Is the Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card From American Express Right for Me?
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There are several Delta Air Lines credit cards to choose from, all issued by American Express.
A low annual fee, a welcome bonus and budget-friendly perks might make the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card a great choice for travelers. Here’s what you should evaluate when deciding if it's right for you.
» Learn More: Find the best airline credit card for you
Is the annual fee worth it?
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card has an annual fee of $0 intro for the first year, then $99. But cardholders get one free checked bag per person for up to nine people on a reservation, which easily offsets it.
Other Delta credit cards have various perks and annual fees. For instance, the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card has an annual fee of $0.
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card has an annual fee of $550 and includes the free checked-bag perk above, as well as lounge access and a companion certificate. Terms apply.
How does the welcome bonus compare to other cards?
Here's a quick overview of a few different bonuses to consider:
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
Earn 40,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Terms Apply.
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card
Earn 10,000 bonus miles after you spend $500 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Terms Apply.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
Earn 50,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Terms Apply.
NerdWallet values Delta miles at 1.3 cents each. This is a baseline value, drawn from real-world data on hundreds of economy routes, not a maximized value. In other words, you should aim for award redemptions that offer 1.3 cents or more in value from your Delta miles.
» Learn more: Which Delta Air Lines credit card should you get?
How do I earn points?
The Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card earns 2 miles per $1 spent at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and at U.S. supermarkets. Every time you make a Delta purchase, you'll also earn 2 miles per $1 spent, and you'll earn 1 mile per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases. Terms apply.
The bottom line
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is a good entry card with a relatively low annual fee. The Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card avoids the fee, but you could have to pay checked-bag fees each time you fly. Meanwhile, the main drawback of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is the annual fee of $550. Terms apply.
If you don’t fly frequently enough to pay a steep annual fee and benefit from the perks of other Delta credit cards, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is a solid bet for trimming travel fees and earning travel rewards and perks you’ll actually use.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2022, including those best for:
Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card
Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express
Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Planning a trip? Check out these articles for more inspiration and advice: Nerdwallet’s top travel credit cards Delta SkyMiles: The complete guide Delta eliminates single visit Sky Club lounge pass
