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The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is a budget-friendly Delta credit card option. It has several useful perks for frequent Delta flyers, including a free checked bag and priority boarding, and it has a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150. (Terms apply, see rates and fees).
Explore our full Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card review to figure out if it's the best Delta credit card for you.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
Great for: Delta frequent flyers
On American Express' Secure Website.
Terms apply
On American Express' Secure Website.
Terms apply
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: n/a
Balance Transfers: n/a
Regular APR
20.99%-29.99% Variable
Rewards Earn 2X Miles on Delta purchases, at U.S. Supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
1X-2X Miles
Annual Fee
$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150.
Welcome Offer Earn 40,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
40,000 Bonus Miles
An excellent option for most Delta travelers, given the balance of a nice welcome offer, premium rewards program, and a low annual fee.
We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.
Offer | Our Rating | Welcome Offer | Rewards Program | APR | Learn More |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. N/A | 1% - 5% Cashback Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically. |
Intro: Purchases: 0%, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months Regular: 17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR |
||
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Up to $300 cash back Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases. | 1.5% - 5% cash back Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases |
Intro: 0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months Regular: 20.49% - 29.24% Variable |
Apply Now for Chase Freedom Unlimited®
On Chase's Secure Website. |
|
Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
On Chase's Secure Website. |
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
75,000 bonus points Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠. | 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more. |
Intro: N/A Purchases: N/A Balance Transfers: N/A Regular: 21.49%-28.49% Variable |
Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
On Chase's Secure Website. |
This credit card is a good fit for: Travelers who fly with Delta Air Lines multiple times per year and want to earn miles with an affordable credit card.
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card has the features you'd expect from a top airline credit card.
Earn 40,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms apply. With Delta miles, the value you get depends on how you use them. It's common to get $0.01 to $0.015 per mile, which means this welcome offer could help you save $400 to $600.
After spending $10,000 on eligible purchases with the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card in a calendar year, you'll receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit. Terms apply. The credit is easy to get if you use your card regularly, as it only requires about $835 in monthly spending.
The card earns 2X miles on:
All other purchases earn 1X miles. Terms apply. While this card's earning rates don't stack up to the best rewards cards, it at least earns extra in a few broad bonus categories.
Card Members get a free first checked bag on all Delta flights for themselves. Other passengers traveling on the same reservation can also get the first checked bag free, up to a maximum of nine bag fee waivers per reservation. Terms apply. If you usually check a bag, this Delta credit card will save you money on one of the most common travel expenses.
You'll be in the Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding group every time you fly with Delta. If you aren't familiar with Delta's boarding process, this means you'll board after first class and the "Sky" boarding group, but before the general main cabin (groups 2 and 3). Terms apply.
Through the TakeOff 15 benefit, you can save 15% when booking award travel on delta.com or the Fly Delta app. Terms apply. This is an easy way to get the airfare you want for fewer miles.
Like any good airline credit card, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card doesn't charge you an extra fee on foreign transactions. (see rates and fees).
This card has a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150. So even though it charges an annual fee, you can save on that for the first year that you have the card.
RELATED: Read The Ascent's guide to the Best American Express Credit Cards.
Here are the protections offered by this Delta credit card on eligible purchases:
Terms apply. To learn more about these coverages, including exclusions, review the card's guide to benefits.
RELATED: The Ascent's Travel Credit Cards Hub
A couple minor issues are worth noting with this card.
Once you've had the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card for a year, the regular annual fee applies. That's not unreasonable considering what the card offers. Spending at least $10,000 per calendar year gets you a $200 Delta Flight Credit. There's also that free checked bag for you and up to eight travel companions on the same reservation.
As long as you use your card often and fly with Delta at least a couple times per year, you should have no problem coming out ahead on this annual fee. If you're not sure, you can always check out more credit card reviews to see if there could be a better fit out there.
This card doesn't offer some of the benefits that premium travel cards do. For example, frequent travelers may prefer a card that offers airport lounge access. In that case, comparing credit cards is a good idea to see whether you should get a Delta card with more features.
MORE OPTIONS: Best Delta Credit Cards
Compare credit card rewards, fees, APRs, and more using our side-by-side comparison tool.
To get the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, you should apply with a FICO® Score of at least 670. While approval doesn't depend entirely on your credit score, that is among the most important factors.
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is a great choice if you like to fly Delta when traveling and take at least a few trips per year.
Considering their value, Delta American Express credit cards are competitive with the best credit cards. It's all a matter of choosing which of the four tiers of Delta cards is the best fit for your needs. For travelers who want a free checked bag and priority boarding, but don't want to pay more than $100 per year for a credit card, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is the natural choice.
At The Motley Fool Ascent, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.
We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how The Ascent rates credit cards.
The credit limit for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card varies based on your income, credit history, and other factors. Some card members start out with credit limits of $1,000, while others receive credit limits of $20,000 or more.
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card usually isn't hard to get for qualified applicants. If you have a FICO® Score of 670 or more, then you have a good chance of getting approved.
Delta miles don't expire.
Our Credit Cards Experts
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For rates and fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, click here
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