Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business Card review 2024: Lofty benefits for a low altitude price

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Some of the offers/benefits in this post have been updated or are no longer available. Please see the issuer site for current product information.

Earn miles on purchases, plus gain valuable perks including discounts on in-flight purchases, free checked bags, priority boarding, plus a 15% discount when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app for people with certain Delta co-branded credit cards (discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or taxes and fees). 

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Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card * The information for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. basics

• Annual fee: $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 (terms apply).
• Welcome bonus: 55,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership.
• Rewards: 2 miles per $1 spent on purchases at U.S. shipping providers and at U.S. providers for advertising in select media (on up to $50,000 of purchases per category, per year), 2 miles per $1 spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta and at restaurants and 1 mile per $1 spent on other eligible purchases.
• APR: 20.99% to 29.99% variable APR.
• Recommended credit score: Good to excellent.
• Other benefits: First checked bag free and Zone 5 priority boarding on Delta flights, TakeOff15 benefit for 15% discount on Award Travel Delta flights when booking with miles on delta.com and the Fly Delta app (excluding partner-operated flights and taxes and fees), 20% savings in the form of a statement credit on select Delta in-flight purchases made with the card and earn a $100 Delta Flight Credit after spending $10,000 in purchases on the card in a calendar year on the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card * The information for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. .

Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Card review

The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card * The information for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. and provides more benefits than you’d expect for a card with no annual fee for the first year. However, its benefits also justify the ongoing annual fee in year two and beyond, assuming you’re able to use them. 

This is an ideal business card for those who regularly fly Delta and check bags, as it has the lowest annual fee of any Delta business card offering the first checked bag free perk on Delta flights. It’s also a contender for people who want to earn Delta SkyMiles on purchases, but don’t need the fancy perks or higher annual fees that other cards offer.

When flying with Delta, you’ll also enjoy Zone 5 priority boarding to help you win the race for overhead bin space and you’ll get 20% back (as a statement credit) on select Delta in-flight purchases made with your card. The card comes with Delta’s TakeOff15 benefit, which provides massive value when it’s time to redeem your earnings, but it doesn’t apply to partner flights or taxes and fees. So while your Delta miles can help you book flights with airlines like Air France, KLM, Aeromexico and even Hawaiian Airlines — the 15% discount when using miles to book Award Travel through delta.com or the Fly Delta app doesn’t apply to those flights.

This card also provides several protections for your trips and purchases. The baggage insurance plan¹ can provide reimbursement if your luggage is lost and the rental car loss and damage insurance² can provide secondary coverage for eligible vehicles when paying with your card. You’ll also get extended warranty³ benefits, adding an extra year to manufacturers’ warranties of five years or less, and purchase protection⁴ for up to 90 days on items bought with your card. Cardholders also have access to Amex Offers (enrollment required), which can provide rewards on qualifying purchases.

The most serious drawback to consider is that the rewards aren’t great when you consider other business credit cards on the market. We value Delta SkyMiles at 1.2 cents apiece, meaning you could earn 2.4 or 1.2 cents worth of rewards per purchase, but your rewards are trapped in the Delta program. Other cards could earn American Express Membership Rewards® points that tend to be more valuable, due to their many uses — one of which is transferring them to Delta.

However, choosing a non-Delta card means you won’t get the TakeOff15 benefit or your first checked bag free on the airline (although elite status with Delta can offer baggage perks). So while the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card * The information for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. does offer several good benefits, it also comes with tradeoffs to evaluate. Luckily, you can get a year to figure that out while testing out the card’s benefits, before you have to pay an annual fee.

Pros

• No annual fee during the first year: Use the card for a full year before committing to an annual fee, helping you decide if it’s the right card for you. The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card * The information for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. has a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150.
• First checked bag free benefit includes companions: You and up to eight travel companions on your same Delta reservation can enjoy this benefit.
• TakeOff15 benefit provides limitless value: There’s no limit to how many times you can use the 15% discount on Award Travel Delta flights booked with miles through delta.com or the Fly Delta app (discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or taxes and fees).

Cons

• No premium benefits for travelers: Other cards provide airport lounge access, companion passes, or extra complimentary checked bags — but this one doesn’t.
• It’s possible to earn more valuable rewards with other cards: The earning rates on the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card * The information for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. aren’t impressive compared to what other cards offer, plus you’re earning miles that can be used only in the Delta SkyMiles® program — rather than flexible rewards with more redemption options.

Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Card rewards

New applicants can earn 55,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. We estimate the value of SkyMiles to be roughly 1.2 cents each, which makes this bonus worth around $900. Note that you may not be eligible for this offer if you’ve held the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card * The information for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. in the past. 

