Which Delta Credit Card Is Best?

As the third largest carrier in the United States, Delta Air Lines offers flights to hundreds of destinations across six continents. It’s also part of the SkyTeam Alliance, enabling Delta credit card holders to earn and redeem miles on a range of global partner airlines.

American Express offers four co-branded Delta consumer credit cards and three small business credit cards.

Is a co-branded Delta credit card right for you? If so, which Delta credit card is best?

Let’s look at the best Delta credit cards as well as how they match against general travel rewards credit cards when it comes to earning and redeeming points on Delta flights.

Best Delta Credit Cards in 2024

Here’s an overview of the best Delta credit cards, their annual fees and who they’re best suited to.

Best $0 Annual Fee Card: Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card

If you only travel occasionally with Delta or are simply averse to paying an annual fee, the Delta Skymiles® Blue American Express Card is the best Delta card for you.

This card earns 2X miles on dining at restaurants, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. as well as on purchases made directly with Delta.

When you fly with Delta, you’ll save 20% on in-flight food and beverage purchases, issued as a statement credit.

This card also comes with car rental loss and damage insurance. So if you pay your rental car expense with your card and decline the rental company’s collision damage waiver, you’ll receive secondary coverage for eligible vehicles.

With no foreign transaction fees, you’ll be able to continue to spend and earn SkyMiles while abroad.

Pros

• 2X miles on dining at restaurants, including takeout and delivery in the U.S.
• 2X miles on purchases made directly with Delta
• 1X miles on all other purchases
• No foreign transaction fees
• 20% savings on Delta in-flight food and beverage purchases, given as a statement credit
• $50 discount for every 5,000 miles you redeem for flights, using Pay with Miles on delta.com
• Car rental loss and damage insurance

Cons

• No lounge access or free checked bag perks

Best All-Around Card for Frequent Delta Flyers: Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card

For the majority of at least semi-frequent flyers with Delta, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is likely your best option.

This card comes with a $0 annual fee in the first year of card membership, increasing to $150 thereafter. However, with such a wide range of perks on offer, it doesn’t take much to offset this annual fee.

This card offers strong earning rates on a variety of bonus spending categories. For example, you’ll earn 2X miles on dining at restaurants, including takeout and delivery in the U.S., grocery shopping at U.S. supermarkets and on direct purchases made with Delta. That means it’s easy to rack up miles on everyday spending.

When it comes time to fly with Delta, Gold cardholders will enjoy a range of perks. You’ll benefit from Main Cabin 1 priority boarding, 20% savings on Delta in-flight food and beverage purchases (given as a statement credit) and a “first checked bag flies free” policy.

Considering that Delta charges at least $35 per checked bag each way, you’d only have to fly three round-trip flights or two round-trips and a single one-way flight per calendar year to offset the annual fee using this perk alone. Alternatively, if your family is booked on the same reservation, they can also benefit from a free first checked bag each, enabling you to potentially offset the annual fee in a single round-trip.

If you manage to charge at least $10,000 to your card within a calendar year, you’ll receive a $200 flight credit for Delta flight ticket purchases, valid for one year. And if you prepay a hotel or vacation rental through Delta Stays, you’ll receive a statement credit of $100.

This card also offers a baggage insurance plan in addition to car rental loss and damage insurance.

If you maximize the perks on this card, offsetting its annual fee will be a breeze.

Pros

• 2X miles on dining at restaurants, including takeout and delivery in the U.S.
• 2X miles on grocery shopping at U.S. supermarkets
• 2X miles on purchases made directly with Delta
• 1X miles on all other purchases
• $200 flight credit for Delta flight ticket purchases after you charge $10,000 to your card within a calendar year. The credit is valid for one year after the date of issuance and won’t cover bag fees, change fees, upgrades or other ancillary purchases with Delta.
• First checked bag flies free on Delta flights
• 15% discount on award travel booked through Delta (not applicable to taxes, fees or partner-operated flights)
• Main Cabin 1 priority boarding
• Up to $100 annual statement credit when you book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays
• $50 discount for every 5,000 miles you redeem for flights, using Pay with Miles on delta.com
• 20% savings on Delta in-flight food and beverage purchases, given as a statement credit
• No foreign transaction fees
• Baggage insurance plan
• Car rental loss and damage insurance

Cons

• No companion certificate
• No lounge access perks
• No elite status credits

Best Card for a Companion Certificate: Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card

If you’re a frequent flyer with Delta and want to benefit from an annual companion certificate, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card is your best option.

