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From the *delta skymiles gold* to the top-tier *delta skymiles reserve*, Amex has a SkyMiles credit card for nearly every type of Delta flyer.

With the current offers, you can earn up to 60,000 SkyMiles – or a bit more if you're eligible for a small business card – on the suite of Delta SkyMiles credit cards.

SkyMiles may not be the best for booking fancy business class seats, but they're far from worthless. From domestic roundtrips for 9,000 SkyMiles to Europe and back for less than 30,000 SkyMiles, we've seen a steady stream of Delta SkyMiles flash sales over the last year or so. Check out some of the best Delta deals we've found!

Delta recently raised annual fees on these cards, which stings – but some of the added credits and ongoing perks could make these cards even more valuable for Delta flyers. Here's a sampling of what you get: A free checked bag on every Delta flight, an annual companion certificate, and Delta Sky Club access, to name a few. Throwing in 50,000 SkyMiles or more is just a bonus – and those miles will go further with the 15% discount on award tickets you get thanks to Delta's TakeOff 15 benefit.

Just remember: Credit cards are serious business. No amount of SkyMiles is worth digging yourself into credit card debt. If you can't afford to immediately pay off the $2,000 to $5,000 you need to spend in the first few months to earn these bonuses, it's simply not worth it.

Already got a Delta credit card in your wallet? You might be able to apply for a different Delta card and earn another bonus!

Read on for more details on each of the current Delta credit card offers and everything you need to know to take advantage of them.

 

Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card

  • bonus_miles_full
  • Check your first bag free on every Delta flight – savings of at least $70 on each roundtrip flight, per person
  • Priority boarding (even with a basic economy ticket)
  • Earn 2x SkyMiles per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.) and U.S. supermarkets 
  • Earn 2x SkyMiles per dollar on eligible Delta purchases
  • Earn 1x SkyMiles per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases
  • Up to a $100 Delta Stays credit: Earn up to $100 in statement credits each year when you make a Delta Stays prepaid hotel or vacation rental booking on the Delta Stays platform.
  • Earn a $200 Delta flight credit if you spend $10,000 on the card in a calendar year
  • Get 15% off SkyMiles award tickets with TakeOff 15 when booking on delta.com or through the Fly Delta app
  • Get 20% off in-flight purchases such as food & drinks in the form of a statement credit
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • $0 introductory annual fee – then $150 each year after that (see rates & fees)

 

*delta skymiles gold*

 

Learn more about the card_name

 

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card

  • bonus_miles_full
  • Check your first bag free on every Delta flight, savings of at least $70 on each roundtrip flight, per person
  • Priority boarding (even with a basic economy ticket)
  • Get a main cabin round-trip companion certificate to destinations throughout the U.S. (including Hawaii, Alaska, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico) as well as many destinations in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America, Each year upon card renewal
  • MQD Headstart: Get a head start on earning Medallion status with an automatic 2,500 Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs) each year
  • Earn 1 MQD for every $20 you spend on your card
  • TakeOff 15: Get a 15% discount on SkyMiles award tickets when booking on delta.com or through the Fly Delta app
  • Earn 2x SkyMiles per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.) and U.S. supermarkets
  • Earn 3x SkyMiles per dollar spent on eligible Delta purchases and at hotels
  • Earn 1x SkyMiles per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases
  • Up to a $150 Delta Stays credit: Earn up to $150 in statement credits each year when you make a Delta Stays prepaid hotel or vacation rental booking on the Delta Stays platform.
  • Up to a $120 Rideshare Credit: Get up to $120 in statement credits (doled out in $10 monthly installments) a year when you use your card to pay for a ride with Uber, Lyft, Curb, Revel, or Alto.
  • Up to a $120 Resy Credit: Get up to $120 in statement credits each year (doled out in $10 chunks each month) when you use your card to pay for eligible purchases on Resy, Amex's restaurant reservation platform. This is also a use-it-or-lose-it benefit: Any unused balance won't roll over to the following month.
  • Get up to a $100 credit to cover the cost for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck once every 4.5 years for the application fee for TSA PreCheck® and every 4 years for Global Entry
  • Join the complimentary upgrade queue: Even if you don't have Delta Medallion status, your Platinum Card makes you eligible for complimentary upgrades to Delta One (within the U.S.), first class, and Delta Comfort Plus on tickets purchased
  • Hertz Five Star Status: Get complimentary Hertz Five Star elite status upon enrollment.
  • Get 20% off in-flight purchases such as food & drinks in the form of a statement credit
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • $350 annual fee (see rates & fees)

 

*delta skymiles platinum*

 

Learn more about the card_name

 

