These are our favorite credit cards for Delta flyers in 2025

CNN

13-05-2025

CNN Underscored reviews financial products based on their overall value. We may receive a commission through our affiliate partners if you apply and are approved for a product, but our reporting is always independent and objective. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Delta Air Lines and its Delta SkyMiles loyalty program continue to be a favorite among frequent and casual flyers alike. Known for its extensive route network, impressive onboard entertainment and fast, consistent Wi-Fi, Delta has positioned itself as a premium domestic and international carrier. If you often find yourself flying Delta, the right Delta credit card can elevate your travel experience while helping you rack up SkyMiles faster than ever before.
With multiple personal and business card options issued by American Express and generous welcome offers on many of them, now is an opportune time to find the Delta card that best suits your travel habits.
Delta recently increased annual fees and overhauled benefits on its suite of American Express-cobranded credit cards. So, when choosing a Delta credit card, it's important to consider several key factors beyond just the sign-up bonus.
Travel frequency: Do you fly Delta once or twice a year, or are you hopping on a plane every month? Occasional travelers might benefit most from cards with lower fees, while frequent flyers will see outsized value from premium perks like lounge access and companion certificates.
Elite status goals: Are you aiming to earn or maintain Medallion status? Premium Delta cards can offer MQDs and accelerators that can help.
Checked bags and boarding: Most Delta cards grant your first checked bag free, a benefit that easily offsets a card's annual fee after just a couple of trips. Priority boarding is another perk that enhances the travel experience.
Companion certificates: High-tier Delta cards include annual companion certificates that can provide exceptional value, particularly when used for pricey routes in first class or Comfort+.
Lounge access: If comfort and productivity at the airport are top priorities, look for cards that offer complimentary Delta Sky Club and Centurion Lounge access.
Bonus categories: Consider what you spend the most money on — restaurants, groceries, advertising, shipping? Some cards offer generous miles on categories relevant to both personal and business spending.
Foreign transaction fees: For international travelers, it's important to use a card that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees. Fortunately, all current Delta Amex cards waive these fees.
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card: Best Delta credit card with no annual fee
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card: Best for occasional Delta flyers
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card: Best for regular Delta flyers
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card: Best Delta companion certificate
The Platinum Card® from American Express: Best for Delta lounge access
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card: Best for business owners who fly Delta
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card: Best for Delta business travelers
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card: Best for Delta road warriors
Each card comes with its own strengths and trade-offs. In the next sections, we'll take an in-depth look at each and how they stack up against one another.
If you don't fly Delta that often and just want to earn Delta SkyMiles without paying an annual fee, the Delta Blue Amex is a basic, no-frills Delta credit card. With 2 miles earned for every dollar you spend at restaurants worldwide, access to Delta's Pay with Miles program and no foreign transaction fees, this card actually has a decent number of features for an airline credit card in the no-annual-fee camp (see rates and fees).
People who check bags on Delta for at least two trips each year will want a more powerful Delta credit card since the Delta Blue Amex doesn't have a checked bag fee waiver. But for the once-in-a-while traveler, Delta's no-annual-fee credit card may be worth considering.
You can also earn 10,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Delta Blue Amex card in the first six months after opening your account. Based on the points valuations of frequent flyer website The Points Guy, Delta SkyMiles are worth 1.2 cents apiece, meaning these 10,000 bonus miles are worth $120 toward travel.
Learn more about the Delta SkyMiles Blue Amex Card.
The Delta Gold Amex credit card has an introductory annual fee of $0 for the first year, and then a $150 annual fee starting at your first renewal (see rates and fees), so you can try out the card for a year to see if it's right for you.
New Delta Gold Amex card members can earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases in the first six months after opening the account. Those miles are worth $600 toward travel based on The Points Guy's valuations.
With the Delta Gold Amex, you'll receive 2 miles per dollar at restaurants and US supermarkets, plus up to $200 in Delta flight credit after spending $10,000 in a calendar year.
You'll also get your first checked bag free on all Delta flights with this card, which further whittles down the net cost of carrying it and offers 20% savings on in-flight purchases made while flying Delta.
Learn more about the Delta SkyMiles Gold Amex Card.
If you've been thinking about getting a Delta Platinum Amex credit card, the card currently features a welcome offer of 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases in the first six months after opening the account.
To put it in context, those 60,000 miles are worth $720 based on The Points Guy's valuations, and potentially even more with some simple planning and strategy. Even with the card's $350 annual fee (see rates and fees), you'll easily come out ahead in the first year with just the bonus.
