SOME CARD INFO MAY BE OUTDATED
This page includes information about these cards, currently unavailable on NerdWallet. The information has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been provided or reviewed by the card issuer.
Delta SkyMiles credit cards are likely a good fit for frequent Delta flyers and points enthusiasts eager to book award flights on Delta’s partner airlines, including the SkyTeam alliance. However, depending on your travel and spending habits, there may be better options out there for you. Read on to find out more.
By signing up, you will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Comparing Delta SkyMiles cards
Credit card spending can be your fastest route to earning Delta SkyMiles for award flights. In partnership with American Express, Delta offers seven credit card options designed to boost your SkyMiles-earning potential. Each of the four personal and three business cards comes with its own rewards structure and perks. Here's how they stack up:
Delta SkyMiles personal credit cards
Annual fee
$0.
$0 intro for the first year, then $150.
$350.
$650.
Welcome offer
Earn 10,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months. Terms Apply.
Earn 70,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases with your new Card, and an additional 20,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $2,000 in purchases on the Card, both within your first 6 months. Ends 04/01/2026. Terms Apply.
Earn 80,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases with your new Card, and an additional 20,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $2,000 in purchases on the Card, both within your first 6 months. Ends 04/01/2026. Terms Apply.
Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 in purchases with your new Card, and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card, both within your first 6 months. Ends 04/01/2026. Terms Apply.
Learn more
Delta SkyMiles business credit cards
Annual fee
$0 intro for the first year, then $150.
$350.
$650.
Welcome offer
Limited Time Offer: Earn 90,000 Bonus Miles after spending $6,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 4/1/26. Terms Apply..
Limited Time Offer: Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after spending $8,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 4/1/26. Terms Apply..
Limited Time Offer: Earn 125,000 Bonus Miles after spending $15,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 4/1/26. Terms Apply..
Still not sure?
The best cases for getting a SkyMiles credit card
You regularly book award flights with Delta miles
Most Delta SkyMiles cards provide a 15% discount on award travel when booking with miles on Delta flights through delta.com or the Fly Delta app. (All except the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card offer a 15% discount.)
This benefit can earn you significant savings, particularly on expensive international redemptions. For example, with the discount, you can book a 50,000-mile business class award flight for 42,500 miles.
You frequently fly with Delta partners
Miles are redeemable on over 20 airline partners, including Virgin Atlantic, Air France, KLM, LATAM, and Aeromexico.
This makes a Delta card valuable if you fly across the broader SkyTeam alliance and other partner airlines.
You often travel in groups
Most cards provide free first checked bags and priority boarding for the primary cardholder — and up to eight additional passengers traveling on the same reservation. For families or frequent group travelers, these savings can quickly offset the annual fee. Let’s say you book a trip with three other people. That’s $280 saved per round-trip if everyone checks one bag. If nine travelers are booked on your reservation, that’s $630 saved on bags per round-trip. (All except the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card include these bag check offers.)
Four of the Delta cards offer annual companion certificates. These allow you to bring someone along on your flight for just the cost of government-imposed taxes and fees. Cards with companion certificates valid for domestic, Caribbean, or Central American destinations are: Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card, and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card.
You regularly pay for bags, food or drinks on Delta
The free checked bag benefit on Delta flights can help you offset the card’s annual fee, even if you're traveling alone. The perk saves up to $70 on a round-trip flight per person.
Additionally, all Delta cards offer a 20% discount on eligible in-flight purchases — including food and drinks — in the form of a statement credit.
The annual fee could be worth it if you check bags on multiple Delta flights per year or regularly buy in-flight meals and drinks.
You want to boost your elite status qualification
Four of the cards offer elite status benefits and Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) head starts:
Depending on how much you normally spend, these boosts could help you reach Medallion status with moderate flying activity. Here are the offers:
- Reserve Cards provide a $2,500 MQD head start each year, plus 1 MQD per $10 spent.
- Platinum Cards offer the same $2,500 headstart, plus 1 MQD per $20 spent.
When a Delta Air Lines credit card might not be right for you
If you’re a frequent Delta flyer or fall into one of the situations outlined above, a Delta SkyMiles credit card could be a smart fit.
Consider other options if:
- Delta has minimal service from your local airport, or doesn't fly to your preferred destinations.
- You already hold Delta Medallion elite status and receive many card benefits through your membership tier.
- You prefer rewards flexibility across airlines and hotels, rather than being locked into Delta's program.
- You rarely check bags or purchase food and drinks on flights, making these card perks irrelevant.
- You prefer earning cash back or statement credits instead of airline miles that can lose value over time.
- You're a light traveler who flies less than twice per year and won't maximize the card's travel-focused benefits.
In all these cases, you may get more value from flexible travel rewards cards or even cash-back cards that better match your spending patterns and travel habits.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2026:
- Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
- Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Luxury perks: American Express Platinum Card®
- Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Explore more on
Article sources
NerdWallet writers are subject matter authorities who use primary,
trustworthy sources to inform their work, including peer-reviewed
studies, government websites, academic research and interviews with
industry experts. All content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness
and relevance. You can learn more about NerdWallet's high
standards for journalism by reading our
editorial guidelines.
