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Christine ran her own business developing and managing insurance and financial services. This stoked a passion for points and miles and she now has over 2 dozen credit cards and creates in-depth, deta...
A long-time points and miles student, Jessica is the former Personal Finance Managing Editor at U.S. News and World Report and is passionate about helping consumers fund their travels for as little ca...
Juan has been involved in credit cards, loyalty, travel, and personal finance for more than 10 years. He has worked for several outlets including The Points Guy and Forbes and was previously Editor-in...
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The American Express® Gold Card and The Platinum Card® from American Express often get confused with the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card and Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card. This is understandable because the cards have similar names, but the cards are actually quite different. Each has unique offerings of earning, redemption, and benefits.
Today, we’re focusing on 2 of these popular cards, the Amex Gold card and the Delta Gold card. We’ll clarify how each card earns rewards, what your options are for redeeming those rewards, and some of the travel and shopping benefits you can expect to receive with either card.
Join us as we compare these 2 popular American Express-issued cards to help you determine which may be the better match for your needs.
Amex Gold Card vs. Delta Gold Card — Overview
Before we dive into the details of our featured cards, let’s quickly summarize our comparison of the Amex Gold card and Delta Gold card.
$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99 (rates and fees)
The Value of a Welcome Bonus
A welcome bonus is an opportunity to accumulate a large number of rewards in a short period of time. You’ll earn a welcome bonus on either card after meeting minimum spending requirements within the first 3 months after being approved for the card.
Membership Rewards points and Delta SkyMiles vary in value depending on which redemption option you utilize. We value Membership Rewards at 2.2 cents each and Delta SkyMiles at 1.2 cents each. But, ultimately, the actual value you receive will depend on how you choose to redeem your rewards.
Here’s a snapshot of the current welcome bonus you can expect on each of our featured cards:
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industryexperts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as ratesand fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating.We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.
This is the go-to card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants and those who want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!
This is the go-to card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants and those who want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months.
60,000 points
$1,320
$250
See Pay Over Time APR
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points atU.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1x.
There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are a number of other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.
Pros
4x points per $1 at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
4x points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases; and 1x thereafter
3x points per $1 on flights purchased directly from airlines or at Amex Travel
Up to $120 annual dining credit: up to $10 monthly statement credit when you pay with the Amex Gold card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations
Up to $120 in annual Uber Cash: get $10 monthly in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. when you add your Gold Card to your Uber account
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
$120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
$120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property.
Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industryexperts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as ratesand fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating.We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.
This card provides bonus SkyMiles on all purchases, along with a free bag, priority boarding, and discounted award flights.
This card provides bonus SkyMiles on all purchases, along with a free bag, priority boarding, and discounted award flights.
Earn 40,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
40,000 miles
$480
$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99.
20.99%-29.99% Variable
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Good to Excellent (670-850)
Frequent Delta flyers will love the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card. The card offers great benefits that will help save you money, effectively mimics low-level elite status with Delta SkyMiles, and helps you earn miles even faster, all for a low annual fee. Let’s dive into the benefits to see if the Delta Gold card is a good fit for your needs.
Pros
New: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
Bonus earning on Delta purchases and U.S. supermarket and worldwide restaurant purchases
First checked bag free on Delta flights
20% back on inflight purchases
Cons
Moderate annual fee
Earn rate for Delta flights is relatively low compared to other travel cards
Earn 40,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
Enjoy a $0 introductory Annual Fee for the first year, then $99.
Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights.
Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
Earn 2X Miles on Delta purchases, at U.S. Supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S.
Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
$100 Delta Flight Credit: After you spend $10,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, receive a Credit to use toward future travel.
Want even more flexibility? Take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit on eligible Delta in-flight purchases after using your Card.
No Foreign Transaction Fees.
With Send & Split®, you can send money and split your Card purchases with any other Venmo or PayPal user, directly from the Amex App. Enroll today.
Bottom Line: A welcome bonus allows you to earn a large number of rewards after card approval. The value of the welcome bonus will vary depending on how you redeem your rewards. However, we estimate Membership Rewards to be worth approximately 2.2 cents each and Delta SkyMiles to be worth 1.2 cents each.
Membership Rewards Points vs. Delta SkyMiles
Whether you’re looking for a domestic plane ticket to travel across the U.S. or a business class experience across the ocean, you can use points and miles to accomplish these goals. How those rewards are earned will differ depending on your card selection.
Let’s look at how our featured cards differ when it comes to earning these rewards currencies:
Bonus Earning Category
Amex Gold Card
Delta Gold Card
Travel
3x points on flights booked directly with the airline or through Amex Travel
2x miles on Delta purchases
Restaurants and U.S. Supermarkets
4x points at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 spent per year, 1x thereafter
4x points at restaurants worldwide
2x miles at restaurants and at U.S. supermarkets
Additional Earnings
1x point on all other eligible purchases
1x mile on all other eligible purchases
Bottom Line: While the avid Delta flyer may value earning lots of Delta SkyMiles to use for flights and upgrades, the Amex Gold card offers higher earning potential and flexible Membership Rewards points that can offer greater potential value.
