Review: American Express – Gold Delta SkyMiles® Business Credit Card

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American Express is well-known for their partnership with Delta. Amex offers 3 different Delta SkyMiles business cards: American Express – Delta Reserve for Business Credit Card, American Express – Platinum Delta SkyMiles Business Credit Card, and the American Express – Gold Delta SkyMiles Business Credit Card. We are going to focus on the last one, the Gold Delta SkyMiles card. It offers the most basic rewards of the 3, but it also has the lowest annual fee. 

Specifications

Annual Fee: 

As mentioned, the Gold Delta SkyMiles has the lowest annual fee of any American Express Business Delta SkyMiles card. For the introductory year, the annual fee is $0. After the first year, cardholders will pay $99 annually.

Interest Rate: 

With a variable APR of 15.74%-24.74% at the time of publication, the interest rate is moderate. While the APR is very average compared to other business cards, all of the American Express Delta SkyMiles Business Cards have the same rate. So while this card has the lowest annual fee compared to the other Amex Delta SkyMiles cards, the interest rate is the same.

Earning: 

Some credit cards earn cash back, others earn points. American Express Delta SkyMiles cards earn miles. These miles are redeemable toward travel on Delta and more than 30 of its airline partners. This card earns 1 mile on every dollar spent on purchases, including everyday expenses like gas and groceries or monthly purchases like your phone bill. In addition to earning 1 mile on every dollar spent on purchases, you earn 2 miles for every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta. Purchases that qualify for double points include flights booked on Delta.com, seat upgrades, SkyClub membership or passes, or any in-flight purchases (i.e., food, beverages, audio headsets).

Introductory Bonus:

American Express rewards heavily with its introductory bonus. You earn 40,000 bonus miles after you make $2,000 in purchases on your new card in your first 3 months. Delta SkyMiles are worth an estimated average of 1.4 cents for domestic travel and 2.7 cents for international flights. By that valuation, if redeemed for international travel, you’re receiving around $800 worth of bonus miles.

In addition to the hefty introductory bonus, holders of this card receive a $50 statement credit after any Delta purchase is made with the new card in the first 3 months. 

Perks

Because the American Express Gold Delta SkyMiles Business Credit Card has the lowest annual fee of the 3 Amex Delta SkyMiles Business cards, it has the least number of perks. However, if you’re a loyal Delta flyer, it still offers incentives that make the annual fee worth it.

This card comes with 2 main travel perks. The first is priority boarding. Priority boarding allows you to skip the long boarding line and settle into your seat early with Main Cabin 1 boarding. Priority boarding status applies not just for you, but for up to 8 guests in your party. The second perk is a free first checked bag for you and up to 8 other guests in your party. Delta currently charges $25 for your first checked bag on all domestic flights. If you check a bag just 4 times throughout the year, the cost you would spend on baggage offsets the annual fee of $95.

Other notable perks:

• In-flight discounts: Receive a discount of up to 20% statement credit for in-flight purchases of food, beverages, and audio headsets.
• Baggage insurance: For any lost, damaged, or stolen baggage, you can receive up to $1,250 for a carry-on and $500 for a checked bag when you use the card to pay for travel.
• Delta SkyClub fee reduction: For $29 each, you and up to 2 guests can get a day-pass to Delta SkyClubs and partner lounges around the world.
• Travel accident insurance: Get up to $100,000 in accidental death and dismemberment coverage while traveling when airfare is charged to the card.

Drawbacks 

The biggest drawbacks to this card aren’t characteristics of the card but aspects the card is missing. Many other cards have a period with 0% APR for a set number of billing cycles. With this card, you are not granted any such grace period. Another drawback is the lack of rewards. The other Delta SkyMiles cards offer bigger rewards and better bonuses. Those other cards require a larger annual fee, so the fewer rewards might be worth it for you because of the lower annual fee. 

Final Say: Loyalty Pays

If you only fly with Delta here and there, this wouldn’t be the card for you. You’d be better off to get a general travel rewards card or a card for another airline you consistently book with. If you are looking for an everyday business credit card to offset expenses, we would suggest a card that provides more diversity in the redemption of points. This card is intended for loyal Delta flyers. If you frequently fly Delta and are looking for a simple card with a few perks to make travel more enjoyable, the American Express Gold Delta SkyMiles Business Credit Card is the choice for you.

Lendio sometimes receives compensation for credit card offers. This compensation may impact how products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear.) Lendio does not include all card companies or all card offers available in the marketplace. This editorial is from the viewpoint of Lendio, and not endorsed by any 3rd party. The information is accurate at the time of publication.