14 Valuable Benefits of the Amex Delta Gold Card

The Delta SkyMiles^® Gold American Express Card is the second-tier option among Delta’s consumer credit cards in the U.S.

It offers Delta-specific benefits, including a free first checked bag and priority boarding, as well as purchase protections and bonus miles on certain purchases.

These are the main benefits of the Delta Gold card and how they offer value to cardholders.

Delta Gold Card Snapshot

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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.

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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

You may be eligible for as high as 80,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted. 

As High As 80,000 Miles. Find Out Your Offer.

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $960

Annual Fee

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

APR

19.49%-28.49% 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 card application.

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.
• Bonus earning on Delta purchases and U.S. supermarket and worldwide restaurant purchases
• First checked bag free on Delta flights
• 20% back as a statement credit on in-flight purchases

 

Cons

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

 

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Card Highlights

• You may be eligible for as high as 80,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
• 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.
• When you use your Delta SkyMiles^® Gold American Express Card, you can earn: 2X miles on Delta Purchases, 2X miles at restaurants, 2X miles at U.S. supermarkets, 1X miles on all other eligible purchases. Every mile you earn brings you closer to the places you want to go. Turn them into your next trip, use them for seat upgrades, and more.
• Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights and save up to $70 per person on a round-trip Delta 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.
• 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. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
• 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.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.49%-28.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Delta SkyMiles Frequent Flyer Program

 

Along with the Delta Gold card, American Express also offers the Delta SkyMiles^® Platinum American Express Card and the Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve American Express Card, both of which come with increased benefits and significantly higher annual fees than what you’ll find on the Delta Gold card: $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 (rates & fees).

If Delta is your primary airline, the benefits of a free checked bag and priority boarding can make carrying an American Express Delta card worth it. Unless you need the extra help to qualify for elite status with Delta, the Delta Gold card is a good choice.

Air Travel Perks

Not surprisingly, the card’s primary benefits center on Delta Air Lines, though other standard credit card benefits add value.

1. Earn Delta SkyMiles

This card earns miles in the Delta SkyMiles program. SkyMiles can be redeemed for flights on Delta or on more than 15 of its airline partners worldwide. Delta is a member of the SkyTeam alliance and partners with all member airlines.

The card earns 2 miles per $1 spent on purchases made directly with Delta. This includes flights and vacation packages booked at delta.com, Sky Club memberships and passes, seat upgrades, and any inflight purchases of headsets, drinks, or food.

In addition to 2x miles on Delta purchases, it earns 2x miles at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets, giving this card extra value for everyday spending.

All other eligible purchases earn 1 mile per $1.

2. Free First Checked Bag

Your first checked bag is free when traveling on Delta-marketed and Delta-operated flights, as long as your SkyMiles number is on both the reservation and your credit card. To qualify, the bag must not be oversize or overweight, and you must check in with Delta.

Assuming you would normally pay to check a bag, this benefit will save you $45 on every qualifying flight while you are a cardmember.

Hot Tip:

The first checked bag free benefit applies to up to 9 people flying on the same reservation, as long as the reservation is booked by the primary cardholder. That means you can save up to $810 per round-trip when you travel with a large group.

3. Priority Boarding

Cardmembers receive Zone 5 Priority Boarding on flights operated by Delta and Delta Connection. To receive this benefit, the reservation must include the primary cardmember’s SkyMiles number. Priority boarding is not available on Delta Shuttle flights.

Like the checked baggage waiver, this benefit applies to up to 9 people on the same reservation as the cardholder. This means that as long as you’re booked on the same reservation, your whole party should be able to board together.

Priority boarding can be an important benefit if you’re traveling with bags that need to fit in the overhead compartments. With passengers trying to avoid paying to check bags, the overhead compartments often get full before everyone has boarded. Boarding early means there’s a better chance of space for your bag.

4. Inflight Savings

By using your card for inflight purchases, you can save 20%. Savings appear as a statement credit on your card and are issued 6 to 8 weeks after you make the purchase.

The 20% savings apply to prepurchased meals and inflight purchases of food, drinks, and audio headsets. Savings only apply on Delta-operated flights and do not apply to any other inflight purchases, and wireless internet and charitable donations are specifically excluded.

