If you fly Delta even a few times a year, the airline's American Express cards promise free checked bags, priority boarding, and a pile of bonus miles to get started. But there are three personal Delta SkyMiles American Express cards, and their annual fees range from nothing in year one to $650. Picking the wrong one means overpaying for perks you will not use. Here is a clear breakdown of each card, as of June 2026, so you can match the card to how you actually fly. If you are weighing rival points cards, our Chase Sapphire Preferred review is a useful comparison point.
Delta SkyMiles American Express Cards at a Glance
| Card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | $0 first year, then $150 | 70,000 miles after $3,000 in 6 months, plus 20,000 more after $2,000 more | Occasional Delta flyers |
| Platinum | $350 | 80,000 miles after $4,000 in 6 months, plus 20,000 more after $2,000 more | Frequent flyers who want a companion certificate |
| Reserve | $650 | 100,000 miles after $6,000 in 6 months, plus 25,000 more after $3,000 more | Heavy Delta loyalists who want lounge access |
Welcome offers shown were available through 07/15/2026. Terms apply, and rates and fees vary. These are American Express cards and require good to excellent credit.
Delta SkyMiles Gold: The Starter Card
The Gold card is the entry point and the easiest to justify for most travelers. The annual fee is $0 for the first year, then $150 after that. If you would rather skip a fee entirely, compare it against the best no annual fee American Express options.
The welcome offer is generous for a card at this level: 70,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in the first six months, plus another 20,000 miles after an additional $2,000 in the same window. That is up to 90,000 miles, enough for several domestic round-trips depending on routes.
The headline ongoing perk is a free first checked bag on Delta flights for you and up to eight companions on the same reservation. One round-trip with a checked bag often covers the $150 fee on its own. The Gold is the right pick if you fly Delta occasionally and mostly want to skip bag fees.
Delta SkyMiles Platinum: The Companion Certificate Card
The Platinum card steps up to a $350 annual fee, and the value hinges on one perk. Its welcome offer is 80,000 miles after $4,000 in six months, plus 20,000 more after an additional $2,000.
The standout benefit is an annual companion certificate, which lets a second person fly with you on a domestic, Caribbean, or Central American round-trip for just the taxes and fees. If you take an annual trip with a partner, that certificate can be worth far more than the $350 fee by itself.
The Platinum also includes the free first checked bag and stronger mile-earning on Delta purchases and everyday categories. It is the card for someone who flies Delta several times a year and travels with a companion. Hotel loyalists may also want to pair it with a card like the Marriott Bonvoy family for free nights.
Delta SkyMiles Reserve: The Premium Card
The Reserve sits at the top with a $650 annual fee, and it is built for true Delta loyalists. The welcome offer is the largest in the lineup: 100,000 miles after $6,000 in six months, plus 25,000 more after an additional $3,000.
The defining perk is access to Delta Sky Club lounges when flying Delta, plus access to American Express Centurion Lounges. It also comes with a companion certificate that includes first-class and Comfort+ fares, an upgraded version of the Platinum benefit. For a flyer who lives in Delta lounges and books premium cabins, the Reserve can pay for itself. For everyone else, it is too much card.
What If You Do Not Have the Credit Yet?
The Delta Amex cards all require good to excellent credit. If your score is not there yet, applying and getting denied only wastes a hard inquiry. The better move is to build your credit first, then come back for the travel card you really want.
A fee-free or low-cost card that reports to all three bureaus is the fastest honest path. The Aspire Cash Back Rewards Mastercard is built for fair or rebuilding credit and pays cash back on everyday spending, so you earn while you build. Pairing it with a plan to improve your credit score gets you to a travel card faster.
Aspire® Cash Back Rewards Mastercard
Aspire® Cash Back Rewards Mastercard
Aspire® Cash Back Rewards Mastercard. Prequalify* For Up To $1000 Credit Limit. No security deposit. Packed with great benefits, it’s designed to give you more flexibility—and purchasing power—along with up to 3% cash back rewards!** Good anywhere Mastercard is accepted, it’s the go-to card for any lifestyle.
