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Delta Air Lines offers seven credit cards in partnership with American Express. If you’re looking for free checked bags, a path to elite status, or lounge access, one of the Delta credit cards can help you get there. (Terms apply to all benefits)
But which credit card is right for you? In this article, we’ll help you decide.
Which Delta credit card is right for you?
In most cases, which Delta cards is right for you will be a question of which benefits you are looking for.
If you are just looking for a card that can get you a free checked bag and a 15% discount on award tickets booked with Delta Air Lines, the The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card See Rates and Fees and the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card (See Rates and Fees) are your best bets. These cards have a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $99 thereafter. (Terms apply to all benefits)
If you want access to Delta Sky Club lounges, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card and the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card give you access to the Sky Club when flying Delta. (Effective 2/1/25, Reserve Card Members will receive 15 Visits per year to the Delta Sky Club; to earn an unlimited number of Visits each year starting on 2/1/25, the total eligible purchases on the Card must equal $75,000 or more between 1/1/24 and 12/31/24, and each calendar year thereafter.) These cards also come with two one-time guest passes each year so that you can share your Sky Club access with friends or family. Plus, you can access the American Express Centurion lounge when flying on any airline. (Terms apply to all benefits)
Those chasing Delta Medallion status will want to opt for either the personal or business variants of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card or the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. Only the Platinum and Reserve cards offer a Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) waiver when you make $25,000 or more in purchases using your card in a year. And those cards offers boosts to your Medallion Qualifying Miles (MQMs) when you make a certain amount of purchases on the card. Effective 1/1/24, this benefit will no longer be available, and there will be a new way to earn toward Medallion Status with the Card. Learn more at delta.com/skymilesprogramchanges. (Terms apply to all benefits)
Delta Air Lines credit cards
Here’s an overview of all of the credit cards offered by Delta Air Lines and American Express. For complete details on all of the cards, including the cards’ earning rates, see our overview of all Delta credit cards.
Delta personal credit cards
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card
Terms and conditions apply to all benefits.
Not all airlines offer a no annual fee card option, but Delta does. The Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card is Delta’s airline credit card with $0 annual fee. (See Rates and Fees; terms apply) And it’s pretty basic. The only real benefit is that you get a 20% discount on in-flight purchases. The card earns 2 miles per dollar on Delta Air Lines purchases, plus 1 mile per dollar on other eligible purchases and has no foreign transaction fee. (See Rates and Fees; terms apply)
In most cases, you can do better by putting your spending on a 2% cash back credit card.
card_name: bonus_miles_full See Rates and Fees
Our take on the welcome bonus: We know of no previous elevated welcome offers on this card, so if you’re planning on getting this card, there’s no reason to wait.
The link above is our affiliate link. We always show you the best offer, and this is the best offer we know about on this card.
Card highlights:
Annual fee: $0.
Rewards: 2x miles on Delta purchases. 2x miles at restaurants. 1x miles on other eligible purchases.
Benefits: 20% back on in-flight purchases.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
Terms and conditions apply to all benefits.
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is Delta’s entry-level card. It offers a free first checked bag for you and up to 8 traveling companions on the same itinerary. The card also features 20% back on in-flight purchases and no foreign transaction fees. The Delta Gold card has a $0 introductory fee for the first year, then $99. (See Rates and Fees; terms apply)
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card earns 2 miles per dollar on purchases made directly with Delta, at restaurants worldwide, and at U.S. supermarkets. It earns 1 mile per dollar spent on other eligible purchases.
card_name: bonus_miles_full See Rates and Fees
Our take on the welcome bonus: This card periodically offers an increased welcome bonus. The current welcome bonus is the standard welcome bonus, so if you don’t have an immediate need for this card, it might be worthwhile to wait.
The link above is our affiliate link. We always show you the best offer, and this is the best offer we know about on this card.
Card highlights:
Annual fee: $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $99.
Rewards: 2x miles on Delta purchases. 2x miles at restaurants. 2x miles at U.S. supermarkets. 1x miles on other eligible purchases.