5. 15% Award Booking Discount

Those with a Gold-level or higher Delta credit card can use the TakeOff 15 benefit for a 15% award ticket discount. With this perk, cardholders use 15% fewer miles on Delta- and Delta Connection-operated flights. Partner flights aren’t eligible for the discount. There’s no limit to how often this benefit can be used.

6. Delta Stays Credit

Several Delta co-branded cards offer a Delta Stays credit each year. The Delta Gold card offers up to $100 in annual credits, and this perk requires booking a prepaid hotel stay through the Delta Stays website.

7. Delta Flight Credit

Cardholders can earn a $200 Delta flight credit every calendar year after spending $10,000 on eligible purchases with the card. This credit is issued electronically in the cardholder’s SkyMiles account. It can be used toward Delta flights and flights that are part of a Delta Vacations package, but not toward partner flights.

Other Travel Benefits

The Delta Gold card offers a variety of other travel benefits that make trips easier, more comfortable, and more pleasant overall.

8. Car Rental Coverage

When you rent an eligible car and pay for the entire rental with your card, you can have insurance coverage for theft, damage, or loss of use. For this benefit to apply, you must decline the collision damage waiver at the counter when picking up the rental. Insurance coverage is secondary to your primary car insurance, but Amex also offers the option to purchase Premium Protection for 1 low price that covers the entire rental period.

Certain high-end vehicles, off-road vehicles, limousines, and antique cars are not covered by this insurance. Coverage also does not apply to car rentals in Australia, Italy, and New Zealand.

Hot Tip:

This insurance coverage is secondary coverage. That means if you have a loss, your primary personal insurance pays out first.

9. Global Assist Hotline

Cardholders traveling more than 100 miles from home have 24/7 access to global emergency coordination and assistance services. These can include medical or legal referrals, cash wire assistance, passport replacement, and missing luggage.

This hotline can connect you to services, but cardholders are responsible for any third-party costs charged by the service providers.

Shopping and Entertainment Benefits

Aside from travel, shopping and entertainment are among the largest spending categories for most credit cards. When making a purchase, it is important to know which consumer protections your credit card offers in case you have a problem down the line.

When it comes to entertainment access, American Express is one of the best credit card issuers. Each card has its own set of benefits, but if you want to get those hard-to-find tickets, the Delta Gold card might be the right card for you.

10. Extended Warranty

When you use your card to make a purchase, the item’s warranty is automatically matched and extended by up to 1 year. To be eligible for this extended warranty, the product must have come with an original U.S. manufacturer’s warranty of 5 years or less.

The coverage has a limit of $10,000 per item and $50,000 per calendar year, and it is limited to the purchase price put on your card.

Hot Tip:

When you’re making a major purchase, especially appliances or electronics, it helps to choose a credit card that offersan extended warranty. That way, if you have a problem with the product after the warranty runs out, you is still covered by your credit card.

11. Purchase Protection

In the case of accidental damage or theft, purchase protection can refund eligible purchases charged to your card. The benefit has a limit of $1,000 per occurrence and $50,000 per calendar year.

Lost items, consumable or perishable items, vehicles (and their part and accessories), and normal wear and tear are specifically excluded from this coverage. It is also important to note that this coverage is secondary. If you have renters or homeowners insurance that will cover your loss, that policy would pay out before this coverage takes effect.

12. Entertainment Access

Whether your interest is sporting events, concerts, or Broadway shows, American Express can help you get the tickets you want. In some cities, American Express cardmembers have access to exclusive presales for a wide variety of events.

During the presales, tickets must be purchased with your card; not all seats will be available, and there will be some blackout dates. Similar to purchasing through a general public sale, ticket sales will be final, with no refunds or exchanges.

Account Management Advantages

13. Fraud Protection

You will never be held responsible for fraudulent charges on your card. If you notice a charge that you didn’t make or authorize, call the number on the back of the card to contact American Express.

14. Year-End Summary

At the end of the year, you can log in to your account to get a year-end summary. This summary includes all your charges for the year, organized by expense type. This allows you to analyze your spending, which helps with budgeting and organization of your finances.

Final Thoughts

American Express is the only bank that issues Delta co-branded credit cards. The benefits of free checked bags, priority boarding, and a 20% inflight discount make holding a Delta card worth it, even if you only fly with Delta a few times a year. The Delta Gold card is a great choice if you want added perks when flying with Delta, but don’t need extra help qualifying for elite status.