2020 Review: Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express Card — Best for Delta?

The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card is more or less exactly what you’d expect for a mid-tier airline co-branded business travel card.

You earn 2X SkyMiles per dollar on purchases made directly with Delta Air Lines, and that’s on top of the 5X miles you earn as a member of the free SkyMiles program.

You also get 2X SkyMiles for every dollar spent on U.S. purchases for advertising in select media, eligible U.S. shipping purchases, and dining, which makes the card a lot more interesting.

The card’s benefits include (but aren’t limited to) priority boarding, waived fees for first checked bags, and Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance. Some of these can prove very valuable for frequent business travelers.

Combine this all into one neat package, and what you’ve got is a solid business credit card with helpful reward categories that’s great for avid Delta flyers, and probably no one else.

The SkyMiles Gold Business card is one of three Delta co-branded business cards, which complement the airline’s four co-branded consumer cards.

Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card

Our rating

Min. credit levelGood

Details

(Rates & Fees)

Annual Fee$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99

Regular APR15.74% - 24.74% Variable

How To Apply

The information related to Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card has been collected by Credit Card Insider and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product.

Our Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars

We’re scoring the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business credit card at 4 out of 5 Stars. With solid rewards, good benefits, and a relatively low annual fee (that’s waived for a year), there’s not too much to complain about.

Why We Like It

• Diverse 2X reward categories earn on purchases made directly with Delta, plus several other common business expenses
• SkyMiles are worth a fairly good 1–1.5 cents when redeemed, typically
• Great introductory bonus offer: 60,000 bonus miles for spending $3,000 in the first 3 months
• SkyMiles can be redeemed for flights with Delta or its SkyTeam partners, and they never expire
• First checked bag free and Main Cabin 1 priority boarding benefits cover the cardholder and up to eight others on eligible itineraries
• 20% back on in-flight purchases like food, drinks, and headsets (excludes WiFi)
• Includes several useful protections, like baggage insurance, car rental coverage, extended warranty, and purchase protection
• No foreign transaction fee
• Annual fee is waived the first year

Why It Could Be Better

• Annual fee: $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99
• Benefits don’t really stand out for this fee tier
• American Express network acceptance is limited compared to Visa and Mastercard, which could be a burden for international travelers

Insider Advice: Getting the Most Out of Your Card

• Fly Delta: Book Delta flights with your Gold Business card, and you’ll get 7X SkyMiles per dollar — 2X from the card, 5X for being a general SkyMiles member.
• Fly comfortably: When you book, use the SkyMiles number associated with your credit card to get Main Cabin 1 priority boarding and free first checked bags for you and up to eight passengers on your itinerary.
• Sell yourself: Looking to spread your business’ message? The Gold card’s advertising category covers online, television, and radio media, allowing you to earn rewards with an ad plan tailored to your business.
• Buy shipping: If you work with physical products, take advantage of the shipping category. Just know that it only covers U.S. shipping purchases made with courier, postal, and freight shippers, and not shipping costs tacked on to retail purchases.
• Eat out: Planning a tasty tête-à-tête with your second-in-command, or looking to meet with a client over a meal? Swipe your SkyMiles Gold Business at the restaurant to earn 2X SkyMiles.
• Score the welcome bonus: Reach the spending threshold for the welcome offer, and you’ll score a sizable pile of SkyMiles. You’ll get another bonus (this time with no spending threshold) after your first year as a cardholder, too.
• Spend $10,000 annually: For an individual, $10,000 might be a lot to spend on one credit card in a year. For some businesses, that’s pocket change — and if you spend that much in a calendar year, you get a $100 Delta flight voucher.

The Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express Card has a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99..

The Rewards

The Delta SkyMiles Gold Business offers a pretty straightforward reward structure.

You’re typically getting a 2%–3% cash back equivalent in the card’s non-Delta 2X categories, assuming a value of 1 to 1.5 cents per SkyMile.

If you’re using your Gold card to book Delta flights or make other Delta purchases, however, you’ll also get at least 5X SkyMiles per dollar just for being a SkyMiles member, upping the potential cash back equivalent to 7%–10% or more.

Earning

If you’re contemplating a co-branded Delta credit card, then you shouldn’t have much trouble taking advantage of the Delta spending category. Book flights on the Delta website, and you’ll get 2X SkyMiles per dollar from the card and 5X SkyMiles from your basic SkyMiles membership status (members at higher Medallion tiers earn more miles per dollar).

There are some fairly specific restrictions to keep in mind for the other categories. Take U.S. advertising for example — purchases must involve online, television, and/or radio advertising. Direct mail services, like lead and list generation, are excluded.

As for the U.S. shipping category, you’ll only earn miles with U.S.-based courier, postal, and freight shippers. That does not include shipping charges associated with retail orders, or for moving services.

