Can You Have 2 Delta AmEx Credit Cards?

As a frequent Delta Air Lines flyer, you might be wondering whether a co-branded Delta SkyMiles credit card from American Express would be a good fit for your travels. Or, if you already hold one of these cards, you might be asking — can you have two Delta AmEx credit cards?

The short answer is yes, it’s possible to hold two or even three Delta cards to earn more SkyMiles. However, you have to be aware of specific rules before applying for multiple cards at once. Here’s what you need to know about holding multiple Delta AmEx credit cards.

Delta credit cards currently available

Delta and American Express offer multiple co-branded SkyMiles credit cards to consumers and business owners. Consumers have four cards available to them, and business owners have three.

Let’s take a look at what welcome offers, annual fees and extra benefits you can expect from each Delta SkyMiles card (on top of earning miles on spending):

• Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card: Earn 10,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months. Terms Apply. The annual fee is $0 (see rates and fees).

• Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card: Earn 50,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply. Also get a complimentary checked bag for you and your travel companions, priority boarding, and a $200 Delta credit after spending $10,000 on the card in a calendar year. The annual fee is $0 intro for the first year, then $150(see rates and fees).

• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card: Earn 60,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply. Also get Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit and an annual companion certificate for main cabin (at renewal) — all for an annual fee of $350 (see rates and fees).

• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card: Earn 70,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $5,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply. Benefits include Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, complimentary Sky Club access for the cardholder plus four one-day guest passes per year, complimentary Centurion Lounge access and an annual companion certificate for main cabin, Comfort+ or first class. The annual fee is $650 (see rates and fees).

• Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card: Earn 60,000 Bonus Miles after spending $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply. Also get a complimentary checked bag for you and your companions, priority boarding, and a $200 Delta credit after spending $10,000 on the card in a calendar year. The annual fee is $0 intro for the first year, then $150 (see rates and fees).

• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card: Earn 70,000 Bonus Miles after spending $6,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply. Also get Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit and an annual companion certificate for economy class (at renewal). The annual fee is $350 (see rates and fees).

• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card: Earn 80,000 Bonus Miles after spending $10,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply. Enjoy Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, complimentary Sky Club access for the cardholder, complimentary Centurion Lounge access and an annual companion certificate for main cabin, Comfort+ or first class. The annual fee is $650 (see rates and fees).

Terms apply.

» Learn more: Find the best ways to use Delta SkyMiles with our partner award booking tool

Understanding American Express credit card application rules

Welcome bonus offer restrictions

American Express limits issuing welcome offers on its cards to once per lifetime. So, for example, if you’ve had the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card and have earned a welcome bonus offer on this card, you’re not eligible to receive another offer on the same credit card in the future, even if you close the card.

However — and pay attention because this is great news — it is possible to receive a welcome bonus offer on a different Delta card, such as the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card. Because these two credit cards are considered different products, you’re free to apply for both cards and earn a welcome bonus offer for each.

The same logic applies to personal and business cards. The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card and the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card are different card products in the eyes of AmEx, so if you’re a small business owner, you’re eligible to earn a welcome bonus offer from a personal card and a business card.

But take note, even if you are eligible for the welcome bonus offers above in theory, American Express may also look at the number of its cards you’ve opened and closed before deciding if you’re eligible for a particular welcome bonus. If AmEx thinks you’re misusing its welcome offers, you may lose your eligibility.

» Learn more: The best travel credit card welcome bonuses right now

Credit card upgrades and downgrades

You also have to be careful with credit card upgrades and downgrades.

Say, you opened the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, used it for a few years and decided that the $350 annual fee is too high. You downgrade it to the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card and save about $150 per year in fees. However, now that you hold the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, you’re no longer eligible for a welcome bonus offer on the card even if you hadn’t received one on this card before.

Because of the once-per-lifetime restrictions on AmEx welcome offers, we recommend applying for a Delta SkyMiles card only when the offer is high, 60,000 to 75,000 Delta SkyMiles or more. If it’s at 30,000 to 40,000 Delta SkyMiles, it’s best to wait to apply.

Restrictions on the number of cards you can hold

Before you run to apply for Delta SkyMiles credit cards, there’s another rule you have to know. Generally speaking, you can only hold a maximum of five American Express-issued credit cards at a time. This can include anything from five personal cards to a mix of personal and business cards, but it can’t be more than five.

For this reason, you have to be careful with your credit card selections, especially if you have other AmEx cards in mind, such as Hilton or Marriott co-branded cards.

Also, keep in mind that most people can’t apply for more than two American Express cards in a 90-day period.

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

How many Delta AmEx cards can I have?

The good news is that it’s possible to have every Delta SkyMiles AmEx card under the sun at some point in time. The bad news is you can only earn a welcome bonus on each card once per lifetime, and you may lose eligibility for bonuses depending on your AmEx card history. So make sure to time your applications with a high offer and don’t forget that you can hold no more than five American Express credit cards at once.

To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card, see this page.

To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, see this page.

To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card, see this page.

To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, see this page.

To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card, see this page.

To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, see this page.

To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, see this page.