Delta SkyMiles Gold Business AmEx Review: Free Checked Bags, Solid Rewards

The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card is a practical asset for Delta Air Lines devotees with small businesses or side hustles. With an annual fee of $0 intro for the first year, then $99, it's the lowest-cost option in the family of small-business Delta credit cards. And it packs plenty of value.

The card's free-bag on Delta flights benefit is excellent, offering the perk to a whopping eight traveling companions. That alone could easily offset the annual fee. And you can earn extra miles for spending in bonus rewards categories that are useful to entrepreneurs.

While the card lacks certain benefits available on the higher-tier small-business Delta credit cards, such as annual companion certificates and access to Delta Sky Club lounges, it's a top choice for those seeking a small-business card with Delta perks and a relatively low annual fee.

» MORE: How to choose an airline credit card

Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card: Basics and benefits

Card type: Small business and airline.

Annual fee: $0 intro for the first year, then $99.

Welcome bonus: Earn 50,000 Bonus Miles after spending $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

Rewards:

• 2 miles per dollar spent directly with Delta.

• 2 miles per dollar at restaurants.

• 2 miles per dollar on U.S. shipping purchases and on U.S. advertising in select media. (Beginning January 1, 2024, this benefit will have a cap of $50,000 in eligible purchases per category, per year.)

• 1 mile on every eligible dollar spent on other purchases.

• Terms apply.

Foreign transaction fee: None.

APR: The ongoing APR is 20.99%-29.99% Variable APR.

Other benefits:

• First checked bag free on Delta flights for you and up to eight others on your reservation.

• Priority boarding for you and up to eight others on your reservation.

• $100 Delta flight credit for future travel after spending $10,000 in a calendar year on the card.

• In-flight discount. Get 20% savings in the form of a statement credit on such purchases as food, alcoholic beverages and audio headsets onboard. Note that in-flight wireless Internet access doesn't count.

• Terms apply.

» MORE: Delta Air Lines SkyMiles: The complete guide

Highlights of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card

Free checked bags

The checked-bag benefit is especially generous with this card. You’ll get a first checked bag free on Delta flights for you and up to eight others on your reservation. Terms apply. You might rarely have that many traveling companions, but fully used, that’s a savings of up to $540 on a round-trip flight ($30 per person each way).

Even with just one traveling partner, you would break even on the annual fee after a single round trip, assuming you would have otherwise paid to check bags.

» MORE: Airline credit cards that offer free checked bags

Flight credit

You'll earn a $100 Delta flight credit for future travel after spending $10,000 in a calendar year on the card. Terms apply. That's a relatively easy spending requirement to meet for many businesses. The credit can also make up for the annual fee.

Useful reward bonus categories

You can get value from this card without using it for everyday spending. But if your goal is to earn award flights or upgrades to a premium cabin, earning frequent-flyer miles from credit card purchases is key.

You'll earn 2 miles per dollar spent on purchases directly with Delta. You'll also earn double miles on other spending categories relevant to travelers and business owners:

• 2 miles per dollar at restaurants.

• 2 miles per dollar on U.S. shipping purchases and on U.S. advertising in select media. (Beginning January 1, 2024, this benefit will have a cap of $50,000 in eligible purchases per category, per year.)

The card earns 1 mile per dollar on every eligible dollar spent on other purchases. Terms apply.

Priority boarding

Priority boarding that comes with the card — in this case, Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding — will get you on the plane earlier. Terms apply. That means you’re more likely to find overhead bin space for your roll-aboard. You'll also have time to get settled in your seat before the cabin fills.

Welcome bonus

New-cardholder bonuses can change periodically, but the card typically gives you enough miles to cash in for a domestic award flight, assuming you can meet the required spending. The current bonus: Earn 50,000 Bonus Miles after spending $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

Note that if you've had this American Express credit card in the past, you may be ineligible for the bonus.

How it compares with other Delta business credit cards

In the family of small-business Delta credit cards, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card has the lowest annual fee and the least extravagant benefits. If you're looking for richer perks and don't mind paying more, take a look at its higher-end sibling cards:

• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card, which has an annual fee of $250.

• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, which has an annual fee of $550.

Here's how these cards stack up.

Terms apply.

» MORE: Want a personal card instead? Read NerdWallet's comparison of consumer Delta credit cards.

Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card: Drawbacks and alternatives

Annual fee

The annual fee of $0 intro for the first year, then $99, is typical for this type of business airline card. Terms apply. But be sure you can extract more value from the card than you’re paying to hold it.

» MORE: American Express credit cards mobile app review

Rewards Tied to Delta

Typically, good redemption options for Delta SkyMiles are award flights and seat upgrades on Delta and its SkyTeam partners. That’s limiting compared with general travel business credit cards, which allow you to apply rewards to a wide range of travel-related expenses.

If you mix your flying with airlines other than Delta, a general travel card might be a better fit. The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is a great option. It earns 3 points per dollar on the first $150,000 spent each year on travel and select business categories, and 1 point per dollar on other purchases. Points are worth 1.25 cents apiece when redeemed for travel through Chase, and can be transferred to several airline and hotel partners at a 1:1 ratio. The sign-up bonus is potentially huge if you can spend enough to earn it.

» MORE: NerdWallet’s best small-business credit cards

Is the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card right for you?

If you fly with Delta often and want a card that gets your small business or side hustle basic airline perks — but not too many extras — the answer is yes. The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card offers useful rewards and perks for Delta business flyers that can quickly make up for the annual fee.