Once you get your hands on this Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express, you’re golden. Just meet the amazingly low minimum spend of $500 in the first 3 months and get 30,000 bonus miles right off the bat. Then, enjoy receiving a mile per dollar spent on the card, and earn double miles for every dollar spent on Delta Airlines or Delta Vacations. Starting at 10,000 miles accumulated, you can redeem in two ways: use Pay With Miles to get 1 cent off per mile for any airfare, or use your SkyMiles through the traditional frequent flyer program, redeeming for flights from Delta or one of their partners.
The American Express Gold Delta SkyMiles credit card also comes with a host of special member benefits for flyers. For starters, you can check your first bag free. In fact, up to nine people on your reservation get one free bag. With baggage fees hovering around $25 for the first bag each way, this means you and three companions would save $200 in a roundtrip!
You also get priority boarding, allowing you and your companions to board just after the first class folk. This allows you to grab a nice spot for your carry-on and settle in sooner. Once in flight, you will enjoy a 20% discount on all purchases. Plus, get a discounted price for airport lounge access. Just $25 will cover the entry for you and two guests to Delta’s Sky Club. And all this doesn’t even begin to touch on the standard American Express benefits you will receive, such as insurance for car rentals and travel, purchase protection, etc.
Note that this card does not let you earn miles that qualify for Medallion status. (Such miles are usually called MQM, or Medallion Qualification Miles.) Achieving elite status is the only way of nabbing, for example, preferred seating such as Economy Comfort. But the nice thing is that if you spend at least $25,000 on the card in a year, then the second part of the status requirement, the Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQD) requirement, is waived for you.
Another cautionary note: many analysts feel that SkyMiles are on the lower end in terms of value. But, Delta does offer some neat advantages for those serious about travel, such as one free domestic stopover and one free open jaw for award flights. Such complexities usually cost a little extra.
If you are sure to get the Companion Pass, you might need to consider the Delta Platinum card instead. Amex has discontinued their $99 companion ticket benefit for Gold cardholders, but this perk comes FREE for Platinum cardholders, making the fancier card totally worth it. Just be aware that for the Platinum card, the annual fee is not waived for the first year, as it is with the Gold. And by the way, the Platinum card does provide some opportunities to earn MQM, such as with Miles Boost.
Check out our guide to the details below:
Money Math
- Annual Fee: $95 (waived for the first year)
- Foreign Transaction Fee: 2.7%
- APR: var 15.24%/17.24%/19.24%
- APR for Balance Transfers: same as above
- Balance Transfer Fee: 3%
- APR for Cash Advance: 25.24%
- Cash Advance Fee: 3%
- Late Fee/Returned Payment Fee: $35
- Over Credit Limit Fee: $0
- Penalty APR: 27.24%, applies with late or returned payment
Rewards
- Earn 30K bonus miles after you make $1K in purchases on your new Card within your first 3 months.
- Earn a $50 statement credit after you make a Delta purchase with your new Card within your first 3 months.
- Earn As You Spend: Get 2X miles on Delta purchases and 1X miles for all other eligible dollars spent.
- Check your first bag free on every Delta flight – that’s a savings of up to $200 per round trip for a family of four.
- Premium Travel Perks: Settle in sooner with Priority Boarding.
- $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95.
- Terms and Restrictions Apply.
Benefits
- Purchase Protection: Yes
- Travel Insurance: Yes
- Auto Rental Insurance: Yes
- Roadside Assistance: Yes
- Extended Warranty: Yes
- Customer Service: 24/7 Global Assist Hotline offering concierge-like service
Don’t forget to check out our list of the best travel credit cards and best rewards credit cards.
