Miles · American Express · $150 annual fee
Last verified 2026-09-09. Review issuer source
Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express is a $150-a-year miles card from American Express. Its best everyday rates are 2x on dining, and 2x on grocery stores; everything else earns 1x. There is also 2x on Delta Airlines, a single-merchant rate. Rewards are Delta SkyMiles miles that only spend inside that program, so we value them at roughly a third of a cent each.
On our reference budget of $24,600 a year its rewards come to $114, $36 short of the annual fee. That is normal at this price; the card only works if the perks replace spending you already do, or your bonus-category spending is far above a typical household's. The welcome bonus, 25,000 miles after $2,000 in 6 months, adds to the first year's return. The annual fee is waived the first year.
Get it if you already fly or stay with Delta SkyMiles often enough to use the free checked bag. A general travel card earns points that go more places.
Earn 2x miles for every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta
Earn 2x miles at restaurants
Earn 2x miles at U.S. supermarkets
Earn 25,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Get up to $100 back per year as a statement credit after using your Delta Gold Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com/stays.
Get rewarded to and from the airport. After your first Card renewal, earn up to $10 in statement credits each month when using your Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. That’s up to $120 back each year.
Get a head-start on your next adventure, compliments of your Card. 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.
Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit after you use your Card on eligible Delta in-flight purchases of food, beverages, and audio headsets.
Travel more comfortably knowing you can be covered for lost, damaged, or stolen Baggage when you purchase the Entire Fare for a Common Carrier Vehicle ticket (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) on an Eligible Card. Coverage can be provided for up to $1,250 for carry-on Baggage and up to $500 for checked Baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the Common Carrier.
Getting into your Rental Vehicle can be the start of a great vacation. When you use your Eligible Card to reserve and pay for the Entire Rental and decline the collision damage waiver at the rental Company counter, you can be covered for Damage to or Theft of a Rental Vehicle in a Covered Territory. Please read important exclusions and restrictions. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Coverage is not available for vehicles rented in Australia, Italy, and New Zealand. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage.
What if the color fades on your new flat-screen TV? Or your food processor starts rattling instead of slicing and dicing? Chances are it will happen right after the Manufacturer's Warranty runs out. Fortunately, when you use your Eligible Card to make a Covered Purchase, you can get up to one extra year added to the Original Manufacturer's Warranty. Applies to warranties of 5 years or less on Covered Purchases in the United States or its territories. Please read important exclusions and restrictions.
Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights worldwide.‡ – and on domestic Delta flights, your second bag flies free too.
Whenever you travel more than 100 miles from home, you may be eligible for 24/7 emergency assistance and coordination services , including medical, legal, and passport referrals, emergency cash wires, and missing luggage assistance. Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. Other terms and conditions apply.
Board early, secure a spot for your carry-on, and enjoy plenty of time to settle in before takeoff on your next Delta flight with Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding.
Sometimes your favorite new purchase gets stolen or accidentally damaged. But when you use your Eligible Card for Covered Purchases, your Membership can help protect them for up to 90 days from the Covered Purchase date, subject to the Coverage Limits.
Get free 2-day shipping* on eligible items at a growing network of 100+ online stores with ShopRunner. Enroll in complimentary membership as a benefit of your eligible Card.
Take 15% off anytime you book Award Travel with miles on Delta flights when using delta.com and the Fly Delta app.
Benefit descriptions are the issuer’s and network’s own wording, trimmed for length. Limits and exclusions are in the guide to benefits.
| Card | Annual fee | Rewards earned | Net after fee | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta SkyMiles® Gold American ExpressThis card · 2x on dining | $150 | $114 | −$36 | 1125th of 1,291 |
| American Express® GoldAmerican Express's most-held other card · 4x on dining | $325 | $594 | +$269 | 547th of 1,291 |
| Savor RewardsThe strongest no-fee card on this budget · 3% on dining | None | $642 | +$642 | 4th of 1,291 |
| Robinhood Gold CardHighest net return on this budget · 3% on everything | $50 | $798 | +$748 | 1st of 1,291 |
Reference budget: groceries $6,000, dining and restaurants $3,600, gas and ev charging $2,400, travel and transit $3,000, online shopping $2,400, entertainment and streaming $1,200, everything else $6,000. Points are valued at 1¢ unless the program is worth less; statement credits, welcome bonuses, and perks are left out. Run it with your own spending.