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

  • bonus_miles_full
  • Check your first bag free on every Delta flight – savings of at least $70 on each roundtrip flight, per person
  • Priority boarding (even with a basic economy ticket)
  • Get unlimited complimentary Delta Sky Club access when flying Delta, through Jan. 31, 2025. Beginning Feb. 1, 2025, you'll be limited to 15 Sky Club visits per year, unless you spend $75,000 or more on your card in a calendar year.
    • You also get four free guest passes and can bring up to two guests in at a time. After that, each guest visit will cost an additional $50.
  • Complimentary access to the American Express Centurion Lounges when you are flying Delta on a ticket purchased with your Reserve card
  • Get an economy, Delta Comfort Plus, or first class companion certificate to destinations throughout the U.S. (including Hawaii, Alaska, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico) as well as many destinations in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America, each year upon card renewal
  • MQD Headstart: Get a head start on earning Medallion status with an automatic 2,500 Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs) each year
  • Earn 1 MQD for every $10 you spend on your card
  • Earn 3x SkyMiles per dollar spent on Delta purchases
  • Earn 1x SkyMiles per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases
  • Up to a $200 Delta Stays credit: Earn up to $200 in statement credits each year when you make a Delta Stays prepaid hotel or vacation rental booking on the Delta Stays platform.
  • Up to a $120 Rideshare Credit: Get up to $120 in statement credits (doled out in $10 monthly installments) a year when you use your card to pay for a ride with Uber, Lyft, Curb, Revel, or Alto.
  • Up to a $240 Resy Credit: Get up to $240 in statement credits each year (doled out in $20 chunks each month) when you use your card to pay for eligible purchases on Resy, Amex's restaurant reservation platform. This is also a use-it-or-lose-it benefit: Any unused balance won't roll over to the following month.
  • Get up to a $100 credit to cover the cost for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck once every 4.5 years for the application fee for TSA PreCheck® and every 4 years for Global Entry
  • Complimentary space-available upgrades, even for non-Medallion members. A great way to improve your upgrade chances.
  • Get 15% off SkyMiles award tickets with TakeOff 15 when booking on delta.com or through the Fly Delta app
  • Hertz President's Circle Status: Receive complimentary top-tier Hertz President's Circle elite status upon enrollment.
  • Enjoy 20% off in-flight purchases such as food & drinks in the form of a statement credit
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • $650 annual fee (see rates & fees)

 

*delta skymiles reserve*

 

Learn more about the card_name

 

What About Delta Business Cards?

Got a small business? Even if you don't know it, you might just be eligible. And you're in luck: There are a few thousand more SkyMiles on the table with these offers.

Already got the personal version of one of these cards? You could still earn the bonus on one of these small business cards, too.

And don't forget: These business cards also qualify for Delta's TakeOff 15 benefit, giving you a 15% discount when redeeming SkyMiles for Delta-operated award flights.

Read more: Are You Eligible to Open a Small Business Credit Card? Everything You Need to Know

 

Should You Upgrade Your Existing Delta Credit Card?

If you already hold a Delta SkyMiles Gold or Platinum Card, does it make sense to upgrade your card to the next tier? The short answer is … almost always no.

Delta and American Express constantly push cardholders to upgrade. But upgrading your current Delta card is typically not a smart move, as it will make you ineligible to earn the welcome offers these cards have.

 

delta credit card offers

 

Instead, you can simply apply outright for a new account to earn the huge SkyMiles bonus and then close out an older account after you are approved. So long as you do it in the right order, American Express lets you earn a welcome bonus on all of the Delta cards once per lifetime.

For example, you can apply for the card_name even if you've already got the card_name in your wallet. If you take the upgrade offer, you'd make yourself ineligible for the big SkyMiles welcome offer bonus.

We have seen some compelling upgrade offers in the past, with a combination of some bonus miles with a statement credit to upgrade from the Gold to the Platinum card – or Platinum to Reserve. Still, it's almost always a much better deal to apply for a new card outright.

 

Who Are These Offers Right For?

The SkyMiles are nice, no question. And if you're in the market for a Delta credit card, it's smart to earn the biggest bonus you can.

But the real reason to get a Delta card has nothing to do with miles. If earning miles is your goal, there are far better options than opening (and repeatedly swiping) a co-branded Delta card.

That means these offers are really best for Delta fans and frequent flyers that can make the most of the additional travel benefits.

Getting a free checked bag on every Delta flight – a savings of at least $70 on each roundtrip after Delta recently raised baggage fees – can go a long way to offset even the cards' higher annual fees. The math works out even better if you're flying with family or a travel companion, as free bags extend to up to eight other passengers booked on the same reservation.

With the Platinum and Reserve cards, you'll also get an annual companion ticket. Exactly what you get with that companion ticket depends on which card you've got:

  • The *delta skymiles platinum card*‘s companion certificate is good for one main cabin roundtrip fare to destinations throughout the U.S. (including Hawaii, Alaska, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico) as well as many destinations in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America
  • The *delta skymiles reserve*‘s companion ticket can also be used for Comfort Plus and domestic first-class airfare to the same destinations.

With either companion ticket, you essentially get a once-a-year BOGO ticket for flights within the mainland U.S. after your first full year with the Platinum or the Reserve card.

