The 6 Best Delta Airlines Credit Cards

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Ask any American their favorite airline and there’s a good chance they’ll say Delta. It’s come out on top of the popularity charts for years and that dominance is unlikely to change anytime soon.

It’s no surprise then that the airline’s loyalty program, respective rewards currency, and airport lounges are some of the most sought-after in the industry. By far the simplest way to gain access to all three is by using one of the carrier’s co-branded credit cards.

With these products, customers can enjoy a shortcut to elite status, large injections of SkyMiles, and even access to the lauded SkyClub lounges. Better yet, six of the airline’s cards are currently offering huge elevated intro bonuses that can award you a large sum of miles in a short time, so it’s never been a better time to apply.

But not every card is created equal — each compliments a different Delta customer and choosing poorly can be a pricey misstep. To help, I’ve thrown together this list of the best Delta Air Lines credit cards, so that you can pick the best one for your lifestyle.

How to decide which Delta card is right for you

Before you make any kind of decision, it’s important to take a look at some important factors that will determine which card will work hardest for you. Consider your travel habits and needs, and keep that data front of mind as you move into the next section.

How often do you fly?

This is the most important question to ask yourself. One of the biggest mistakes new points and miles users make is overestimating the volume of travel they’ll be doing. In doing so, they’ll often pick a premium card with a big spending threshold and a huge annual fee before finding out they won’t even use the vast majority of the benefits the card offers. If you’re only flying once or twice a year, it’s okay, there’s still a card for you.

How often do you fly Delta?

This works in tandem with the first question. If you live near an American Airlines hub with few Delta flights and don’t actively pursue Delta routes unless it’s the most convenient option, you might be better off looking at another airline or a general travel card. If you’re a frequent business flyer through an airport like Atlanta, however, you might find yourself on a Delta flight every week. You should be maximizing those flights by pairing them with the benefits of a strong co-branded card.

How much do you spend?

Your average spending matters whether you’re opening a Delta card or a general travel card. You need to be spending enough (without forcing it) to hit the minimum spending threshold to earn the welcome bonus and to earn enough miles from your everyday spending to validate any annual fee. If you can’t do either of those without spending more than you should, it’s time to look down a card tier.

You’ll also want to look at what you spend the most on and consider a card that offers bonus miles for purchases made in your top spending categories.

Are you chasing elite status?

As much as we’d love it to be, elite status isn’t for everyone. It requires either a lot of spending or a lot of flying with one airline. Some of the cards on this list are valuable tools for fast-tracking your progress to Delta elite status, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s worth it. You’ll be paying a higher fee for the privilege of being an elite, but it’s never worth risking debt just to get on the plane a little earlier.

Is airport lounge access the priority?

Airport lounge access is an increasingly popular reason for opening a travel credit card. There’s no denying that visiting a lounge can be a wonderful experience, but it’s something to tread carefully on with Delta cards. The carrier recently limited cardholder lounge access in several ways so frequent fliers might feel shortchanged, while those who seldom fly wwill shell out a lot in fees for just a few visits a year.

That said, holding one of Delta’s co-branded credit cards is still one of the best ways to access Delta SkyClubs.

Important perks across Delta cards

Every card mentioned in this list includes two very important perks. The first benefit being TakeOff 15, which gives Delta cardmembers a 15% discount when redeeming miles on all Delta-operated flights. If you redeem miles with Delta with any frequency, this perk can be incredibly beneficial and effectively boosts the value of all your miles by 15%. Plus it requires no strategizing or jumping through hoops to take advantage of.

The cost of checking a bag on domestic Delta flights is $35 one-way or $70 roundtrip—with a family of four, you’re looking at $280 to check in each person’s luggage. Fortunately all Delta cards mentioned on this list allow you to check at least one bag for yourself and up to eight companions traveling on the same itinerary for free. If you fly even just a few times a year, you could be looking at savings worth hundreds of dollars as an individual, or thousands with a medium-to-large family.

Image of Delta One suite
Delta One Suites is a highly regarded business class product.

The Best Air Lines Delta Credit Cards

Best card for the occasional Delta flyer: Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card

The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card should be the go-to card for any occasional Delta customer. What’s occasional? Anywhere from a couple of flights a year to around four or five seems to be the sweet spot.

Its reasonable $150 annual fee is waived for the first year, so you won’t have any out-of-pocket costs initially, and it’s currently offering an elevated introductory offer of 80,000 SkyMiles after spending $3,000 within six months of opening an account. One SkyMile is worth around 1.3 cents, so you’re looking at getting over $1,000 worth of flights from the welcome bonus alone.

For a low-priced card, it boasts a number of notable perks, with the free checked bag perk stealing the show as a true money saver. Checked baggage on domestic flights is priced around $70 per roundtrip flight—with a family of four, you’re looking at $280 of savings on a single trip.

Two other money-saving perks that shouldn’t be too hard to use are the $200 Delta flight credit which you’ll earn after spending $10,000 on the card in a calendar year, and the $100 statement credit you’ll receive when booking a prepaid hotel or vacation rental through Delta Stays on Delta.com.

Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card

80,000 Bonus Miles

after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card in your first 6 months

Annual Fee: $0 intro annual fee the first year, then $150  |  Terms Apply  |  Rates & Fees

Best card for outsized value: Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card

The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card offering takes things up a notch. It offers almost everything the Gold card does plus increases the number of statement credits (as well as their total dollar value), but it also throws in some heavier-hitting travel perks.

The highlight of these is the annual Companion Pass, which can be used for roundtrip main cabin flights in the US, the Caribbean, and Central America. This perk allows you to bring a companion along on a flight with you for free (although you’ll have to pay minimal taxes and fees) and can be valued well above the card’s $350 annual fee if used strategically.

Its elevated intro bonus is only 10,000 SkyMiles higher than the Gold. You’ll earn 90,000 SkyMiles after spending $4,000 within six months of opening the account. If you combine the bonus with all of the card’s perks, it’s easy to squeeze impressive outsized value from the Delta Platinum. You won’t have trouble getting at least $1,200 worth of travel from the 90,000 bonus miles.

If you have one eye on elite status, the card also gives you a leg up on the competition with a $2,500 MQD headstart each Medallion Qualification year and a solid boost on MQD earnings, with an extra $1 MQD earned for every $20 spent on the card.

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card

90,000 Bonus Miles

after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. 

Annual Fee: $350  |  Terms Apply  |  Rates & Fees

Best card for lounge access and frequent Delta travelers: Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is the most premium of all the Delta cards but comes with a hefty $650 annual fee. It might be a stretch for the casual or even moderate Delta customer, but for regular fliers with an eye on the luxurious side of things, it’s the one to go for.

It’s now the only Delta card with access to SkyClub locations. For now, visits are unlimited, but come February 2025 entries will be capped at fifteen annually unless cardholders spend $75,000 in a calendar year on the card. The Companion Pass is also available with the Reserve, but you’ll be able to get even more value here as you’re able to bring along a friend or family member in First Class, too.

The card also comes with a range of easy-to-use statement credits on things like ridesharing apps, dining out, and hotel stays. Plus you’ll earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of card membership. You’ll be able to book no less than $1,300 worth of flights on Delta (or its partners) with the bonus.

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

110,000 Bonus Miles

after you spend $12,000 in purchases on your new card in your first 6 months

Annual Fee: $650  |  Terms Apply  |  Rates & Fees

Best all-around Delta business card: Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card

The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card business card mirrors its opposite number on the personal side in many ways. Its current elevated intro bonus is slightly higher, you’ll earn 90,000 SkyMiles after spending $6,000 within the first six months of opening the card. We value those bonus miles at nearly $1,200.

The free checked bag perk remains, immensely helpful for any group business trips while those putting at least $10,000 a year on the card can enjoy a $200 flight credit for future travel.

The annual fee is just $150 a year, with the first year being waived, making it an approachable card for any small business owner with an eye on Delta rewards. It’s a strong card designed to help the casual business traveler save in the long run.

Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card

90,000 Bonus Miles

after spending $6,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

Annual Fee: $0 intro annual fee the first year, then $150  |  Terms Apply  |  Rates & Fees

Best business card for steady rewards earning: Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card

Specific businesses can take advantage of the strong earning potential offered by the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card. With a generous 1.5x miles earned on an array of transit and domestic shipping purchases, as well as on single purchases over $5,000, the right business can reap the rewards with ease.

As with its personal card sibling, the Companion Pass for roundtrip economy flights is also available each cardholder year. This card boasts a slightly higher bonus: you’ll earn 100,000 SkyMiles after spending $8,000 within six months of opening the card. Those miles are worth $1,300 towards travel on Delta Air Lines, and you can use miles on Delta’s partners too.

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card

100,000 Bonus Miles

after spending $8,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

Annual Fee: $350  |  Terms Apply  |  Rates & Fees

Best business card for chasing elite status: Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card

Once again, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card ups the elevated intro bonus to a sizeable 120,000 SkyMiles (and also enlarges the spending requirement): you’ll earn 120,000 SkyMiles after spending $12,000 within six months of opening the card. With this welcome bonus, you could get a whopping $1,500+ worth of flights.

As expected, the Reserve’s perks mirror the personal card, including the Companion Pass, MQD boosts and headstart, and Delta SkyClub lounge access. The $650 annual fee is high, but those who can take advantage of the intro bonus and strong statement credits should have no issues recouping the value.

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card

110,000 Bonus Miles

after spending $12,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

Annual Fee: $650  |  Terms Apply  |  Rates & Fees

The point

Delta’s range of co-branded credit cards is currently offering huge elevated introductory bonus offers making it the best time to apply for one of the cards. Each card has its merits and suits a particular type of traveler, so crunch the numbers before picking the right card for you.

Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone. This post contains references to products from one or more of our partners and we may receive compensation when you click on links to those products.

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