Benefits: First checked bag free. Main Cabin 1 priority boarding. 20% back on in-flight purchases.
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
Terms and conditions apply to all benefits.
The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card is the card you want if you’re pursuing Delta Air Lines Medallion status. You can earn up to 10,000 Medallion Qualifying Miles each year through status boosts when you spend $25,000 on the card in a calendar year. Additionally, the card offers a MQD waiver when you spend $25,000 on the card (or $250,000 for Diamond status.)
The card also comes with a domestic Main Cabin companion certificate and SkyClub access available for $50 per person, per visit. The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card carries an annual fee of $250. (See Rates and Fees; terms apply)
The SkyMiles Platinum card earns 3 miles per dollar on purchases with Delta and at hotels. It also earn 2 miles per dollar for restaurant spending and 2 miles per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets. The card earns 1 mile per dollar on other eligible purchases.
card_name: bonus_miles_full See Rates and Fees
Our take on the welcome bonus: This card periodically offers an increased welcome bonus. The current welcome bonus is the standard welcome bonus, so if you don’t have an immediate need for this card, it might be worthwhile to wait.
The link above is our affiliate link. We always show you the best offer, and this is the best offer we know about on this card.
Card highlights:
Annual fee: $250.
Rewards: 3x miles on Delta purchases. 3x miles on eligible hotel purchases. 2x miles at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets. 1x miles on other eligible purchases.
Benefits: First checked bag free. MQM Boost (benefit changes 1/1/24.) Companion certificate upon renewal. Main Cabin 1 priority boarding. 20% back on in-flight purchases.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
Terms and conditions apply to all benefits.
If you want access to the SkyClub when traveling on Delta, look to the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. The card offers complimentary Delta Sky Club access to the primary cardholder when traveling on Delta, plus two one-time guest passes for companions annually. (*Effective 2/1/25, Reserve Card Members will receive 15 Visits per year to the Delta Sky Club; to earn an unlimited number of Visits each year starting on 2/1/25, the total eligible purchases on the Card must equal $75,000 or more between 1/1/24 and 12/31/24, and each calendar year thereafter.) The card carries a $550 annual fee. (See Rates and Fees; terms apply)
The Reserve offers an annual companion certificate that can be used for U.S. domestic flights in first class or main cabin.
The SkyMiles Reserve card earns 3 miles per dollar on purchases with Delta Air Lines, and 1 mile per dollar on other eligible purchases.
card_name: bonus_miles_full See Rates and Fees
Our take on the welcome bonus: This card periodically offers an increased welcome bonus. The current welcome bonus is the standard welcome bonus, so if you don’t have an immediate need for this card, it might be worthwhile to wait.
The link above is our affiliate link. We always show you the best offer, and this is the best offer we know about on this card.
Card highlights:
Annual fee: $550.
Rewards: 3x miles on Delta purchases. 1x miles on other eligible purchases.
Delta business credit cards
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card
Terms and conditions apply to all benefits.
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card is the business variant of Delta’s entry-level card. The card gets you a first checked bag free for Delta flights booked with you card, plus access to Delta’s Take15Off benefit. The card has a $0 introductory fee for the first year, then $99. (See Rates and Fees)
The card earns 2 miles per dollar on purchases made directly with Delta, at restaurants worldwide, and on U.S. Shipping and U.S. Advertising in select media. The card earns 1 mile per dollar spent on other purchases.
In addition to the checked bag benefit, the card offers a $100 Delta Flight Credit after you spend $10,000 in purchases in a calendar year. The card also features 20% back on in-flight purchases and has no foreign transaction fees.
card_name: bonus_miles_full See Rates and Fees
Our take on the welcome bonus: This card periodically offers an increased welcome bonus. The current welcome bonus is the standard welcome bonus, so if you don’t have an immediate need for this card, it might be worthwhile to wait.
The link above is our affiliate link. We always show you the best offer, and this is the best offer we know about on this card.
Card highlights:
Annual fee: $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $99.
