Is A Delta SkyMiles Credit Card Worth It?

Delta SkyMiles credit cards can provide perks when flying on Delta flights. The benefits increase with the annual fees, so you have to determine if the value of the perks you’d use make it worth the cost of the annual fee.

From no foreign transaction fees and 15% off Delta flights to free checked bags and Delta Sky Club membership, there are many reasons to add a Delta card to your wallet. Plus, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card now give cardholders more opportunities to earn Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs).

-	Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card	Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card	Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card	Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
Rewards	2 miles per dollar on Delta purchases, at restaurants worldwide, and takeout and delivery in the U.S. and 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases	2 miles per dollar on Delta purchases, at U.S. supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and 1 mile per dollar on other eligible purchases	3 miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels, 2 miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets and 1 mile per dollar on other eligible purchases	3 miles per dollar on Delta purchases and 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases
Annual flight credit	X	$200 if you spend $10K	X	X
Annual Delta Stays credit	X	$100	$150	$200
15% off Delta flights	X	√	√	√
Free checked bags	X	Up to nine per reservation	Up to nine per reservation	Up to nine per reservation
Companion certificate	X	X	Domestic, Caribbean or Central American main cabin, roundtrip	First class, Comfort+ or main cabin for domestic, Caribbean or Central America, roundtrip
Main Cabin 1 boarding	X	√	√	√
Delta Sky Club access*	X	X	X	Complimentary for the primary cardholder (plus four one-time guest passes)
MQD Boost	X	X	$1 MQD for every $20 spent	$1 MQD for every $10 spent
MQD Headstart	X	X	$2,500 MQDs per year	$2,500 MQDs per year
Global Entry / TSA PreCheck credit	X	X	√	√
In-flight purchase discount (via statement credit)	20%	20%	20%	20%
Cell phone insurance¹	X	X	√	√
Foreign transaction fees	X	X	X	X
Annual fee	$0 (Terms apply. see rates & fees	$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 (Terms apply. see rates & fees)	$350 (Terms apply. see rates & fees)	$650 (Terms apply. see rates & fees)

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*Note: Delta announced changes to its Skymiles program on February 1, 2024, including adjustments to the number of MQDs needed to reach each status tier. Additionally, some cards now have added features that allow cardholders to earn more MQDs.

When the Annual Fee Is Worth It

The annual fee is worth paying only when you can use enough of the card’s benefits to offset the costs. In other words, make sure the value you get outweighs the investment.

For example, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card has a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150. It also waives baggage fees for the first bag when you fly Delta.

Let’s say you and a plus-one fly together on a domestic trip and both of you check a bag. Normally, Delta charges $30 each way for the first checked bag. So, it would cost $120 for two people to check bags on a round-trip journey. In this case, the card nearly pays for itself after just one trip. The more times you fly per year and check bags, the more the card is worth keeping.

A more extreme example is when you hold the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with its staggering $650 annual fee. Notice that the card comes with complimentary Delta Sky Club membership, which normally costs $695 per year—and thus nearly offsets the fee by itself if you need lounge access (effective 2/1/25, cardholders will receive 15 Delta Sky Club visits per year; unlimited visits can be earned when total purchases exceed $75,000 in 2024 and each calendar year thereafter)—as well as granting access to The Centurion Lounges.

Throw in free checked bags, credits to cover your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck enrollment, Resy and rideshare purchase credits and a first-class companion certificate for a domestic round trip flight, and you might find yourself getting outsized value by holding this card.

When the Annual Fee Isn’t Worth It

Perhaps, you’re a Delta Medallion member and already receive most of the benefits associated with these credit cards. For example, all Medallion members can check a bag for free and get to board Delta flights ahead of co-branded credit card holders that don’t have status.

Or, perhaps you’re an infrequent traveler and simply don’t fly enough or don’t need the perks that would in theory offset a card’s annual fee—then, logically, that card isn’t worth it.

For example, let’s assume you like to travel light and fly with a carry-on bag. In this case, the free checked bag benefit on the Gold, Platinum and Reserve SkyMiles cards won’t be of much use to you.

As another example, if you typically travel solo, you won’t get much value out of the companion certificates that come with the SkyMiles Platinum and the SkyMiles Reserve cards—so it might not be worth paying an expensive annual fee to carry one of these high-end cards.

You can apply for a Delta SkyMiles card either on Amex’s website or on Delta.com (the application button will redirect you to American Express). If a friend of yours already holds a Delta card, they can send you a referral link, and you both can score some SkyMiles. Finally, if you happen to fly Delta, you also can fill out an application on your flight. The flight attendants usually make an announcement about the available cards and their welcome offers.

Depending on which Delta Skymiles credit card you apply for, you could pay no annual fee or $650 per year. The more expensive cards come with a wider array of perks, but are likely to only truly benefit travelers who are Delta loyalists. Here’s the annual fee for each card:

• Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card: $0
• Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card: $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card: $350
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card: $650

Here are the earning rates for each Delta credit card:

• Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card: Earn 2 miles per dollar on Delta purchases, at restaurants worldwide, and takeout and delivery in the U.S. and 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
• Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card: Earn 2 miles per dollar on Delta purchases, at U.S. supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and 1 mile per dollar on other eligible purchases.
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card: Earn 3 miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels, 2 miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets and 1 mile per dollar on other eligible purchases.
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card: Earn 3 miles per dollar on Delta purchases and 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases.

