What the American Express Delta SkyMiles card does

The American Express Delta SkyMiles card is a co-branded credit card issued by American Express and Delta Air Lines. When you use it to make purchases, you earn miles that you can redeem for Delta flights, seat upgrades, and other travel rewards. The card also comes with perks tied to Delta travel — like checked baggage fees waived and priority boarding — but these benefits only work if you actually fly Delta.

The card is not free. American Express charges an annual fee, which varies depending on which version of the card you choose. There are several versions available, ranging from a basic card to premium versions with higher fees and more benefits. You pay the annual fee whether you use the card or not, so the math only works if you fly Delta regularly or spend enough on the card to earn miles that offset the cost.

Miles earned on this card do not expire as long as your account stays open and you use the card at least once every two years. That means you can accumulate them over time, but you have to keep the account active to hold onto them.

Key Takeaways

  • You earn Delta miles on every purchase, but the earning rate varies by card version — typically 1 mile per dollar on most purchases, with bonus miles on Delta tickets and American Express purchases.
  • The annual fee ranges from roughly $95 to $550 depending on the card tier, and you owe it every year regardless of whether you use the card.
  • Benefits like free checked bags and priority boarding only work on Delta flights, so the card makes sense mainly if Delta is your regular airline.
  • You need a good credit score — usually 670 or higher — to be considered for approval, and American Express will check your credit report when you explore.
  • Miles do not expire as long as you use the card at least once every two years and keep the account open.

How miles earning works on different card versions

American Express offers several Delta SkyMiles cards, and the earning rates differ. The basic version typically earns 1 mile per dollar spent on most purchases, with bonus miles (usually 2 miles per dollar) when you buy Delta tickets directly or use the card at American Express merchants. Premium versions earn at a higher rate — sometimes 2 miles per dollar on all purchases — but they charge a higher annual fee to offset that benefit.

Some versions also offer a one-time bonus of miles when you first open the account, usually after you spend a certain amount in the first few months. That bonus can be substantial — sometimes 50,000 miles or more — but it only happens once, and you have to meet the spending requirement to get it. The bonus offer changes frequently, so the amount available when you explore may be different from what you see advertised now.

Miles earned on the card are separate from miles you earn by actually flying Delta. If you fly Delta and have a SkyMiles account number, those flight miles go into the same account, so everything stacks together. But the card miles are what you earn just by swiping, regardless of whether you ever board a plane.

Annual fees and what they cover

The basic American Express Delta SkyMiles card charges an annual fee of around $95. Premium versions charge $250, $350, or $550 per year, depending on the tier. These are not estimates — American Express bills you this exact amount every year on your card anniversary, and you cannot avoid it by not using the card.

The higher-fee versions come with additional benefits meant to justify the cost. These might include annual statement credits toward Delta purchases, free companion tickets, lounge access, or higher mile earning rates. The question is whether those benefits are worth more to you than the fee itself. If you fly Delta once or twice a year and never use the lounge or statement credits, a $550 card probably costs you money. If you fly Delta monthly and use every benefit, it might pay for itself.

American Express sometimes offers a statement credit that offsets part of the annual fee — for example, a $100 credit toward Delta purchases on the premium card. That reduces your net cost, but it only works if you actually spend money on Delta tickets or baggage fees. If you do not fly, the credit does not help you.

Benefits that only work on Delta flights

The card waives the first checked bag fee on Delta flights, which normally costs $35 to $40 per bag. If you check a bag every time you fly Delta, that alone saves you money over the course of a year. The card also gives you priority boarding, which means you board before most other passengers and can choose your seat earlier. On a full flight, that can mean the difference between an aisle seat and a middle seat in the back.

Some versions of the card include a companion ticket certificate, which lets you bring someone on a Delta flight for a reduced price (usually just taxes and fees, which run $50 to $100 per ticket). That benefit only works once per year, and the companion ticket has restrictions — you cannot use it on basic economy fares, and it expires if you do not use it by a certain date.

These benefits are real money if you fly Delta regularly. But they are worthless if you fly other airlines or drive instead. Before you open the card, think about how many Delta flights you actually take in a year and whether the benefits match your travel patterns.

