The American Express® Gold Card and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card are both solid credit card options that offer tons of rewards and benefits.
The Amex Gold is a great card for earning points at restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and flights booked directly with airlines. Cardholders can also enjoy up to $424 in annual credits and nice travel and purchase protections.
The Delta Reserve Amex offers premium perks for frequent Delta flyers, including airport lounge access and an annual companion certificate. While it comes with a high annual fee, frequent Delta flyers can find significant value through its array of travel benefits and ability to boost elite status qualification.
This article will compare each card based on several factors to help you make an informed decision on which card is the best to add to your wallet.Full Reviews: American Express® Gold Card and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
Overview: Amex Gold vs Delta Reserve
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
- 4x Points at U.S. Supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x points)
- 4x Points at Restaurants Worldwide (up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1x points)
- Up to $424 in Annual Credits
- $325 Annual Fee (Rates and Fees)
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $5,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- 3X SkyMiles on Delta Air Lines Purchases
- Airport Lounge Access
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® Credit
- 20% Statement Credit on Delta In-Flight Purchases
- $650 Annual Fee and No Foreign Transaction Fees (Rates & Fees)
Welcome Bonuses
American Express Gold:
The Amex Gold currently offers the following welcome bonus:
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
Delta Reserve Amex:
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card currently offers the following welcome bonus:
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $5,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
Earning Rewards
American Express Gold:
The Amex Gold earns Membership Rewards points and offers some very nice points multipliers to help you earn a lot of points:
- 5 points per dollar spent on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- 4 points per dollar on dining at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year (then 1x points).
- 4 points per dollar U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year (then 1x points).
- 3 points per dollar on flights booked directly from the airline or booked on AmexTravel.com or via Amex Travel App.
- 2 points per dollar on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
Delta Reserve Amex:
The Delta Reserve American Express earns the following points for spending:
- 3 SkyMiles per dollar on eligible Delta purchases.
- 1 SkyMiles per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
Winner:
The
is the better option since it offers higher rewards and has more earning categories.Card Benefits and Perks
American Express Gold:
The American Express Gold card offers the following benefits for its cardholders:
$120 Dining Credit:Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
$120 in Uber Cash: Get up to $10 monthly Uber Cash for U.S. Uber Eats orders and rides when you add your American Express Gold Card as a payment method. Your Uber Cash can be redeemed using any American Express card.
$100 Resy Credit: Get up to $50 semi-annually in statement credits after you pay with the Amex Gold to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. Enrollment is required.
$84 Dunkin’ Credit: You can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations.
Up to $100 in Hotel Credits: Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. Eligible charges vary by property. The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
No Foreign Transaction Fees (rates & fees): The Amex Gold’s lack of foreign transaction fees makes it an ideal choice for international purchases, especially considering you can earn 4 points per dollar at global restaurants (on the first $50,000 spent per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar).
Travel and Purchase Benefits
Trip Delay Insurance: When your trip is significantly delayed due to covered reasons like equipment failures or severe weather, this protection reimburses you for reasonable expenses including lodging, meals, toiletries, and medication. The coverage activates when you pay for travel with your card and extends to family members on the same itinerary, though you’ll need to seek reimbursement from the travel carrier first.*
Baggage Insurance Plan covers your baggage if it is lost, damaged, or stolen and you purchase your ticket with this card.*
Secondary Rental Car Insurance: This card provides backup protection for rental car damage or theft when you charge the full rental to your 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*
Return Protection allows cardholders to receive a refund for purchased items within a certain timeframe for items that merchants may not accept for return.*
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.
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.
* Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions, and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
Delta Reserve Amex:
The Delta Reserve American Express offers many travel benefits for frequent Delta flyers, such as:
Winner:
The Delta Reserve American Express has better benefits if you are a frequent Delta flyer.
Value of the Annual Fees
American Express Gold:
The American Express Gold has a $325 annual fee (rates and fees), which is offset by up to $424 in annual credits, trip and purchase protections, and extra points on dining, flights, and U.S. supermarkets.
Delta Reserve Amex:
The Delta Reserve American Express has an annual fee of $650 (rates & fees), which you can offset the annual fee by taking advantage of the airport lounge access, annual companion certificate, free checked bags, priority boarding, and travel and purchase protections.
Winner:
The annual fee of the
is a better value than the Delta Reserve since the Amex Gold has fee credits that can offset its annual fee, plus it offers great rewards for restaurants and U.S. supermarkets.Redeeming Rewards
American Express Gold:
American Express Membership Rewards points shine brightest when you transfer them to airline and hotel partners. You can also book travel through Amex Travel at 1 cent per point, but transfers usually deliver far more value.
You can transfer Membership Rewards points to 16 airline partners: Aer Lingus AerClub, Aeromexico Rewards, Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, ANA Mileage Club, Avianca LifeMiles, British Airways Club, Cathay, Delta SkyMiles, Emirates Skywards, Iberia Club, JetBlue TrueBlue, Qantas Frequent Flyer, Qatar Airways Privilege Club, Singapore KrisFlyer, and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.
Three hotel partners round out the list: Choice Privileges, Hilton Honors, and Marriott Bonvoy.
Most transfers are 1:1, but a few aren't. Aeromexico transfers at 1:1.6, Cathay and Emirates at 5:4, JetBlue at 250:200, and Hilton at 1:2.
These partners span all three major airline alliances, so you can reach almost any route worldwide.
A few standout redemptions worth chasing:
- Fly Iberia business class to Madrid from 40,500 Avios each way on off-peak dates.
- Book Singapore's business or suites class on ultra-long-haul flights through KrisFlyer.
- Reach Europe on Flying Blue from 60,000 miles, with monthly Promo Rewards trimming prices further.
- Fly Qatar Airways' Qsuites from North America starting at 70,000 Avios.
- Book United Polaris business class to Europe for 50,000 miles through ANA.
Just confirm your award space before you move any points, since every transfer is irreversible.
Delta Reserve Amex:
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.
Winner:
The
is the better choice since it offers more ways for redeeming your Amex Points. You can also transfer them to several airline partners, including Delta, for potentially more value.The Verdict
It’s tough choosing between the Amex Gold and Delta Reserve Amex since both cards offer different perks to different people.
But, the
is the overall winner. You get better rewards on various spending categories, and you earn Amex points, which are more valuable than SkyMiles.The Delta Reserve American Express is still a good choice, only if you’re a traveler who frequently flies with Delta and stays at airport lounges.
Which card are you going to choose?
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
- 4x Points at U.S. Supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x points)
- 4x Points at Restaurants Worldwide (up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1x points)
- Up to $424 in Annual Credits
- $325 Annual Fee (Rates and Fees)
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $5,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- 3X SkyMiles on Delta Air Lines Purchases
- Airport Lounge Access
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® Credit
- 20% Statement Credit on Delta In-Flight Purchases
- $650 Annual Fee and No Foreign Transaction Fees (Rates & Fees)
