Founded in 1924, Delta Airlines is the largest airline operating under a single ticket in the world.  Delta flies to all six major continents (Antarctica not included) and is responsible for more than 4,000 flights each and every day.  If you fly Delta, American Express has designed a line of credit cards specific to your needs.  All rewards cater to improving your Delta flying experience and the more you fly the more you save.  Let’s take a look at what the Gold Delta SkyMiles^® Credit Card from American Express brings to the table and why this card might need to find it’s way into your wallet.

Learn More: Compare this and other travel rewards cards, and apply online HERE.

• Limited Time Offer: Earn 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card within your first 4 months.
• Plus, earn a $50 statement credit after you make a Delta purchase with your new card within your first 4 months. Offer expires on 7/5/2017.
• Earn 2 miles on every dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta. Earn 1 mile for every dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
• Check your first bag free on every Delta flight. That’s a savings of up to $200 per round-trip for a family of four!
• Settle into your seat sooner with Priority Boarding.
• Enjoy an introductory $0 annual fee for the first year, then $95 for each year thereafter.
• Terms apply.

Gold Delta SkyMiles^® Credit Card Rewards Program

Double miles on Delta purchases and single miles on all other purchases is a somewhat-tempered down modern day rewards program. The value in the Gold Delta SkyMiles^® Credit Card from American Express doesn’t actually come from the everyday rewards program. It comes from just about everything else.

First free checked bag — On the surface, you may not think a single checked bag is of great significance. However, the free first checked bag perk extends to a maximum of nine people in your flight reservation. This means that if you’re traveling in a large group and use your Gold Delta SkyMiles^® Credit Card from American Express to book the reservation, the potential savings is north of $200 in baggage fees per flight (round-trip means double the savings).  To utilize this feature, you must reserve the flight with your SkyMiles^® number. You must also be the primary cardholder on the account.

Resource: Thinking About Travel Hacking?

Priority boarding — All card members will receive Zone 1 Priority Boarding on Delta flights. Regardless of when you check-in, you’re moved to zone 1 if you made the flight reservation using your Gold Delta SkyMiles^® Credit Card from American Express. Priority boarding is included in all Delta and Delta Connection flights, but Delta Shuttle flights are not included.

Reduced rate Sky Club^® access — Across the world, one of the best Delta perks is access to their Sky Club.  Clean, quiet, and normally very well-stocked, it’s a terrific place to spend a few hours if you have time, or if you have the unfortunate circumstance of being delayed. Its awesomeness however, comes at the steep price of $50 per Delta ticketed passenger (no guests allowed) or an annual rate of $495 (47,000 Delta SkyMiles^®).

The perk included with the Gold Delta SkyMiles^® Credit Card from American Express is that access to this lounge is reduced to a price of $29 per person. Plus, up to two guests can be included (even if they do not have Delta tickets). If you’re wondering how to obtain free Delta Sky Club^® access, you’ll need Delta Gold or Platinum Medallion Status… and it takes a lot of spending to get there.

In-flight savings — Every purchase you make on a Delta flight will be discounted 20%. This comes in the form of a statement credit, six to eight weeks after the purchase is made. (So, think 1-2 billing cycles.) This includes food, beverages, and audio headsets but does NOT include in-flight WiFi or charitable contributions (tips).

No foreign transaction fees — When traveling abroad, there are no foreign transaction fees to worry about. In order to process your credit card overseas, the merchant converts to US currency. Sometimes, a hefty fee is imposed (1.9% – 3.9% of the transaction is industry standard). When using the Gold Delta SkyMiles^® Credit Card from American Express, though, there’s no such thing as a foreign transaction fee.

Gold Delta SkyMiles^® Credit Card Pricing Details

The purchase APR on the Gold Delta SkyMiles^® Credit Card from American Express is 16.49% – 25.49% variable. That’s a fairly high number when compared to other travel rewards credit cards, so it’s important to make sure that balances are not rolled over month-to-month.  The credit required to obtain this card is good to excellent. There is a $95 annual fee, which is kindly waived for the first year. The Cash Advance APR is 25.99% variable and the penalty APR is 29.99% variable. When the penalty APR is applied, it will be done for a minimum of six months. At that point, the account will be reviewed to have the penalty APR potentially removed.

Related: Is It Worth Paying an Annual Fee On a Credit Card?

If you’re in need of a balance transfer, there are better cards out there. However, the Gold Delta SkyMiles^® Credit Card from American Express can provide you one for a 3% balance transfer fee. Cash Advance fees are also 3% and the late payment/returned payment fee is $38.

The limited time offer of 60,000 bonus miles is double the standard offer of 30,000. This equates to a minimum of ~$300 in additional bonus rewards. The Gold Delta SkyMiles^® Credit Card from American Express is a must-have for any loyal traveler of Delta Airlines. Sure, there is a $95 annual fee (waived the first year). But that’s peanuts compared to the amount that can be saved on baggage fees and rewards.

Topics: Credit Cards

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