You won't get complimentary lounge access with the Delta Platinum Amex, but you'll still earn 3 miles per dollar spent on eligible Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels, 2 miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide and at US supermarkets, and 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases.
Delta Platinum Amex card members also get Zone 5 priority boarding, a domestic main cabin round-trip companion certificate each time you renew the card (starting at the beginning of your second year), your first checked bag free on Delta flights and a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit worth up to $120.
And if you're chasing Delta elite status, you may also like the Delta Platinum Amex. You'll get a $2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollar (MQD) head start each Medallion qualification year. You'll also earn $1 MQD for every $20 you spend on your card.
Learn more about the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex Card.
The Delta Reserve Amex is designed for frequent Delta travelers who are looking for the most premium option. With a $650 annual fee (see rates and fees), this card offers premium benefits tailored to enhance your flying experience and fast-track you toward Medallion status.
One of the card's most valuable features is access to Delta Sky Club lounges. Card members receive 15 visits per Medallion qualification year when flying on Delta. To unlock unlimited Sky Club access, card members must spend $75,000 or more in purchases in a calendar year. You'll also receive four one-time guest passes each year to share the lounge experience with friends or family traveling with you on Delta. And if you pay for your flight with your Reserve card, you'll have access to the Amex Centurion lounge.
The Delta Reserve Amex also comes with a welcome offer of 70,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 in purchases in the first six months after account opening. Those 70,000 miles are worth $840 at The Points Guy's valuations.
One standout perk is the annual companion certificate. This certificate allows you to bring a travel companion on a round-trip domestic flight in First Class, Comfort+ or Main Cabin; you'll pay no more than $250 in taxes and fees. This benefit can easily offset the card's annual fee when used for a high-value route.
Other travel benefits include:
Complimentary upgrades on Delta flights for Medallion members and even eligible non-elite flyers
First checked bag free on Delta flights
Zone 5 priority boarding
20% back on Delta in-flight purchases
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit (up to $120)
Receive $2,500 MQDs per Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 with MQD Boost to get closer to status next Medallion year
The card earns 3 miles per dollar on eligible Delta purchases and 1 mile per dollar on everything else.
Learn more about the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Amex Card.
Though it's not a Delta credit card, the Amex Platinum can be a Delta flyer's best friend. You can earn 80,000 Membership Rewards bonus points after you use your new card to make $8,000 in purchases in the first six months after opening the account, and those points are transferable to Delta at a 1-to-1 ratio or to many other airline and hotel partners.
Amex Platinum card members get 10 Delta Sky Club visits per program year (Feb. 1 through Jan. 31) with a same-day Delta boarding pass, with each visit covering all entries within a 24-hour period. Authorized users get their own 10 visits. After that, access is $50 per visit. If you spend $75,000 in a calendar year, you'll unlock unlimited access. Guests aren't free, but up to two can enter for $50 each.
The Amex Platinum also opens the door to Amex's own Centurion Lounges, international American Express lounges, a collection of partner lounges and Priority Pass Select lounges. In total, it unlocks access to more than 1,300 airport lounges across 130 countries (and counting). In other words, the Amex Platinum provides more lounge access but charges a higher $695 annual fee than the Delta Reserve Amex (see rates and fees).
A unique perk of this card is the ability to unlock elite status in a variety of programs. Just by holding the Amex Platinum, you're granted Gold status in Hilton's Honors and Marriott's Bonvoy programs. And on the car rental front, you'll get complimentary memberships in Hertz Gold Plus Rewards, Avis Preferred and National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive. You'll just need to enroll in each of these programs to use this benefit.
For those who rely on ride-sharing to get around, the card comes with $200 in annual statement credits for Uber rides in the US and Uber Eats orders, split into monthly $15 credits, plus a bonus $20 each December. Again, you'll need to enroll before you use this benefit.
You'll also get a credit of up to $120 to cover the fee for applying for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, up to $120 in annual Saks Fifth Avenue credits, up to $189 in annual credits toward a CLEAR® membership and up to $200 in annual airline fee credits to cover incidental fees — such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments — on an airline of your choice. Enrollment is also required for each of these benefits.
And let's not forget that the Amex Platinum earns 5 points for every dollar you spend on airfare purchases made directly with any airline (Delta included), as well as on airfare and prepaid hotels booked through amextravel.com.
Learn more about The Platinum Card from American Express.
If you own a business, large or small, Delta also has welcome offers on its line of business credit cards. Currently, you can earn 60,000 bonus miles on the Delta Gold Business card after spending $4,000 in purchases within the first six months after you open the account. The card has a zero-dollar introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 a year thereafter (see rates and fees).
