Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card From Amex Review 2020

The Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express is a travel rewards credit card that provides an easy way to earn Delta SkyMiles and is clearly designed to incentivize traveling with Delta.

Take advantage of your Delta SkyMiles membership to earn 7 miles per dollar on purchases made through Delta. You can also earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 on purchases within 3 months of getting your card along with a $50 statement credit that comes after you make your first Delta purchase. (Offer expired.) If your business requires you to do extensive traveling and you fly with Delta (or Delta’s SkyMiles partners) exclusively, you’ll want to learn more about this card.

How does the Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card from Amex measure up against the competition? Read our review to get informed about the card and how it compares to other travel rewards business cards.

Gold Delta SkyMiles At A Glance

Eligibility

Business applicants typically must have excellent credit to be approved for the Gold Delta SkyMiles card.

Rewards & Fees

• Along with the 2X miles you’ll earn on Delta purchases, you’ll earn an additional 5 miles per dollar spent on purchases with Delta and its partner airlines with a Basic SkyMiles membership (more if you have elite status)
• The $95 annual fee is waived for the first year
• No foreign transaction fee
• Cash advances carry a fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater
• The late payment fee depends on the amount owed and runs up to $38
• The welcome offer of 50,000 bonus miles is earned by spending $1,000 on purchases within 3 months of opening your account
• Additionally, get a $50 statement credit when you make a Delta purchase on your card within 3 months
• The APR for cash advances is a variable 27.49%
• You can check your first bag for free
• Get 20% savings (in the form of a statement credit) on your Delta in-flight purchases
• Automatic Zone 1 priority boarding
• Get discounted access to Delta Sky Club lounges for you and two companions for a discounted fee of $29 per person

As you can see, you’ll really start racking up the travel rewards when you make travel purchases with Delta using the gold card. Not only will you earn 2 miles for every dollar spent as per the card’s policies, but you’ll earn an additional 5 miles per dollar spent on all purchases with Delta and its partner airlines with a Basic SkyMiles membership, which you’ll receive by being a Delta Gold SkyMiles cardholder. Combine this with the other travel perks associated with this card — Zone 1 priority boarding, a free checked bag, discounted access to Delta’s SkyClub lounges for you and two companions, and a 20% discount on all Delta in-flight purchases — and you’ve got quite a rewards structure for the frequent Delta business traveler.

The bonus offer of 50,000 miles should be obtained without much trouble, so long as you spend $1,000 on purchases in your first 3 months. Furthermore, you won’t have to worry about foreign transaction fees, as there are none. If you’re a Delta fan whose business trips take you overseas, you’re in luck.

On the downside, the Gold Delta SkyMiles credit card carries a $95 annual fee, though the fee is waived the first year. What’s more, there is no introductory 0% APR period. Consequently, this isn’t the card for you if you intend to make large purchases right away and carry a balance.

Redeeming Rewards

Delta’s miles are generally worth a bit more than those of other travel rewards programs, so those 7 miles to the dollar you’ll be earning will give you plenty of value, considering a round-trip domestic flight can be bought with as few as 20,000 miles. That 50,000-mile bonus offer may end up taking you places — literally.

Plus, you won’t be strictly limited to Delta flights. Your SkyMiles can be redeemed for travel with a SkyTeam airline partner and other SkyMiles partners, including:

• Aeroflot
• Aerolineas Argentinas
• Aeromexico
• AirEuropa
• Air France
• Air Tahiti Nui
• Alaska Airlines
• Alitalia
• China Airlines
• China Eastern
• China Southern
• Czech Airlines
• Garuda Indonesia
• GOL
• Great Lakes
• Hawaiian Airlines (limited to inter-Hawaiian Islands itineraries)
• Kenya Airways
• KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
• Korean Air
• Middle East Airlines
• Saudia Airlines
• Tarom Airlines
• Vietnam Airlines
• Virgin Atlantic
• Virgin Australia
• Xiamen Airlines
• Compass Airlines
• Endeavor Air
• ExpressJet Airlines
• Gojet Airlines
• Shuttle America
• SkyWest

Additionally, there are no blackout dates when you book Delta flights with miles (not so with some of Delta’s partners), and your SkyMiles never expire. By contrast, competing travel rewards programs typically feature miles which expire after 18-36 months.

Here’s something to remember when considering reward redemption: Delta’s SkyMiles program has multiple tiers, and ownership of a Gold Delta SkyMiles card gets you SkyMiles membership, but at the lowest tier. Higher membership tiers earn members even more points per dollar on their Delta purchases as well as additional travel perks, but to climb the tier ladder, you’ll need to earn Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs). However, you won’t be earning MQMs through using your Gold Delta card, so you’ll likely be stuck at the lowest membership tier of the SkyMiles program. Shame that these travel rewards programs have to be so complex, isn’t it?

Benefits

Amex lists the following as benefits accruing to Gold Delta Skymiles users:

• Car rental loss & damage insurance
• 24/7 access to the Global Assist Hotline
• Return protection — get reimbursed for any eligible purchase within 90 days of making the purchase
• Purchase protection — theft & accidental damage are covered
• Fraud protection
• Get employee cards at no additional cost

Gold Delta SkyMiles vs. Chase Ink Business Preferred

The Gold Delta SkyMiles is great for business owners who rely on Delta (and Delta’s SkyMiles partners) for travel. But if you’re looking for a business travel card and you don’t want to be bound to the Delta-verse, consider the Chase Ink Business Preferred card.

One of our highest-rated business credit cards, the Ink Business Preferred currently offers a whopping 80,000 point welcome offer for those who spend $5,000 within the first 3 months. The card gives you more ways to earn bonus points than does the Gold Delta SkyMiles card, as the Ink Business Preferred will see you earning 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping, internet/cable/phone services, and online advertising.

Your points will be worth 25% more if redeemed for travel via Chase Ultimate Rewards, points can be transferred to other travel programs on a 1:1 point basis and points do not expire while your account is open. It’s a more flexible and versatile travel rewards card than the Gold Delta SkyMiles card, so unless you’re a real Delta aficionado, you may want to consider the Ink Business Preferred card instead.

About the only downside relative to the Gold Delta SkyMiles card is the fact that the Ink Business Preferred carries a $95 annual fee that is not waived for the first year.

Read our Ink Business Preferred review for more information.

Final Verdict

The Gold Delta SkyMiles business credit card is a great card for all you Delta-heads out there. You’ll have the opportunity to earn high-value points at an impressive rate when you use your card in conjunction with your Delta SkyMiles membership, and you’ll get a host of nice travel benefits as well. If you don’t mind the fact that you probably won’t be ascending the tier ladder of the SkyMiles program by using this card, it’ll serve you well if you travel frequently with Delta and/or its partners for business. However, if your travel preferences or your location (not every city is a Delta hub!) mean that you fly other airlines with any regularity, I would recommend a more general travel rewards business card.

To get a fuller picture of the current business credit card scene, read our summary of the best business credit cards, then check out our small business credit card comparison chart.

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