Rewards: 2x miles on Delta purchases. 2x miles at restaurants and on eligible U.S. advertising purchases in select media. 1x miles on other eligible purchases.
*Effective 1/1/2024, advertising is limited to $50,000 in eligible purchases per year.
Benefits: First checked bag free. $100 Delta flight credit after spending $10,000 in purchases in a calendar year. TakeOff 15.
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card
Terms and conditions apply to all benefits.
If you’re a small business owner pursuing Delta Medallion status, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card is the card you want. Through December 2023, you can earn up to 20,000 Medallion Qualifying Miles each year through status boosts, plus you can earn a Medallion Qualifying Dollar waiver with spending on the card. (Effective 1/1/24, this benefit will no longer be available, and there will be a new way to earn toward Medallion Status with the Card. Learn more at delta.com/skymilesprogramchanges.) The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card carries an annual fee of $250. (See Rates and Fees)
The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card earns 3 miles per dollar on purchases with Delta and at hotels. It also earn 1.5 miles per dollar on single eligible purchases of $5,000 or more, subject to a 50,000 mile cap per year. The card earns 1 mile per dollar spent on other eligible purchases.
The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card comes loaded with benefits useful if you’re flying Delta frequently. The card offers a domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal, plus access to Delta SkyClubs at a per-visit rate of $50 per person. (Effective 1/1/24, this benefit will no longer be available.) The card offers a first checked bag free benefit and fee credits for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
card_name: bonus_miles_full See Rates and Fees
Our take on the welcome bonus: This card periodically offers an increased welcome bonus. The current welcome bonus is the standard welcome bonus, so if you don’t have an immediate need for this card, it might be worthwhile to wait.
The link above is our affiliate link. We always show you the best offer, and this is the best offer we know about on this card.
Card highlights:
Annual fee: $250.
Rewards: 3x miles on Delta purchases and eligible hotel purchases. 1.5x miles on single eligible purchases of $5k or more (50k mile cap per calendar year). 1x miles on other eligible purchases.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
Terms and conditions apply to all benefits.
Small business owners desiring SkyClub access should pick up the SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card. The card offers complimentary Delta Sky Club access to the primary cardholder when traveling on Delta, plus two one-time guest passes for companions annually. The card carries a $550 annual fee. (See Rates and Fees)
The SkyMiles Business Reserve card earns 3 miles per dollar on eligible purchases with Delta Air Lines. It is particularly rewarding for large spenders; after you spend $150,000 on your card in a calendar year, you earn 1.5 miles per dollar spent on eligible purchases for the rest of the year. The card earns 1 mile per dollar on other eligible purchases.
The SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card offers an annual companion certificate that can be used for U.S. domestic flights in first class or main cabin.
card_name: bonus_miles_full See Rates and Fees
Our take on the welcome bonus: This card periodically offers an increased welcome bonus. The current welcome bonus is the standard welcome bonus, so if you don’t have an immediate need for this card, it might be worthwhile to wait.
The link above is our affiliate link. We always show you the best offer, and this is the best offer we know about on this card.
Card highlights:
Annual fee: $550.
Rewards: 3x miles on Delta purchases. 1.5x miles on eligible purchases for the rest of the year after you spend $150,000 on your card. 1x miles on other eligible purchases.
Credit card earning rates
If you’re looking to earn SkyMiles by spending on Delta Air Lines credit cards, take a look at the chart below. The amount of miles you earn for spending on the Delta cards is broken down by category. If you’re looking to earn the most miles, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card is the winner. This card offers bonus miles on Delta purchases, hotels, U.S. restaurants, and U.S. supermarkets.