Aside from the welcome offer, you’ll earn ongoing rewards of 2 miles per $1 spent on purchases at U.S. shipping providers and at U.S. providers for advertising in select media (on up to $50,000 of purchases per category, per year), 2 miles per $1 spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta and at restaurants and 1 mile per $1 spent on other eligible purchases. Unfortunately, you won’t earn the elevated rewards rate on purchases outside of the U.S. — which is disappointing for a travel credit card.

For example, if your business makes $30,000 in annual shipping purchases, you could earn 60,000 miles in rewards if those purchases are within the U.S. — however, if the shipping is purchased from an overseas supplier, you’d earn just 30,000 miles in rewards. That’s a difference of $720 versus $360 in rewards value — valuing SkyMiles at 1.2 cents apiece. Ensure the spending categories for any credit card you choose align with your spending habits.

What can you do with your rewards? Plenty. 

Delta doesn’t publish an official award chart, instead using dynamic pricing where the cost of award flights costs more when cash prices are high. Quality redemptions include California to Hawaii for just 7,600 miles using the TakeOff15 benefit + $6 in taxes and fees (excluded from the 15% discount).

Another quality option is flying on partner airlines between North America and Europe, such as this business-class redemption from Mexico to Istanbul, via Paris in July, 2023. It costs 75,000 miles + $320 in taxes and fees.

Award sales tend to be another great use of SkyMiles. These short-term promotions can offer value like this recent example, flying round-trip from Los Angeles to London in economy for 34,000 miles by combining the sale with the TakeOff15 benefit + $204.45 in taxes and fees, which is excluded from the 15% discount.

Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Card perks

Three Delta-specific benefits on the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card * The information for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. merit more explanation.

The TakeOff15 benefit offers a 15% discount when using miles to book Award Travel. However, there are several rules to understand. First, this applies only if the entire itinerary is on Delta and Delta Connection® carrier-operated and ticketed flights are booked through delta.com or the FlyDelta app — if you connect to another airline during the trip, the benefit doesn’t apply to your reservation — and the discount does not apply to taxes and fees. Additionally, you must have the miles in your account for the full price, before the discount. Thus, if your ticket costs 30,000 miles before the discount, you must have 30,000 miles in your account to make the booking — even though the final price is less.

With the first checked bag free benefit, this applies to you and up to eight companions on the same reservation. They must be listed on your booking — not traveling with you to the same place, but listed on separate tickets they purchased themselves. Moreover, this perk won’t apply if you aren’t flying with Delta.

Lastly, you can earn a $100 Delta Flight Credit after spending $10,000 in purchases on your card in a calendar year. This is a 1% return on spending — but note that vouchers can’t be used in combination with the TakeOff15 benefit or used to pay the taxes and fees on Award Travel booked through delta.com or the Fly Delta app. Thus, you’ll only be able to use the voucher towards a cash reservation, and it expires one year after you receive it.

How the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Card compares to other business airline cards 

Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Card vs. Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® * The information for the Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

The Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® * The information for the Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. has the same ongoing annual fee of $99, waived for the first 12 months. It offers preferred boarding on American Airlines flights, a first checked bag free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to four companions on the same reservation and 25% savings on American Airlines in-flight food and beverage purchases made with the card. But that’s where the similarities end. 

The Citi AAdvantage Business card earns 2 miles for every $1 on cable and satellite providers, select telecommunications merchants, eligible American Airlines purchases, car rentals and gas stations and 1 mile per $1 on other purchases. Also earn 1 loyalty point for every mile earned. You’ll also earn 1 Loyalty Point toward American Airlines elite status for every 1 eligible mile earned on purchases with the card. New applicants can earn 65,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first four months of account opening.

You’ll also earn an American Airlines Companion Certificate after spending $30,000 on purchases each cardmembership year and renewing the card — letting you bring a friend on a domestic flight for just $99, plus taxes and fees (account must remain open at least 45 days after your anniversary date). The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card * The information for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. doesn’t offer this.

Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Card vs. United℠ Business Card * The information for the United℠ Business Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

The United℠ Business Card * The information for the United℠ Business Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. earns United Airlines miles and has a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $99 annual fee. This card also offers priority boarding, 25% back on United in-flight purchases and a free first checked bag — but only extends this benefit to one travel companion on your same reservation.

The United Business Card offers a $100 United travel credit after seven United flight purchases of $100 or more each card anniversary year — making it a less costly goal than the $100 Delta Flight Credit on the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Card, which requires spending $10,000 on purchases with the card in a calendar year. Additionally, you’ll receive two United Club one-time lounge passes each year — a benefit not offered on the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card * The information for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. . You’ll also get 5,000 bonus miles each account anniversary year if you also have a United personal credit card, in addition to the United Business Card.

