Delta credit card offers September 2024
Published 5:13 PM EDT, Thu June 6, 2024
Delta Air Lines
American Express and Delta Air Lines have boosted the welcome offers on all but one of their co-branded credit cards through Oct. 23, 2024. So if you’ve been looking for the best Delta card offer, now is a good time to think about applying.
Limited-time offer or not, the “best” offer is subjective. You should consider both the quality and quantity of rewards available when determining which option is best for you, said Jeff Galak, a consumer behavior expert and associate professor of marketing at Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business.
“Sometimes that comes in the form of points earned for spending and sometimes it comes in the form of access to things like airport lounges,” said Galak. “Ultimately, savvy consumers consider the benefits that would be most useful to them.”
The no annual fee Delta SkyMiles? Blue American Express Card (terms apply, see rates and fees) is the only of the seven co-branded offerings that doesn’t have a boosted welcome offer.
We receive compensation from our partners for Featured Offer placements, which impacts how and where their offer is displayed.
Earn 80,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Credit Score ranges are based on FICO? credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.
Delta credit card offers
| Card name | Annual fee | Welcome offer | Delta earn rate (direct purchases only) |
|---|---|---|---|
Delta SkyMiles? Gold American Express Card
| $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150
| 80,000 miles after spending $3,000 on eligible purchases in the first six months of card membership (terms apply, see rates and fees) | 2x miles
|
Delta SkyMiles? Platinum American Express Card
| $350
| 90,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership (terms apply, see rates and fees) | 3x miles
|
Delta SkyMiles? Reserve American Express Card
| $650
| 100,000 miles after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases in the first six months of card membership (terms apply, see rates and fees) | 3x miles
|
Delta SkyMiles? Gold Business American Express Card
*
The information for the Delta SkyMiles? Gold Business American Express Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
| $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150
| 90,000 miles after spending $6,000 in purchases in the first six months of card membership (terms apply, see rates and fees) | 2x miles
|
Delta SkyMiles? Platinum Business American Express Card
*
The information for the Delta SkyMiles? Platinum Business American Express Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
| $350
| 100,000 miles after spending $8,000 in purchases in the first six months of card membership (terms apply, see rates and fees) | 3x miles
|
Delta SkyMiles? Reserve Business American Express Card
*
The information for the Delta SkyMiles? Reserve Business American Express Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
| $650
| 110,000 miles after spending $12,000 in purchases in the first six months of card membership (terms apply, see rates and fees) | 3x miles
|
Delta SkyMiles? Blue American Express Card
| $0
| 10,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 within the first six months after opening the account (terms apply, see rates and fees) | 2x miles
|
All information about Delta SkyMiles? Gold Business American Express Card, Delta SkyMiles? Platinum Business American Express Card and Delta SkyMiles? Reserve Business American Express Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored.
We receive compensation from our partners for Featured Offer placements, which impacts how and where their offer is displayed.
Earn 10,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
Credit Score ranges are based on FICO? credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.
What are the benefits of Delta credit cards?
Like a lot of American Express credit cards, the Delta cards pack a lot of value. In many cases, the value of these benefits can offset the annual fee if you’re able to maximize them.
Travel protections
As with many of the best travel credit cards, Delta card holders all receive some form of travel insurance, but what’s covered varies. Protections include:
- Car rental insurance.1 All Delta card holders receive car rental damage and theft insurance when they pay for car rentals with the card and decline the rental company’s collision damage waiver (CDW). This coverage is secondary, meaning it only comes into play after you file a claim with your personal car insurance.
- Baggage insurance.2 The business and personal versions of the Delta SkyMiles Gold, Platinum and Reserve cards cover card holders against lost, damaged or stolen baggage on eligible travel.
- Trip delay insurance.3 Delta SkyMiles Platinum and Delta SkyMiles Reserve card holders (personal and business) can get reimbursed for food, lodging and other eligible expenses when eligible round trips are delayed more than 12 hours (Platinum) or more than six hours (Reserve). Other terms apply.
- Trip cancellation and interruption insurance.? Delta SkyMiles Reserve personal and business card holders can also receive reimbursement for certain non-refundable travel expenses if their trip is canceled or interrupted for a covered reason.
Delta travel perks
- TakeOff 15. All Delta cards except the no annual fee Delta SkyMiles Blue feature TakeOff 15, a 15% discount on eligible reward travel. In other words, if you use your Delta card to book a flight that costs 50,000 Delta SkyMiles, it will only cost you 42,500 miles.
- Companion certificate. You will get an annual companion certificate good for a main cabin round-trip ticket on domestic, Mexican, Caribbean or Central American flights with the Delta SkyMiles Platinum and Delta Platinum Business. With the Delta SkyMiles Reserve and Delta Reserve Business, you’ll get a companion ticket on domestic, Mexican, Caribbean or Central American flights in first class, Delta Comfort+ or the main cabin.
