2020 is just around the corner, and with it, there is a chance that the banks will change their policies on what no-fee credit cards they offer. In other words, we might see more banks offering free credit cards. Right now, only American Express offers the Delta Platinum card for free. If you’re a loyal Delta flyer, this is the credit card to have.
In 2022, the Delta SkyMiles Reserve card is expected to be replaced by the Delta Reserve card, which will give card members a number of new benefits and higher earning potential. However, until the Reserve card comes out, there are a number of Delta cards worth considering.
Delta, the largest airline in Canada, is unveiling its new, low-cost carrier, Indigo, at the beginning of 2021. Delta is offering a new credit card for those that will be flying the new service, the Indigo card. The Indigo card will provide good rewards for purchases of air tickets and other travel related expenses, however, it will also provide generous benefits for using Delta flights and services.
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In recent years, Delta Airlines is a commercial airline based in Atlanta, Georgia. has been a popular option for passengers. At the onset of the epidemic, the airline was a pioneer in blocking middle seats to guarantee social isolation, and it has since been known for its best-in-class seatback entertainment displays (with free material for everyone), sufficient power outlets on most aircraft, and Wi-Fi on the majority of its flights.
If you’ve been a long-time Delta customer or are contemplating flying the airline more often as travel season approaches, it’s important knowing which Delta credit cards would best serve you when traveling, particularly given there are seven Delta credit cards to choose from. The top Delta credit cards for 2021 are listed here.
The best Delta credit card with no annual fee is the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card. For frequent Delta travelers, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is the best option. For frequent Delta travelers, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card is the best option. Best Delta companion certificate: Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card The American Express Platinum Card® is the best way to get admission to Delta’s lounges. Best for company owners that fly Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card: Delta Best for Delta business travelers is the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card. Best for Delta road warriors is the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card.
What are the differences between these Delta credit cards, and why is the Amex Platinum on our list? Let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages of each, as well as this alternate card that includes Delta lounge access.
The Delta Blue Amex is a simple, no-frills Delta credit card if you don’t fly Delta very frequently — even when flying isn’t interrupted — and simply want to earn Delta SkyMiles without paying an annual fee. This card offers a good amount of benefits for an airline credit card in the no-annual-fee camp, including 2 miles for every dollar spent at restaurants worldwide, access to Delta’s Pay with Miles program, and no foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees).
Because the Delta Blue Amex does not eliminate the checked bag charge, those who fly Delta at least twice a year will desire a more powerful Delta credit card. However, for the occasional traveler, Delta’s no-annual-fee credit card may be worth considering, particularly while it is now offering a limited-time introductory bonus.
You may also get 10,000 extra miles after spending $500 on your new Delta Blue Amex card during the first three months of account creation. Delta SkyMiles are worth 1.1 cents each, according to frequent flyer website The Points Guy, which means this 10,000 extra miles are worth $110.
More information about the Delta SkyMiles Blue Amex card may be found here.
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On all Delta flights, the Delta Gold Amex credit card provides a free first checked bag.
The Delta Gold Amex credit card offers a $0 annual charge for the first year, followed by a $99 annual cost beginning with your first renewal (see rates and fees), allowing you to test the card for a year to determine whether it’s suitable for you.
New Delta Gold Amex card users may now receive 40,000 extra miles after spending $1,000 in transactions during the first three months of account creation. According to The Points Guy’s calculations, that’s worth $440. Additionally, during the first three months of card membership, you may receive up to $50 in statement credits for qualifying purchases made with your card at U.S. restaurants.
You may earn 2 miles every dollar spent at restaurants and supermarkets in the United States, plus up to $100 in Delta travel credit after spending $10,000 in a calendar year with the Delta Gold Amex. In other words, even when the annual charge kicks in for the second year and beyond, individuals who spend $834 each month on this card may use the flight credit to effectively cover the annual cost.
With this card, you’ll also receive your first checked bag free on all Delta flights, lowering the net cost of carrying it even more, as well as a 20% discount on purchases made while flying Delta. It’s worth noting, though, that this card doesn’t come with the Delta Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQD) elite status waiver seen on other higher-end Delta credit cards, and it won’t get you reduced Delta Sky Club lounge access.
