Although it does come with benefits that make travel slightly easier, including a first checked bag free and priority boarding on Delta flights, the premium perks stop there. You cannot access airport lounges or earn toward Medallion status with this card.
• Low earning rate: The ongoing rewards rate is just so-so and can be bested by a more premium Delta cobranded card. 

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Delta SkyMiles® Gold 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 65,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

Earn 65,000 miles

Annual fee

$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150

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

Editor’s take

Pros

• Free checked bag and priority boarding on Delta flights.
• Solid welcome bonus.
• No foreign transaction fees.

Cons

• Annual fee after the first year.
• No Delta lounge access.
• Low base earning rate on most purchases.

If you want some instant airline perks, consider the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card. With the card’s annual fee come extras such as a free checked bag on Delta flights for you and up to eight additional traveling companions and priority boarding. If you fly Delta just a few times per year, these benefits could make the card worth the carrying cost.

Card details

• Earn 65,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Enjoy a $0 introductory Annual Fee for the first year, then $150.
• Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
• $200 Delta Flight Credit: After you spend $10,000 in purchases in a year, you can receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel.
• Earn 2X Miles on Delta purchases, at U.S. Supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
• You can check your first bag free on Delta flights, saving up to $70 on a round-trip Delta flight per person. For a family of four that’s a potential savings of up to $280 per round-trip flight.
• Receive Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
• $100 Delta Stays Credit: Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card Members can earn up to $100 back annually on eligible prepaid Delta Stays bookings on delta.com.
• 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 on eligible Delta in-flight purchases after using your Card.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• With Send & Split®, you can send money and split your Card purchases with any other Venmo or PayPal user, directly from the Amex App. Enroll today.
• Terms Apply.

Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express card rewards

The Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express has a straightforward earning structure. Cardholders earn 2 miles per $1 on Delta purchases, at U.S. supermarkets and restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and 1 mile per $1 on other eligible purchases. There is no limit to how much you can earn. 

The best use of your miles is for Delta flights, but you can also redeem for Delta gift cards, Delta Stays, seat upgrades, for booking SkyMiles experiences or select magazine subscriptions.

Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express card rewards potential

Using government data and other publicly available information, we estimate that a household in the U.S. that would be in the market for this card has $25,087 in expenses they are likely to be able to charge to a credit card. Here’s an example of how many miles our sample household could earn on purchases made with the Delta SkyMiles Gold:

Spending category	Spending amount	Miles per dollar	Miles earned
Delta flights	$1,188	2 miles	2,376 miles
Dining and groceries (at U.S. supermarkets)	$6,985	2 miles	13,970 miles
All other purchases	$16,914	1 mile	16,914 miles
TOTAL	$25,087		33,260 miles

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In this example, the cardholder would earn 33,260 miles. Redemptions on Delta are tied to the cash price of a ticket, so what you can do with 33,260 miles will vary greatly depending on where you go, when you go and what class of seat you wish to fly.

The value of your miles will vary depending on the route and time of year you choose to redeem them. With the right strategy, you can use your miles to take a dream vacation. For example, you could fly one way from New York City (JFK) to Hawaii (HNL) for as little as 20,400 miles, plus $5.60 in taxes and fees. 

Or, you could fly nonstop and round trip from Atlanta (ATL) to Las Vegas (LAS) for as little as 25,400 miles, plus $11.20 in taxes and fees.

Delta does not provide an award redemption chart, so you might have to do some research to maximize your award redemption. The 15% off Award Travel cardholder benefit can make it easier to extend the value of your miles.

Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express perks

While you won’t get airport lounge access or trip cancellation protection, the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express does come with the following benefits:

• First checked bag free for you and up to eight additional passengers flying on your Delta reservation.
• 20% back (as a statement credit) on eligible Delta in-flight purchases.
• Up to $100 Delta Stays statement credit each year when using the card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays.
• Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights.
• 15% off when booking Award Travel with miles on Delta flights through delta.com or through the Delta app (taxes and fees will still apply).
• Receive up to $50 off your flight for every 5,000 miles redeemed when using Pay with Miles when booking on delta.com.
• $200 Delta Flight Credit after spending $10,000 in eligible purchases on the card in a calendar year.
• Secondary car rental loss and damage insurance¹.
• No foreign transaction fees.
• Purchase protection up to $1,000 per occurrence and $50,000 per year for up to 90 days from the date of purchase².
• Extended warranty — get an extra year of protection beyond the manufacturer’s original warranty of five years or less on items purchased with your card³.

