Best Delta Credit Card Offers: Which One Should You Pick?

Earlier this week, I flew Delta Air Lines to Puerto Rico — and somehow ended up with Zone 1 boarding. I felt like a total superstar since I didn’t have to fight for overhead bin space or get jostled on the way to my seat.

Wondering what it’d be like to get Zone 1 treatment all the time, I decided to compare four Delta credit cards I might qualify for. Here’s what I discovered.

Understanding Delta’s Rewards and Elite Statuses

Before diving into Delta’s credit cards and their benefits, you’ll need to get familiar with the airline’s rewards program.

In addition to earning Delta SkyMiles, Delta’s cards can help you attain Medallion status.

When you achieve this elite status, you’ll get benefits like complimentary upgrades, waived change fees, and priority check-in and boarding.

To get there, you’ll need to earn a combination of the following:

• Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs), which are based on how far you fly, and in which class
• Medallion Qualification Segments (MQSs), which are based on the number of flights you take
• Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs), which are based on how much money you spend on flights with Delta and its partners

Here are the four tiers of Medallion status, along with their requirements:

While you can earn MQMs, MQMs, and MQDs by flying with Delta, you can also earn MQMs and MQDs by spending money on your co-branded Delta credit card.

Depending on which Delta card you get, you could earn some MQMs for spending a certain amount in the first three months, or in the first year.

As for MQDs, Delta will waive the requirement (listed in the table above) if you spend $25,000 or more on your Delta card during a calendar year. That is, if you’re trying to get Silver, Gold, or Platinum status; for a Diamond status waiver, you must spend a whopping $250,000.

4 Delta Credit Cards: A Breakdown

Now that you’ve got your head around Delta’s elite statuses, you’re ready to explore the range of Delta credit cards — all issued by American Express.

Here’s what the three most popular options (the Gold, Platinum, and Reserve cards) have in common:

• Bonus SkyMiles per eligible dollar spent for purchases made directly with Delta Air Lines
• One free checked bag (for up to nine people under the same reservation)
• Priority boarding (Zone 1)
• 20% discount on in-flight purchases
• No foreign transaction fees

The differences you’ll have to look out for when comparing the Delta Gold vs. Platinum vs. Reserve vs. Blue? Annual fees, introductory bonuses, MQMs, and Delta Sky Club (airport lounge) access. Here’s a breakdown.

• $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99.
• 2X SkyMiles per eligible dollar spent for:
  • Purchases made directly with Delta Air Lines
  • Restaurants
  • U.S. Supermarkets
• 1X SkyMile per dollar spent on all other purchases
• 50,000 bonus miles for spending $2,000 in the first 3 months

 

• $250 annual fee
• 3X SkyMiles per eligible dollar for:
  • Purchases made directly with Delta
  • Hotels
• 2X SkyMiles per dollar at:
  • Restaurants
  • U.S. Supermarkets
• 1X SkyMile per dollar for all other purchases
• 60,000 bonus miles and 5,000 MQMs for spending $3,000 in the first 3 months
• 10,000 MQMs for spending $25,000, up to twice per calendar year
• Annual companion ticket for one domestic roundtrip flight
• Discounted Sky Club access ($39 per person)

 

• $550 annual fee
• 3X SkyMiles per eligible dollar for purchases made directly with Delta
• 1X SkyMile per dollar for all other purchases
• 40,000 bonus miles and 10,000 MQMs for spending $3,000 in the first 3 months
• Earn 15,000 MQMs for every $30,000 in eligible purchases, up to four times per calendar year
• Annual companion ticket for a Domestic First Class, Delta Comfort+, or Main Cabin round-trip flight
• Complimentary Sky Club access, plus a discounted guest rate of $39 per person (for up to two guests)
• Complimentary Centurion Lounge access
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit

 

• $0 annual fee
• 10,000 bonus miles for spending $500 in the first 3 months after account opening
• 2X SkyMiles per dollar for:
  • Purchases made directly with Delta Air Lines
  • Restaurants
• 1X SkyMile per dollar for all other purchases
• 20% discount on in-flight purchases

Which of the Delta Credit Cards Should You Get?

Delta’s credit cards are all solid, but our favorite cards for flying Delta include both co-branded and general travel rewards cards. Our top picks are:

• For occasional Delta flyers: Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card (Review)
• For frequent Delta flyers: Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card (Review)
• For frequent flyers who’d rather not commit to Delta: The Platinum Card® from American Express (Review)

If You Fly Delta Occasionally

Consider applying for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card (Review) if you want to:

• Snag a solid intro bonus
• Avoid annual fees for the first year
• Get free bags and priority boarding

After that, you’d need to take at least two Delta flights — with checked bags — per year to make up for the annual fee.

