Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card benefits guide

The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card lets users rack up miles without having to pay an exorbitant annual fee. This card also comes with a surprising number of perks, including benefits that can help you save money or have a more comfortable travel experience.

But, what exactly do you get with the Delta SkyMiles Gold? And what are Delta Gold benefits actually worth?

This guide outlines the current roster of Delta Gold benefits, how to use them and other reasons you may want to sign up for this airline credit card.

Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card highlights

• Earn 40,000 bonus miles when you spend $2,000 on purchases within six months of account opening
• Earn 2X miles on Delta purchases, dining at restaurants and U.S. supermarket purchases plus 1X miles on other purchases
• $0 annual fee the first year, then $99
• Variable APR of 20.74 percent to 29.74 percent

Earning Delta SkyMiles

The Delta SkyMiles Gold lets users earn 2X miles on Delta purchases, dining and U.S. supermarket purchases, as well as 1X miles on other purchases. This earning rate is decent among airline credit cards, and the categories are pretty useful.

You also earn 40,000 bonus miles when you spend $2,000 within six months of account opening, but what are those miles really worth? According to Bankrate’s latest valuations, miles earned in the Delta SkyMiles program are worth approximately 1.3 cents each. This valuation makes the bonus offer worth up to approximately $520 in airfare.

When it comes to redeeming Delta SkyMiles, the first detail to note is the fact this frequent flyer program does not have an award chart. It can be difficult to know exactly how many miles you need for the award you want, but you can always play around with options on Delta.com to get an idea.

Generally speaking, round-trip domestic economy flights on Delta start at around 15,000 miles, whereas round-trip international economy flights start at around 60,000 miles. These are just estimates, however, and you’ll likely find flight awards that cost more or less.

As an example, consider this flight award in November 2021 from Los Angeles (LAX) to New York (JFK). On the Delta website, you can easily see the different dates with round-trip economy fares starting at 14,5000 miles.

In the meantime, you can see how prices in miles change for international flights. In the example below, round-trip economy flights from Chicago to Paris start at 58,000 miles for dates in November.

Note that you can use Delta SkyMiles to pay for upgrades or Delta gift cards. You can also donate your miles or use them for magazine subscriptions, experiences or vacation packages.

Travel benefits

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

Free checked bag

This card gives you a free checked bag on Delta flights, and it applies to up to eight other companions on your itinerary. Considering a checked bag on Delta would set you back $30, this benefit can be worth up to $240 on a round-trip flight for a family of four.

Priority boarding

The Delta SkyMiles Gold also comes with Main Cabin 1 priority boarding on Delta flights. Once again, this perk applies to the cardholder and up to eight companions on their itinerary.

20% discount on in-flight purchases

Use your card to pay for in-flight food, beverage and audio headset charges 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

Cardholders are also eligible for secondary auto rental coverage when they pay for an eligible rental car with their Delta SkyMiles Gold. This benefit does not include any 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 4 percent, the savings accrued with this benefit can add up.

$100 Delta flight credit

Finally, cardholders who spend $10,000 on their card within a calendar year can qualify for a $100 Delta flight credit good toward future travel.

Shopping benefits

In addition to the travel benefits that come with the Delta SkyMiles Gold, there are some purchase protections and shopping benefits thrown in the mix. Here are the key Amex Gold benefits for purchases you should know about.

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 they currently include American Eagle, Neiman Marcus, Soma, Cole Haan and more.

Extended warranties

Cardholders 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.

Purchase protection

Purchases made with the card are also 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 $1,000 per occurrence and up to $50,000 per calendar year.

The bottom line

The Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card offers some excellent frequent flyer perks and shopping benefits most people don’t even know about. Since you also earn Delta SkyMiles for each dollar you spend, 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 airline credit cards, including other Delta credit cards, before you apply.