Similar to the personal Delta Gold Amex, the Delta Gold Business Amex offers up to a $200 Delta flight credit after you spend $10,000 in purchases on your card in a calendar year, plus a free checked bag on Delta flights alongside Zone 5 priority boarding and no foreign transaction fees to sweat (see rates and fees).
However, with this business card, you earn 2 miles per dollar on US shipping and select US advertising purchases (up to $50,000 per category per year) as well as Delta purchases and dining.
Learn more about the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Amex Card.
The Delta Platinum Business Amex has a $350 annual fee (see rates and fees), but that outlay comes with a welcome offer of 70,000 bonus miles after you spend $6,000 in purchases in the first six months after opening the account.
The card earns 1.5 miles per dollar on eligible transit and US shipping purchases, plus single eligible purchases of $5,000 or more. (Terms and miles cap apply.) If your purchase qualifies for a category that has a higher mileage accelerator, only the higher accelerator will apply.
Flight benefits on the Delta Platinum Business Amex include all the same perks as the personal Delta Platinum Amex card, like a first checked bag for free on Delta flights, Zone 5 priority boarding, no foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees) and the same MQD structure, which can help you earn elite status.
Learn more about the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business Amex Card.
Business owners willing to pay the card's $650 annual fee (see rates and fees) for the same Delta Sky Club access policy as the Delta Reserve should consider the Delta Reserve Business Amex. Right now, this card offers 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $10,000 in purchases in the first six months after opening the account. You'll earn 3 miles per dollar spent on Delta purchases with the Delta Reserve Business Amex.
As for Medallion status, you'll receive $2,500 MQDs per Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 with MQD Boost to get closer to status next Medallion Year.
And finally, the Delta Reserve Business Amex provides complimentary upgrades for non-elite members when available and an annual companion certificate that can be used for domestic first-class travel each year upon renewal of your card. Plus, you won't have to fret over foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees).
Learn more about the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Amex Card.
For travelers who fly Delta occasionally and can take advantage of perks like a free checked bag at least twice per year, the Delta Gold Amex or Delta Gold Business Amex may offer solid value without a high annual fee.
If you're aiming to earn elite status with Delta, the Delta Platinum Amex or Platinum Business Amex may be a better fit. These cards help you rack up MQDs, which are central to earning Delta Status.
Frequent travelers who want airport lounge access may prefer the American Express Platinum Card over a Delta Reserve Card. The Amex Platinum offers broader lounge access (including Centurion, Priority Pass and Delta Sky Club), hotel and rental car elite status, and hundreds of dollars in annual credits — all of which help justify its $695 annual fee.
However, if you're loyal to Delta, the Delta Reserve Amex or Delta Reserve Business Amex could be worth it for benefits exclusive to Delta cards, like the annual companion certificate, MQD Headstart and Sky Club perks with guest passes.
The following FAQs have been answered by credit card expert and CNN Underscored travel editor Kyle Olsen.
Which card is better Delta credit card, Gold or Platinum?
Which card is better Delta credit card, Gold or Platinum?
The Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex is best for frequent Delta flyers who want premium perks like an annual companion ticket, a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit and help earning Medallion status, though it comes with a higher annual fee. The Delta Gold Amex is better for occasional travelers looking for solid benefits like a free checked bag and a lower fee. Go with Platinum for maximum rewards or Gold for a budget-friendly option.
Is it possible to upgrade an existing Delta credit card?
Is it possible to upgrade an existing Delta credit card?
Yes, you can upgrade a Delta credit card (like Gold to Platinum or Reserve) by calling American Express or checking your online account. The annual fee will be prorated, but you may not get a welcome bonus. Welcome bonuses are usually for new applicants. For that reason, we suggest applying for a new card instead to earn the full bonus, though upgrading is faster and keeps your current account.
Can you use a Delta credit card for other airlines?
Can you use a Delta credit card for other airlines?
You can use a Delta credit card for purchases on any airline, but perks like bonus miles and travel benefits typically apply only to Delta or its partners. You'll still earn SkyMiles on partner airline flights if you include your SkyMiles number, and you can redeem miles for partner flights, but not directly through other airlines' loyalty programs.
CNN Underscored is committed to providing accurate, unbiased reviews based on in-depth research and real-world testing. As a Delta Gold Elite Medallion member who has covered the ins and outs of Delta's credit cards for years, travel editor Kyle Olsen is a credit cards expert. Our team evaluates credit cards by analyzing value, benefits and how they serve different types of travelers.
Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.