Redemption Options
Earning a lot of rewards is great, but the real value of earning rewards surfaces at redemption time.
Here are the redemption options you’ll have with Membership Rewards compared to Delta SkyMiles:
No transfer partners, but miles can be used to book award flights with SkyTeam member airlines
Redeem for Flights
Via Amex Travel for 1 cent in value per point
With Delta and SkyTeam partners
Additional Redemption Options
Merchandise, gift cards, statement credits, upgrade with points, Pay With Points, book eligible travel via Amex Travel, charitable donations
Gift cards, magazines, Delta Vacations, Delta Experiences, and charitable donations
Bottom Line: You’ll have several options for redeeming Membership Rewards points or Delta SkyMiles, but the best value can be realized when redeeming for flights, whether transferring Membership Rewards points to airline partners or finding the best value for your SkyMiles with Delta or its SkyTeam partners.
Additional Benefits
Statement credits and spending offers provide direct value if you can use these offers.
Amex Gold Card
Up to $120 Each Year in dining credits — Up to $10 each month at specific restaurants and food delivery services, including Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar, and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
Up to $120 Each Year in Uber Cash — Add your Amex Gold card to your Uber account and receive up to $10 each month in Uber Cash, up to $120 each calendar year.
The Hotel Collection Benefits — Book your 2-night or longer stay via Amex Travel, and receive a $100 hotel credit and an upgraded room (based on availability).
Delta Gold Card
Rebate on Purchases — Receive a 20% rebate in the form of a statement credit for pre-purchased meals, inflight food, beverages, and audio headsets.
$100 Flight Certificate — Spend $10,000 in a calendar year on the card and receive a $100 certificate toward a future Delta flight.
Annual Fees and Adding Authorized Users
When deciding on a new credit card, you’ll want to consider the annual fee and whether the card provides enough value to make paying that fee worthwhile. And if it’s important to have authorized users on your account, you’ll want to be aware of the cost of doing so.
Here’s how our featured cards stack up when it comes to annual fees and authorized users:
Annual Fees
The Amex Gold card charges an annual fee of $250 (rates and fees). The Delta Gold card charges a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99 (rates and fees).
Adding Authorized Users
The Amex Gold Card allows up to 5 additional user cards at no extra charge (rates and fees). The Delta Gold card does not charge for up to 99 total users (rates and fees).
Bottom Line: While the Amex Gold card has a higher annual fee, it also offers greater earning potential, statement credits, and flexible redemption options that could add significant value if you can maximize these card features.
Travel Benefits and Protections
Both of our featured cards offer valuable travel benefits and protections. Image Credit: Enterprise
Travel benefits and protections can save you money and provide peace of mind during your travels.
Here’s how the cards compare in this category:
Flight Benefits
The Amex Gold card does not provide any specific flight benefits.
The Delta Gold card offers Delta-associated flight benefits, including:
20% rebate on qualifying inflight and pre-purchased meal purchases on Delta flights
Eligible to pay for Delta flights using Pay with Miles
Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance
Reserve and pay for your entire rental with either card, decline the rental agency’s CDW or LDW coverage, and receive secondary coverage for damage or theft of the rental car. Secondary coverage means that you must first file a claim with any other applicable insurance.
Fortunately, both cards offer the option to secure Amex Premium Protection for 1 price that covers the entire rental period. This coverage ranges from $12.95 to $24.95, depending on the location and coverage selected.
Trip Delay Insurance
For trip delays of more than 12 hours, the Amex Gold card provides up to $300 of coverage for additional eligible expenses, up to 2 claims per eligible card per 12-month period. The Delta Gold card does not offer trip delay insurance.
Baggage Insurance
Both cards offer lost or damaged luggage insurance that provides up to $1,250 for carry-on bags and $500 for checked bags. A $10,000 limit applies to New York residents.
No Foreign Transaction Fees
If you’re an international traveler, either of these cards is great to have in your wallet:
Amex Gold Card: No foreign transaction fee (rates and fees)
Delta Gold Card: No foreign transaction fee (rates and fees)
Shopping Benefits and Protections
Amex Offers can save you money and help you earn rewards faster. Image Credit: American Express
Both the Amex Gold card and Delta Gold card come with benefits and protections that can save you money and provide protection for eligible items purchased with your card.
Amex Offers
Both of our featured cards come with a valuable option for receiving discounts and additional earnings on select purchases. Amex Offers can save you hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars each year. When you log in to your online card account, you’ll see as many as 100 offers available. Add the offer to your card, make the associated purchase, and receive a statement credit or additional earnings.
