The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card offers valuable perks for occasional Delta flyers at a reasonable annual fee. With benefits like a free checked bag and priority boarding, this card can easily pay for itself if you fly Delta even a few times per year.
This credit card review will cover everything you need to know about this card to determine if you should add this card or a different card to your wallet. Let’s dive right in.
Welcome Bonus of Delta Gold Amex
The Delta Gold Amex currently offers the following welcome bonus: bonus_miles_full
This bonus alone can potentially cover the cost of a round-trip domestic flight or even a one-way international ticket, depending on how you redeem your SkyMiles.
Keep in mind that there are some restrictions to consider. You may not be eligible to receive a welcome bonus on the Delta Gold American Express if you have or have had: Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card or the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card.
Additionally, American Express has a “once in a lifetime” policy for welcome bonuses, meaning that if you’ve earned the bonus on this card before, you won’t be eligible to receive it again.
Earning SkyMiles with Delta Gold Amex
The Delta Gold Amex allows cardholders to earn:
- 2 SkyMiles per dollar on purchases made with Delta;
- 2 SkyMiles per dollar on dining at restaurants, including takeout and delivery in the U.S.;
- 2 SkyMiles per dollar at U.S. supermarkets; and
- 1 SkyMile per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
The earning rates on this card are decent but not exceptional, particularly for a co-branded airline card. While the 2x categories provide some value, there are more rewarding cards available for restaurants, supermarkets, and even airfare purchases.
However, for everyday non-bonus spending, you’d likely be better off with a card that earns transferable points or offers a higher flat rate on all purchases.
Annual Fee of Delta Gold Amex
The Delta SkyMiles Gold has $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 (rates & fees). While this fee is comparable to other airline co-branded cards, it’s essential to evaluate whether the card’s benefits to justify the cost for your specific situation.
Fortunately, the card offers several perks that can help offset the annual fee, even for moderately frequent Delta flyers. The checked bag fee benefit alone can generate significant savings, especially if traveling with a family. Additional money-saving benefits like inflight purchase discounts, priority boarding, Delta flight credit, and more can further help you offset the annual fee.
Benefits on Delta Air Lines
The Delta Gold Amex offers the following benefits for cardholders to help enhance your travel experience and deliver valuable savings. Let’s explore the key perks in detail:
First Free Checked Bag: As a cardholder, your first checked bag is free on Delta flights, a benefit that extends to up to eight additional passengers traveling on the same reservation. Given Delta’s standard checked bag fee of $35 each way, this perk can lead to substantial savings over time. Remember that the waiver applies to bags weighing 50 lbs or less and within Delta’s standard size limits—any overweight or oversized bags will still incur applicable fees.
Priority Boarding: This Delta card grants you and up to eight travel companions on the same reservation the privilege of boarding in Zone 5 ahead of most Main Cabin passengers. This benefit ensures ample overhead bin space for your carry-on bags and provides time to settle in before the flight.
Annual Delta Stays Credit: Get up to $100 back per year as a statement credit after using your Delta Gold Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com/stays.
Delta Flight Credit: For big spenders, there’s an opportunity to earn a $200 Delta flight credit after spending at least $10,000 in purchases on your card in a calendar year. This credit can effectively offset your annual fee and then some. The credit typically appears in your Delta account 2-4 weeks after reaching the spending threshold.
20% Back on In-Flight Purchases: When using your Delta American Express Card for eligible inflight purchases like food, beverages, and audio headsets on Delta-operated flights, you’ll receive a 20% savings as a statement credit. This discount applies to purchases made by primary cardholders and authorized users on domestic and international flights. However, it doesn’t cover inflight Wi-Fi.
15% Award Discount: One of the more unique perks of Delta credit cards is the TakeOff 15 benefit, which offers a 15% discount on award travel booked on Delta.com when signed into your account associated with your card. This discount applies to the SkyMiles required for an award ticket, not the dollar amount of government-imposed taxes and fees. While limited to Delta-operated flights (not partner airlines), this discount can help your miles go further, especially on more expensive routes or last-minute bookings.
