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Review: Is the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express card the best credit card for you?
If you travel on Delta, even occasionally, the
Read more: The best Delta credit cards
The
The card also comes with shopping protections like extended warranty and purchase protection, and big spenders can more than make up for the annual fee with another perk – a $100 Delta flight credit after spending $10,000 on the card in a calendar year.
If you want the ability to earn Delta miles but don’t want to be locked into a single program, you should also consider cards that earn American Express Membership Rewards points, like the
Comparison: Amex Delta SkyMiles Gold vs other Delta credit cards
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Annual fee |
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Rewards rate |
2x miles on eligible Delta purchases 2x miles at U.S. supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide 1 mile per eligible dollar on everything else |
3x miles on eligible Delta purchases 3x miles on purchases made directly with hotels 2x miles at US supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide 1 mile per eligible dollar on everything else |
3x miles on eligible Delta purchases 1 mile per eligible dollar on everything else |
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Welcome bonus |
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Travel benefits |
Free first checked bag and priority boarding on Delta flights $100 flight credit when you spend $10,000 or more in a calendar year 20% off inflight purchases as a statement credit |
Free first checked bag and priority boarding on Delta flights Annual Delta companion certificate 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $25,000 in purchases on your card in a calendar year, up to two times* Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit Discounted access to Sky Club lounges 20% off inflight purchases as a statement credit |
Free first checked bag and priority boarding on Delta flights Annual Delta companion certificate 15,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $30,000 in purchases on your card in a calendar year, up to four times* Complimentary Delta Sky Club airport lounge access when you fly Delta Complimentary American Express Centurion Lounge access when you fly Delta and use the card to pay for your ticket Access to complimentary upgrades and upgrade priority Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit 20% off inflight purchases as a statement credit |
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Foreign transaction fee |
No |
No |
No |
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Review |
* For 2021,
American Express Delta SkyMiles Gold vs other airline credit cards
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Annual fee |
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Rewards rate |
2x miles on Delta purchases 2x miles at U.S. supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide 1 mile per dollar on everything else |
2x miles on eligible United purchases 2x miles on restaurant/delivery service purchases, and hotel stays booked directly with the hotel 1 mile per dollar on everything else |
2x miles on eligible American Airlines purchases 2x miles at gas stations and restaurants 1 mile per dollar on everything else |
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Welcome bonus |
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Travel benefits |
Free first checked bag and priority boarding on Delta flights $100 flight credit when you spend $10,000 or more in a calendar year 20% off inflight purchases as a statement credit |
Free first checked bag on United flights Priority boarding on United flights 25% back on inflight purchases 2 one-time United Club passes per anniversary year |
Free first checked bag on American Airlines domestic itineraries Preferred boarding on American Airlines flights $125 American Airlines flight discount when you spend $20,000 or more in an account anniversary year and renew your card |
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Foreign transaction fee |
No |
No |
No |
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Review |
How to use Delta miles
Based on Insider’s points and miles valuations, Delta SkyMiles are worth, on average, 1.1 cents each, so if you’re getting that rate or better when you compare the cost of your award flight to that of a paid ticket, you’re getting a good deal.
You can redeem Delta miles for flights on Delta and its SkyTeam alliance and non-alliance partners, including Air France, KLM, and WestJet. Delta no longer publishes an award chart, so the number of points required for an award ticket varies depending on demand, paid ticket price, and season.
The airline sometimes runs flash sales with award tickets priced as low as 2,000 miles one-way for domestic flights and as little as 9,000 miles for international routes. Delta SkyMiles deals usually pop up unannounced, so it’s worth checking frequently to see if the route or destination you want is on sale.
Read more: How to earn, redeem, and maximize Delta miles
One perk offered to all Amex Delta cardholders is the ability to use miles to offset the cost of a paid ticket. The Pay With Miles program allows members to redeem at a rate of 1 cent per mile in 5,000-mile increments, so 5,000 miles is worth $50 off the cost of a paid ticket. This is handy if you don’t have enough miles for an award or want to stretch your miles by combining them with cash.
If you don’t want to redeem SkyMiles for flights, there are other options, but you’ll typically get a poor value in comparison:
- Seat selection and upgrades
- Delta Sky Club lounge memberships
- Certain Delta fees (like ticket changes and award ticket redeposit fees)
- Gift cards
- Magazines
- Tour vouchers
- Charity donations
- Delta Vacations packages
- Premium drinks in Delta Sky Club lounges
- Delta SkyMiles Experiences
Because Delta miles don’t expire, there’s no pressure to redeem them if you’re not ready to travel yet.
Benefits and features
The
Free first checked bag
Families, in particular, can get a huge value – four people with a checked bag each on a round-trip itinerary would normally incur fees of $240 for their luggage.
Priority boarding
Cardholders and up to eight companions on the same reservation receive Main Cabin 1 priority boarding – even when flying Basic Economy – which means you’ll have more time to get settled into your seat and find room in the overhead bins for your carry-on bag.
Read more: The best credit cards with priority boarding
The Main Cabin 1 group boards after passengers flying in premium cabins and most elite members, but before other economy class travelers or those flying in basic economy.
$100 Delta flight credit
If you spend $10,000 or more on eligible purchases in a calendar year on your
20% back on inflight purchases
When you use your
Car rental insurance
The
Purchase protection
When you pay for an eligible item with your
Extended warranty
Cardholders can also get an extended warranty on eligible items when they use their
Baggage insurance
If you pay for a covered trip with your
Read more: The best credit cards with travel insurance
Global Assist Hotline
The
Fees and costs
The
Like most other cards, there are fees for late or returned payments and cash advances
Jasmin Baron is an associate editor at Personal Finance Insider, where she helps readers maximize rewards and find the best credit cards to fit their lifestyles. She has covered credit cards, points and miles, and loyalty programs for over seven years, and she’s a Certified Educator in Personal Finance (CEPF).
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