Getting to Know the Blue Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card

The Blue Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card is a good introductory airline rewards card for those who prefer to fly with Delta Airlines, don’t want to pay an annual fee,  and want to earn rewards for their everyday purchases. The card offers double miles for purchases made with Delta.  It also earns 2X miles at U.S. restaurants – and one mile for everything else. New cardholders also benefit from 10,000 bonus miles after spending $500 in the first 3 months. This is a very achievable spend.

How It Works

Cardholders can expect the following from the Blue Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card:

How to Earn Rewards:

• Fly with Delta Airlines: Cardmembers earn 2x miles fon qualifying flights with Delta.
• Earn When Dining Out: Cardholders also earn 2X miles at U.S. restaurants.
• Everyday Purchases: Blue Delta SkyMiles® Credit Cardholders earn 1X miles on every other purchase made with their card.
• Flights with SkyTeam Partners: Cardholders can earn SkyMiles®when booking travel with any SkyTeam partner airline.
• Shopping with Delta Airline or SkyTeam Partners: SkyMiles® members can use their Blue Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card to earn SkyMiles® miles when they shop with select Delta Airlines or SkyTeam retail partners.
• Booking Trips and Hotels with Delta: Blue Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card cardholders who use their card to book hotel stays, book rental cars, book cruises, or entire vacation packages through Delta Vacations earn bonus SkyMiles® miles.

How to Redeem Miles:

• Travel: SkyMiles® members can use their miles for travel on Delta Airlines, SkyTeam airlines, and partner airlines on flights to over 1,300 destinations across the world.
• Seat Upgrades: SkyMiles® members can use miles to purchase seat upgrades on Delta Airlines or with SkyTeam carriers.
• Status Upgrades: SkyMiles® members can use their miles for purchasing or renewing Sky Club status, including lounge access and complimentary, premium in-flight drinks worldwide.
• Vacations: SkyMiles® can be used to purchase vacations through Delta Vacations.
• Gift Miles: Cardholders can gift SkyMiles® to friends and family members.
• Spending with Delta Retail Partners: Blue Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card members can apply miles towards qualifying retail partners through Delta’s SkyMiles Marketplace

Today’s Bonus Offer

New account holders earn 10,000 SkyMiles® when they spend $500 on purchases with the Blue Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card within the first three months of opening an account.

The Plane Facts

Can you expect a smooth flight from the Blue Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card, or will there be turbulence?

• Annual Fee: The Blue Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card features no annual fee – a great feature.

Airline and Airport Perks:

• In-Flight Discounts: Cardholders receive a 20% statement credit for in-flight purchases made on Delta flights.

Cardholder Protections:

• Fraud Protection: Cardholders have complete protection from all fraudulent or unauthorized transactions made on their Blue Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card.
• Global Assist Hotline:  Cardholders receive 24/7 Global Assistance when travel takes them more than 100 miles from home.
• Purchase Protection: Cardholders receive purchase protection when using the card for the purchases..
• Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance: Cardholders are protected when they use their Blue Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card to book a rental vehicle and waive the protection at the counter.

Additional Benefits:

• Payment Flexibility: American Express provides members the option of carrying a balance with interest or paying in full each month.
• ShopRunner: American Express cardholders have exclusive access to free 2-day shipping from over 100+ online retailers.
• Entertainment Access: Blue Delta SkyMiles Cardholders have exclusive access to member-only pre-sale events for the hottest tickets in town.

The Perks That Make the Blue Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card Worthwhile:

What are some of the pros that set this card ahead of the rest?

• Earn Miles: Cardholders earn double miles at both Delta and U.S. restaurants.
• No annual fee
• 20% in-flight savings

Potential Turbulence with the Blue Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card:

What are some cons that take the wind from beneath this card’s wings?

• No Airline Perks: There really aren’t any airline or airport perks to speak of with the card.

Thoughts Before Takeoff

The Blue Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card offers cardholders decent mile-earning potential for no annual fee. Cardholders earn double miles when booking directly with Delta. They’ll also earn the same 2X when using their card to pay at U.S. restaurants. New cardholders also benefit for 10,00 bonus miles when they spend just $500 on purchases in the first 3 months, and miles are applicable towards a variety of rewards, including travel with Delta or other SkyTeam partners, vacations with Delta Vacations, or goods and services through Delta’s marketplace portal. Miles can also be given to friends or family as gifts.

Receiving a 20% in-flight savings for food, drink, and audio headset purchases via statement credit great. Besides this, however, there aren’t many perks to speak of. While there are some solid American Express benefits, such as their Global Assist hotline, free 2-day shipping with ShopRunner, and others, it may not be enough to sway discerning credit card shoppers from other no annual fee airline cards.

What then, is there to be made of the Blue Delta SkyMiles Credit Card? As an intro airline rewards card for those who either fly with Delta or are looking for miles that can transfer to other SkyTeam carriers, such as KLM or Air France, this is a decent card. For those seeking an airline rewards card with a little more bite, they should carefully consider some of the other options available on the site.  They can also step into an annual fee card, which will offer more robust perks.