The restaurant category works pretty much as you’d expect, so you shouldn’t have much trouble there. Eat with clients or coworkers, and use your Delta card to earn SkyMiles. Easy.

In addition to the card’s typical reward structure, the Gold Business serves up an appetizing welcome bonus that can offset the card’s annual fee for several years if you can get it without carrying a balance and incurring interest charges.

The Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express Card has a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99..

Redeeming

Delta gives you quite a few redemption options. You can’t transfer miles, but you can redeem with a variety of SkyTeam partner airlines. That’s fairly normal for a co-branded airline card. Pick a general business travel card if you’d prefer to have a point transfer option.

You’ll generally get the best redemption value if you redeem your Delta SkyMiles for flights, rather than the other options we’ll list below. No surprise, seeing as Delta’s an airline.

When you redeem SkyMiles for flights, you’ll typically receive a value of between 1–1.5 cents per mile, and sometimes even more, depending on the specifics of the flight (class, route, time, etc.). That’s not too bad, about standard for airline miles.

Redeeming for Airfare

You can redeem your SkyMiles for flights with both Delta and its partners on the Delta website. They make it easy, allowing you to view prices in either miles or cash, so you can weigh your options to find the best value.

There are a few other booking options, too: Miles + Cash and Pay With Miles. Both are fairly similar, and we don’t recommend either option over typical mile bookings.

Let’s look at a few examples of standard flight redemptions.

Here, we have a round-trip itinerary from New York (JFK) to Austin and back, showing the cash and miles prices. It’s a Basic Economy ticket.

You’re getting a value of roughly 1.23 cents per mile, and that’s without factoring the cash fee into the mix. That’s not that great for an airline card, but it could be worse.

A markedly different ticket, here’s a Main Cabin itinerary from Los Angeles to Mexico City.

The per-mile value jumps up a bit here, rising to about 1.56 cents per mile. But with a trip like this, the cash fee you’re required to pay is much higher. Factor it in, and you’re only getting 1.21 cents per mile. Very close to the example above.

We’ve listed a few more examples below, just so you have a good idea of what you’re in for as a Delta cardholder. Keep in mind that you’ll have to pay a cash fee for every award ticket, and we haven’t included that in our value calculations. That fee can vary, and is typically much higher for flights that leave the United States.

Other Redemption Options

Aside from flights, SkyMiles can be redeemed for:

• Delta Vacations
• SkyMiles Experiences
• SkyClub access
• Airline-related fees, including ticket change fees, award ticket redeposit fees, Same-Day Confirmed fees, and external ticket charges
• Delta gift cards
• Charitable donations
• Magazine subscriptions

We recommend you mostly avoid these options, because you’ll nearly always get a better value by redeeming miles for airfare.

The Benefits

You’re not getting anything out of the ordinary when it comes to Gold’s credit card benefits, but some of these perks can be pretty useful. They include:

• First checked bag free: Book flights using the SkyMiles number associated with your credit card, and Delta will waive the price of your first checked bag (usually $25). This perk applies to up to eight other passengers on the same itinerary.
• Main Cabin 1 priority boarding: Board earlier (along with up to eight passengers on your itinerary, once again) when you book airfare with your SkyMiles number.
• 20% back on in-flight purchases: Get a 20% discount, in the form of a statement credit, on in-flight Delta purchases like food, drinks, and headsets (excluding WiFi).
• $100 Delta flight credit: After spending $10,000 in a calendar year with your Gold card, you’ll get a $100 credit good for Delta flight and vacation package reservations.
• Baggage Insurance Plan: Purchase the entire fare for any common carrier ticket (that includes tickets for travel by plane, train, ship, or bus) and get coverage for carry-on bags and checked luggage.
• Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance: Pay for an eligible rental car with your Gold card and decline the collision damage waiver provided by the rental agency for coverage.

The Terms & Fees

The SkyMiles Gold card’s annual fee is waived the first year, which can be very useful. That gives you a chance to evaluate just how well the card actually fits your spending habits.

Plus, like many great travel rewards cards, the SkyMiles Gold Business charges no foreign transaction fee. The catch? Because it’s an American Express card, its acceptance will probably be limited abroad anyway.

The Bottom Line

Love flying Delta? Love scoring rewards on flight purchases and common business expenses? It’s tough to go wrong with the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card. Perfectly suited for Delta enthusiasts, the card packs enough into its reward structure and benefits package to justify its annual fee, but only if you’re flying Delta (or its partners) frequently.

It’s not the flashiest business travel rewards card in the industry by any means, but if you’re not keen on a card with a several-hundred-dollar annual fee, the SkyMiles Gold Business is worth your consideration.

How to Apply for the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express Card

You can apply for the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business by clicking the “Apply Now” button below. Then, fill out and submit the application, which requires both personal and business information. American Express will conduct a hard inquiry, and will likely let you know whether you’re approved or denied immediately.