Every year when you renew your card, you’ll receive an annual Delta Companion Certificate for Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean or Central American round-trip flights.

The companion certificate is subject to taxes and fees of no more than $80 for round-trip domestic flights and no more than $250 for round-trip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. With this perk alone, you could easily offset the annual fee of $350.

When you fly Delta, you’ll enjoy a “first checked bag flies free” policy, Main Cabin 1 priority boarding and 20% savings on Delta in-flight food and beverage purchases, given as a statement credit.

You’ll also receive a $120statement credit every four years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® application fee (when applying through a TSA official enrollment provider and when the fee is charged to your card). These perks make the entire flying process smoother and more luxurious.

Once you arrive at your destination, you’ll enjoy the perks that come with complimentary Hertz Five Star® status for car rental.

This card also comes with a range of statement credits, including a $120 Delta Stays credit, a $120 U.S. Resy credit and a $120 rideshare credit, allowing you to easily offset the annual fee.

The Delta Platinum card enables you to earn points toward elite status with Delta. Each Medallion® Qualification Year, you’ll receive a boost of 2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQD). Likewise, for every $20 you charge in purchases to the card, you’ll receive 1 MQD.

This card is perfect for travel, offering a robust set of travel-related insurances including baggage insurance, trip delay insurance and car rental loss and damage insurance.

If you take advantage of even just a handful of the card’s benefits, you’ll be well on your way to offsetting its annual fee.

Pros

• 3X miles on direct purchases with Delta
• 3X miles on direct purchases with hotels
• 2X miles at restaurants, including takeout and delivery in the U.S.
• 2X miles on groceries at U.S. supermarkets
• 1X miles on all other purchases
• 15% discount on award travel booked through Delta (not applicable to taxes, fees or partner-operated flights)
• Main Cabin 1 priority boarding
• Up to $150 annual statement credit when you book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays
• Hertz Five Star status (enrollment required)
• Either a $120 statement credit every four years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck application fee (when applying through a TSA official enrollment provider), in each case when the fee is charged to your eligible Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card
• Up to $120 annual statement credit for U.S. rideshare purchases, given in $10 monthly credits (enrollment required)
• Up to $120 annual statement credit for U.S. Resy restaurant purchases, given in $10 monthly credits (enrollment required)
• Annual Delta Companion Certificate for Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean or Central American round-trip flights each year after renewal of your card
• 2,500 MQD boost each Medallion Qualification Year
• One MQD for every $20 in purchases charged to your card in a calendar year
• First checked bag flies free
• $50 discount for every 5,000 miles you redeem for flights, using Pay with Miles on delta.com
  20% savings on Delta in-flight food and beverage purchases, given as a statement credit
• No foreign transaction fees
• Baggage insurance plan
• Cell phone protection
• Trip delay insurance
• Car rental loss and damage insurance

Cons

• No lounge access perks

Best Card for Luxury Perks and Lounge Access: Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

If you’re a frequent flyer with Delta and want luxury perks, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is the way to go.

You’ll receive complimentary access to the Delta Sky Club®, as well as four one-time guest passes per calendar year.* You’ll also enjoy complimentary access to the Centurion Lounge®.

This card comes with a $120 statement credit every four years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck application fee (when applying through a TSA official enrollment provider and when the fee is charged to your card). This perk, combined with lounge access, will make for a luxurious airport experience.

Each year when you renew your card, you’ll receive a Delta Companion Certificate for First Class, Delta Comfort+® or Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean or Central American round-trip flights. This perk alone can offset the annual fee by a significant amount and is a big step up from the companion certificate offer on the Platinum card.

You’ll also receive annual statement credits with a total value of more than $500, including a $120 rideshare credit, a $240 U.S. Resy credit and a $200 Delta Stays credit.

When flying with Delta, you’ll enjoy the same benefits as Platinum cardholders, including a “first checked bag flies free” policy, Main Cabin 1 priority boarding and 20% savings on Delta in-flight food and beverage purchases, given as a statement credit.

Additionally, you could benefit from upgrade priority over other Medallion members in the same Medallion level and fare class grouping. When you finally arrive at your destination, complimentary Hertz President’s Circle® status will unlock luxury car rental perks and privileges.

The Reserve card offers a solid array of travel-related insurances, including car rental loss and damage insurance, baggage insurance, trip delay insurance and trip cancellation and interruption insurance.

You can earn elite status with Delta more quickly with the Reserve card, with a 2,500 MQD boost each Medallion Qualification Year. You’ll also earn one MQD for every $10 in purchases charged to your card.