 

delta credit card offers

 

With the Delta Reserve card, one of the top-selling points is that it gets you into Delta Sky Clubs when flying Delta – but unlimited complimentary access will only last through January 2025. After that, you'll be limited to visiting Sky Club 15 days each year … unless you also spend $75,000 on your card throughout the calendar year. Even after these changes, you'll get four, one-time passes to the Sky Club so that you can also bring along a friend or family member when they're traveling with you.

Delta Sky Clubs aren't the only lounge you'll have access to with the Reserve Card, though. You'll also get complimentary access to American Express Centurion Lounges when you are flying Delta on a ticket purchased with your Reserve card. At these lounges, you can also bring up to two guests with you for a fee of $50 each.

Deciding whether the Gold, Platinum, or Reserve Card is right for you can be a tough call. Do the math on the benefits and decide which one makes the most sense for your wallet.

After that, earning a bigger SkyMiles bonus is just a sweetener.

 

delta a330-900 cabin
Photo courtesy of Delta

 

Not sure if you are eligible to earn a bonus? See our post on the American Express Apply with Confidence Tool, which will give you the heads up if you'll be approved for an American Express card with a welcome bonus before the bank actually pulls your credit score.

 

Bottom Line

If you often fly with Delta, having a SkyMiles credit card gets you a free checked bag and priority boarding on every Delta flight. Those perks alone put these credit cards on many loyal Delta flyers' radars. Other great perks like Sky Club access and companion certificates are even better.

If those perks fit your travel plans and priorities, getting a big SkyMiles bonus is all the sweeter.

 

Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

21 Responses

  • Is there a downside for you and your spouse to open up 2 separate accounts for the bonus miles? Other than the annual fee? Or is it not allowed….

    • It’s most certainly allowed. As long as you can be responsible with the line of credit, there isn’t a downside. Double your mileage 😎

  • Is there a way to check whether or not you’ve received a bonus in the past? I thought I recall seeing comments on previous posts that if you apply for the card, there is a screen at some point that tells you if you are ineligible. Is that true?

    • Hey Paul. If you apply and are not eligible to receive the welcome bonus, American Express will give you a pop-up warning before you submit the application and give you a chance to cancel it. If you don’t receive that pop-up, you are good to go!

  • I’ve heard conflicting reports on if new cardmembers are eligible for the restaurant credits or if it was only for existing folks. Any way to confirm? It’s a slam dunk to apply for the Delta Platinum if that’s the case.

    • Hey Andre, I’ve heard that as well. It’s possible this might not be available to new card members as you mentioned. I’ll confirm when we know more.

  • I have the Gold card & my husband is an “additional card holder”. Can he apply for his own card (gold) & still get the bonus?

  • If I already have existing sky miles do those also cancel out July 28, or is this just referring to the new promotional miles? Thanks.

    • On July 28, the current bonus offers on the credit cards will be ending. Any Skymiles you earn are yours to keep and SkyMiles never expire.

  • Two questions…. can you transfer a balance from a different card to go towards the $2000 spending requirement and do the balances have to paid off every month?

    • Hi Janet,

      Most cards do allow a balance transfer option. however, the balance transfer will not count towards the minimum spending requirement to earn the welcome bonus points.

      The Platinum and Gold card are both offering an introductory 0% APR period for the first 12 months, so for the first year, there will not be a penalty for carrying a balance from month to month. However, after the first year, the APR % is very high, and paying interest on the unpaid debt will likely wipe out any benefit you will get from the miles. We don’t recommend it.

  • If I have 25,000 miles on my Gold card and end up closing it after I get approved for the platinum card, can I get those miles transferred to the Platinum card plus the 90,000 bonus miles?

    • As long as the cards are associated with the same SkyMiles number, you won’t need to transfer anything. They will all pool into the same account.

      • Current platinum member 4/2021. I want to open a platinum business card. Will this make me ineligible for the new limited-time 90,000-SkyMiles bonus or will the business be treated as a separate entity so I can take advantage of this promotion.

        • Hi Kimberly. You are absolutely eligible for the business version. They are two separate products.

  • Buyer beware. The Delta Amex Reserve card will charge you $175 per add’l card ANNUALLY. Doesn’t say that anywhere until you read the comprehensive agreement (about four levels deep into the application process).

  • I just got approved for the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card, even though I currently have the Delta SkyMiles Gold. Choosing to apply anew for 90,000 miles + 10,000 MQM’s over a paltry 15,000 mile upgrade offer on my Delta Gold is a no-brainer. When the annual fee on the Gold comes around again, it’ll be on the chopping block. I will say that the upgrade option is appealing to people who don’t want the hassle of having to cancel one card to get another (if they’ve hit the max of 5 cards), but for me it was well worth my time, and not much of a bother.

  • I have never held the Gold card, but just got “you are not eligible for this sign up bonus”. That seems weird to me – is there a specific reason that would happen?

  • The same thing happened to me. I have held the free blue card for many years and after reading this newsletter I went online and applied for a new gold card. I too received the notice that I was not eligible for the upgrade bonus. My only option was to upgrade, receive 20,000 miles and the $95 annual fee would be billed immediately.

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