Amex Gold Card vs. Delta Gold Card [Detailed Comparison]

Key Takeaways

• The American Express^® Gold Card is great for dining and groceries, earning 4x points at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 per calendar year) and U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per calendar year).
• The Delta SkyMiles^® Gold American Express Card earns 2x miles on Delta purchases and at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets, and 1x miles on everything else.
• The Amex Gold card is a great option if your spending mix aligns with the bonus categories, while the Delta Gold card offers value at a lower annual fee (rates & fees) for frequent Delta flyers.

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.

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.

Here are the core benefits of each card:

*Some of the benefits mentioned above may require enrollment.

Welcome Offer Comparison

A welcome offer is an opportunity to accumulate a large number of rewards in a short period of time. You’ll earn a welcome offer 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 offer you can expect on each of our featured cards:

BEST FOR DINING

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

American Express^® Gold Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and 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 best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

American Express^® Gold Card

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

Welcome Offer

Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

60,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $1,200

Annual Fee

$325

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Recommended

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

Why We Like This Card

The American Express^® Gold Card is a game-changer.

With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants, up to $50,000 per calendar year, and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x.

There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are several other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 4x points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, up to $50,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
• 4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
• 3x points per dollar on flights purchased directly from airlines or at AmexTravel.com

Cons

• $325 annual fee (rates and fees)
• No lounge access

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
• Earn 2X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
• Earn 1X Membership Rewards^® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points for Uber Eats purchases made at restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
• $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express^® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations.
• $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express^® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. 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, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
• Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $325.
• Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: See Pay Over Time APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus offer of up to 90k points with the Amex Gold card. The current public offer is 60,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)

LIMITED TIME OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Delta SkyMiles^® Gold American Express Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and 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 checked bag, priority boarding, and discounted award flights.

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

Delta SkyMiles^® Gold American Express Card

This card provides bonus SkyMiles on all purchases, along with a free checked bag, priority boarding, and discounted award flights.

Welcome Offer

Earn 80,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

80,000 miles

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $960

Annual Fee

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

APR

20.24%-29.24% Variable

Credit Recommended

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

Why We Like This Card

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 & Cons

Pros

• $100 Delta Stays Credit: You can earn up to $100 back annually on eligible prepaid Delta Stays bookings on delta.com.
• Receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel after you spend $10,000 in purchases in a year.
• 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.

Cons

• Moderate annual fee
• Earn rate for Delta flights is relatively low compared to other travel cards

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 80,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Enjoy a $0 introductory Annual Fee for the first year, then $150.
• Delta SkyMiles^® Gold American Express 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.
• $200 Delta Flight Credit: After you spend $10,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel.
• Earn 2X Miles on Delta purchases, at U.S. Supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
• You can check your first bag free on Delta flights, saving up to $70 on a round-trip Delta flight per person. For a family of four that’s a potential savings of up to $280 per round-trip flight.
• Receive Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
• $100 Delta Stays Credit: Get up to $100 back per year as a statement credit after using your Delta SkyMiles^® Gold American Express Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
• 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.
• Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.24%-29.24% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Delta SkyMiles Frequent Flyer Program

Bottom Line: A welcome offer allows you to earn a large number of rewards after card approval. The value of the welcome offer 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.

Earning Potential

Each of our featured cards earns rewards on every purchase. The Amex Gold card earns Membership Rewards points while the Delta Gold card earns Delta SkyMiles.

Let’s look at how our featured cards differ when it comes to earning these rewards currencies:

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:

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.

Statement Credits Comparison

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, and Five Guys. 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 AmexTravel.com and receive a $100 hotel credit and an upgraded room (based on availability).
• $100 Resy Credit: $100 annual statement credit ($50 semi-annually), redeemable at any U.S. Resy restaurant and other eligible Resy purchases. Enrollment required through your Amex account.
• Dunkin’ Credit: $84 annual statement credit ($7/month), redeemable at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.

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.
• $200 Flight Certificate — Spend $10,000 in a calendar year on the card and receive a $200 certificate toward a future Delta flight.

Comparing Travel Protection and Benefits

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:

• Free checked bag and priority boarding for cardholder and up to 9 traveling companions on the same Delta reservation
• 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.

Shopping Protection and Benefits Comparison

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.

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. 

Fees and Adding Authorized Users

Annual Fees

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.

The Amex Gold card charges an annual fee of $325 (rates & fees). The Delta Gold card charges a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 (rates & fees).

Adding Authorized Users

If it’s important to have authorized users on your account, you’ll want to be aware of the cost of doing so.

The Amex Gold Card allows up to 5 additional user cards at no extra charge, $35 per card after that (rates & fees). The Delta Gold card does not charge for up to 99 total users (rates & fees).

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 & fees)
• Delta Gold Card: No foreign transaction fee (rates & 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. 

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’re an avid Delta flyer, you may want to explore the best Delta-branded card options available, especially if elite status, flight benefits, Delta Sky Club access, or earning a lot of Delta SkyMiles are important to you.

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.

• Amex Gold card vs. the Amex Platinum card
• Amex Gold card vs. the American Express^® Business Gold Card
• Amex Gold card vs. the Chase Sapphire Reserve^®
• Amex Gold card vs. the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card
• Amex Gold card vs. the Blue Cash Everyday^® Card from American Express
• Amex Gold card vs. the Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express

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.