SOME CARD INFO MAY BE OUTDATED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.
Is the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card worth its annual fee? Let’s dig deep to find out.
How much is the annual fee?
The annual fee on the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is currently $0 intro for the first year, then $150( see rates and fees). Comparable cards from some other airlines have annual fees in the $100 range.
» Learn more: 4 things to know about the Gold Delta AmEx
Do you plan to fly with checked bags?
One of the top perks of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is free checked bags; without this fee waived, you could expect to pay $35 for your first bag and $45 for each additional bag per Delta’s baggage fees. Terms apply.
This benefit extends not only to the primary cardholder, but also up to eight other travelers on the same reservation. Those savings really add up quickly.
If you fly three round-trip flights with Delta annually and check a bag each time, you’ll be in the green.
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.
Will you meet minimum spending requirement?
What should you do after you after getting the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card? Start spending (smartly).
The welcome offer for this is worth pursuing to maximize your cardholder benefits: 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.
» Learn More: 5 things to do after getting the Gold Delta AmEx
Additional card perks
20% off in-flight purchases
Use your Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card on certain inflight purchases and qualify for a 20% credit on your AmEx statement after the transaction posts to your account. Terms apply. Typical eligible items include food, beverage and audio headsets; Wi-Fi access is not included.
'Pay With Miles' benefit
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card holders have the benefit of purchasing Delta flights with their Delta miles. Terms apply. This is different from redeeming miles for an award ticket in that you don’t have to worry about award availability or mileage costs — you’ll simply reduce the cash price of your ticket by about $50 for every 5,000 miles. As a bonus, your Delta miles don’t expire and there are no blackout dates when using them this way. And the portion you pay in cash will still earn Delta miles.
Terms apply.
» Learn more: Demystifying Delta’s ‘Pay With Miles’ vs. ‘Miles + Cash’
TakeOff 15
When booking award travel with Delta, cardholders get 15% off the number of points required to book the award fare. Terms apply.
$200 flight credit eligibility
If the purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card total $10,000 or more in a calendar year, you'll receive a $200 credit that can be used toward a Delta flight purchase. Terms apply.
How to earn miles on the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
Maximize your points earnings by using your Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card to earn 2 miles per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and at U.S. supermarkets, and on Delta purchases.
All other eligible purchases will earn you 1 Delta mile per dollar spent. Terms apply.
NerdWallet values Delta miles at 1.2 cents each.
The bottom line
Even if you only plan to fly with Delta a couple of times annually, the perks of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card can easily outweigh the cost. Frequent travelers can take advantage of the free checked bags. You’ll also acquire Delta miles more quickly, which you can cash out by purchasing Delta flights, as well as gift cards, merchandise, cruises, car rentals and hotel rooms (although typically for a lower return per mile).
To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, see this page.
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
Planning a trip? Check out these articles for more inspiration and advice:
Find the best airline credit card for you
7 reasons to get the Gold Delta AmEx
Earn more points and miles with these 6 strategies
Find the best airline credit card for you
7 reasons to get the Gold Delta AmEx
Earn more points and miles with these 6 strategies
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.