With such a wide array of perks, frequent flyers with Delta will quickly be able to offset the card’s annual fee of $650.

Pros

• 3X miles on direct purchases with Delta
• 1X miles on all other purchases
• One MQD for every $10 in purchases charged to your card in a calendar year
• 2,500 MQD boost each Medallion Qualification Year
• First checked bag flies free
• $50 discount for every 5,000 miles you redeem for flights, using Pay with Miles on delta.com
• 20% savings on Delta in-flight food and beverage purchases, given as a statement credit
• Up to $120 annual statement credit for U.S. rideshare purchases, given in $10 monthly credits (enrollment required)
• Up to $240 annual statement credit for U.S. Resy restaurant purchases, given in $20 monthly credits (enrollment required)
• Up to $200 annual statement credit when you book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays
• Hertz President’s Circle status (enrollment required)
• Either a $120 statement credit every four years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck application fee (when applying through a TSA official enrollment provider), in each case when the fee is charged to your eligible card
• Annual Delta Companion Certificate for First Class, Delta Comfort+® or Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean or Central American round-trip flights each year after renewal of your card. Taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights and no more than $250 for roundtrip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments), as well as baggage charges and other restrictions apply.
• Upgrade priority over other Medallion members in the same Medallion level and fare class grouping
• 15% discount on award travel booked through Delta (not applicable to taxes, fees or partner-operated flights)
• Complimentary Delta Sky Club access in addition to four one-time guest passes per calendar year
• Complimentary Centurion Lounge access
• No foreign transaction fees
• Baggage insurance plan
• Trip delay insurance
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
• Car rental loss and damage insurance
• Cell phone protection

Cons

• High annual fee
• Bonus spending categories are limited to direct purchases with Delta

* Effective from Feb. 1, 2025: Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card members will receive 15 visits per year to the Delta Sky Club. To earn unlimited access from Feb. 1, 2025, the total eligible purchases on your card must be equal to at least $75,000 or more between Jan. 1, 2024 and Dec. 31, 2024, and each calendar year thereafter. Once all 15 visits have been used, you can purchase additional Delta Sky Club visits (including Grab and Go for $25) at a per-visit rate of $50 per person using your eligible card.

Best All-Around Business Delta Card: Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card

If you want a small business card to earn you miles and perks with Delta, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card is your best bet.

You’ll earn 2X miles on purchases at U.S. providers for advertising in select media as well as on U.S. shipping providers on up to $50,000 per purchase category per year (1X miles thereafter). You’ll also earn 2X miles on direct purchases with Delta as well as on dining at restaurants.

When flying with Delta, you’ll have your first checked bag fly for free, Main Cabin 1 priority boarding and 20% savings on Delta in-flight food and beverage purchases, given as a statement credit.

You’ll also enjoy a $150 Delta Stays credit in addition to a $200 Delta flight credit when you charge $10,000 to your card within a calendar year.

If you are a small business owner or have an eligible side hustle and just fly Delta on occasion, you should have no problem offsetting this card’s $0 annual fee in the first year of card membership and $150 in subsequent years by reaping all of the rewards this card offers.

Pros

• 2X miles on purchases at U.S. providers for advertising in select media on up to $50,000 of purchases per year; 1X miles thereafter
• 2X miles on purchases at U.S. shipping providers on up to $50,000 of purchases per year; 1X miles thereafter
• 2X miles on direct purchases with Delta
• 2X miles on dining at restaurants
• 1X miles on all other purchases
• Main Cabin 1 priority boarding
• 15% discount on award travel booked through Delta (not applicable to taxes, fees or partner-operated flights)
• $200 Delta flight credit when you charge $10,000 to your card within a calendar year. The credit is valid for one year after the date of issuance and won’t cover bag fees, change fees, upgrades or other ancillary purchases with Delta.
• First checked bag flies free
• No foreign transaction fees
• Up to $150 annual statement credit when you book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays
• 20% savings on Delta in-flight food and beverage purchases, given as a statement credit
• Baggage insurance plan
• Car rental loss and damage insurance

Cons

• No companion certificate
• No lounge access perks

Best Delta Business Card for a Companion Certificate: Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card

If you fly with Delta for business trips on a semi-regular basis, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card could be a great option for maximizing your perks and earnings.

You’ll earn 1.5X miles on up to $100,000 worth of combined eligible purchases per year at U.S. shipping providers, on transit including rideshares, taxis and more, and on single eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (1X miles thereafter).