In some cases you may have to wait while Amex evaluates your application, or you may be asked for more information before a decision can be made.

What Credit Scores Do You Need for the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express Card?

The Delta SkyMiles Gold Business card is geared toward cardholders with good personal credit. That’s a score of at least 670 with FICO, and 700 or higher for VantageScore.

Credit scores that meet (or exceed) these standards won’t guarantee approval, however. Each decision incorporates a variety of additional information, like your income, and you may be denied if you don’t quite meet the credit card issuer’s requirements.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Must be 18 to apply
• Business information: Legal business name, business name on card, business address, business phone number, industry, company structure, years in business, employee count, annual business revenue, federal tax ID, role in company
• Personal information: Name, date of birth, Social Security number
• Address and contact information: Email address, home address, home phone number
• Financial information: Total annual income, non-taxable annual income
• Delta SkyMiles number (if you already have one)

Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card

Our rating

Min. credit levelGood

Details

(Rates & Fees)

Annual Fee$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99

Regular APR15.74% - 24.74% Variable

How To Apply

The information related to Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card has been collected by Credit Card Insider and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product.

Alternatives to the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express Card

While the SkyMiles Gold Business is a good credit card for its target audience, it may not be an exact fit for your business. We’ll discuss a few high-quality alternatives here, including other options for Delta devotees, and more generally focused travel cards that nonetheless allow you to redeem points for flights.

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card

Our rating

Min. credit level Excellent

Details

(Rates & Fees)

Annual Fee $250

Regular APR 15.74% - 24.74% Variable

How To Apply

• Why We Picked It
• Rewards
• Key Features

The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card (Review) is a higher-end sibling of the SkyMiles Gold Business. It’s pretty simple — you pay a higher annual fee, and you get different rewards and enhanced benefits.

This is another card that’s only for Delta die-hards. If that sounds like you, the Platinum Business is a powerful contender.

Spending Rewards
3X SkyMiles per dollar for: Purchases made directly with Delta Hotels
1.5X SkyMiles per dollar for purchases of $5,000 or more, up to 50,000 miles per year
1X SkyMile per dollar for all other purchases

Introductory Bonus Offer
70,000 bonus miles and 5,000 MQMs for spending $4,000 in the first 3 months

This card’s reward structure is surprisingly different from the Gold’s. Instead of earning SkyMiles in various business-focused categories, the Platinum ramps up your earnings with Delta, and then adds 3X per dollar at hotels. It’s a more traditional travel rewards card in this respect.

• Annual Companion Certificate: A certificate for a domestic, round-trip Main Cabin flight upon card renewal
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit: A statement credit for the application fee of Global Entry ($100 every four years) or TSA PreCheck ($85 once every four-and-a-half years)
• First checked bag free: Covers you and up to eight traveling companions on Delta flights
• Main Cabin 1 priority boarding: Board earlier alongside up to eight travel companions.
• Delta Sky Club access: Visit Delta Sky Club airport lounges with up to two travel companions at an exclusive rate of $39 per person.
• 20% discount on in-flight purchases: 20% off purchases like food, beverages, movies, and audio headsets in the form of a statement credit (on Delta flights)
• Status Boost: Earn 10,000 MQMs for every $25,000 in eligible purchases, up to twice annually.
• No foreign transaction fee
• Annual fee: $250

The information related to Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card has been collected by Credit Card Insider and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product.

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card

Our rating

Min. credit level Excellent

Details

(Rates & Fees)

Annual Fee $550

Regular APR 15.74% - 24.74% Variable

How To Apply

• Why We Picked It
• Rewards
• Key Features

Rounding out Delta’s selection of business credit cards, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card (Review) flaunts a somewhat stripped-down reward structure in exchange for a healthy batch of premium benefits, including airport lounge access.

It’s expensive, but if you spend a ton of time in airports, it could easily be worth it.

Spending Rewards
3X SkyMiles per eligible dollar spent for purchases made directly with Delta Air Lines
1.5X SkyMiles per eligible dollar spent on all purchases for the rest of the year after spending $150,000 in a calendar year
1X SkyMile per eligible dollar spent everywhere else

Introductory Bonus Offer
45,000 bonus miles and 10,000 MQMs for spending $4,000 in the first 3 months

The Reserve carries over the Platinum’s 3X reward rate on direct Delta purchases, but that’s the only bonus category. Otherwise, the only time you’ll get more than 1X SkyMile per dollar is if you spend $150,000 in a calendar year. After you reach that $150K threshold, you’ll get 1.5X SkyMiles per dollar on everything (aside from Delta purchases) until that year ends.

