Earn Delta SkyMiles Worth up to $720

Looking to bank some Delta SkyMiles to cover the cost of an upcoming trip? Delta and American Express cobranded credit cards just got even better welcome offers, which could earn you thousands of SkyMiles. These travel credit cards come in three tiers, each with varying reward rates, benefits and annual fees. 

If you are unsure of how credit cards or credit scores work, read up on our guide on how to choose a credit card for you. 

Quick List

In a hurry? Here's a brief overview of the cards on our list, along with quick links that let you jump down the page to read more information on each card we feature.

Why Delta SkyMiles?

Hitching your rewards wagon to just one airline can be a risk if the quality of service erodes over time. According to a report by airline analytics company Cirium, Delta was the most on-time North American airline in 2021, 2022 and 2023, demonstrating quality management over time. And you can redeem miles through many other domestic and international partner carriers. Kiplinger readers recently voted the Delta Skymiles credit card program outstanding for customer service.

According to The Points Guy, Delta SkyMiles are worth 1.2 cents per mile. 

Hot tip: Are you an Airbnb fan? Book your Airbnb stay through a special portal provided by the SkyMiles program and enter your SkyMiles member number. Earn one mile for each dollar spent on your Airbnb rental, excluding taxes and fees. For details, see our article Save on Airbnb with Credit Card and Airline Rewards.

Delta Skymiles Gold

Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card

This Amex card from Delta Air Lines offers two SkyMiles per dollar spent on purchases with Delta, restaurants and U.S. shipping providers, and one mile per dollar on other purchases. Cardholders also get 15% off Delta flights when booking through delta.com or the Fly Delta app using award miles. Terms apply.

The card has a solid welcome offer. Earn 40,000 Bonus Miles (worth about $480) after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first six months of Card Membership. Terms apply.

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• Interest rate: 20.99% to 29.99% variable APR for purchases. See rates and fees.
• Annual fee: $0 intro fee for the first year, then $150 annual fee.
• Top rewards rate:  Earn two miles per dollar on Delta purchases, at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and at U.S. supermarkets. 
• Other rewards: Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
• Free baggage checks: Check your first bag free on Delta flights, saving up to $70 on a round-trip Delta flight per person. For a family of four that’s a potential savings of up to $280 per round-trip flight.
• Other perks: 
  • $50 discount: Take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
  • $200 Delta Flight Credit: After you spend $10,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel. 
  • $100 Delta Stays Credit: Get up to $100 back per year as a statement credit after using your Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
  • Get 20% credit for Delta in-flight purchases of food, drinks and headsets.
  • Priority boarding: Receive Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights.
• Redemption:  Miles can be used for travel on Delta Air Lines, Delta Connection carriers (Endeavor Air, Inc., Republic Airline, and SkyWest) and on 30+ partner airlines. Want even more flexibility? Take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
• Intro bonus: Earn 40,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Terms apply

Delta SkyMiles Platinum

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card

This mid-tier card has an annual fee of $350, but the intro offer is a generous 50,000 miles (worth about $600) after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first six months of Card Membership. You also receive a free companion ticket each year after you renew your card, with some limitations. Terms apply.

The rate of earning rewards is strong. You'll rack up three miles per dollar on Delta purchases, two miles per dollar on restaurants and U.S. supermarkets, and one mile per dollar on all other qualified purchases. Terms apply.

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• Intro offer: Earn 50,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first six months of Card Membership. 
• Interest rate: 20.99% to 29.99% variable APR for purchases. See rates and fees.
• Annual fee:  $350.
• Rewards rates: Earn three Miles per dollar on Delta purchases and purchases made with hotels. Earn two per dollar Miles at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets, and earn one Mile on all other eligible purchases.
• Receive a Companion Certificate: The ticket must be on Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean, or Central American roundtrip flights each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Ticket requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights and no more than $250 for roundtrip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
• 15% Discount on award trips: Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
• Free baggage check: The first checked bag is free.
• Priority boarding: Receive Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights.
• Other perks: 
  • Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®: Receive either a $100 statement credit every four years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost. 
  • $150 Delta Stays Credit: Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card Members can earn up to $150 back annually on eligible prepaid Delta Stays bookings on delta.com.
  • Get a discount of up to $50 on flights for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
  • Annual companion ticket: Receive a round trip domestic, Caribbean, or Central American First Class, Delta Comfort+® or Main Cabin Companion Ticket each year after renewal of your Card. Payment of the government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights and no more than $250 for roundtrip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
  • Complimentary upgrades when available: Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card Members with an eligible ticket will be added to the Complimentary Upgrade list, after Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members and Reserve Card Members.
  • $120 Resy Credit: When you use your enrolled Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $10 each month in statement credits.
• Medallion program: If you want to improve your access to the lounges with this card, you can earn $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year and get closer to Status with MQD Headstart. You may also earn $1 Medallion® Qualification Dollar for each $20 of purchases made on your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card in a calendar year and get a boost toward achieving Medallion Status for the next Medallion Year.
• Redemption:  Miles can be used for travel on Delta Air Lines, Delta Connection carriers (Endeavor Air, Inc., Republic Airline, and SkyWest) and on 30+ partner airlines. Want even more flexibility? Take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
• Terms apply
• See rates and fees.

