Delta Air Lines offers several co-branded SkyMiles credit cards through American Express: four personal cards and three business cards, each tailored to different types of flyers.
Choosing the best Delta credit card depends on how often you fly Delta, what perks you value (like free checked bags, lounge access, or companion tickets), and how much you’re willing to pay in annual fees.
We’ll break down all the Delta Amex card options, their key benefits, and who might want each one.
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card (No Annual Fee)
The Blue card is the most basic option. It has no annual fee and earns 2X miles on dining and on Delta purchases, and 1X on other spending. It does NOT include Delta’s typical travel perks like free checked bags or priority boarding: those are absent on the Blue card.
Think of it as a simple way to earn Delta miles on everyday purchases if you fly Delta only infrequently. One nice thing is that it still gives a 20% discount on in-flight purchases (as a statement credit for onboard food/beverages). It also has no foreign transaction fees, making it okay for international travel spend.
However, without benefits like a free bag, we usually recommend this card only if you really can’t justify an annual fee. Otherwise, the next tier up (Gold) offers much more value if you fly Delta a couple times a year.
On the plus side, the Blue card sometimes comes with a small welcome bonus (e.g. ~10,000 miles for new cardholders). Delta Blue is for the casual traveler who wants to earn SkyMiles on dining and daily spend, but doesn’t need extra frills.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card ($0 intro annual fee, then ~$150/year)
The Gold is a very popular choice and a great mid-tier card. It’s currently $0 for the first year, then $150 annually (Amex recently increased it from $99 to $150). For that fee, you get Main Cabin 1 priority boarding and your first checked bag free on Delta flights.
The free bag can easily justify the fee; one round trip with a checked bag would cost $60 each way for non-cardholders, so a couple of trips cover $150. (In fact, if you travel with family on the same reservation, the Gold card’s free bag benefit extends to up to 8 others, saving potentially hundreds in one go).
Earning rates on the Gold are quite good for everyday use:
- 2X miles on U.S. supermarkets
- 2X at restaurants worldwide
- 2X on Delta purchases, plus 1X on other spend.
That makes it easy to rack up SkyMiles on groceries and dining in addition to flights.
A new benefit is a $100 Delta flight credit after $10,000 annual spend. Spend $834/month on the card, and you get a $100 voucher toward Delta travel each year, which further offsets the fee.
Gold cardholders also get the 15% award mileage discount benefit (“TakeOff 15”) on Delta-operated award tickets, meaning your SkyMiles stretch 15% further when booking flights (this applies to Gold and higher Delta Amex cards).
Another small perk is 20% back on inflight purchases (same as Blue). Notably, Delta Gold does not include Sky Club lounge access or companion certificates.
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card ($350 annual fee)
The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, with an annual fee of $350, offers a suite of benefits tailored for frequent Delta travelers. A highlight is the annual Companion Certificate, which, upon card renewal, grants a round-trip Main Cabin ticket for destinations within the U.S., Caribbean, or Central America; while the certificate covers the fare, travelers are responsible for taxes and fees ranging from $22 to $250, depending on the itinerary.
Cardholders earn 3 miles per dollar on purchases made directly with Delta and hotels, 2 miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets, and 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases. To assist in achieving Medallion Status, the card provides a $2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) head start each year and allows earning of $1 MQD for every $20 spent on eligible purchases.
Additional perks include up to $150 annually in statement credits for prepaid hotel or vacation rental bookings through Delta Stays, up to $120 annually in Resy dining credits (enrollment required), and up to $120 annually in rideshare credits with select providers (enrollment required). The card also offers a fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fees and complimentary Hertz Five Star status, enhancing the travel experience with benefits like car rental upgrades.
It’s important to note that the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card does not include complimentary Delta Sky Club access; such privileges are reserved for the higher-tier Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card ($650 annual fee)
The Reserve is Delta’s premium card, now carrying a $650 annual fee (recently increased from $550). This card is geared toward road warriors and die-hard Delta loyalists. It grants complimentary Delta Sky Club access when flying Delta, plus 4 guest passes per year for friends or family to join you in the lounge. It also provides complimentary access to Amex Centurion Lounges when flying Delta.
These lounge benefits can be worth a lot if you travel often; however, note that starting Feb 2025, Delta is limiting Sky Club visits to 15 per year for Reserve cardholders (unless you spend $75,000 on the card in a year for unlimited access).
Beyond lounges, the Reserve card includes an annual First Class/Companion Certificate; you get to bring a companion free (paying just taxes up to $80 domestic) on a round trip, and unlike the Platinum’s certificate, the Reserve’s can be used in First Class or Comfort+ in addition to the main cabin.