If You Fly Delta Frequently

Consider the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card (Review) if you:

• Will make good use of the MQMs
• Want to take company on a domestic roundtrip flight for the price of taxes and fees (up to $75) using your annual companion certificate
• Want free checked bags

So, if you’re planning to head anywhere on a ticket that’s more than a couple hundred bucks, this card will certainly cover its annual fee.

If You’re Not a Hardcore Delta Loyalist

If you’re looking for a premium card, we’d recommend The Platinum Card® from American Express (Review) instead of the Delta Reserve.

This card earns Membership Rewards points, which you can convert to Delta SkyMiles at a 1:1 ratio. You won’t get a free bag or priority boarding, but you will have more flexibility when deciding where to spend your rewards.

Here are the details:

• $550 annual fee
• 60,000 bonus points for spending $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months
• 5X points per dollar (starting 1/1/21, on up to $500,000 spent per calendar year) on:
  • Flights booked directly with airlines
  • Prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel
• 2X points per dollar on other eligible purchases from American Express Travel
• 1X point on everything else
• Annual $200 fee credit with an airline of your choice
• Annual $200 Uber credit ($15 per month, plus an extra $20 in December)
• Access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection, which includes Delta Sky Clubs

The Amex Platinum is an excellent general travel card for flying Delta, particularly because of its wide-ranging lounge access and ability to transfer points to Delta SkyMiles. You won’t find those features on other high-end travel cards.

Plus, you’ll get 5X points per dollar when you book airfare directly with Delta (or a multitude of other airlines), and if you make use of the airline fee and Uber credits, the effective annual fee will actually be lower than that of the Delta Reserve.

For another high-end general travel card, consider the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Review). There are also more premium airline credit cards to consider — if you fly American Airlines, check out the Citi^® / AAdvantage^® Executive World Elite^™ Mastercard^® (Review), and if you fly United Airlines, the United Club℠ Infinite Card (Review).

Lastly, if you want to earn rewards on dining, you could also check out these other credit card offers:

• 60,000 bonus points for spending $4,000 in the first 6 months
• 4X points at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X) and restaurants worldwide
• 3X Membership Rewards points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel
• No foreign transaction fees
• $250 annual fee

 

• $200 cash back for spending $500 in the first 3 months
• 3% cash back on Dining and Entertainment
• 2% cash back at Grocery stores
• 1% cash back on all other purchases
• No foreign transaction fees
• 15.49% - 25.49% (Variable) APR
• No annual fee

Overall, Delta credit cards — while designed for different levels of commitment and annual spending — make the most sense for people who fly the airline frequently. If you’re a casual Delta flyer, or would prefer to earn broader rewards, we’d recommend scoping out all the best travel credit cards before making your decision.

Frequently Asked Questions

What credit score do I need to get a Delta credit card?

The Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card, Delta’s no annual fee credit card, caters to applicants with fair credit. FICO considers scores fair starting at 580.

The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card (Review) and Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card (Review) are both designed for good credit. With FICO, good scores begin at 670.

The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (Review) is Delta’s premium consumer card, and it’s designed for those with excellent credit. This range is just a touch less clear-cut; FICO considers scores of 760 and up very good, while its exceptional range begins at 800 (more about credit score ranges here).

Keep in mind that these are loose recommendations. Even if you meet the suggested score threshold, you could still be denied based on other factors, like your income. On the same note, you could still be approved if your credit scores fall a bit short of the general recommendation.

How much are Delta miles worth?

Flights will typically grant you a value of 1 to 1.5 cents per point, depending on the flight, though you’ll sometimes find an even better deal if you’re a patient shopper. That’s about normal for an air miles credit card.

Generally, you’ll get the best redemption value by redeeming for flights with Delta or one of its SkyTeam airline partners.

How do you get into Delta Sky Club lounges?

There are a few ways to gain access to Delta Sky Club airport lounges. Our favorite, of course, is to apply for a credit card that provides lounge access as a benefit. If you’re a serious enough traveler that you think you’d benefit from lounge access, then a credit card that provides it deserves a place in your wallet anyway.

These cards are your best bet for free cardholder access:

• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (Review)
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card (Review)
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card (Review)
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card (Review)
• The Platinum Card® from American Express (Review)
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (Review)

Credit cards aside, there are lots of ways to get into Delta Sky Club lounges, but they aren’t always as straightforward. Passengers flying Delta One or SkyTeam Premium Cabin (both luxury-leaning business class fares) get Delta Sky Club access, as do passengers who’ve achieved Gold, Platinum, or Diamond Medallion status with Delta.

You could always just buy a Delta Sky Club membership, too. Just note that buying a membership outright would cost you nearly as much annually as the SkyMiles Reserve card, which grants you Sky Club access, plus a plethora of additional benefits you wouldn’t get with a barebones membership.

For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, please click here.

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, please click here.

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card, please click here.

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, please click here.

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, please click here.

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, please click here.

For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.