Delta SkyMiles Reserve

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express

This premium travel card is packed with perks. And you can earn 60,000 bonus miles (worth about $720) after you spend $5,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first six months of Card Membership. Although the annual fee is $650, cardholders get an annual roundtrip companion pass, which may defray the cost for frequent travelers. This card also offers complimentary lounge access. The downside of the card is its fairly weak earnings rate of three miles for every dollar on Delta purchases and one mile on all else. If you don't spend a lot on Delta travel, you may want to consider the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express card. Terms apply.

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• Intro offer: Earn 60,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $5,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first six months of Card Membership. 
• Interest rate: 20.99% to 29.99% variable APR for purchases. See rates and fees.
• Annual fee: $650.
• Rewards rates:  Earn three miles per dollar on Delta purchases and one mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
• Lounge access: Enjoy complimentary access to the Delta Sky Club®.
  • Effective 2/1/25, Reserve Card Members will receive 15 Visits per year to the Delta Sky Club; to earn an unlimited number of Visits each year starting on 2/1/25, the total eligible purchases on the Card must equal $75,000 or more between 1/1/24 and 12/31/24, and each calendar year thereafter. Once all 15 Visits have been used, Eligible Card Members may purchase additional Delta Sky Club Visits at a per-Visit rate of $50 per person using the Card.
  • Receive four Delta Sky Club® One-Time Guest Passes each year when you fly Delta so you can share the experience with family and friends.
  • Centurion Lounge: Enjoy complimentary access to the 40+ The Centurion® Lounge locations when you book a Delta flight with your Reserve Card.
• Free annual companion ticket: Receive a Companion Certificate on First Class, Delta Comfort+®, or Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean, or Central American roundtrip flights each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Ticket requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights and no more than $250 for roundtrip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
• 15% Discount on award travel: Card Members save 15% when booking Award Travel with miles on Delta flights when using delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
• Free baggage check: Check and stow your bag with ease: First Checked Bag Free on Delta Flights.
• Other perks: 
  • Complimentary upgrade when available: Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members with an eligible ticket will be added to the Complimentary Upgrade list, after Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members.
  • Receive upgrade priority over other Medallion Members within the same Medallion level and fare class.
  • $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
• Medallion program: Delta recently updated its Medallion program, which confers extra benefits to SkyMiles loyalty program participants. Delta SkyMiles Reserve cardholders receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year, helping them to get closer to Status with MQD Headstart. Also, earn $1 Medallion® Qualification Dollar for each $10 of purchases made on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card in a calendar year and get a boost toward achieving elevated Medallion Status for next Medallion Year. Review the new ways to earn Medallion Status with the Card for more information on the Medallion program changes.
• Redemption:  Miles can be used for travel on Delta Air Lines, Delta Connection carriers (Endeavor Air, Inc., Republic Airline, and SkyWest), and on 30+ partner airlines. 
• Terms apply
• See rates and fees.

All three of these cards are a solid option for travelers who fly frequently on Delta Airlines. American Express cards offer attractive perks for international travelers, such as rental car insurance* and no foreign transaction fees.

Other options you might consider are travel cards from Chase and Capital One that currently have intro offers worth over $700. Both cards partner with many airline frequent flyer programs, but not with Delta. So, if Delta is your primary airline, one of the SkyMiles American Express cards profiled here may be your best bet.

Want more credit card options? Check out our other picks for travel rewards credit cards. You can use our tool below to help find the right credit card for you. 

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* Eligibility and Benefit level of American Express insurance varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations  Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.  Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.