Find out more about the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express card.
If you’ve been considering getting a Delta Platinum Amex credit card, the card currently offers a welcome bonus of 50,000 bonus miles and 5,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after spending $2,000 in purchases in the first three months, as well as up to $100 in statement credits for eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants in the first three months of membership.
Although this isn’t the biggest welcome bonus we’ve ever seen on a credit card, it’s still a good deal. To put that in perspective, according to The Points Guy’s estimations, those 50,000 miles are worth $550, and could be worth much more with some basic planning and technique. With only the bonus, you’ll easily come out ahead in the first year, even with the card’s $250 annual fee (see rates and fees).
With the Delta Platinum Amex, you won’t get free lounge access, but you’ll still get 2 miles for every dollar spent on qualifying Delta purchases, 2 miles for every dollar spent at restaurants worldwide and in U.S. supermarkets, and 1 mile for every dollar spent on everything else.
Members of the Delta Platinum Amex card also get Main Cabin 1 priority boarding, a domestic main cabin round-trip companion certificate each time you renew the card starting at the beginning of your second year, your first checked bag free on Delta flights, a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit worth up to $100, and the ability to purchase Delta Sky Club access for $39 per person for a year.
Those who often fly on low-cost flights may enjoy the MQD waiver included with this card. You won’t have to satisfy the MQD criteria for any Delta elite status level up to Platinum if you spend at least $25,000 on the card in a calendar year (but you’ll still have to meet the mileage or segment requirements).
If you’re after Delta elite status, the Delta Platinum Amex’s Status Boost function, which has been improved for 2021, may be of interest. Card users usually get 10,000 MQMs for spending $25,000 on the card, but for this year only, they may earn an additional 2,500 MQMs for a total of 12,500 MQMs with the same amount of spending. A second Status Boost achieved in the same calendar year is also eligible for the extra MQMs.
More information about the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex card may be found here.
Delta Air Lines
The Delta Reserve Amex credit card gives you access to Delta Sky Clubs like this one in Atlanta.
If you’re a Delta fan and want to get the most out of your trip, you’ll want a credit card that adds a layer of luxury to your trip by giving you access to the Delta Sky Club lounge as well as other benefits. The Delta Reserve Amex comes with an amazing collection of Delta-focused benefits for a $550 annual charge (see rates & fees).
After spending $3,000 in purchases on the card in the first three months after opening the account, you will get 50,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs). Within the first three months of card membership, you may earn up to $100 in statement credits for qualifying purchases made with your card at U.S. restaurants.
According to The Points Guy, the extra miles are worth $550 in travel, bringing the total value of the welcome incentive to $650. The bonus MQMs will also help you achieve Delta elite status.
After your initial card renewal, you’ll be eligible for a valuable yearly companion certificate. This is a buy-one-get-one deal on any domestic first-class, Comfort+, or Main Cabin ticket to any of the lower 48 US states. You may gain enough value from this perk alone to make the yearly fee of the card worthwhile if you use it on an otherwise costly round-trip ticket.
However, admission to the Delta Reserve Amex lounge is the most compelling incentive to keep the card. This credit card comes with an individual membership to Delta’s worldwide network of Sky Club lounges, which provide food, seats, fast Wi-Fi, and cleaner toilets than those found in the main terminal area.
The Sky Club membership fee is usually $545 per year, therefore individuals who are going to pay for access anyhow should strongly consider obtaining this card instead, since the cost is virtually the same in both situations.
However, if you keep this card in your purse or wallet, you’ll be eligible to even more benefits. When you fly Delta and book your trip using your Delta Reserve Amex card, you get free access to American Express’ Centurion Lounge network. You’ll also get two one-time Delta Sky Club guest tickets (worth $39 each), and those who don’t have elite membership in Delta’s frequent flyer program will be eligible for free Delta flight upgrades when they become available.
