Delta SkyMiles Gold
The welcome offer, the bag benefit and what it saves, every credit and its catch, the insurance, and whether the $150 fee pays for itself.
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Airline cards · American Express
Welcome offer
As high as 80,000 miles + $250
Annual fee
$0 the first year, then $150
As high as 80,000 bonus miles after $3,000 in purchases in the first 6 months, plus a $250 statement credit after the same spend. Limited time; ends November 4, 2026. Not available to anyone who has had this card or the Delta Platinum or Reserve.
Foreign transaction fees: NoneRewards: Delta SkyMiles
The Atelier Take
A bag-fee card first and a rewards card second, which is fine if Delta is the home airline.
Who it suits
Occasional Delta flyers who check bags, especially couples and families.
Who should skip it
Anyone who rarely flies Delta or travels carry-on only; the miles alone don’t justify the fee.
Every credit, and the catch
Three credits, each with a condition: a spending threshold, a Delta booking channel, or waiting for the first renewal.
Delta flight credit
$200
Only after $10,000 of purchases on the card in a calendar year.
Delta Stays credit
Up to $100 a year
Prepaid hotels or vacation rentals booked through Delta Stays on delta.com only.
Rideshare credit
Up to $120 a year
U.S. rides with select providers only, and only from the first renewal.
What it earns
Rewards: Delta SkyMiles.
2x
Delta purchases
Bought directly from Delta
2x
U.S. restaurants
Including takeout and delivery
2x
U.S. supermarkets
1x
Everything else
TPG values SkyMiles at 1.2¢ each, below most airline and bank currencies. Delta prices awards dynamically, so value varies widely by route and date.
Bags and other Delta benefits
Checked bags
First checked bag free for the cardholder and up to 8 companions on the same reservation, worldwide; second bag free on domestic Delta flights. Without the card Delta charges $45 for the first bag and $55 for the second, each way, in the U.S.
Priority boarding
Board in an earlier zone on Delta flights.
TakeOff 15
15% off award flights on Delta booked at delta.com or in the Fly Delta app; not on partner flights, taxes or fees.
20% back on in-flight purchases
As a statement credit on food and drinks bought on Delta flights.
Will the $150 fee pay off?
Enter what would go on this card. The result values points at TPG’s valuation, adds the credits that would actually be used and, in year one, the welcome offer, then sets the total against a no-fee card that pays 2% back on everything.
1 · Spending on this card
Example figures are filled in; replace them with real ones.
Delta flights and other Delta purchasesBought directly from Delta
2x
U.S. restaurantsIncluding takeout and delivery
2x
U.S. supermarkets
2x
Hotels
1x
Gas
1x
Everything else
1x
2 · Credits that would be used
Tick only what would be used anyway, at full value.
3 · Assumptions
The result
The fee is $0 in year one and $150 after. Not counted: priority boarding, 15% off award flights (TakeOff 15) and the insurance.
Insurance and protections
Pay for the trip or purchase with the card to be covered. Travel cover is secondary: it pays after any other insurance. Amex’s Guides to Benefits have the full terms and exclusions.
Baggage insurance
Covers lost, damaged or stolen bags on trips paid with the card; limits are in Amex’s Baggage Insurance Plan guide. Secondary.
Car rental loss and damage
Up to $50,000 for theft or damage to a rental car, for rentals up to 30 days, when the rental company’s damage waiver is declined. Secondary.
Purchase protection
Theft or accidental damage within 90 days of purchase: up to $1,000 per item and $50,000 a year.
Extended warranty
Adds up to one year to manufacturer warranties of five years or less: up to $10,000 per item and $50,000 a year.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Bag savings alone can cover the fee for one round trip a year
- First-year fee waived
- 15% off every Delta award booking
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- SkyMiles are among the lower-valued airline currencies
- Earn rates are modest
- The flight credit needs $10,000 of spending
- Limited use for anyone not flying Delta
Card terms change often and some offers are personalized; the issuer’s page is the final word.