The Platinum Business card comes with an annual Delta Companion Certificate every year you renew your card for Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean or Central American round-trip flights. This perk alone can offset the annual fee by a significant amount.

When flying with Delta, you benefit from Main Cabin 1 priority boarding, a “first checked bag flies for free” policy and 20% savings on Delta in-flight food and beverage purchases, given as a statement credit. You’ll also receive Hertz Five Star status as well as either a $120 statement credit every four years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit of up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck application fee (when you apply through a TSA official enrollment provider and when the fee is charged to your card).

This card offers more than $400 worth of combined statement credits for Delta Stays, U.S. Resy restaurants purchases and U.S. rideshare spending. You’ll also be better positioned to earn elite status with Delta, with a 2,500 MQD boost each Medallion Qualification Year.

If business trips with Delta are a regular part of your schedule, offsetting the Business Platinum card’s annual fee of $350 will be more than manageable.

Pros

• 3X miles on direct purchases with Delta and hotels
• 1.5X miles on up to $100,000 worth of combined eligible purchases per year at U.S. shipping providers, on transit including rideshares, taxis and more, and on single eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (1X miles thereafter).
• 1X miles on all other purchases
• Main Cabin 1 priority boarding
• 15% discount on award travel booked through Delta (not applicable to taxes, fees or partner-operated flights)
• Complimentary Hertz Five Star status
• Annual Delta Companion Certificate for Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean or Central American round-trip flights each year after renewal of your card
• Either a $120 statement credit every four years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit of up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck application fee (when applying through a TSA official enrollment provider), in each case when the fee is charged to your eligible card
• Up to $120 annual statement credit for U.S. rideshare purchases, given in $10 monthly credits (enrollment required)
• Up to $120 annual statement credit for U.S. Resy restaurant purchases, given in $10 monthly credits (enrollment required)
• Up to $200 annual statement credit when you book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays
• One MQD for every $20 in purchases charged to your card in a calendar year
• 2,500 MQD boost each Medallion Qualification Year
• First checked bag flies free
• No foreign transaction fees
• Baggage insurance plan
• Trip delay insurance
• Car rental loss and damage insurance

Cons

• No lounge access perks

Best Delta Business Card for Luxury Perks and Lounge Access: Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card

If you fly regular business trips with Delta and want the ultimate selection of perks, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card will be your go-to card.

You’ll earn 1.5X miles on eligible transit, U.S. shipping and U.S. office supply store purchases, as well as on all other purchases after you charge $150,000 in purchases to your card within a calendar year.

The Business Reserve card’s top perk is its annual Delta Companion Certificate for First Class, Delta Comfort+ or Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean or Central American round-trip flights each year after you renew your card. On top of this, you’ll receive complimentary Delta Sky Club access plus four one-time guest passes per calendar year.* You’ll also have complimentary access to the Centurion Lounge.

You’ll receive a 2,500 MQD boost each Medallion Qualification Year, as well as earn one MQD for every $10 in purchases charged to your card.

You’ll also receive more than $500 worth of statement credits, in addition to all the perks included on lower-tier Delta cards when flying with Delta.

If you fly often enough with Delta for business and plan to access all of this card’s luxury perks, you’ll be more than able to offset this card’s annual fee of $650.

Pros

• 3X miles on direct purchases with Delta
• 1.5X miles on eligible transit, U.S. shipping and U.S. office supply store purchases, plus all other eligible purchases after you charge $150,000 in purchases to your card within a calendar year
• 1X miles on all other purchases
• One MQD for every $10 in purchases charged to your card in a calendar year
• 2,500 MQD boost each Medallion Qualification Year
• First checked bag flies free
• Annual Delta Companion Certificate for First Class, Delta Comfort+ or Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean or Central American round-trip flights each year after renewal of your card
• Hertz President’s Circle status (enrollment required)
• Either a $100 statement credit every four years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck application fee (when applying through a TSA official enrollment provider), in each case when the fee is charged to your eligible Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card
• 15% discount on award travel booked through Delta (not applicable to taxes, fees or partner-operated flights)
• Up to $250 annual statement credit when you book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays
• Up to $240 annual statement credit for U.S. Resy restaurant purchases, given in $20 monthly credits (enrollment required)
• Up to $120 annual statement credit for U.S. rideshare purchases, given in $10 monthly credits (enrollment required)
• Complimentary Delta Sky Club access in addition to four one-time guest passes per calendar year
• Complimentary Centurion Lounge access
• No foreign transaction fees
• Baggage insurance plan
• Trip delay insurance
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
• Car rental loss and damage insurance
• Cell phone protection

Cons

• High annual fee

* Effective from Feb. 1, 2025: Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Card members will receive 15 visits per year to the Delta Sky Club. To earn unlimited access from Feb. 1, 2025, the total eligible purchases on your card must be equal to at least $75,000 or more between Jan. 1, 2024 and Dec. 31, 2024, and each calendar year thereafter. Once all 15 visits have been used, you can purchase additional Delta Sky Club visits (including Grab and Go for $25) at a per-visit rate of $50 per person using your eligible card.