You’ll also earn 3 miles per dollar spent on all qualifying Delta purchases, and there’s a more generous Status Boost feature than the Delta Platinum Amex (and also improved for 2021). When you spend $30,000 on the Delta Reserve Amex in a calendar year, you’ll get 15,000 MQMs for every $30,000 in purchases, up to four times. In 2021, however, each Delta Reserve card Status Boost will earn an extra 3,750 Medallion miles, for a total of 18,750 MQMs.
Add in a free first checked bag on Delta flights, priority boarding in Main Cabin 1, no foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees), 20% back on Delta in-flight purchases, MQM gifting, the same MQD waiver as the Delta Platinum Amex, and a $100 credit toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fees, and you’ve got a compelling value proposition.
More information about the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Amex card may be found here.
Despite the fact that the Amex Platinum is not a Delta credit card, it may be a Delta flyer’s best friend. After making $6,000 in purchases with your new card in the first six months of account creation, you may receive 100,000 Membership Rewards bonus points, which can be transferred to Delta at a 1-to-1 ratio or to 20 other airline and hotel partners. Plus, if you have a same-day boarding ticket for a Delta trip, showing this card at any Delta Sky Club location will give you admission.
The Amex Platinum card also grants access to Amex’s Centurion Lounges, as well as foreign American Express lounges, partner lounges, and Priority Pass Select lounges. It grants access to over 1,200 airport lounges in 130 countries in total (and counting). In other words, the Amex Platinum card offers greater lounge access for a higher annual cost of $695 than the Delta Reserve Amex card (see rates and fees).
The potential to acquire elite rank in a number of programs is a unique feature of this card. You get Gold membership in Hilton’s Honors and Marriott’s Bonvoy programs only for having an Amex Platinum card. You’ll also get free memberships to Hertz Gold Plus Rewards, Avis Preferred, and National Vehicle Rental Emerald Club Executive in the car rental industry.
You’ll enjoy Uber VIP membership if you depend on ride-sharing to get around. This benefit is in addition to up to $200 in yearly Uber statement credits, which are divided between monthly $15 credits for US trips and a bonus $20 in December.
You’ll also receive a $100 credit to cover the cost of applying for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, a $100 yearly Saks Fifth Avenue credit, and up to $200 in annual airline charge credits to cover incidental costs like checked baggage and in-flight refreshments on any airline.
Did we mention that every dollar spent on airfare purchased directly from any airline (including Delta), as well as airfare and prepaid hotels booked via amextravel.com, gets you 5 points? Yes, it does. In addition, for the first six months after establishing the account, new card users may earn a staggering 10 points for every dollar spent on qualifying purchases at restaurants worldwide and when you Shop Small in the United States, on up to $25,000 in combined expenditures.
Learn more about American Express’ Platinum Card.
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After spending $10,000 on the Delta Gold Business Amex credit card in a year, businesses may earn up to a $100 Delta flight credit.
Delta also provides welcoming offers on its range of business cards whether you run a small or big company. Spend $2,000 in purchases on the Delta Gold Business Amex in the first three months after opening the account to receive 50,000 bonus miles and a $50 statement credit. The card comes with a $0 annual charge for the first year, then $99 each year after that (see rates and fees).
The Delta Gold Business Amex, like the personal Delta Gold Amex, provides up to a $100 Delta travel credit when you spend $10,000 on your card in a calendar year, as well as a free checked bag on Delta flights, priority boarding in Main Cabin 1, and no foreign transaction fees to worry about (see rates and fees).
However, you’ll earn 2 miles per dollar with this business card on all transactions made directly with Delta as well as at restaurants throughout the globe, as well as on U.S. expenditures for advertising in certain media and qualifying U.S. shipping purchases.
More information about the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Amex card may be found here.
The Delta Platinum Business Amex has a $250 annual fee (see rates and fees), but it comes with a generous introductory incentive of 60,000 bonus miles, 5,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs), and a $100 statement credit when you spend $3,000 in purchases in the first three months.
For every dollar spent on qualifying Delta purchases and transactions made directly with hotels, you’ll earn 3 miles. For company owners who make big purchases often, you may earn 1.5 miles per dollar on single qualifying transactions of $5,000 or more (an extra half point per dollar), for a total of 50,000 miles each year.