Standout feature
Up to 3% cashback rewards
Fees
$49 to $175; after that $0 to $49 annually; - $60 to $159 annually billed at $5 to $12.50 per month after the first year.
Pros
No Deposit Required. Prequalify for up to $1000 credit limit
Cons
High APR. 25.74% to 36%, based on your creditworthiness.
Once your credit is strong and you are earning miles, it helps to put your travel rewards to work alongside long-term investing. Robinhood Gold offers a high yield on uninvested cash and other premium features, which can complement a points-and-miles strategy for travelers who want their money working between trips.
Robinhood
Robinhood
Robinhood is a trading platform that brings stocks, ETFs, options, futures, prediction markets, crypto, and retirement accounts together in one app.
Standout feature
One platform for stocks, ETFs, options, futures, prediction markets, and crypto
Fees
$0 commission on stocks, ETFs, and options.
Pros
Zero-commission trading on stocks, ETFs, and options
Cons
Best perks (high APY, lower margin rates) require Gold subscription ($5/month)
If you want to spread out a big travel purchase while still building credit, the Perpay Credit Card lets you pay over time through its marketplace and reports to the bureaus, with no security deposit required.
Perpay Credit Card
Perpay Credit Card
Meet the only card powered by your paycheck. With automatic transfers from your paycheck, you can manage payments stress-free and build credit with ease.
Fee
$9/month plus $9 account opening fee
APR
Marketplace: 0% / Credit Card: 27.74% to 29.99% depending on your creditworthiness.
Minimum Deposit Amount
$0
Credit Check
No
Cashback
2% reward on purchases made in Perpay Marketplace
Benefit
2% rewards, no security deposit
How to Pick the Right Delta Amex
Match the card to your flying, not to the biggest welcome bonus. If you fly Delta once or twice a year and just want to dodge bag fees, the Gold at $0 the first year is plenty. If you take a yearly trip with a companion, the Platinum's certificate likely covers its fee. If you fly Delta constantly and value lounge access, the Reserve earns its keep.
A few rules apply to all three. American Express welcome bonuses are usually once-per-card-per-lifetime, so time your application for when you can hit the spend naturally. And never carry a balance on a rewards card, because the interest will swamp any miles you earn. APRs vary by creditworthiness, and terms and conditions apply.
The Bottom Line
The Delta SkyMiles American Express lineup has a card for nearly every type of Delta flyer, from the casual traveler to the lounge loyalist. The Gold offers the best value-to-cost ratio for most people, the Platinum rewards companion travelers, and the Reserve serves heavy flyers. Whichever you choose, you need good credit to qualify, so build your score first with a card like Aspire or Perpay if you are not there yet.
Frequently Asked Questions
What credit score do I need for a Delta SkyMiles American Express card?
The Delta Amex cards generally require good to excellent credit, often a FICO score in the upper 600s or higher. If your credit is not there yet, it is better to build it first than to risk a denial and a wasted hard inquiry.
Which Delta Amex card has the best welcome bonus?
The Delta SkyMiles Reserve had the largest welcome offer at up to 125,000 miles, followed by the Platinum and then the Gold. The best card is not always the one with the biggest bonus, though, since the higher cards carry steeper annual fees you need to use to justify.
Do Delta SkyMiles American Express cards include free checked bags?
Yes. All three personal Delta SkyMiles American Express cards include a free first checked bag on Delta flights, often for you and several companions on the same reservation. For frequent flyers, this perk alone can offset the annual fee.
Is the Delta SkyMiles Gold annual fee really free?
The $150 annual fee is waived for the first year, then it applies in year two and beyond. The first-year waiver makes the Gold a low-risk way to test whether the card's bag and mile benefits fit your travel before you pay anything.