- Free checked bag. The Delta cards that charge an annual fee (all of them except the Delta SkyMiles Blue) allow for one free checked bag for the primary card holder and up to eight travel companions on the same Delta reservation.
- Airport lounge access. Delta SkyMiles Reserve card holders receive access to Delta Sky Club locations and four one-time guest passes each year. Beginning in February 2025, this access will be limited to 15 day visits per year, with the ability to earn unlimited access if you spend at least $75,000 on your card during the previous calendar year. The Reserve cards also come with access to American Express Centurion Lounges and Escape Lounges.
- Medallion? Qualification Dollars (MQD). Delta calls elite status in its loyalty program Medallion status. You’ll need MQD to boost your status, and the personal and business Platinum and Reserve cards can help. Platinum card holders earn 1 MQD for every $20 in eligible card purchases, while Delta SkyMiles Reserve card holders earn 1 MQD for every $10 in eligible card purchases. These cards also come with an “MQD Headstart” of $2,500 MQD per qualifying year. It takes $5,000 MQD to reach Silver Medallion status — the lowest of four tiers — and 28,000 MQD to reach top-tier Diamond status.
Other benefits
Like other Amex cards, all the Delta SkyMiles cards come with purchase protection?, which means you could get reimbursed if a recent purchase is stolen or damaged. Your card will also offer extended warranties?, which can add a year to an eligible manufacturer’s warranty.
The Delta SkyMiles Platinum and Delta SkyMiles Reserve offer cell phone protection.?
All of the Delta credit cards will reimburse you for 20% of the cost of eligible in-flight purchases. Some cards will also cover other eligible spending:
| Card name | Credits available |
|---|---|
Delta SkyMiles Gold
| $200 Delta flight credit after you spend $10,000 on the card in a calendar year
$100 maximum Delta Stays credit each calendar year for eligible lodging booked at delta.com/stays
|
Delta SkyMiles Platinum
| $120 maximum credit for eligible Resy dining spending each calendar year (up to $10 per month). Enrollment required.
$150 maximum Delta Stays credit each calendar year for eligible lodging booked at delta.com/stays
|
Delta SkyMiles Reserve
| $240 maximum credit for eligible Resy dining spending each calendar year (up to $20 per month). Enrollment required.
$120 maximum credit for rideshare spending each calendar year (up to $10 per month). Enrollment required.
$200 maximum Delta Stays credit each calendar year for eligible lodging booked at delta.com/stays
|
Delta Gold Business
| $200 Delta flight credit after you spend $10,000 on the card in a calendar year
$150 maximum Delta Stays credit each calendar year for eligible lodging booked at delta.com/stays
|
Delta Platinum Business
| $120 maximum credit for eligible Resy dining spending each calendar year (up to $10 per month)
$120 maximum credit for rideshare spending each calendar year (up to $10 per month)
$200 maximum Delta Stays credit each calendar year for eligible lodging booked at delta.com/stays
|
Delta Reserve Business
| $240 maximum credit for eligible Resy dining spending each calendar year (up to $20 per month). Enrollment required.
$120 maximum credit for rideshare spending each calendar year (up to $10 per month). Enrollment required.
$250 maximum Delta Stays credit each calendar year for eligible lodging booked at delta.com/stays
|
What is the best Delta credit card offer?
The best Delta credit card offer depends on your situation. You should compare the value of the card’s welcome bonus, benefits and rewards (in the context of your spending) against the annual fee to make sure you’re getting your money’s worth. If you think you’ll carry a balance month to month, the APR is more important than any rewards – running a balance can get expensive fast.
Three key factors to consider are whether you want a personal or business card, whether you can earn a card’s welcome bonus and whether you’ll get good value from a card’s ongoing rewards.
We receive compensation from our partners for Featured Offer placements, which impacts how and where their offer is displayed.
Earn 90,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $4,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Credit Score ranges are based on FICO? credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.
Personal vs. business cards
Do you have a small business or side hustle that has you booking travel? If so, you could qualify for one of the Delta business credit cards (Delta Gold Business, Delta Platinum Business or Delta Reserve Business).
These cards, which are intended for business use only, offer similar terms and benefits as their consumer counterparts, but also feature business-oriented spending categories for Delta SkyMiles earning, such as bonus miles for office supplies, shipping, transit and advertising. They also allow you to provide employee cards.
Plus, the Delta business credit cards have historically offered higher welcome bonuses than their personal card counterparts. For example, see the current offers on the Delta SkyMiles Gold (80,000 miles after spending $3,000 on eligible purchases in the first six months of card membership) and Delta Gold Business (90,000 miles after spending $6,000 in purchases in the first six months of card membership). The cards charge the same annual fee, but be sure to note the higher spending requirement on the business version.