Travel and Purchase Benefits
Amex Offers: As an American Express cardholder, you can access Amex Offers. These targeted, limited-time promotions provide discounts or bonus points on purchases with select merchants. Offers are added to your card, and you’ll receive either a percentage or dollar amount back as a statement credit when you meet the offer terms. While offers vary and may not always align with your spending habits, this perk can be valuable when an offer matches your preferences.
ShopRunner Membership: As a cardholder, you’ll enjoy a complimentary ShopRunner membership, which provides free 2-day shipping and free returns at over 100 participating online retailers. This benefit can help frequent online shoppers save on shipping costs and streamline the return process.
Secondary Rental Car Insurance: This card provides backup protection for rental car damage or theft when you charge the full rental to your card.*
Lost Luggage Reimbursement: Your checked luggage gets extra protection against loss, theft, or damage beyond the basic compensation offered by carriers when you pay for travel with this card.
Extended Warranty Protection: When you purchase items with your credit card, you’ll get an extra year of warranty coverage on eligible items that have original manufacturer warranties of up to five years. This valuable perk means you can protect expensive electronics and appliances that come with longer manufacturer warranties without paying extra for store protection plans*
90-Day Purchase Protection: Your new purchases are covered against damage and theft for 90 days when you use your card. This protection helps safeguard your eligible items right from the moment you buy them.*
* Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions, and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
Redeeming Miles
Delta SkyMiles offers a variety of ways to redeem your hard-earned miles for travel. One of the most straightforward options is booking Delta-operated flights, where award pricing is dynamic. This means flexibility in your travel dates can often lead to better value. Keep an eye out for SkyMiles deals, which can offer significant savings on specific routes.
For international travel, Delta’s extensive partner network opens up a world of possibilities. As a member of the SkyTeam alliance, Delta allows you to redeem miles on 18 partner airlines, including Air France, KLM, and Korean Air. Additionally, non-alliance partners like WestJet provide more options, especially for travel to Canada.
Partner awards often provide better value than Delta-operated flights, particularly for premium cabin travel. For example, business class flights from the U.S. to Mexico or within Asia can be excellent uses of SkyMiles. However, it’s important to note that partner award availability can be limited, so booking in advance is recommended.
Another option is using miles for upgrades on Delta and select partner flights. While this typically provides lower value than booking award flights outright, it can be a good choice if you have a surplus of miles.
Delta Vacations presents another redemption opportunity, often yielding at least 1.15 cents per mile in value. This can be particularly appealing for package deals including flights and luxury hotel stays.
Remember, award prices can change without notice, so it’s always wise to book when you find a good deal. With some strategic planning, Delta SkyMiles can be a valuable currency for your travel needs.
Pros and Cons
Here’s a quick overview of this card’s advantages and disadvantages:
Pros
Free Checked Bag: You and up to 8 companions on the same reservation get your first checked bag free on Delta flights, potentially saving up to $60 per person roundtrip.
Priority Boarding: Enjoy Main Cabin 1 priority boarding for you and up to 8 companions on the same reservation, allowing you to board earlier and find overhead bin space.
Inflight Savings: Receive 20% back as a statement credit on eligible inflight purchases like food, beverages, and audio headsets.
Solid Welcome Bonus: The card typically offers a large welcome bonus of SkyMiles after meeting a reasonable spending requirement, providing good value for new cardholders.
Cons
Limited Earning Potential: While it earns 2x miles on Delta purchases, restaurants, and U.S. supermarkets, the 1x earning rate on other purchases is not competitive with many other travel rewards cards.
Annual Fee: After the first year, there’s a $150 annual fee. While this can be offset by the card’s benefits for Delta flyers, it may not be worth it for very infrequent travelers.
No Lounge Access: Unlike some premium airline cards, this card doesn’t offer any complimentary airport lounge access.
