They’re both gold and they’re both American Express cards, but these two contenders head in different directions when it comes to their benefits. Like other airline credit cards, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card has more to offer for frequent Delta fliers.
The American Express® Gold Card, on the other hand, is a better fit for anyone looking for more flexibility, since it earns AmEx Membership Rewards. Plus, you’ll earn a higher rewards rate at grocery stores and restaurants, two popular categories that you’ll definitely spend money in (you have to eat, after all).
Both cards charge somewhat steep annual fees, which can chip away at the value you’d get. But unless you’re Delta-loyal, the American Express® Gold Card comes out ahead.
How the cards compare
Annual fee
American Express® Gold Card
$325.
see rates and fees
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
$0 intro for the first year, then $150.
see rates and fees
Welcome bonus
American Express® Gold Card
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted. Terms Apply.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
Earn 70,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 20,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $2,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 07/15/2026. Terms Apply.
Rewards
American Express® Gold Card
- 5 points per $1 on prepaid hotels booked through amextravel.com.
- 4 points per $1 at restaurants worldwide (plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.) on up to $50,000 in purchases per year.
- 4 points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 in purchases per year.
- 3 points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
- 1 point per $1 on all other eligible purchases.
- Terms apply.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
- 2 miles per $1 on restaurants (plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.)
- 2 miles per $1 at U.S. supermarkets.
- 2 miles per $1 on Delta purchases.
- 1 mile per $1 on other purchases.
- Terms apply.
Foreign transaction fee
American Express® Gold Card
None.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
None.
Still not sure?
The $325 annual fee on the American Express® Gold Card is enough to give anyone pause but if food is a major portion of your budget and you use the card’s other perks, you can offset that cost. The card’s generous welcome bonus helps, too.
Why the American Express® Gold Card is better for most people
Generous rewards
In addition to the welcome offer, here’s what you’ll earn on an ongoing basis:
- 5 points per $1 on prepaid hotels booked through amextravel.com.
- 4 points per $1 at restaurants worldwide (plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.) on up to $50,000 in purchases per year.
- 4 points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 in purchases per year.
- 3 points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
- 1 point per $1 on all other eligible purchases.
- Terms apply.
Valuable redemptions, even on Delta
The American Express® Gold Card earns rewards in the form of AmEx Membership Rewards points. Redeem them for travel, a statement credit, buying gifts cards or using points at checkout with participating merchants. That flexibility alone sets the American Express® Gold Card apart. But even if you're planning on using all your rewards on Delta purchases, the American Express® Gold Card could still be a better option than the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card.
You'll usually get the most value out of your points by redeeming them towards travel purchases, specifically transferring them to one of AmEx's transfer partners, which includes Delta. Every point you transfer will be worth one Delta mile. So the American Express® Gold Card could earn you 4 Delta miles on grocery store purchases and restaurants, compared to the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card's 2 miles. It's important to note that you will have to pay a $.0006 fee for each point you transfer to a U.S.-based airline (up to $99).
Full list of AmEx transfer partners
Airlines
- Aer Lingus AerClub (1:1 ratio).
- AeroMexico Club Premier (1:1.6 ratio).
- Air Canada Aeroplan (1:1 ratio).
- Air France/KLM Flying Blue (1:1 ratio).
- ANA Mileage Club (1:1 ratio).
- Avianca LifeMiles (1:1 ratio).
- British Airways Club (1:1 ratio).
- Cathay Pacific Asia Miles (5:4 ratio)
- Delta SkyMiles (1:1 ratio).
- Emirates Skywards (1:1 ratio).
- Etihad Guest (1:1 ratio).
- Iberia Plus (1:1 ratio).
- JetBlue TrueBlue (2.5:2 ratio).
- Qantas Airways Frequent Flyer (1:1 ratio).
- Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer (1:1 ratio).
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (1:1 ratio).
Hotels
- Choice Hotels (1:1 ratio).
- Hilton Hotels & Resorts (1:2 ratio).
- Marriott Hotels & Resorts (1:1 ratio).
For details on transfer ratios, see AmEx's website.
Statement credits
The American Express® Gold Card offers several statement credits with specific merchants:
- Up to $120 per year (up to $10 per month) at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Buffalo Wild Wings, Wonder, and Five Guys (enrollment required).
- Up to $120 per year (up to $10 per month) in Uber Cash, which you can use for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. Your AmEx card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.
- Up to $100 per year ($50 semi-annually) in annual statement credits after enrolling and using your card on eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants on the Resy app or Resy.com.
- Up to $7 per month ($84 annually) in statement credits after enrolling and using your card at Dunkin' Donuts locations in the U.S.
- Terms apply.
Who might prefer the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card?
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card charges an annual fee — $0 intro for the first year, then $150 — which is also on the pricey side. But the card does offer some compelling perks for Delta fliers, such as a generous checked-bag benefit, various discounts and credits, not to mention a solid welcome bonus. Terms apply.
For the annual cost, however, the card lacks other benefits you see with other general travel cards at this price point, including airport lounge access and statement credits toward TSA PreCheck or Global Entry.
Travel perks
If you're more interested in getting perks while flying with Delta than earning rewards for your spending, then the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is a better choice. It offers:
- A free checked bag for up to nine passengers on the same reservation. (Primary cardholders are eligible for two free checked bags.) This normally would cost $45 per passenger each way for the first checked bag. A family of four flying round trip will save $360, more than offsetting the annual fee.
- A $200 Delta flight credit after you spend $10,000 in a calendar year.
- An up to $100 credit when you book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta’s travel portal, Delta Stays.
- Annual rideshare credit of up to $120 on eligible U.S. rideshare purchases with eligible providers upon card renewal each year. (Credit is doled out in $10 monthly statements.) Enrollment required.
- 15% off when booking award travel on delta.com or the Fly Delta app.
- 20% off in-flight food and beverage purchases.
- Terms apply.
Which card should you get?
If you fly Delta multiple times per year and check bags, you’ll get value out of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card. But the American Express® Gold Card is the winner in terms of the value of your earned rewards points. Plus you get much more flexibility when you redeem those points, making it a better fit for anyone who isn’t loyal to one specific airline.
To view rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, see this page.
To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, see this page.
