Our Verdict
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card (terms apply, see rates & fees) is a starter Delta Air Lines card for small businesses. If you sporadically fly the Atlanta-based carrier but not enough to earn Medallion status, the Delta Business Gold can provide a shortcut to some elite-level perks such as free checked luggage and priority boarding. And if you make this one of your primary business credit cards—by spending at least $10,000 in a calendar year—the $200 credit you’ll earn toward a future Delta flight will more than cover the card’s $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150.
Pros
- A combined $350 in annual travel credits
- Main Cabin 1 priority boarding
- No foreign transaction fees
- First checked bag free on Delta flights
- 20% discount on in-flight Delta purchases
Cons
- Travel credit redemptions are somewhat restrictive
- No Sky Club lounge access
- Annual fee is on the high side for a lower-tier airline card
Highlights
- Welcome Offer: Earn 55,000 Bonus Miles after spending $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150
- Card Members save 15% when booking Award Travel with miles on Delta flights when using delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Additionally, you can receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel after you spend $10,000 in purchases in a year.
- Earn 2 miles per dollar spent on purchases at U.S. Shipping providers and at U.S. providers for Advertising in select media on up to $50,000 of purchases per category, per year.
- Earn 2 Miles on every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta and on every eligible dollar spent at restaurants.
- Earn 1 Mile on every eligible dollar spent on other purchases.
- Check and stow your bag with ease: First Checked Bag Free on Delta Flights + Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding.
- Elevate your travel experience with an annual statement credit of up to $150 after using your Delta Gold American Express Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
- Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit on eligible Delta in-flight purchases after using your Card.
- Pay no foreign transaction fees when you travel overseas.
- Terms and limitations apply.
Introducing the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express® Card
If you are a Delta hub captive, you might want to look at the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card as it offers some basic benefits to Delta flyers. It’s worth noting that many of the card’s perks, such as priority boarding and a complimentary first checked bag overlap with those offered to Medallion members. Keep this in mind if you already hold elite status with the airline.
Quick Facts
- Earn 55,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in purchases in the first 6 months of card membership.
- Earn 2 miles per dollar on eligible purchases with U.S. shipping providers and U.S. advertising in select media up to $50,000 per category per year, 2 miles per dollar on purchases directly with Delta and at restaurants and 1 mile per dollar on other purchases.
- Save 20% on in-flight Delta purchases made with your card (in the form of statement credits).
- $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150
- Earn a $200 Delta flight credit after spending $10,000 in a calendar year.
- Receive an annual $150 Delta Stays credit
What Is the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express® Card Best For?
The Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express Card is best for providing perks like first checked bag free and priority boarding at a lower price point than the Delta SkyMiles Platinum and Reserve cards. Businesses with expenses that are high enough to earn the $200 flight credit after spending at least $10,000 during a calendar year can extract significantly more value from the card. Plus, those who don’t mind booking a prepaid hotel or vacation rental through Delta Stays can come out even further ahead thanks to the annual $150 statement credit that’s available.
Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express® Card Rewards
Earning Rewards
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card currently has a welcome offer of 55,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in purchases in the first 6 months of card membership.
The card earns 2 miles per dollar on eligible purchases with U.S. shipping providers and U.S. advertising in select media up to $50,000 per category per year, 2 miles per dollar on purchases directly with Delta and at restaurants and 1 mile per dollar on other purchases.
Rewards aren’t restricted, so technically the sky’s the limit here, but be aware that Delta SkyMiles aren’t the most valuable currency to be earning on everyday purchases as far as credit card rewards go.
Redeeming Rewards
Delta is a SkyTeam alliance member, and the miles earned in the SkyMiles program can be redeemed to book award seats on flights operated by the following carriers: Aerolíneas Argentinas, Aeroméxico, Air Europa, Air France, China Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, Czech Airlines, Garuda Indonesia, ITA Airways, Kenya Airways, KLM, Korean Air, Middle East Airlines, Saudia Airlines, TAROM, Vietnam Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and XiamenAir.
Note that the $200 Delta flight credit earned after $10,000 in purchases is limited for use on delta.com or through Delta Reservations. You can use your credit to book SkyTeam alliance member flights, but you have to do so through Delta.
Unfortunately, Delta no longer publishes an award chart and uses dynamic pricing for its award tickets instead. However, it’s still possible to find space in business class at reasonable rates, especially on one of the aforementioned partner airlines.
If you’re not spoiled by fine wine and lie-flat beds in the sky, one of the best options for redeeming SkyMiles is during a Flash Sale promo. The destinations are announced monthly, and you can snag one of the discounted trips in economy class to the listed region.
Rewards Potential
Forbes uses data from various government agencies to determine baseline income and spending averages across various categories. The 70th percentile of wage-earning households brings in $118,438 annually and has $39,337 in expenses that can be charged to a credit card. We base spending on that number. For a small business card, we base our estimates on a sole proprietorship or a freelancer’s expenses.
| Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card Rewards Potential | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Category
|
Earning Rate
|
Estimated Annual Spend
|
Estimated Annual Earnings
|
|
Airfare
|
2X
|
$770
|
$1,540
|
|
Shipping providers and advertising purchases
|
2X
|
$1,000
|
$2,000
|
|
All other purchases
|
1X
|
$37,567
|
$37,567
|
|
Total: 41,107 SkyMiles
|
|||
Other Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express® Card Benefits
- $200 flight credit. Earn a $200 Delta flight credit after spending $10,000 on the card.
