$95 annual fee waived for the first year
The card does come with a high annual fee. However, if you are not sure that the Gold Delta SkyMiles credit card is going to meet your needs, you don’t have to spend a penny out of your pocket. The fee is waived for the first year. So if you aren’t happy, just cancel the card before the next year’s fee hits, and you’re in the clear.
Good sign-up bonus
You get a better-than-average 30,000-mile sign-up after meeting a reasonable $1,000 spending requirement in three months. While this is not as impressive as the 40,000 to 50,000 bonuses offered by other top airline cards, it’s still a generous amount and should go a long way toward earning a free ticket.
You also get a $50 statement credit after your first Delta purchase within the first three months.
Below-average earning scheme
Unfortunately, the card comes with a barebones earning scheme that limits the number of miles you can earn by making purchases with the card. You get 2 miles per dollar on most Delta purchases and only 1 mile on all other purchases. Many cards offer higher rewards rate on general purchases, or offer double miles on special categories of purchases, such as gas and groceries.
Large network of partner airlines
You can redeem Delta miles on Delta and other partner airlines. That means you can fly almost anywhere in the world on an award ticket. Note, however, that while Delta doesn’t add so-called “carrier-imposed surcharges” to its own flights (except for flights originating in Europe), it does add surcharges to some partner airlines. Since there is usually more than one way to get to your destination, you will be able to see the difference in cash outlay between airlines when you redeem miles.
Good airline perks
The Gold Delta SkyMiles credit card offers some great perks for flying Delta Air Lines. One of the most noteworthy of these is the generous free checked bag policy. You and up to eight companions can each check your first bag free of charge on Delta or Delta Connection flight segments. This is one of the most generous baggage policies for an airline co-branded card.
You also get priority boarding, which means you can board the plane right after premium class and elite passengers. This benefit gives you preferential access to the overhead bin compartments if you fly with carry-on bags. Also, the card offers a 20 percent discount on food, movies and other in-flight purchases.
No foreign-transaction fee
You can freely use your Gold Delta SkyMiles credit card to pay abroad without having to pay the 2 to 3 percent foreign-transaction fee that many cards charge. However, American Express doesn’t have as strong an international presence as Visa and MasterCard, so you may have some difficulty finding foreign vendors that will accept your card.
Reasons to get it:
- You frequently fly Delta Air Lines and want to maximize your miles-earning opportunities.
- You want to take advantage of the sign-up bonus and $50 statement credit.
- You fly with a large group and want to save some serious money with free checked bags.
- You are interested in miscellaneous American Express benefits.
How to use it:
- Make sure to spend $1,000 on the card within 90 days to get the bonus.
- Always pay for your eligible Delta purchases with the Gold Delta SkyMiles credit card.
- When you look for an award flight, always pay attention to the cash portions of your ticket to avoid or minimize fuel surcharges imposed by some Delta partner airlines.
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