Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express card review: Low annual fee but limited perks

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, updated regularly with new information and offers.

Overview of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express card

For business owners looking to join the Delta co-branded card product line, Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card is a solid starting point. It comes with an affordable annual fee, $0 introductory annual fee for the first year (see exchange rates and fees) and some decent perks. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐

*Card review based on the opinions of the TPG editorial board and not influenced by the card issuer.

Business owners loyal to Delta Air Lines have no shortage of co-branded cards to choose from, whether you’re a casual traveler or a weekly flyer.

The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card is the entry-level product in the Delta business card line, offering solid perks and a $0 annual referral fee for the first year, then $150 (see exchange rates and fees). It has an offer credit score of 670.

This card is designed for people who want to earn SkyMiles and take advantage of the elite perks of flying Delta but who may not travel with the airline enough to justify the higher annual fee.

Let’s see how this card compares to its Delta counterparts and other non-Delta alternatives.

Pros and cons of Delta Gold Business Amex

Delta Gold Business Amex Welcome Offer

The Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Amex offers new cardholders a welcome offer of 75,000 miles after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the new card in the first six months of card membership.

TPG’s valuation puts the value of this offer at $863. This comes close to Best offer in this card’s historyso now is a good time to apply.

The annual introductory fee is $0 for the first year (see exchange rates and fees) making it a suitable choice for small business owners who occasionally fly Delta.

American Express also limits who can apply for the card, and you’re typically not eligible for the welcome bonus if you’ve previously held the card. According to American Express:

You may not be eligible for the welcome offer if you have or have held this Card or previous versions of this Card. You may also be ineligible for a welcome offer based on various factors, such as your credit card balance transfer history, your history as an American Express Card Member, the number of credit cards you have opened and closed and other factors. If you are not eligible for the welcome offer, we will notify you before processing your application so that you have the option to withdraw your application.

Related: Best Delta credit card

Benefits of Delta Gold Business Amex

While Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Amex The card doesn’t have the same premium perks as the more expensive Delta business cards, it does have several benefits when flying on Delta:

• Award flight discounts: 15% off redemptions for Delta flights (when paying taxes and fees with this card)
• Delta Stays Credit: $150 annual statement credit with Delta Stays, Delta’s hotel travel portal
• Delta flight credit: $200 Delta flight credit after you spend $10,000 on purchases in a calendar year
• Baggage checked for free for the first time: You and up to eight companions on the same booking (for a total of nine travelers) will receive your first checked bag free when flying on flights marketed and operated by Delta. At $70 per bag round-trip, this can add up quickly if you travel frequently.

• Priority boarding: Get Zone 5 boarding access on Delta flights for you and up to eight companions in the same booking.
• Discounts on flights: Receive a 20% statement credit on in-flight purchases, including pre-purchased meals, food, alcohol and audio headphones when using the card (excluding in-flight Wi-Fi purchases fly.)
• Baggage insurance package: If your bag is lost, damaged, or stolen when you use your card to pay for travel, you’ll receive up to $1,250 for carry-on bags and up to $500 for checked bags.*
• Insurance for loss and damage when renting a car: You will be covered if your eligible rental vehicle is damaged or stolen when you use the card to book and pay and decline the company’s insurance. Note that this is secondary coverage and does not include liability.**
• Shopping protection:* The card comes with an extended warranty that adds up to one year to the original manufacturer’s warranty of five years or less. Purchase protection covers accidentally damaged or stolen items if you pay with a card for up to 90 days after the purchase date.

*Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit Americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Insurance Company.

**Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Not all vehicle types or rentals are available and geographic restrictions apply. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit Americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Insurance Company. Insurance provided through American Express Travel Related Services, Inc.

Related: How to maximize your new statement credit on your Delta Amex card

Earn miles on Delta Gold Business Amex

This card earns:

• 2 miles per dollar on eligible purchases made directly with Delta
• 2 miles per dollar on shipping and advertising in the US (limited to $50,000 in spending per year; 1 mile per dollar after that)
• 2 miles per dollar on eat and drink at the restaurant
• 1 mile per dollar on all other qualifying purchases

This isn’t a remarkable earnings rate, but it’s nice to see some non-travel monetization categories included to help business owners earn more than just traveling with Delta.

Related: Best business credit cards for each category

Redeem miles on Delta Gold Business Amex

Award flights on Delta or its SkyTeam alliance partner are your best redemption options. Delta’s dynamic award pricing makes it difficult to maximize SkyMiles, but you can still find value with program if you can take the time to do your own research and be flexible when it comes time to redeem your miles.

Delta regularly has flash sales and other deals on its website, and you can find great redemption options for international and domestic travel. For example, we recently saw deals for domestic prizes from 2,000 SkyMiles one-way and New York to Bogota, Colombia, in plain one from 12,000 SkyMiles one-way.

You can also use your SkyMiles to Upgraded seats. Just know that since Delta doesn’t have an award chart, you wouldn’t know How many miles will those premium seats cost? until you are ready to book. SkyMiles upgrades are also valid on certain flights operated by Delta partners Air France, KLM, Virgin Atlantic and Aeromexico when using your Mileage Upgrade Award after your flight is booked.

You can also redeem your SkyMiles for gift cards, magazines, Experience SkyMiles like no otheronline shopping and more, even though those options almost always yield less than optimal returns.

TPG senior editorial director Nick Ewen redeem his SkyMiles for domestic trips, taking advantage of the 15% TakeOff benefit, which significantly reduces the number of miles he needs to redeem on Delta flights.

Related: How to redeem Delta SkyMiles for maximum value

What cards compete with the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Amex?

While the Gold version comes with a solid welcome offer and catalog of perks, you may want a card that offers more perks or flexibility than Delta does.

• If you want flexible rewards: The American Express® Business Gold Card Earn American Express Membership Rewards points that can be transferred to Delta SkyMiles and other loyalty programs. While it doesn’t have Delta-specific perks, it does earn 4 points per dollar on your two highest-spending business categories (on the first $150,000 in combined purchases, then 1 points per dollar), including restaurant purchases and transit in the United States. For more information, see 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 may be more relevant to frequent Delta travelers. For more information, see Full review of Delta Platinum Business Amex.
• If you want to access Sky Club: The The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card gives you lounge access. But that comes with a higher annual fee of $650 (see exchange rates and fees). For more information, see Full review of the Delta Reserve Business Amex.

For more options, see our full list of best travel card And Best American Express card.

Read more: Who is eligible for a business credit card?

Is Delta Gold Business Amex worth it?

Give Amex trades Delta gold To make it worth the annual fee, you’ll want to maximize perks like Bags are checked first free and Discount on in-flight purchases exceeds 150 USD in value per year. However, even if you only fly the airline a few times a year, it’s not difficult to do.

Bottom line

You will want to choose Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Amex if your business needs a credit card with basic Delta perks like free checked bags and priority boarding to make travel easier, and you don’t want to spend a large annual fee. However, if you hope to use your card to help you achieve elite status, one of the remaining Delta Business Credit Card would be more suitable.

Let’s say you’re looking for an everyday business credit card. In that case, there are other alternatives with better options to earn more points in spending category what matters most to you or the ability to get more value for those points when redeeming them.

But this card is the simplest and cheapest choice for Delta fliers looking for a simple business credit card to make their flights more comfortable.

Register here: Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express Card

For Delta Gold Business Amex rates and fees, click This.
For Delta Reserve Business Amex rates and fees, click This.