How the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express card compares to other airline cards

Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express card vs. Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card

If your primary goal in owning a Delta cobranded credit card is to gain access to perks with the airline, consider the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex (terms apply, rates & fees). At $350 annually, it’s more expensive than the Gold version, but comes with several additional benefits, notably the annual Companion Certificate — good for Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean, or Central American roundtrip flights each year after card renewal (plus taxes and fees). This perk alone could make the steeper annual fee worth it for you.

Other extras that come with the SkyMiles Platinum card include a statement credit for a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee (up to $100), an up to $150 Delta Stays statement credit annually and an up to $120 rideshare statement credit each year for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers (disbursed in $10 monthly statement credits; enrollment required). Ultimately, this card comes with far more benefits than the SkyMiles Gold card, but it’s only worth it to pay the price difference if you’re going to use them.

Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express card vs. Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® * The information for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

If you’re currently airline agnostic, you may want to consider the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® * The information for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , which has a slightly lower annual fee of $99, waived for the first 12 months. The card earns 2 AAdvantage miles per $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases, restaurants and gas stations and 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases.

Perks include a first checked bag free on domestic American Airlines flights for cardholders and up to four travel companions on the same reservation. Plus, preferred boarding and 25% off in-flight purchases on American Airlines flights. 

There’s a welcome bonus of 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles after spending $2,500 in purchases in the first three months of account opening. The Citi Platinum Select card also comes with World Elite Mastercard benefits. If you can’t decide between these two similar cards, consider your home airport and which airline is more likely to take you to the places you want to go.

Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express card vs. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

The $95-annual-fee Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a general travel card that earns 5 miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and purchases through Capital One Entertainment and 2 miles per $1 on other purchases — making it a reasonable choice for all types of travel, not just flights. Miles earned on the card can also be transferred to more than 15 airline and hotel loyalty partners.

The Venture Rewards card comes with 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. Plus the card offers a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit, elite Hertz Five Star status⁴ and benefits like a $50 experience credit and room upgrade when booking a Lifestyle Collection hotel through Capital One Travel. If you want greater flexibility with your rewards than the airline-specific perks of the Delta SkyMiles Gold, the Venture Rewards is the better choice.

Is the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express card worth it?

If you can see yourself flying at least a couple of times yearly on Delta, this card makes sense to add to your wallet, particularly to save on checked bag fees. However, if you fly often on Delta, you might consider applying for one of its sibling Delta cards, several of which provide greater benefits, albeit at a higher price tag. 

If you want a credit card that lets you redeem for more than just flights on one specific airline, you might want to choose the Venture Rewards from Capital One instead or read our list of the best travel rewards cards for other strong options. 

The Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express card is right for you if:

• You fly Delta a few times a year and want to improve your travel experience with a first checked bag free, Zone 5 Priority Boarding and discounts on in-flight purchases, but aren’t fussed about more premium travel perks like lounge access.
• You’ll spend enough on the card to earn the Delta Flight Credit and see yourself using the annual Delta Stays statement credit, as together these cover the card’s annual fee twice over.
• You’re willing to do some research to maximize your award redemption and get the most of Delta’s TakeOff 15 discount when booking Award Travel through delta.com or the Fly Delta app.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

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

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

^{¹Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $50,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. 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. 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.}

^{⁴Upon enrollment, accessible through the Capital One website or mobile app, eligible cardholders will remain at upgraded status level through December 31, 2024. Please note, enrolling through the normal Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (e.g. at Hertz.com) will not automatically detect a cardholder as being eligible for the program and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier. Additional terms apply.}