With Delta cards, you’ll earn more SkyMiles if you use your card to book all of your Delta flights and to do all of your spending in the card’s rewards categories, but everyday spending earns just one mile per dollar, regardless of which card you choose. And with the exception of the occasional trip you can snag with a SkyMiles award deal, Delta SkyMiles aren’t the most valuable rewards.

With the SkyMiles Platinum and SkyMiles Reserve cards you have the added benefit of earning MQDs for your purchases, which helps you achieve Medallion status faster. However, the most you’ll earn is $1 MQD per $10, which you get with the Skymiles Reserve card. At that rate, even after you receive your $2,500 Headstart MQDs, you still need to spend $25,000 on the card each year to obtain the lowest tier status (Silver).

Since Medallion status will be difficult to achieve through card ownership alone, most would do better to focus on earning their available welcome bonus and utilizing their card’s variety of benefits to offset its annual fee. These extra perks are where the Delta credit cards shine.

Co-branded Delta cards earn Delta SkyMiles, which are rather limiting. Other than flights with Delta and its partners, your SkyMiles can only be redeemed for other Delta purchases, such as Delta gift cards, checked bag fees and packages purchased through Delta Vacations.

If you prefer redemption versatility, you might be better off with a general travel rewards card or a card that earns flexible points you can transfer to a variety of airline and hotel loyalty programs.

Delta SkyMiles Credit Cards vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Unlike the Delta cards, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earns Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, beloved by frequent travelers for their flexible redemption options. Points can be transferred to more than a dozen travel partners at a 1:1 rate, redeemed for travel bookings through Chase Travel℠ at a value of 1.25 cents per point or redeemed for cash back (as a statement credit or a deposit to a bank account) at a value of 1 cent each.

Cardholders earn 5 points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3 points per dollar on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2 points per dollar on all other travel purchases and 1 point per dollar on other purchases. The annual fee is reasonable at $95.

Ultimate Rewards points don’t transfer directly to Delta SkyMiles, but you can transfer them to Air France/KLM Flying Blue and use those points to book Delta flights.

Although the Sapphire Preferred’s benefits don’t include free checked bags or priority boarding on Delta flights, you get access to travel protections such as trip cancellation and interruption insurance, trip delay reimbursement, baggage delay insurance and primary auto rental collision damage waiver.

Delta SkyMiles Credit Cards vs. Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

One of the drawbacks of the Delta cards is their rewards-earning structure. If you’re looking for a card that earns a multiplier in every spending category, not just a few, consider the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. It earns 2 miles per dollar on all eligible purchases, 5 miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel, 5 miles per dollar on Capital One Entertainment purchases through 12/31/25 and 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars when booking via Capital One Travel—which helps cardholders accumulate travel rewards in a fast and easy way.

Capital One miles can be used to reimburse travel purchases, transferred to more than 15 travel partners for high-value rewards or used for bookings via the Capital One Travel portal. While they don’t transfer directly to Delta SkyMiles, they do transfer to Delta partner airlines, including Virgin Red and AeroMexico.

There is a $395 annual fee (rates & fees), but you can offset most of that by making use of the card’s $300 annual travel credit for bookings made through the Capital One Travel portal. Plus, you get access to Priority Pass airport lounges (once you enroll) and the relatively new network of Capital One Lounges as well.

Delta SkyMiles Credit Cards vs. The Platinum Card® from American Express

Perhaps the most valuable perk of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is access to Delta Sky Clubs and The Centurion Lounges. The good news is, for travelers seeking luxury, there’s another Amex card that comes with what may very well be the most extensive airport lounge access of any card on the market.

The Platinum Card® from American Express (Terms apply. See rates & fees) offers complimentary access to Delta Sky Clubs for the primary cardholder whenever they fly Delta (guests can join for a fee). Beginning February 1, 2025 access will drop to 10 lounge visits per year unless cardholders spend $75,000 or more on their card.

In addition, the Platinum Card comes with access to the following airport lounges:

• The Centurion Lounge network (which includes The Centurion Lounge and Escape Lounges)
• Lufthansa Lounge
• Plaza Premium Lounge
• Priority Pass Select (enrollment required)

In short, if you’re looking for lounge access, it’s hard to beat the American Express Global Lounge Collection that comes with carrying the Amex Platinum. Amex states that it provides access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting.

The Platinum Card® from American Express also earns flexible points that can be transferred to Amex’s travel partner programs including Delta SkyMiles. However, beware that this card doesn’t come cheap. As one might guess from its status as an ultra-premium travel card, there’s a hefty $695 annual fee.

Delta SkyMiles credit cards offer Delta flyers quite a few perks, but they aren’t the right choice for everyone. The earning rates are generally mediocre, and the miles aren’t worth much compared to the value you may be able to get with a card that offers transferable rewards.

If you frequently fly Delta and check luggage, fly with a companion or want access to Sky Club lounges, one of the co-branded Delta cards might be worth the investment based on your travel patterns. However, if you’re chasing the maximum value for award travel, we recommend a card such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card instead.

To view rates and fees for Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card please visit this page.
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 The Platinum Card® from American Express please visit this page.

¹Eligibility 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.