• Annual companion certificate: Get a certificate every year for a Domestic First Class, Delta Comfort+, or Main Cabin round-trip ticket.
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit: A credit for either Global Entry ($100 every four years) or TSA PreCheck ($85 every four-and-a-half years)
• First checked bag free: On Delta flights, for you and up to eight traveling companions
• Main Cabin 1 priority boarding: Board earlier alongside up to eight other passengers on your itinerary.
• 20% in-flight savings: A 20% discount on in-flight purchases of food, beverages, and select other purchases on Delta-operated flights
• Complimentary upgrades: If you don’t have Medallion status you can still get some upgrades for free.
• Status Boost: Earn 15,000 MQMs for spending $30,000, up to four times per calendar year.
• No foreign transaction fee
• Annual fee: $550

The information related to Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card has been collected by Credit Card Insider and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product.

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Our rating

Min. credit level Excellent

Details

Annual Fee $95

Regular APR 15.99%-20.99% Variable

How To Apply

• Why We Picked It
• Rewards
• Key Features

If you’re looking for a business credit card with excellent rewards and solid benefits that won’t cost you hundreds of dollars annually, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (Review) is about as good as it gets.

There’s an annual fee, but what you get for the price is good enough that it’s basically a non-issue. The card’s key downfall is the $150,000 annual spending limit on its 3X categories.

Spending Rewards
5X Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on Lyft rides (through March 2022)
3X Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on up to $150,000 spent per year for: Travel Shipping purchases Internet, cable, and phone services Advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines
1X Ultimate Rewards point per dollar on all other purchases

Introductory Bonus Offer
100,000 bonus points for spending $15,000 in the first 3 months after account opening

It’s likely no surprise why the Ink Business Preferred is such a hit with small business owners. The 3X category is impressively diverse, covering a plethora of purchases considered essential by businesses around the world.

The card’s $150,000 spending limit isn’t awful, either — certainly a step up from the $50,000-ish limits you see with most no annual fee business cards.

• Redemption bonus: Points are worth 25% more when redeeming for travel expenses through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
• Point transfer: Transfer points at a 1:1 rate to a variety of airline and hotel loyalty programs, including British Airways, United, Marriott Bonvoy, and Hyatt.
• Cell phone protection: Pay your monthly cell phone bill with your Ink Business Preferred for coverage against theft and damage, up to $600 per claim with a $100 deductible.
• Shopping and travel protections: Other insurance perks include purchase protection, extended warranty protection, trip cancellation/trip interruption insurance, auto rental collision damage waivers, and more.
• Annual fee: $95

American Express® Business Gold Card

Our rating

Min. credit level Good

Details

(Rates & Fees)

Annual Fee $295

Regular APR 14.24% - 22.24% Variable

How To Apply

• Why We Picked It
• Rewards
• Key Features

The American Express® Business Gold Card (Review) looks a bit like the Ink Business Preferred at first glance. Its spending categories are similar, and those categories even feature the same $150,000 combined annual spending limit.

With that said, there are several important differences. The Amex Gold’s annual fee is much higher, for example, and its reward structure works differently.

Last, but certainly not least, the Gold is naturally part of the American Express Membership Rewards program rather than Chase Ultimate Rewards. Partner loyalty programs differ, and your most valuable redemption options may vary between each program, though both types of points tend to lean toward the more valuable side.

Spending Rewards
4X Membership Rewards points per dollar in the two categories you spend the most in each month, up to $150,000 per year (then 1X): Airfare purchased directly from airlines U.S. purchases for advertising in select media U.S. computer hardware, software, and cloud computing purchases made directly from select providers U.S. purchases for shipping U.S. purchases at gas stations U.S. purchases at restaurants
2X Membership Rewards points per dollar on eligible travel expenses booked through Amex Travel
1X Membership Rewards point per dollar on all other purchases

Introductory Bonus Offer
35,000 bonus points for spending $5,000 in the first 3 months

The Business Gold tailors itself to your spending habits. Wherever you spend the most out of the above categories is where you earn 4X points.

• 25% airline bonus: Get 25% of your points back when booking eligible airfare through American Express Travel using Membership Rewards Pay with Points.
• The Hotel Collection: A $100 hotel credit and room upgrades when available for every eligible two-night stay
• Point transfer: To a selection of airline and hotel partners
• Amex Offers: Access to discounts and extra points at a wide variety of merchants.
• Tier One Program: Some businesses will be eligible for the Tier One Program from American Express. This comes with benefits that are “designed to streamline and enhance the business’s experience with American Express.”
• No foreign transaction fee
• Annual fee: $295
• Pay Over Time: Your card automatically comes enrolled in Pay Over Time, which allows you to carry a balance with interest on eligible charges, or you can opt to pay your statement balance in full instead.

The information related to American Express® Business Gold Card has been collected by Credit Card Insider and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product.

That’s it for now — think we did the card justice? Feel free to share the review! Or, leave a comment below if you think something’s missing.

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