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3. Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card: Potential value for everyday spending

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303

reviews

3.8

Rating: 3.8 out of 5.

Great for Delta loyalists

Annual Fee: $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150.

This content is curated by Intuit Credit Karma’s Editorial team using data from members who were approved for this card or similar cards, or who self-matched this card or similar cards. Intuit Credit Karma receives compensation from third-party advertisers, but that doesn’t affect our editors’ opinions. Our third-party advertisers don’t review, approve or endorse this content. Information about financial products not offered on Credit Karma is collected independently. Our content is accurate to the best of our knowledge when posted.

Here’s the average credit limit of members who matched their Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card or similar cards.

% of members by credit limit range

The average credit limit for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is $13,613, with $1,000 being the most common.

Here’s the average credit score of members who matched their Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card or similar cards.

% of members by credit score range

The average credit score for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is 705, with 810 being the most common. Note this is just one of the deciding factors when it comes to getting approved.

Member stats

Updated daily

30.2%

Average credit utilization (or what percent of the card’s credit limit is being used) of members who matched with this card or similar cards.

45 years

Average age of members who matched this card or similar cards.

$108,046

Average annual income of members who matched this card or similar cards. Note: Income may be estimated for some members by Credit Karma and may differ from members’ actual incomes.

Pros and cons

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Annual fee waived the first year

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Bonus miles on Delta purchases, at supermarkets in the U.S., and restaurants worldwide (plus delivery and takeout in the U.S.)

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There’s a welcome bonus

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Ongoing annual fee might make sense only if you use it as a primary card

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No companion fare offer or complimentary lounge access

5 things to know about the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card

The rewards program is geared toward everyday use

The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card encourages you to use it as the main card in your wallet by offering bonus rewards in several everyday spending categories.

With this card, you’ll earn two miles for every $1 you spend on eligible purchases made directly with Delta, and two miles for every $1 you spend on purchases at supermarkets in the U.S. and restaurants worldwide, including on delivery and takeout in the U.S., and one mile per $1 on all other purchases.

Plus, this card offers the potential to earn a $200 Delta flight credit when you make at least $10,000 in eligible purchases in a year. That credit can be used toward a Delta flight purchase, and it’s worth enough to offset the card’s annual fee ($0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150.).

That’s nice potential value, but you might need to make the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card your primary credit card in order to take advantage of that credit. And although restaurant and supermarket purchases may be common credit card expenses for many households, it may still be difficult for many people to reach that $10,000 threshold without consistent spending.

There’s a welcome bonus 

With the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, you’ll earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 on purchases during the first 6 months following account opening.

Credit Karma’s point valuations estimate Delta SkyMiles® are worth approximately 1.61 cents each. This makes the welcome bonus worth about $805 when you redeem for qualifying flights if you earn all of the bonus miles.

The airline perks are just OK

If you’re a frequent flyer, you’ll appreciate that the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card includes airport benefits like priority boarding and a free checked bag. Delta typically charges $35 to check the first bag under 50 pounds.

These perks can make your trip more comfortable, but not everyone will get the same value from them. Ultimately, it depends on how you like to travel.

A few key perks are missing

The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is missing a handful of perks that you might be able to find from other travel cards.

• No complimentary lounge access — There is no Delta SkyClub access with this card.
• Limited in-flight discounts — The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card offers 20% off (as a statement credit) in-flight food and beverage and audio headset purchases on Delta flights, but the discount doesn’t extend to onboard Wi-Fi purchases.
• No companion fare — Some airline credit cards offer a discounted (or complimentary) companion fare with the sign-up bonus, or even as an annual bonus. But this card has no such offer.

It’s not the most convenient card to take overseas

The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card charges no foreign transaction fees. If you travel internationally on a regular basis, this feature could help you save money.

But you can only take advantage if you’re able to use the card in the first place. While availability may differ from location to location, it’s generally thought that American Express credit cards aren’t accepted as widely internationally as cards on the Visa and Mastercard networks. So it’s probably worth doing some research on your destination before you bring this card, unless you have another card in your wallet that also doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees.

Is Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card worth it?

As long as you make enough purchases within the card’s bonus categories, you might be able to offset the annual fee for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card. But you might need to use it as your primary credit card to work toward the spend threshold for the Delta flight credit.

The bonus miles on restaurant and U.S. supermarket purchases are nice, and those might be the biggest credit card expenses for many consumers. But the annual $200 Delta flight credit can be earned only by spending at least $10,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year.

In short, there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to maximize your value from those features if you’re not using this card on a regular basis. And if you don’t make this your primary card, you might have to earn your value from the welcome bonus and airline perks like priority boarding. For many people, that math just won’t add up.

Not sure this card is right for you? Consider these alternatives.

If you don’t like the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, check out a few other travel cards that might have flown under your radar.

• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card:
This card could be good for those looking for a discount when traveling with others.
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card:
This Delta card offers extra comforts for the frequent traveler.
• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card:
This card offers strong rewards and a few perks when flying with any airline.