Act Fast to Get Up to 70,000 Bonus Delta SkyMiles

If you’ve been waiting for the next great credit card welcome bonus, it’s time to leap. Like, now.

Through Sept. 19, 2018, you can get up to 70,000 bonus Delta SkyMiles if you sign up for the right card.

The details

The Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express normally comes with a 35,000-mile welcome bonus, but its current promotion doubles it with a greatLimited Time Offer: Earn 70,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within your first 3 months. Offer expires on 9/19/2018.

While the Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express comes with an annual fee of $195 (This offer is no longer valid on our site), perks like an annual companion certificate, which works like a buy-one-get-one-free deal, can make that fee worthwhile.

» Learn more: Check out our best travel credit cards for your wallet

The Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express, which has an annual fee of $0 for the first year, then $95, also has a welcome bonus that expires soon.Earn 30,000 Bonus Miles after spending $1,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months and a $50 statement credit after you make a Delta purchase with your new Card within your first 3 months. Terms Apply.

Both cards pay you 1 SkyMile per dollar spent on most purchases and 2 SkyMiles per dollar when you use the card to buy travel directly from Delta. And you’ll get a free checked bag and priority boarding.

In the wild

Here are a few sample fare searches to help put these welcome bonuses in perspective: Book San Francisco to Maui midweek in early December and you’ll find seats starting at 36,000 miles round trip, meaning that after you’ve met that $3,000 initial spend for the Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express, you could have enough SkyMiles for two round-trip tickets to Hawaii.

In mid-October, seats for a route like Houston to Seattle start at around 23,000 miles, while New York to London starts at around 36,000 miles. Your new Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express could get you and a friend to Europe and back for free.

NerdWallet does not guarantee promotions. They are subject to change or expiration.

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 2018, including those best for:

• Airline miles and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Earn 50,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $625 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®).
• Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card (Earn unlimited 2 miles per dollar on every purchase).
• Premium travel rewards: Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Get 3 points per dollar on travel and dining at restaurants worldwide and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases).
• No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card (Earn unlimited 1.5 points per dollar spent on all purchases, with no annual fee).
• Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express (Get 5 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel, plus get access to the Global Lounge Collection). Terms Apply.

Planning a trip? Check out these articles for more inspiration and advice:
Fall 2018 hotel points promotions: Which ones are worth your time?
How to snag credit card rewards flights in peak season
Delta Air Lines SkyMiles program: The complete guide