Personal Delta SkyMiles credit card earning rates
| Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card | Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card | Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card | Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | |
| Delta Air Lines purchases (Includes purchases made directly with Delta) | 2x | 2x | 3x | 3x |
| Hotels | – | – | 3x | – |
| Restaurants | 2x | 2x | 2x | – |
| U.S. Supermarkets | – | 2x | 2x | – |
| Other purchases | 1x | 1x | 1x | 1x |
Small business Delta SkyMiles credit card earning rates
| Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card | Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card | Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card | |
|---|---|---|---|
| | | | |
| Delta Air Lines purchases (Includes purchases made directly with Delta) | 2x | 3x | 3x |
| Hotels | – | 3x | – |
| Restaurants | 2x | – | – |
| U.S. purchases for advertising in select media. | 2x | – | – |
| U.S. shipping purchases | 2x | – | – |
| Large purchases ($5,000 or more) | – | 1.5x (up to 50,000 additional miles per calendar year) | – |
| Other purchases | 1x | 1x | 1x 1.5x miles on other purchases after you spend $150,000 on your card in a calendar year |
Delta credit card benefits
If you’re flying Delta, having a Delta credit card in your wallet can mean a free checked bag, a discount on award flights, or even lounge access. Here’s a quick guide to the benefits of each Delta credit card.
Benefits common to Delta SkyMiles cards
These benefits are common to all Delta SkyMiles credit cards, except the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card. Terms and conditions apply to all benefits.
First checked bag free – Receive the first checked bag for free for yourself and up to eight companions traveling on your same reservation. You do not need to purchase your ticket with your Delta SkyMiles credit card to receive this benefit.
Take15Off – Get 15% the number of SkyMiles needed to book award travel with Delta. All you need to do is be a cardmember and book your award ticket using your SkyMiles account.
20% discount on in-flight purchases – Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit on eligible Delta in-flight purchases after using your Card.
Benefits of each Delta SkyMiles card
This table outlines the benefits of each Delta SkyMiles card. Terms and conditions apply to all benefits.
| Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card | Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card | Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card | |
|---|---|---|---|
| | | | |
| Lounge Access | Delta Sky Club® Access is available for you and up to 2 traveling companions for $50 each when traveling on Delta | (This benefit changes starting on 2/1/25) Complimentary Delta Sky Club® Access when traveling on a same-day Delta flight. 2 Delta SkyClub one-time guest passes Access to the Amex Centurion Lounge | |
| Delta Companion certificate | Receive a domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. | Enjoy a domestic First Class, Delta Comfort+® or Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Delta Reserve American Express Card. | |
| $100 Delta Flight Credit | Receive a $100 Delta flight credit after you spend $10,000 in eligible purchases in a calendar year. | ||
| Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Credit | Yes – Once every 4.5 years | Yes – Once every 4.5 years | |
| MQD Waiver | (The way you earn status with Delta is changing and this benefit will no longer be available starting 1/1/24. Learn more.) The MQD requirement for Silver, Gold, and Platinum status is waived when you spend $25,000 on your card in a calendar year. Diamond Medallion MQD waiver requires $250,000 in spending. | (The way you earn status with Delta is changing and this benefit will no longer be available starting 1/1/24. Learn more.) The MQD requirement for Silver, Gold, and Platinum status is waived when you spend $25,000 on your card in a calendar year. Diamond Medallion MQD waiver requires $250,000 in spending. |
Frequently asked questions
The companion certificate is awarded each cardmember anniversary year after your first when you pay your annual fee. You won’t receive a companion certificate in your first year of card membership.
Delta no longer includes guest access to the Sky Club as a benefit of its credit cards. You’ll have to pay an additional fee for your guest access. If you are a Reserve cardholder, you can use one of your complimentary guest access passes.
Rates and fees for Delta Air Lines credit cards
- For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card, please visit this link: See Rates and Fees; terms apply
- For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, please visit this link: See Rates and Fees; terms apply
- For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, please visit this link: See Rates and Fees; terms apply
- For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, please visit this link: See Rates and Fees; terms apply
- For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card, please visit this link: See Rates and Fees
- For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card, please visit this link: See Rates and Fees
- For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, please visit this link: See Rates and Fees
Advertiser disclosure: Cards and Points has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Cards and Points and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers. Compensation may affect how and where card products appear on the site. The site does not include all card companies or all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. Terms apply to all credit card benefits.