Getting to Know the Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card

The Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card is a solid airline rewards card from American Express. The card offers double miles for purchases made with Delta and single miles for everything else. New accounts also receive 60,000 bonus miles when they make $2,000 in purchases with their card in the first 3 months. Cardholders also receive 10,000 bonus miles after they renew their card.

Cardholders also receive a suite of impressive perks, including complimentary first checked baggage, priority boarding, and in-flight discount with Delta, and a $100 Delta flight credit. All these perks, plus additional benefits and protections from American Express, come with a yearly fee of $99, which AMEX waives for the first year of card membership.

How It Works

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

How to Earn Rewards:

• Fly with Delta Airlines: Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Cardmembers earn 2 miles for every dollar they spend on qualifying flights with Delta Airlines.
• Dining and Groceries: Cardholders earn 2X miles on both dining and groceries. This double miles addition is a great perk of the Gold Card, one that previous versions lacked.  2X miles on dining is worldwide. 2X on groceries, however, is limited to the U.S.
• Everyday Purchases:  Purchases other than those with Delta earn 1 mile for every dollar spent.
• Flights with SkyTeam Partners: Cardholders can earn SkyMiles® when booking travel with any SkyTeam partner carrier.
• Shopping with Delta Airline or SkyTeam Partners: SkyMiles® members can use their Gold 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: Gold Delta SkyMiles cardholders who use their card to book hotel stays, hire 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 worldwide.
• Seat Upgrades: SkyMiles® members can use their bonus miles to purchase seat upgrades on Delta Airlines or flights with other 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: Gold Delta SkyMiles cardmembers can apply miles towards qualifying retail partners through Delta’s SkyMiles Marketplace

Today’s Bonus Offer

New account holders earn 60,000 SkyMiles® when they spend $2,000 in the first three months. Cardholders get another 10,000 miles after their first anniversary. They’ll also receive a $100 flight voucher after making 410,000 in purchases within the calendar eyar. 

The Plane Facts

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

• Annual Fee: The Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card has an annual fee of $95, which American Express waives for the first year of account membership.

Airline and Airport Perks:

• Priority Boarding: Gold Delta SkyMiles cardholders receive Main Cabin 1 priority boarding when flying with Delta Airlines.
• Free Baggage: Cardholders also receive their first checked bag free on all Delta-operated flights.
• In-Flight Discounts: Cardholders receive a 20% in-flight discount on all in-flight purchases made on a Delta Airlines flights when they use their Gold Delta SkyMiles card.
• Flight Credit: Earn a Delta flight credit when meeting spending requirements. Spending $10,000 in a calendar year earns a $100 credit.

Cardholder Protections:

• Fraud Protection: Cardholders have complete protection from all fraudulent or unauthorized transactions made on their Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card.
• Roadside Assistance: Cardholders receive roadside assistance courtesy of American Express.
• Purchase Protection
• 24/7 customer support

Additional Benefits:

• No foreign transaction fees

The Perks That Make the Gold Delta SkyMiles® Card Worthwhile:

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

• No Foreign Transaction Fees: Cardholders don’t have to worry about foreign transaction fees when they travel abroad.
• First checked a bag free on Delta flights
• 20% in-flight savings

Potential Turbulence with the Gold Delta SkyMiles® Card:

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

• No Intro APR: The card does not offer an introductory APR benefit for new accounts.
• NO MQMs: No MQMs is a big let down. 
• Flight Credit Offer: The flight credit offer isn’t great. There are perks to a $100 bonus, but not for $10,000 in spending. This reward is essentially 2X miles on $10,000 in spending, which isn’t super but is acceptable.

Thoughts Before Takeoff

The Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card offers cardholders very good value for their annual fee. This value is even more apparent when you consider that AMEX waives the annual fee for the first year.

The card earns double miles for purchases made directly with Delta and single miles for all other purchases. Miles apply to travel with Delta or another SkyTeam airline, for vacation bookings with Delta Vacations, purchases through Delta’s shopping portal, or other options.

New account holders also receive an additional 60,000 SkyMiles® when they spend $2,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. They’ll get a further 10,000 after their first anniversary. All told, the bonus miles available in year one reach 70,000. That’s not bad for a card with no annual fee for the first year.  The bonus miles are very accessible with even the most modest of spending. 

The perks available with the Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card are also quite nice, especially priority Zone 1 boarding and a first checked bag complimentary on Delta-operated flights. What sets this card apart, however, is the bonus of a heavily discounted $29 fee for entry into Sky Club lounges. Even for the most casual of traveler, this low price for a premium lounge experience is excellent – and not to be passed up.