Purchase Protection
Both cards offer purchase protection for eligible items purchased with the card for up to 90 days from the date of purchase for theft, loss, or damage. The Delta Gold card offers maximum coverage of $1,000 per eligible item, while the Amex Gold card offers maximum coverage of $10,000 per eligible item. Both cards have a purchase protection maximum of $50,000 per calendar year.
Extended Warranty
Both cards offer an additional 1 year of protection for eligible items purchased with your card with a manufacturer’s warranty of 5 years or less. Coverage is limited to $10,000 per item, up to $50,000 in a calendar year.
ShopRunner Membership
You’ll receive a complimentary ShopRunner membership with either card upon registration. Membership offers free 2-day shipping, free returns, and special offers with dozens of merchants.
Bottom Line: Shopping benefits and protections that come with the Amex Gold card and Delta Gold card can save you money and provide you with elevated earning opportunities on select purchases.
Final Thoughts
While the Amex Gold card could be the winner if your spending mix includes supermarket, dining, and flight purchases, the Delta Gold card could deliver some value at a lower annual fee for the frequent Delta flyer.
If you’re willing to pay the higher fee on the Amex Gold card, you could receive greater earnings for certain expenditures.
If, for example, you spent $25,000 at a U.S. supermarket on the Amex Gold card, you would earn 100,000 Membership Rewards points that could be worth $2,200 (or more) in value when transferred to travel partners. When transferring points to partner Delta, you would receive 100,000 Delta SkyMiles. That same $25,000 spent at the supermarket on the Delta Gold card would earn just 50,000 SkyMiles, which is worth $600 by our valuations.
but you don’t receive Delta flight benefits on the Amex Gold card.
If you’d like to learn more about how the Amex Gold card compares with other top travel rewards cards, check out these related articles where we dive deep into specific card comparisons.
For the car rental collision damage coverage benefit of the American Express® Gold Card and Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, car rental loss and damage insurance can provide coverage up to $50,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the commercial car rental company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. For the baggage insurance plan benefit of the American Express® Gold Card and Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, baggage insurance plan coverage can be in effect for eligible persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen baggage during their travel on a common carrier (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when the entire fare for a common carrier vehicle ticket for the trip (one-way or round-trip) is charged to an eligible account. Coverage can be provided for up to $1,250 for carry-on baggage and up to $500 for checked baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the common carrier (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus). For New York state residents, there is a $10,000 aggregate maximum limit for all covered persons per covered Trip. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. For the purchase protection benefit of the American Express® Gold Card, purchase protection is an embedded benefit of your card membership and requires no enrollment. It can help protect covered purchases made on your eligible card when they’re accidentally damaged, stolen, or lost, for up to 90 days from the covered purchase date. The coverage is limited up to $10,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per card member account per calendar year. Coverage limits apply. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. For the purchase protection benefit of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, purchase protection is an embedded benefit of your card membership and requires no enrollment. It can help protect covered purchases made on your eligible card when they’re accidentally damaged, stolen, or lost, for up to 90 days from the covered purchase date. The coverage is limited up to $1,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per card member account per calendar year. Coverage limits apply. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. For the trip delay insurance coverage benefit of the American Express® Gold Card and Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, up to $300 per covered trip that is delayed for more than 12 hours; and 2 claims per eligible card per 12 consecutive month period. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. For the extended warranty benefit of the American Express® Gold Card and Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, when an American Express® card member charges a covered purchase to an eligible card, extended warranty can provide up to one extra year added to the original manufacturer’s warranty. Applies to warranties of five (5) years or less. Coverage is up to the actual amount charged to your card for the item up to a maximum of $10,000; not to exceed $50,000 per card member account per calendar year. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here. For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here. For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, click here. For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, click here.
Featured Image Credit: Upgraded Points
Frequently Asked Questions
If you like to travel and you spend a lot at U.S. supermarkets and on dining out, the card could be more than worth it.
The card functions well as an everyday spending card, yet it offers earnings on select travel and presents high-value redemption opportunities.
The Amex Gold card does not offer airport lounge access. If worldwide lounge access is important to you, you’ll want to consider the Amex Platinum card, which offers worldwide access to more than 1,400 lounges, including the prestigious Centurion Lounges.
If you fly Delta even a few times a year, a Delta-branded credit card is worth it. The savings of having a free checked bag for you and your traveling companions alone could offset any annual fee.
Priority boarding, discounts on inflight purchases, earning miles for free flights, and Amex offers can offer additional value for the Delta Air Lines flyer.
While you cannot transfer Delta SkyMiles to other airlines, you can use your SkyMiles to book award flights with SkyTeam Alliance airline partners.
Christine ran her own business developing and managing insurance and financial services. This stoked a passion for points and miles and she now has over 2 dozen credit cards and creates in-depth, detailed content for UP.
Disclaimer: Any comments listed below are not from the bank advertiser, nor have they been reviewed or approved by them. No responsibility will be taken by the bank advertiser for these comments.
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This bonus value is an estimated valuation calculated by UP after analyzing redemption options, transfer partners, award availability and how much UP would pay to buy these points.
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