Restricted Award Availability: Delta’s dynamic award pricing can make it challenging to find good value redemptions, especially for premium cabin international flights.
Alternatives to the Delta SkyMiles Gold Card
Now that you know about the pros and cons of this card and its benefits, it’s time to review the alternatives.
Or, if you are like me, who loves to maximize my rewards, here are other cards you should add to your wallet in addition to this card:
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card (review) comes packed with Delta-specific perks like priority boarding, a free checked bag, and discounts on award flights. The card’s annual companion certificate and ability to earn Medallion Qualification Dollars through spending make it worthwhile for those chasing Delta elite status. Welcome Bonus: bonus_miles_full Earning SkyMiles: 3x SkyMiles on Delta Air Lines purchases and at hotels; 2x SkyMiles at restaurants and at U.S. supermarkets; and 1x SkyMiles on all other eligible purchases. Card Benefits: Free first checked bag and priority boarding for you and up to eight travel companions, companion certificate at renewal each year, 20% back on in-flight purchases, 15% award discount, $150 annual Delta Stays credit, $120 Resy credit at U.S. Resy restaurants (up to $10 in statement credits per month; enrollment required), $120 rideshare credit on U.S. rideshare purchase (up to $10 in statement credits per month; enrollment required), Global Entry / TSA PreCheck credit, Hertz Five Star status, secondary rental car insurance, trip delay insurance, baggage insurance, purchase protection, and extended warranty.
American Express Platinum Card®
American Express Platinum Card® (review) offers the most comprehensive airport lounge network available, giving you access to premium Centurion Lounges plus thousands of other lounges worldwide. You can easily offset the card’s large annual fee through generous credits for Uber, hotels, digital entertainment, Resy dining, and lifestyle brands like lululemon. Earning Points: 5x on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel®, on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year; 5x points on on prepaid hotels booked on AmexTravel.com; 1x points on all other purchases. Card Benefits: Transfer Partners: Aer Lingus, AeroMexico, Air Canada Aeroplan, ANA, Avianca LifeMiles, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Choice Privileges, Delta, Emirates, Etihad, Air France – KLM Flying Blue, Hawaiian Airlines, Hilton, Iberia, JetBlue, Marriott, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Singapore KrisFlyer, and Virgin Atlantic.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (review) is one of the most popular travel rewards cards because it offers nice welcome bonus and extra points on travel and dining, which can be transferred to airline and hotel partners or redeemed directly for travel at a rate of 1.25 cents per point through Chase Travel℠. The Sapphire Preferred also offers great travel and purchase protections for a card with a $95 annual fee. Welcome Bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Earning Rewards: 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3x points on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2x points on all other travel purchases, and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. Card Benefits: Ability to transfer to airline and hotel partners, 25% bonus when redeeming points through Chase Travel, $50 annual hotel stay credit via Chase Travel, 10% anniversary points bonus, no foreign transaction fees, primary rental car insurance, trip delay insurance, trip cancellation insurance, baggage delay insurance, purchase protection, and extended warranty. Transfer Partners: Aer Lingus, Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways, Emirates, Air France KLM Flying Blue, Hyatt, IHG, Iberia, JetBlue, Marriott, Singapore KrisFlyer, Southwest, United, and Virgin Atlantic.
Is the Delta Gold Amex Worth It?
For casual Delta flyers looking to enhance their travel experience without breaking the bank, the Delta Gold Amex offers compelling value. You’ll enjoy perks like a free checked bag and priority boarding on Delta flights, potentially saving hundreds of dollars per year.
The card’s welcome bonus provides a nice chunk of SkyMiles to jumpstart your travels, while bonus earning on Delta purchases, restaurants, and U.S. supermarkets helps you rack up miles faster.
With a reasonable annual fee that’s waived the first year, you can test-drive the card’s benefits before committing long-term. If you fly Delta a few times a year and want elite-like perks without elite status, this card is worth a serious look.
Learn How to Apply: Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, please click here. 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.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, please click here. 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.
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here. 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.