- $150 Delta Stays credit. Earn an annual statement credit of up to $150 for prepaid hotels and vacation rentals booked through Delta Stays.
- 20% statement credit on in-flight purchases. Buy a snack, an adult beverage or in-flight entertainment on your Delta flight, pay with the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card and receive 20% back on your bill.
- Free first checked bag. Perhaps the most popular perk of holding the card is checking a bag at no cost for the primary cardholder and for up to eight additional travelers booked on the same Delta booking.
- Priority boarding. Board a Delta plane in the Main Cabin 1 group and stow your carry-on in an overhead bin before it’s full.
- Pay with Miles. The program lets you redeem SkyMiles toward any Delta flight on Delta.com at a rate of 1 cent per mile. If a fare is cheap, it can be a great way of scoring a flight without paying cash.
Fine Print
Interest Rates
- Regular APR: 20.99% - 29.99% Variable
- Purchase intro APR: N/A
- Balance transfer intro APR: N/A
Fees
- Annual fee: $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150
- Balance transfer fee: N/A
- Foreign purchase transaction fee: None
Terms apply. See rates & fees.
How the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express® Card Stacks Up
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card vs. Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card
For a $350 annual fee (terms apply, see rates & fees), the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card comes with a complimentary Companion Certificate each year on card renewal good for one eligible round-trip flight in the Main Cabin for a second traveler. You’ll just have to pay taxes and fees. The Companion Certificate can now be used on domestic, Caribbean or Central American round-trip flights. As long as the first flight costs more than the annual fee, this card can easily provide value.
The card earns 3 miles per dollar on eligible purchases made directly with Delta and hotels, 1.5 miles per dollar on eligible transit, U.S. shipping & individual purchases of $5,000 or more (up to $100,000 per calendar year), and 1 mile per dollar on other purchases instead of the Gold card’s 2 miles on Delta purchases, and offers a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application fee credit on top of the benefits that the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card already offers. Plus, it offers more available statement credits: a $120 rideshare credit (up to $10 per month, enrollment required), a $120 Resy credit (up to $10 per month, enrollment required) and up to a $200 Delta Stays credit.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card vs. Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, with an annual fee that shoots up to $650 (terms apply, see rates & fees), is packed with the most perks of the three cards. It’s designed for business owners who spend a lot of time on the road and choose Delta as their main carrier.
The card’s perks include individual Delta Sky Club 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) when flying with Delta (plus four complimentary one-time guest passes each year), American Express Centurion Lounge or Escape Lounge access (when you’ve used your card to purchase your flight and are flying same day on Delta) and after each card renewal you’ll receive a Companion Certificate for an eligible round-trip domestic, Caribbean, or Central American flight in First Class, Comfort+ or Main Cabin.
The credits that are available with this card are even higher than the Delta SkyMiles Platinum. You’ll receive a $240 Resy credit (up to $20 per month, enrollment required), a $120 rideshare credit (up to $10 per month, enrollment required) and up to a $250 Delta Stays credit. The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card is for a small business owner who’s all in with the airline and looking for the high-end perks, such as airport lounge access and status booster. Because the annual fee isn’t chump change, make sure to use enough of the card’s perks to extract more value than you pay for it.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card vs. American Express® Business Gold Card
The American Express® Business Gold Card (terms apply, see rates & fees) is best for business owners who prefer flexibility in their rewards. American Express Membership Rewards® points earned with this card can be transferred to Delta SkyMiles at a rate of 1:1, which makes it worth considering. Besides Delta, Membership Rewards can be transferred to more than a dozen other airline partners and a couple of hotel partners giving you plenty of redemption choices.
Although this card has a higher annual fee of $375, you’ll have the opportunity to earn 4 Membership Rewards® points per dollar on the 2 select categories where a business spends the most each month (up to $150,000 combined purchases per calendar year), 3 points per dollar on flights and prepaid hotels booked on Amex Travel and 1 point per dollar is earned for other purchases.
Small businesses that spend quite a bit of cash in the bonus categories will benefit the most from the American Express Business Gold Card. It’s great for business owners who want to earn flexible rewards on their monthly spending and not be tied down to one loyalty program.
Compare Delta SkyMiles Business Gold With Other Cards
Is the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express® Card for You?
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card could be a fine choice for a small business that spends a large chunk of expenses on travel, shipping and advertising.
It’s also a good option for travelers without status who seek to board the plane early enough to stow a carry-on bag or lower the cost of checking bags if that’s the preference. For $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 you get a few valuable airline benefits without being an elite flyer.
Methodology
Forbes Advisor considers a variety of criteria when assigning credit cards a rating. Cards are graded based on numerous factors, including:
- Annual fees
- Welcome bonus offers
- Ongoing earning rates
- Value of individual points or miles
- Included travel or merchant credits
- Additional cardholder benefits
Card features we expect cardholders to use the most often are weighted more heavily in our ratings. Altogether, the factors came together to provide a star rating for each individual card.
Read more: How Forbes Advisor rates credit cards.
To view rates and fees of Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card, please visit this page.
To view rates and fees of American Express® Business Gold Card, please visit this page.
To view rates and fees of Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, please visit this page.
To view rates and fees of Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card, please visit this page.