The card also comes with a host of statement credits now: $120 rideshare credit, $240 dining credit (Resy), $200 Hilton hotel credit – over $500 in credits if fully used.
It also offers the ability to earn Medallion status faster: Reserve cardholders earn 1 MQD per $10 spent (which is double the rate of the Platinum’s MQD earn), and also get that 2,500 MQD annual boost each year. This makes the Reserve the fastest card to help achieve status – essentially a big spend on Reserve can almost substitute for flying spend.
Who should get Reserve
This card is really for the devoted Delta flyer. If you value Sky Club lounge access on every trip (and can use the 15 visits or work around the new limits) and you often purchase premium fares or want the highest upgrade priority, the Reserve is unmatched. The companion certificate in first class each year is a stellar perk for those who will use it.
We have a friend who swears by the Reserve card because he and his wife fly Delta monthly – they practically live in Sky Clubs and the card saves them hundreds in lounge fees. However, if you fly Delta only a few times a year or primarily economy, the Reserve’s steep fee might be overkill relative to Gold or Platinum. It’s really about the luxury perks and status benefits. The decision to go Reserve would hinge on how often I’d use the lounges and first-class companion ticket. When maximized, those perks easily make the $650 fee worth it.
Delta SkyMiles® Business Cards (Gold, Platinum, Reserve Business)
Delta and Amex offer business versions of the consumer cards, with nearly identical structures. The Gold Business ($0 first year, then $150) is similar to personal Gold (free bag, priority boarding, 2x on dining, gas, shipping, etc.), the Platinum Business ($350 fee) similar to personal Platinum. The Reserve Business ($650 fee) mirrors personal Reserve (Sky Club access, first-class companion, etc.).
One difference: the business versions often have slightly different bonus categories tailored to businesses. For instance, the Delta Business Platinum card gives 1.5X miles on large purchases (over $5k) and on certain business categories like shipping and transit, in addition to 3X on Delta. The Delta Business Gold card has 2X on advertising and dining, etc.
All business versions also earn the same status boosts (MQDs via spend) as their personal counterparts. Importantly, the Delta Business cards do not count towards your Amex consumer credit card limit, so they’re a way to have a Delta card without taking up a slot of the Amex 5 consumer card limit.
Many small business owners choose the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business Amex because it offers a nice balance: annual companion certificate (main cabin), free bag, Gold Medallion status acceleration with spend, and a lower $350 fee. The Reserve Business likewise gives Sky Club access and even comes with complimentary Delta 360 status if you spend enough? (No, Delta 360 is invite-only; Reserve doesn’t grant that, but high spend could help indirectly).
The key differences is the Business Platinum Delta Amex includes a $250 annual statement credit for Hilton stays (in $50 quarterly increments), which the personal doesn’t have. The Business Reserve and Business Platinum also come with complimentary National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive status, a nice perk for business travelers renting cars.
How To Choose the Right Delta Credit Card
To decide which Delta Amex is best for you, consider your travel frequency and the perks you’ll use:
- If you rarely fly Delta: Delta Blue (no fee) lets you earn some SkyMiles on everyday spending with no commitment. Just don’t expect any big perks – it’s essentially a miles-earning tool.
- If you fly Delta a few times a year (or check bags): Delta Gold is likely the best value. The first checked bag free for you and companions can save ~$60 per person each trip. Priority boarding is nice to secure overhead bin space. And the annual fee is reasonable (waived first year).
- If you fly Delta frequently or value an annual companion ticket: Delta Platinum is worth the higher fee. Use the companion certificate for one domestic flight and you’ve probably come out ahead for the year.
- If you practically live on Delta airplanes or demand top perks: Delta Reserve is the premium choice. It’s the only one with Sky Club lounge access – huge for frequent flyers who want a quiet space, free drinks, and snacks during layovers. The first-class companion ticket can be incredibly valuable for a special trip. And if you’re chasing Delta Diamond status, the Reserve card’s enhanced MQD earning (spend $10 = 1 MQD) really helps. That said, at $650/year, you need to maximize those perks to make it worthwhile.
Lastly, remember that all Delta Amex cards earn SkyMiles that never expire and can be used for any Delta flight with no blackout dates. They also all offer purchase protections and no foreign transaction fees, which are nice general perks. In our experience, holding one of the Delta cards is great if Delta is your airline of choice – it makes every trip a bit more convenient and rewarding.