This card’s welcome bonus requires more spending to earn it, however. You’ll earn 75,000 miles after spending $5,000 on qualifying purchases in the first three months of account opening. For ongoing purchases, the United Business Card earns 2 miles per $1 at United, on dining (including eligible delivery services), at gas stations, office supply stores and local transit and commuting and 1 mile per $1 on all other purchases. These categories are quite different and they don’t bear the “U.S. purchases only” restriction of the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Card.

If you’re interested in earning elite status with United Airlines, you can earn up to 1,000 Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) per calendar year through spending on this card and you can redeem United miles for flights on United and its partner airlines. Unfortunately, Delta isn’t one of them.

Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Card vs. American Express® Business Gold Card * The information for the American Express® Business Gold Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

The Business Gold card comes with a relatively high annual fee of $375 (terms apply). But in exchange for the price, you get more powerful earnings. The card earns 4 Membership Rewards points per $1 on up to $150,000 in combined purchases each calendar year on the 2 select categories your business spends the most each month, 3 points per $1 on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com and 1 point per $1 for other purchases. American Express’ Membership Rewards® program allows you to redeem for flights with Delta, but also multiple other airlines — making it a more flexible option than the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card * The information for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. (a Delta cobranded card).

You won’t get any benefits when flying with airlines or airline discounts. However, you can earn up to 600,000 bonus points each calendar year in the elevated rewards categories — which adjust automatically to your spending. You can transfer those points to Delta at a 1:1 ratio if you want to book reward travel there, or you can also transfer them to nearly 20 other airline and hotel partners, pay for travel in the Amex Travel portal or even redeem them for cash back.

Note that the American Express® Business Gold Card * The information for the American Express® Business Gold Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. is not a traditional card: It doesn’t have a preset spending limit and you can only carry a balance on it by using the Pay Over Time feature for eligible charges, which will accrue a 19.49% to 28.49% variable APR.

Is the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Card worth it?

The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card * The information for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. is worth it if you regularly check bags on Delta flights. Delta typically charges $35 for a checked bag, so that’s $70 on a round-trip flight. 

However, even if you don’t check bags often (or don’t often fly with Delta), it can be worth the annual fee if you want to round out your rewards strategy by earning miles with an additional airline. But the real value comes with Delta-specific perks, including the TakeOff15 benefit. Valuing Delta SkyMiles at 1.2 cents each, you’d recoup the annual fee after saving just 8,250 miles each year. That only requires redeeming 55,000 miles annually. If you redeem more than that, the miles saved easily justify the annual fee.

The Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Card is right for you if:

• You redeem more than 55,000 Delta SkyMiles for Delta-operated flights annually. If so, you’ll save more value (via miles) than the cost of the annual fee.
• You regularly check bags on Delta flights. After four one-way or two round-trip flights annually, you’re saving money, thanks to getting your first checked bag free.
• The earning structure matches your spending habits and Delta is your preferred airline.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

What credit score do you need to get the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express Card?

American Express typically requires a good to excellent credit score for approvals. That means a FICO score of 670 or above may be required for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card * The information for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. .

All information about Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card has been collected independently by Blueprint.

What is the maximum credit limit for the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express Card?

Some people have received credit limits of up to $50,000. However, that’s not guaranteed on the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card * The information for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. . American Express will base your credit limit for on factors like your credit score, history with Amex and other risk factors during the application.

All information about Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card has been collected independently by Blueprint.

What's the difference between the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express Card and the American Express® Gold Card?

The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card * The information for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. earns Delta miles and provides several perks on Delta flights, such as Zone 5 priority boarding and your first checked bag free. The American Express® Gold Card (terms apply) earns Membership Rewards points that can be transferred to Delta, but it doesn’t provide any in-flight benefits when flying on Delta.

All information about Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card has been collected independently by Blueprint.

Does the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express Card give you lounge access?

No, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card * The information for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. doesn’t give lounge access. You’ll need more premium cards (typically with annual fees of $400 or more) to get lounge access.

All information about Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card has been collected independently by Blueprint.

^{¹Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.}

^{²Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.}

^{³When an American Express® Card Member charges a Covered Purchase to an Eligible Card, Extended Warranty can provide up to one extra year added to the Original Manufacturer’s Warranty. Applies to warranties of five (5) years or less. Coverage is up to the actual amount charged to your Card for the item up to a maximum of $10,000; not to exceed $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.}

^{⁴When an American Express® Card Member charges a Covered Purchase with their Eligible Card, Purchase Protection can help protect their Covered Purchases for up to 90 days from the Covered Purchase date if it is stolen or accidentally damaged. The coverage is limited up to $1,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.}