Delta Credit Card Welcome Offer Rules

Earning the welcome offer on any credit card is one of the most crucial strategies to maximizing your returns.

Here’s a summary of the typical welcome offers of all Delta cards:

• Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card. Earn between 10,000 and 15,000 miles after spending between $500 to $1,000 within the first three-to-six months.
• Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card. Earn between 30,000 and 70,000 miles after spending between $1,000 to $3,000 (typically averaging between $2,000 and $3,000) within the first three-to-six months.
• Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card. Earn between 35,000 and 90,000 miles after spending between $1,000 and $4,000 (typically averaging between $3,000 and $4,000) within the first three-to-six months.
• Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card. Earn between 40,000 and 100,000 miles after spending between $3,000 and $6,000 within the first three-to-six months.
• Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express Card. Earn between 30,000 and 80,000 miles after spending between $2,000 and $6,000 within the first three-to-six months.
• Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business American Express Card. Earn between 40,000 and 100,000 miles after spending between $3,000 and $8,000 within the first three-to-six months.
• Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card. Earn between 45,000 and 110,000 miles after spending between $5,000 and $12,000 within the first three-to-six months.

A key consideration to be aware of is American Express’s rules regarding earning the welcome offer on co-branded Delta credit cards.

In 2023, Amex changed the eligibility rules for earning the welcome offer on co-branded Delta consumer credit cards. These changes are crucial to understand, as failure to do so could result in hundreds of thousands of lost SkyMiles.

Typically, Amex limits you to earning one welcome offer per card per lifetime. However, when it comes to co-branded Delta cards, your eligibility is also affected by which other Delta cards you’ve held before or currently hold. Specifically, you can’t earn a welcome offer on a Delta credit card if you’ve already held the same card or if you’ve held or currently hold a higher-tier Delta card.

For example, if you want to apply for the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card, you’ll only be able to earn the welcome offer if you’ve never held any other Delta card, including the Blue card itself.

In comparison, if you want to apply for the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card, you’ll only be able to earn the welcome offer if you’ve never held the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card or the Platinum Card itself. You could however have held or currently hold the Delta Blue card or Gold card, as they’re lower-tier Delta cards.

The new changes are designed to prevent card downgrades and promote upgrades.

That means you should think carefully about which card is best suited to your current travel goals and how your goals might change in the future.

Luckily, these changes only apply to the co-branded Delta consumer cards. So business card users are safe (for now).

If you want to play it safe, you’d be better off going for a lower-tier card so that you always have the opportunity to apply for and earn the welcome offer on a higher-tier card in the future. If you approach it the other way round, you won’t be able to earn the welcome offer on a lower-tier card if you’ve already held a higher-tier card, costing you potentially thousands of easy-to-earn miles.

Are Delta Credit Cards Worth It?

If you fly with Delta more than once a year, a Delta credit card could well be worth it.

Depending on how often you fly with Delta, what perks you value and what you’re willing to pay as an annual fee, some Delta cards will be a better fit than others.

However, while co-branded Delta cards may be your best bet for Delta-specific perks, they may not necessarily be the best rewards cards for Delta redemptions overall.

While that may sound counterintuitive, general travel rewards cards will often give you greater redemption value and flexibility compared to a co-branded Delta card.

For instance, American Express Membership Rewards can be transferred to the Delta SkyMiles program at a ratio of 1:1. They can also be transferred to Amex’s almost 20 other partner airlines and hotels, giving you maximum flexibility when redeeming your points.

The only drawback to this approach is that Amex charges 0.06 cents per point transferred to domestic U.S. airlines, such as Delta, to offset excise taxes. That means a 50,000 Membership Rewards transfer to Delta SkyMiles would cost you $30. While this does reduce the value of your points, its effect is offset by the fact that you can earn significantly more Amex points on general rewards cards compared to the number of SkyMiles you can earn on a co-branded Delta card.

