Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card Benefits Guide

The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card lets users rack up miles and has the lowest annual fee in the Delta SkyMiles card portfolio (among cards with an annual fee). This card has a surprising number of perks, including benefits that can save you money or help you have a more comfortable travel experience.

But are the Delta Gold card’s benefits actually worth it?

Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card benefits

One of the biggest benefits of using the Delta SkyMiles Gold is that it earns Delta SkyMiles. You can redeem these miles for flights, hotels and vacation rentals booked through Delta and more. Here are ways the Delta SkyMiles Gold card can help you earn miles faster.

Welcome bonus

The Delta SkyMiles Gold card comes with a welcome offer of 50,000 bonus miles when you spend $2,000 within six months after opening your account. It also comes with an introductory annual fee of $0 that converts to $150 per year after that, which might be manageable especially if you fly often.

So, how much are those miles really worth? According to Bankrate’s latest valuations, miles earned in the Delta SkyMiles program are worth approximately 1.2 cents each, on average. This valuation makes the bonus offer worth up to approximately $600 in airfare.

Earn up to 2X miles on purchases

With the Delta SkyMiles Gold, you earn 2X miles on Delta purchases. You also earn 2X miles at restaurants (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.) and on U.S. supermarket purchases. Other purchases earn 1 mile per dollar spent. This earning rate is decent among airline credit cards, and the categories are pretty useful.

Get 15 percent off award travel

Cardholders get a 15 percent discount when they use their miles to book award travel through Delta.com. This is a big benefit that can save you thousands of miles. For example, cardholders would only need to spend 42,500 points for a flight that normally costs 50,000 miles. That is a savings of 7,500 miles that can be used for your next trip with Delta.

Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card travel benefits

The Delta SkyMiles Gold offers some sweet perks on top of the rewards you can earn. The following benefits can make travel with Delta more comfortable, more affordable or both.

Free checked bag

When flying with Delta, this card allows you to check your first bag for free. Even better, it applies to up to 8 other companions on your itinerary. Considering a checked bag on Delta would save you up to $70 on a round-trip flight, this benefit can be worth up to $280 on a round-trip flight for a family of four — that easily covers the annual fee with just one trip.

Priority boarding

The Delta SkyMiles Gold also comes with Zone 5 priority boarding on Delta flights. Once again, this perk applies to the cardholder and up to 8 companions on their itinerary. This perk lets you grab all-important space in the overhead bin a little faster when you have carry-on bags to stow.

20% discount on in-flight purchases

Use your card to pay for in-flight food and beverages, and you’ll get 20 percent back on those purchases in the form of a statement credit on your account.

Car rental loss and damage insurance

You are also eligible for secondary auto rental coverage when you pay for an eligible rental car with your Delta SkyMiles Gold. This benefit does not include liability coverage.

No foreign transaction fees

The Delta SkyMiles Gold does not charge foreign transaction fees if you use it for purchases outside the U.S. Considering foreign transaction fees typically range from 1 percent to 3 percent, your savings can add up if you travel often.

$200 Delta flight credit

Finally, if you spend $10,000 on your card within a calendar year, you can qualify for a $200 Delta flight credit good toward future travel.

$100 Delta Stays credit

You can receive up to $100 back per year as a statement credit when you book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals on your Delta Gold card through Delta Stays on delta.com/stays.

In addition to travel benefits that come with the Delta SkyMiles Gold, there are some purchase protections and shopping benefits thrown in the mix.

Pay It, Plan It

The American Express Pay It, Plan It features let you pay down small purchase amounts quickly or split up large purchases and pay them down without interest in exchange for a fixed monthly fee.

ShopRunner membership

This card comes with ShopRunner membership, which includes free two-day shipping and free returns at more than 100 stores. Participating retailers can change over time, but currently include American Eagle, Neiman Marcus, Soma, Cole Haan and more.

Extended warranties

You can qualify for free extended warranty coverage on eligible items that come with a manufacturer’s warranty of five years or less. This benefit adds on another year of extended warranty protection. This protection is good for up to $10,000 in coverage per eligible purchase and up to $50,000 per eligible card in a calendar year.

Purchase protection

Purchases made with the card are eligible for purchase protection against damage or theft. This benefit applies to purchases for up to 90 days, and it’s good for up to $10,000 per occurrence and up to $50,000 per calendar year.

Maximizing the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card

To get the most out of your Delta SkyMiles Gold card, use it when making purchases that offer a boosted earnings rate. The card earns 2X miles on Delta purchases as well as at restaurants (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.) and U.S. supermarkets. All other purchases earn 1X miles.

While some airline cards offer an automatic anniversary bonus each year, with the Delta SkyMiles Gold, you earn your annual credit through spending. That said, spending at least $10,000 on the card each calendar year to earn the $200 Delta statement credit shouldn’t be too difficult — especially if you use it for Delta purchases, restaurants and supermarkets.

Take advantage of the other perks this card offers — such as the free checked baggage allowance, 15 percent off when using miles to book through Delta.com, Zone 5 priority boarding and more. And don’t forget that the card comes with purchase protection and extended warranty coverage.

The bottom line

The Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card offers excellent frequent flyer perks and shopping benefits most people don’t even know about. Because you also earn Delta SkyMiles for each dollar spent, there are quite a few reasons to choose this card over other rewards credit cards you may be considering.

Even so, it never hurts to compare all your options before you decide. Be sure to take a closer look at other top airline credit cards, including other Delta credit cards, before you apply.