The Delta Platinum Business Amex card offers all of the same perks as the personal Delta Platinum Amex card, including a free first checked bag on Delta flights, priority boarding in Main Cabin 1, no foreign transaction fees, and the same Status Boost feature, which can effectively rocket you to Delta elite status simply by using the card.
More information about the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business Amex card may be found here.
American Express
The Delta Reserve Business Amex credit card gives you access to the American Express Centurion Lounge in Dallas.
The Delta Reserve Business Amex is a good option for business owners that are prepared to pay the $550 yearly premium (see rates and fees) in exchange for membership to the Delta Sky Club. After spending $4,000 in purchases in the first three months after account creation, you’ll get a 60,000-mile welcome bonus, 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs), and a $100 statement credit.
The most noteworthy benefit of the Delta Reserve Business Amex, like its personal counterpart, is free Delta Sky Club and Amex Centurion Lounge admission when traveling on a same-day Delta flight. If access to Delta’s network of Sky Club lounges is critical to your company, you’re better off carrying this card than purchasing a membership.
The Delta Reserve Business Amex earns 3 miles every dollar spent on Delta purchases, but the business version of the card offers additional benefit. After spending $150,000 on your card in a calendar year, you’ll get 1.5 miles per dollar on all qualifying purchases for the remainder of the year, with the exception of qualified Delta purchases, which earn 3 miles per dollar.
For 2021, the card’s improved Status Boost function allows you to earn 18,750 MQMs after spending $30,000 on the card this year, which you may do up to four times in 2021. Finally, when available, the Delta Reserve Business Amex offers free upgrades for non-elites, an annual companion voucher that may be utilized for domestic first-class travel each year upon card renewal, and no international transaction fees.
More information about the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Amex card can be found here.
On many of our criteria, all seven Delta credit cards outperform CNN Underscored’s benchmark credit card, the Citi® Double Cash Card. They have no international transaction costs and provide welcome incentives, bonus categories, and travel perks. If you travel Delta often, you’ll probably find value in at least one, if not all, of these categories.
All Delta cards, with the exception of the Delta Blue Amex, charge annual fees either immediately or after the first year, while our benchmark card does not. And, unless you’re an expert at maximizing Delta SkyMiles, the Citi Double Cash card’s 2% return — 1% when you make a purchase and another 1% when you pay it off — outperforms the Delta cards for daily spending. In our approach, you may learn more about our benchmark credit card idea.
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Your traveling and spending habits will determine which Delta credit card is ideal for you.
The personal Delta Gold Amex or Delta Gold Business Amex will make the most sense for individuals who don’t require a lot of Delta benefits but can use the free checked bag on Delta flights at least twice a year. You may also get a Delta Platinum Amex or a Delta Platinum Business Amex to take advantage of the MQM waiver and the Status Boost function if you’re going for mid-tier Delta elite status.
The American Express Platinum is a more well-rounded credit card than the Delta Reserve Amex if you plan to be on the road often and want Delta Sky Club access. It gives you access to more lounges, gives you elite status with a few of the world’s best hotels and car rental businesses, and gives you a range of yearly credits to help offset the $695 annual cost.
The yearly companion certificates, MQD exemptions, and Status Boosts — all of which are unique to Delta credit cards — are the primary reasons you may select a personal Delta Reserve Amex or a Delta Reserve Business Amex over an Amex Platinum.
If you don’t intend to travel much in the remainder of 2021, you may want to forgo all of the Delta credit cards in favor of one that better suits your requirements. If that’s the case, have a look at our list of the best credit cards for 2021 for more choices.
If you’re looking for a travel credit card, you’ve come to the right place. Discover which credit cards CNN Underscored selected as the top travel credit cards for 2021.
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Canadians abroad (or even those just visiting) are looking for new cards to use when they return home. If you travel often, it helps to have a good credit card that doesn’t levy an annual fee. For some travellers, a rewards-driven card is the way to go, scoring frequent-flyer miles every time you use the card. But if you’re looking for a low-cost option, a no-fee card may be the best choice.. Read more about delta skymiles and let us know what you think.
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