Which Is the Best Delta Credit Card Offer?

The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, which comes with an annual fee of $650, features the largest welcome bonus among consumer cards from Delta Air Lines and American Express: Earn two round‑trip Delta Comfort Flight Certificates valid for travel to the U.S. 48, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands, along with 50,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $10,000 in purchases on your new Card in the first 6 months. A 21+ day advance purchase is required. Taxes and fees up to $80 per person apply. Terms and other restrictions apply. Offer ends 11/4/2026. Terms Apply.

Its business counterpart, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card (annual fee: $650, see rates and fees ), also offers a large welcome bonus: Limited Time Offer: Earn 200,000 Bonus Miles after spending $20,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 11/4/26. Terms Apply.

Here’s a look at how the Delta credit cards stack up.

A closer look at Delta's credit card offers

A card's welcome offer and annual fee tell you what kind of value you can get from a card right off the bat. But the ongoing benefits — especially the valuable perks that come on the more-premium cards — paint a more complete picture. A premium card could be worth the higher annual fees for some frequent Delta flyers.

Bonus miles on Delta purchases

These cards earn 2 miles per dollar spent on Delta purchases:

• The Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card.

• The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card.

• The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card.

You can get 3 miles per dollar spent on Delta purchases with the higher-end cards:

• The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card.

• The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card.

• The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card.

• The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card.

» Learn more: The best airline credit cards right now

Free checked bags

All co-branded Delta cards, with the exception of the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card, offer a first checked bag free to the primary cardholders as well as up to eight other passengers traveling on the same reservation. As the primary cardholder, you'll also receive a free second checked bag on domestic Delta or Delta Connection flights (but not others on your reservation). Terms apply.

You don’t have to pay for your ticket with the SkyMiles card. As long as the card is linked to your SkyMiles number, you’re eligible for the benefit.

Terms apply.

Delta Companion Certificate

The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card and their business counterparts all provide a valuable perk that can help offset their annual fees: a companion certificate.

The certificate allows you to bring one companion with you on a Delta-operated round-trip flight within the U.S. and to Mexico, the Caribbean or Central America for free (you just have to pay taxes and fees):

• Every year you renew the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card or the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card, you receive a companion certificate valid for a trip in the main cabin, or economy.

• Every year you renew the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card or the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, you receive a companion certificate valid for the main cabin, Delta Comfort, Delta Premium Select or first class.

Terms apply.

Earn Delta elite status through card spending

Both the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card and the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card offer ways to earn Medallion status — which can help you qualify for free upgrades, drink vouchers and other benefits — through card spending. Status is earned through Medallion Qualification Dollars, or MQDs:

• Earn 1 MQD per $20 spent when using the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card or the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card.

• Earn 1 MQD per $10 spent when using the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card or the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card.

Terms apply.

All four of these cards give you 2,500 MQDs at the beginning of each calendar year, taking you halfway to Silver status (which requires $5,000 MQDs). Terms apply.

Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit

Apply for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck to save time in airport lines and receive up to $120 application fee credit back when you pay with the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card or the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card.

Terms apply.

» Learn more: How to get TSA PreCheck for free

Airport lounge access

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card members receive 15 days of complimentary Delta Sky Club access every year. One “day” covers all Sky Club visits within a 24-hour period after your first check-in. If you're using a Sky Club on a layover or upon arrival, this allows all those visits within a 24-hour period to count as only one “day.”

Once your days are used up, a per-person guest fee of $50 will apply. You also get four Delta Sky Club guest passes per year for travel companions. After that, you can bring up to two guests per visits at $50 each.

Cardholders who spend more than $75,000 a year will receive unlimited access to Delta Sky Clubs for the remainder of the current Medallion year and the following year. Spend tracking for the $75,000 begins on Jan. 1 of each year.

Card members also get access to The Centurion Lounge with a Delta boarding pass. Individual Sky Club membership costs $695, which is more expensive than the credit card’s annual fee.

TakeOff 15

With all the Delta co-branded cards (except the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card), you'll get a 15% discount off award prices when booking a Delta-operated flight on Delta's website or app. That effectively makes your miles more valuable than if you didn't have a Delta card. The 15% discount doesn't apply to partner flights or taxes and fees, though.

Cell phone protection coverage

The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card and the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card all offer cell phone coverage against theft or damage of your device when you pay your cell phone bill with your card. Enrollment required. Terms apply.

Photo courtesy of Delta Air Lines.