Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card benefits guide
Key takeaways
- The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is a good option for frequent Delta customers who want to avoid a large annual fee.
- This card earns 2X miles at U.S. supermarkets, at restaurants (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.) and on Delta purchases.
- Cardholders also enjoy several travel benefits while flying with Delta, including a free first checked bag and Zone 5 priority boarding.
- The Delta SkyMiles Gold also comes with a variety of additional travel benefits, purchase protection and more.
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card lets users rack up miles without having to pay an exorbitant annual fee. This card also comes with a surprising number of perks, including benefits that can help you save money or have a more comfortable travel experience.
But, what exactly do you get with the Delta SkyMiles Gold? And what are Delta Gold benefits actually worth?
This guide outlines the current roster of Delta Gold benefits, how to use them and other reasons you may want to sign up for this airline credit card.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card Delta SkyMiles benefits
One of the biggest benefits of using the Delta SkyMiles Gold is that it earns Delta SkyMiles. These miles can be redeemed for flights, hotels and vacation rentals booked through Delta and more. Here are ways the Delta SkyMiles Gold card can help you earn miles even faster when you use it to make purchases in certain spending categories.
Welcome bonus
The Delta SkyMiles Gold card comes with a welcome offer of 40,000 bonus miles when you spend $2,000 within six months after opening your account. It also comes with an introductory annual fee of $0 that converts to a manageable $99 per year after that.
So, how much are those miles really worth? According to Bankrate’s latest valuations, miles earned in the Delta SkyMiles program are worth approximately 1.2 cents each. This valuation makes the bonus offer worth up to approximately $480 in airfare.
Earn up to 2X miles on purchases
With the Delta SkyMiles Gold, you earn 2X miles on Delta purchases. You also earn 2X miles at restaurants (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.) and on U.S. supermarket purchases. Other purchases earn 1X miles per dollar spent. This earning rate is decent among airline credit cards, and the categories are pretty useful.
Get 15 percent off award travel
Cardholders get a 15 percent discount when they use their miles to book award travel through Delta.com. This is a big benefit that can save you thousands of miles. For example, cardholders would only need to spend 42,500 points for a flight that normally costs 50,000 miles. That is a savings of 7,500 miles that can be used for your next trip with Delta.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card travel benefits
The Delta SkyMiles Gold offers some sweet perks outside of the rewards you can earn. The following benefits can make travel with Delta more comfortable, more affordable or both.
Free checked bag
When flying with Delta, this card allows you to check your first bag for free. Even better, it applies to up to 8 other companions on your itinerary. Considering a checked bag on Delta would save you up to $70 on a round-trip, this benefit can be worth up to $280 on a round-trip flight for a family of four.
Priority boarding
The Delta SkyMiles Gold also comes with Zone 5 priority boarding on Delta flights. Once again, this perk applies to the cardholder and up to 8 companions on their itinerary.
20% discount on in-flight purchases
Use your card to pay for in-flight food, beverage and audio headset charges and you’ll get 20 percent back on those purchases in the form of a statement credit on your account.
Car rental loss and damage insurance
Cardholders are also eligible for secondary auto rental coverage when they pay for an eligible rental car with their Delta SkyMiles Gold. This benefit does not include any liability coverage.
No foreign transaction fees
The Delta SkyMiles Gold does not charge foreign transaction fees if you use it for purchases outside the U.S. Considering foreign transaction fees typically range from 1 percent to 3 percent, the savings accrued with this benefit can add up.
$200 Delta flight credit
Finally, cardholders who spend $10,000 on their card within a calendar year can qualify for a $200 Delta flight credit good toward future travel.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card shopping benefits
In addition to the travel benefits that come with the Delta SkyMiles Gold, there are some purchase protections and shopping benefits thrown in the mix. Here are the key Amex Gold benefits for purchases you should know about.
Pay It, Plan It
The American Express Pay It, Plan It features let you pay down small purchase amounts quickly or split up large purchases and pay them down without interest in exchange for a fixed monthly fee.
ShopRunner membership
This card comes with ShopRunner membership, which includes free two-day shipping and free returns at more than 100 stores. Participating retailers can change over time, but they currently include American Eagle, Neiman Marcus, Soma, Cole Haan and more.
Extended warranties
Cardholders can qualify for free extended warranty coverage on eligible items that come with a manufacturer’s warranty of five years or less. This benefit adds on another year of extended warranty protection. This protection is good for up to $10,000 in coverage per eligible purchase and up to $50,000 per eligible card in a calendar year.
Purchase protection
Purchases made with the card are also eligible for purchase protection against damage or theft. This benefit applies to purchases for up to 90 days, and it’s good for up to $10,000 per occurrence and up to $50,000 per calendar year.
Maximizing the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
To get the most out of your Delta SkyMiles Gold card, be sure to use it when making purchases that offer a boosted earnings rate. The card earns 2X miles on Delta purchases as well as at restaurants (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.) and U.S. supermarkets. All other purchases earn 1X miles.
While some airline cards offer an automatic anniversary bonus each year, with the Delta SkyMiles Gold, you earn your annual credit through spending. That said, spending at least $10,000 on the card each calendar year to earn the $200 Delta statement credit shouldn’t be too difficult of a proposition — especially if you use it for Delta purchases, restaurants and supermarkets.
Take advantage of the other perks this card offers — such as the free checked baggage allowance, 15 percent off when using miles to book through Delta.com, Zone 5 priority boarding and more. And don’t forget that the card comes with purchase protection and extended warranty coverage.
The bottom line
The Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card offers some excellent frequent flyer perks and shopping benefits most people don’t even know about. Since you also earn Delta SkyMiles for each dollar you spend, there are quite a few reasons to choose this card over other rewards credit cards you may be considering.
Even so, it never hurts to compare all your options before you decide. Be sure to take a closer look at other top airline credit cards, including other Delta credit cards, before you apply.
