Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express Card review: Intro annual fee but limited perks
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card overview
For business owners looking to dip their toes into the Delta cobranded card lineup, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card is a solid starting point. It comes with an affordable annual fee (see rates and fees) and a few decent perks. But it just can't hold up to the other cards in the Delta stable. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐
*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG's editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
Business owners loyal to Delta Air Lines have no shortage of cobranded cards to choose from, whether you're a casual traveler or in the air every week.
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card is the starter card of the Delta Business lineup, offering solid perks and a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99 (see rates and fees).
This card is built for those who want a way to earn SkyMiles and take advantage of elite-like perks when flying Delta, but who might not travel with the airline enough to justify a higher annual fee.
Let's look at how the card stacks up against its Delta counterparts and other non-Delta alternatives.
Delta Gold Business Amex welcome offer
The Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Amex offers new cardmembers a welcome offer of 50,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months of card membership.
JOHN GRIBBEN/THE POINTS GUY TPG's latest valuations place Delta SkyMiles at 1.2 cents each, which means this offer is worth around $600.
Delivering a generous welcome offer and with a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year (see rates and fees), the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Amex is a solid choice for small-business owners who fly Delta on occasion.
Related: Best Delta credit cards
Earning miles on the Delta Gold Business Amex
This card earns:
- 2 miles per dollar on eligible purchases made directly with Delta
- 2 miles per dollar on U.S. shipping.†
- 2 miles per dollar on U.S. advertising in select media.†
- 2 miles per dollar on dining at restaurants.
- 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
†Effective 1/1/2024, this benefit will have a cap of $50,000 in eligible purchases per category, per year.
These aren't show-stopping earning rates, but it is nice to see some non-travel earning categories thrown in to help business owners earn on more than just travel with Delta.
Related: Best business credit cards for each category
Redeeming miles on the Delta Gold Business Amex
Your best redemption options are award flights on Delta or Delta's SkyTeam airline alliance partners. Delta's move to dynamic award pricing has made it harder to maximize SkyMiles, but you can still find value with the program if you can put in the time to do your own searches and be flexible when it comes time to redeem your miles.
Delta frequently has flash sales and other deals available on their website, and you can find excellent redemption options for both international and domestic itineraries. For example, we've recently seen deals for domestic awards from 2,000 SkyMiles one-way and New York to Bogota, Colombia, in Delta One from 12,000 SkyMiles one-way.
You can also use your SkyMiles for seat upgrades. Just know that since Delta doesn't have award charts, you won't know how many miles those premium seats will cost until you're ready to book. SkyMiles upgrades are also valid on certain flights operated by Delta partners Air France, KLM, Virgin Atlantic and Aeromexico when using Mileage Upgrade Awards once your flight is booked.
While you can also redeem your SkyMiles for gift cards, magazines, unique SkyMiles Experiences, online shopping and more, those options almost always get you a less-than-optimal return.
Related: How to redeem Delta SkyMiles for maximum value
Delta Gold Business Amex benefits
While the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business card doesn't come with the same premium perks as its more expensive Delta business card counterparts, it does come with a number of benefits when you're flying on Delta:
- Award flight discount: Get 15% off award redemptions for Delta flights (when paying taxes and fees with this card).
- Delta flight credit: Earn a $100 Delta flight credit after you spend $10,000 on purchases in a calendar year.
- First checked bag free: You and up to eight companions on the same reservation (so nine travelers total) will get your first checked bag free when flying on flights that are both Delta-marketed and Delta-operated. At $60 a bag round-trip, that can add up quickly if you travel regularly.
- Priority boarding: Receive Main Cabin 1 boarding on Delta flights for you and up to eight companions on the same reservation.
- Inflight discount: Receive a 20% statement credit on inflight purchases, including pre-purchased meals, food, alcoholic beverages and audio headsets when using the card. The credit does not confer any discounts on inflight Wi-Fi.
- Baggage insurance plan: If your luggage is lost, damaged or stolen when you use the card to pay for travel, you'll receive up to $1,250 for a carry-on and up to $500 for a checked bag.*
- Car rental loss and damage insurance: You're covered if your eligible rental car is damaged or stolen when you use the card to reserve and pay for it and decline company insurance. Note that this is secondary coverage and doesn't include liability.**
- Shopping protections:* The card comes with an extended warranty that adds up to one year onto an original manufacturer's warranty for five years or less. Purchase protection covers items that are accidentally damaged or stolen if you paid for them with the card for up to 90 days after the date of purchase.
*Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
**Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered, and geographic restrictions apply. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
Which cards compete with the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Amex?
While the Gold version comes with a solid welcome offer and portfolio of perks, you may want a card that offers more Delta perks or more flexibility.
- If you want flexible rewards: The American Express® Business Gold Card earns American Express Membership Rewards points that can be transferred to Delta SkyMiles and other loyalty programs. While it doesn't have perks specific to Delta, it does earn 4 points per dollar on your two highest spend business categories, which can include transit and U.S. restaurant purchases. For more information, check out our full review of the Amex Business Gold Card.
- If you fly Delta regularly: The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card offers additional Delta perks like an annual companion certificate and a faster path to elite status that could be a better fit for regular Delta travelers. For more information, check out our full review of the Delta Platinum Business Amex.
- If you want Sky Club access: The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card gives you complimentary Sky Club access for you as well as two one-time guest passes. But with that access comes a higher annual fee of $550 (see rates and fees). Effective 2/1/25, Reserve Card Members will receive 15 Visits per year to the Delta Sky Club; to earn an unlimited number of Visits each year starting on 2/1/25, the total eligible purchases on the Card must equal $75,000 or more between 1/1/24 and 12/31/24, and each calendar year thereafter. For more information, check out our full review of the Delta Reserve Business Amex.
For additional options, check out our full list of best travel cards and best American Express cards.
Read more: Who qualifies for a business credit card?
Is the Delta Gold Business Amex worth it?
For the Delta Gold Business Amex to be worth its annual fee, you'll want to make sure you're maximizing perks such as first checked bag free and inflight purchase discounts to surpass $99 in value each year. Even if you only fly the airline a few times a year, that shouldn't be hard to do, though — and the annual fee is even $0 for the first year for new cardmembers.
However, if you already have Delta Medallion elite status that provides your first checked bag free and priority boarding, you may not get enough value from this card to justify its annual fee.
Bottom line
You'll want to choose the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Amex if your business needs a credit card that comes with basic Delta perks like a free checked bag and priority boarding to help make travel easier, and you don't want to spend a huge amount in annual fees. However, if you're hoping to use your card to help you hit elite status, one of the other Delta business credit cards will be a better fit.
If you're looking for an everyday business credit card, there are other alternatives with better options for earning extra points in spending categories that are most important to you, or the ability to get more value for those points when redeeming them. But for Delta flyers looking for a simple business credit card to make their time in the air more comfortable, this card is the most straightforward and inexpensive choice.
Apply here for the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express Card with 50,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first three months of Card Membership.
For rates and fees of the Delta Gold Business Amex, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta Reserve Business Amex, click here.
Additional reporting by Emily Thompson and Eric Rosen.