Welcome bonus
Delta cards typically offer anywhere from 10,000 to over 100,000 bonus miles in their welcome bonus offers, depending on the card and current promotions. The limited-time offers (available on all cards but the Delta SkyMiles Blue through Oct. 23, 2024) come in at the higher end of this range, with the Delta SkyMiles Gold offering 80,000 miles after spending $3,000 on eligible purchases in the first six months of card membership at the lower end. At the high end, the Delta Reserve Business offers 110,000 miles after spending $12,000 in purchases in the first six months of card membership.
But the biggest bonus is not always the best choice for your situation. Consider these key factors:
- Annual fees. Cards offering the largest welcome bonuses tend to also have the biggest annual fees. Make sure you can actually afford to keep a card before jumping on the biggest welcome bonus.
- Spending requirements. Bigger welcome offers also tend to require more spending within a set period of time to earn the bonus. Make sure your spending would actually allow you to meet this requirement, otherwise you won’t get the bonus.
- Amex’s “once per lifetime” rule. You may not qualify for a welcome offer on a new card if you’ve already received a welcome offer on that card or, in the case of personal cards, any others in that particular card family. This means if you receive a welcome bonus for the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card and hope to open the Delta SkyMiles Gold later, you probably won’t be eligible for the welcome bonus on the Gold.
Ongoing rewards
Look for the card with the best earning multipliers in your preferred spending categories. This might mean not going for the most elite card. For example, the top-tier Delta SkyMiles Reserve earns 3x miles on direct Delta spending, but 1x on all other purchases, while the Delta SkyMiles Platinum earns 3x miles on direct Delta spending, 3x miles on direct hotel spending, 2x miles on dining (including U.S. takeout and delivery), 2x miles on groceries at U.S. supermarkets and 1x miles on other purchases.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
The best Delta Amex card for you depends on your situation. If you value affordability and only travel occasionally, the Delta SkyMiles Gold card could have everything you need. If you travel a lot and can take advantage of the full range of travel benefits and perks offered, a premium card like the Delta SkyMiles Platinum or Delta SkyMiles Reserve could be best for you.
You can “Apply With Confidence” for a personal Delta card on American Express’ website. This feature lets you see whether you’re approved with just a soft credit inquiry, which won’t affect your credit score. If you’re approved and accept the card, you will proceed to a formal application which will result in a hard credit inquiry.
To view rates and fees for Delta SkyMiles? Gold American Express Card, please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for Delta SkyMiles? Platinum American Express Card, please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for Delta SkyMiles? Reserve American Express Card, please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for Delta SkyMiles? Gold Business American Express Card * The information for the Delta SkyMiles? Gold Business American Express Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for Delta SkyMiles? Platinum Business American Express Card * The information for the Delta SkyMiles? Platinum Business American Express Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for Delta SkyMiles? Blue American Express Card, please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for Delta SkyMiles? Reserve Business American Express Card * The information for the Delta SkyMiles? Reserve Business American Express Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , please visit this page.
1Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $75,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
2Baggage Insurance Plan coverage can be in effect for Covered Persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen Baggage during their travel on a Common Carrier Vehicle (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when the Entire Fare for a ticket for the trip (one-way or round-trip) is charged to an Eligible Card. Coverage can be provided for up to $2,000 for checked Baggage and up to a combined maximum of $3,000 for checked and carry-on Baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the Common Carrier. The coverage is also subject to a $3,000 aggregate limit per Covered Trip. For New York State residents, there is a $2,000 per bag/suitcase limit for each Covered Person with a $10,000 aggregate maximum for all Covered Persons per Covered Trip.Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
3Up to $500 per Covered Trip that is delayed for more than 6 hours; and 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
?The maximum benefit amount for Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance is $10,000 per Covered Trip and $20,000 per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
?Protection is an embedded benefit of your Card Membership and requires no enrollment. It can help protect Covered Purchases made on your Eligible Card when they’re accidentally damaged, stolen, or lost, for up to 90 days from the Covered Purchase date. The coverage is limited up to $10,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Coverage Limits Apply. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
?When an American Express? Card Member charges a Covered Purchase to an Eligible Card, Extended Warranty§ can provide up to one extra year added to the Original Manufacturer’s Warranty. Applies to warranties of five (5) years or less. Coverage is up to the actual amount charged to your Card for the item up to a maximum of $10,000; not to exceed $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
?Coverage for a Stolen or damaged Eligible Cellular Wireless Telephone is subject to the terms, conditions, exclusions and limits of liability of this benefit. The maximum liability is $800, per claim, per Eligible Card Account. Each claim is subject to a $50 deductible. Coverage is limited to two (2) claims per Eligible Card Account per 12 month period.
Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.comp/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
All information about Delta SkyMiles? Gold Business American Express Card, Delta SkyMiles? Platinum Business American Express Card and Delta SkyMiles? Reserve Business American Express Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored.
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines, hotel chain, or other commercial entity and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of such entities.
This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended and should not be understood to constitute financial, investment, insurance or legal advice. All individuals are encouraged to seek advice from a qualified financial professional before making any financial, insurance or investment decisions.
Note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed or may no longer be available.