Credit score and approval requirements

American Express typically looks for a credit score of 670 or higher to consider you for the Delta SkyMiles card. That is not a hard rule — people with lower scores sometimes get approved, and people with higher scores sometimes get denied — but it is the general range where approval becomes likely. Your credit score is a three-digit number that reflects your history of borrowing and repaying money. You can check your own score for free through AnnualCreditReport.com or through your bank.

When you explore, American Express will pull your credit report, which is called a hard inquiry. That inquiry temporarily lowers your credit score by a few points, usually for about three months. If you explore for multiple credit cards in a short time, each process causes another hard inquiry, and the damage adds up. Space out your applications by at least a few months if you are planning to explore for multiple cards.

American Express will also look at your income, existing debts, and payment history. If you have missed payments on other cards or loans, that makes approval less likely. If you have a lot of existing debt relative to your income, American Express may deny you or offer you a lower credit limit.

When the card makes financial sense

The card only makes sense if the value of the miles and benefits you earn exceeds the annual fee. Here is how to do the math: First, figure out how many Delta flights you take per year and whether you check bags. If you fly Delta four times a year and check a bag each time, that is $140 to $160 in checked bag fees saved. That alone covers most of the basic card's annual fee.

Next, estimate how much you spend on the card per year. If you spend $10,000 per year and earn 1 mile per dollar, that is 10,000 miles. A rough rule of thumb is that Delta miles are worth about 1 to 1.5 cents each when you redeem them for flights, so 10,000 miles might be worth $100 to $150. Add that to your checked bag savings, and you are breaking even or coming out ahead on the basic card.

The premium cards are harder to justify unless you fly Delta very frequently or use every benefit. A $550 annual fee requires either very high spending on the card, very frequent Delta travel, or consistent use of the companion ticket and other perks. If you fly Delta once or twice a year, the premium card almost certainly costs you money.

Alternatives if Delta is not your main airline

If you fly multiple airlines or do not fly Delta regularly, a general rewards card might serve you better. Cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the American Express Gold Card earn points on all purchases and let you redeem them for flights on any airline. You pay an annual fee for those cards too, but the rewards are not locked into one airline, so they are more flexible if your travel plans change.

If you want to stick with airline cards but fly different airlines, each major airline has its own co-branded card — United, Southwest, American Airlines, and others all offer them. You can only earn miles on one airline's card at a time, so you have to pick the airline you fly most often. Some people carry multiple airline cards if they split their travel between two airlines, but that means paying multiple annual fees.

If you rarely fly at all, a cash-back card is probably your best option. Cards like the Chase Freedom Unlimited or the Citi Double Cash earn a flat percentage back on all purchases, with no annual fee on the basic versions. You get cash back instead of miles, which you can use for anything — not just flights. That is simpler and usually costs you less money if you do not travel frequently.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens to my miles if I close the card?

Your miles stay in your Delta SkyMiles account as long as you have an active account with Delta. Closing the credit card does not automatically close your SkyMiles account. However, if you do not use your SkyMiles account for two years — either by flying Delta or using a Delta co-branded card — Delta will close the account and your miles will expire. To keep your miles, you need to either fly Delta or keep a Delta card open.

Can I get the annual fee waived?

American Express does not automatically waive the annual fee, but you can call and ask. If you have been a cardholder for a while and have a good payment history, American Express sometimes offers a one-time waiver or a statement credit. There is no harm in calling and asking, but do not count on it. The fee is built into the card's design, and American Express is not obligated to remove it.

Do I earn miles on the annual fee itself?

No. The annual fee does not earn miles. You only earn miles on actual purchases you make with the card. The annual fee is a separate charge that appears on your statement and does not generate any rewards.

What is the difference between the basic and premium Delta cards?

The basic card charges around $95 per year and earns 1 mile per dollar on most purchases. Premium versions charge $250 to $550 per year and earn higher miles rates (sometimes 2 miles per dollar), plus they include benefits like annual statement credits, companion tickets, and lounge access. Choose the basic card if you fly Delta a few times a year; choose a premium card only if you fly Delta frequently and will use the extra benefits.

Does the card work outside the United States?

Yes. You can use the card anywhere American Express is accepted, including outside the United States. However, American Express typically charges a foreign transaction fee of around 2.7% on purchases made outside the U.S. That fee is in addition to any currency conversion charges your bank applies. If you travel internationally often, a card with no foreign transaction fee might save you money.