Take The Platinum Card® from American Express as an example. You’ll earn 5X points on flights booked directly with the airline or through amextravel.com, on up to $500,000 per calendar year. If you were to charge a $600 flight to your card, you’d earn 3,000 Membership Rewards. You could transfer these to Delta at a ratio of 1:1. If you charged the same flight to the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card, you’d receive a mere 1,800 SkyMiles.

Alternatively, you could opt for an Amex card with strong earnings on everyday purchases. The American Express® Gold Card is unparalleled when it comes to rewarding your everyday spending. You’ll earn 4X points on groceries at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year (1X points thereafter) as well as 4X points on restaurants worldwide, including delivery and takeout in the U.S.

By using this strategy, you’ll accumulate thousands of points on everyday spending at higher earning rates than those offered by co-branded Delta cards. You’ll then be able to transfer these increased point earnings to Delta SkyMiles, allowing for greater redemptions and making your spending go further.

Overall, Delta cards can definitely be worthwhile if you want access to Delta-specific perks, such as priority boarding, in-flight discounts or a companion certificate. However, if you want greater point-earning potential and increased redemption flexibility, a general travel rewards card is the better option.

How to Select the Best Delta Credit Card

Selecting the best Delta credit card is a case of analyzing your travel goals and spending habits.

For example, how often do you fly with Delta? When you fly with Delta, how often do you check a bag or make in-flight food and beverage purchases?

By answering these questions, you’ll be better positioned to gauge the value of common card perks such as the “first checked bag flies free” perk or the 20% savings discount on in-flight food and beverage purchases.

For instance, if you’re a family of three who flies with Delta at least three times per year, the “first checked bag flies free” perk could save you up to $540 every year. Alternatively, if you’re a die-hard carry-on baggage-only solo traveler, this perk would have zero value.

Likewise, you’ll need to determine the value of premium perks such as an annual companion certificate or lounge access. If these are perks you’ll actually take advantage of, then they could be well worth the higher annual fee. However, if you fail to reap the rewards, the annual fee will end up costing you more than the value you receive in return.

For infrequent Delta flyers who want a limited selection of perks and the ability to directly earn SkyMiles, the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card is the best option. If you’re wanting a card that strikes a balance between perks, earning rates and annual fees, the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card hits the mark.

If you want elevated benefits and particularly want to take advantage of the annual companion certificate, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card is a solid choice.

Finally, if you’re a frequent flyer who wants lounge access perks and can maximize the other card benefits, the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card should be your top choice.

Just keep the eligibility restrictions for earning co-branded Delta card welcome offers in mind. Remember that you can always apply for a higher-tier card later and earn its welcome offer, but you can’t do the same with a lower-tier card. For this reason, try to think about how the value of the card will change for you over time, vis-a-vis how regularly you’ll fly with Delta in the years to come.

How to Maximize You Delta Credit Card

Maximizing your Delta credit card is a combination of earning its welcome offer, using it frequently and always paying off your balance before its due date.

Earning the welcome offer is the first crucial step.

Once you’ve narrowed down which card you want, you should consider when you want to apply for it. Look at the card’s previous welcome offer history and apply for it at a time when the miles on offer are relatively high.

Likewise, you want to ensure that you’ll be able to meet the minimum spending requirement within the introductory time-frame without overspending. This is a matter of timing your application so that your card’s welcome offer period falls over a period of organically high expenditure. Think bill payments, holiday shopping season, weddings, vacations and other costly events.

Once you’ve scored the welcome offer, your focus should be on using the card for purchases and redeeming any statement credits or other perks. If you fail to use the card’s perks, you’ll struggle to offset its annual fee. That’s why it’s crucial to select a card that suits your spending habits and travel goals in the first place.

When you regularly charge expenses to your card, you’ll rack up thousands of SkyMiles. You’ll also be more likely to hit minimum spending thresholds, such as the $10,000 spending threshold required for the $200 Delta flight credit on the Delta Gold card.

The last piece of the puzzle is responsible card usage. Always ensure you pay your balance off before its due date. Otherwise, your return value will be eaten away by late penalty fees, interest payments and a damaged credit score.

Final Thoughts

Whether it’s status, priority boarding, a first class companion certificate or lounge access, a Delta credit card can get you there. However, there is no single best Delta credit card.

The best Delta credit card is the one that best suits your spending habits and travel goals. Once you’ve got that figured out and decided on which perks you’ll reap the greatest value out of, selecting the best Delta card will be far easier.

Whether you fly once a year or once a week with Delta, a Delta credit card can make your experience a whole lot more glamorous.

Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.