Review: American Express Gold Delta SkyMiles Business Card

The American Express Gold Delta SkyMiles Business Card is a good credit card for Delta fans who don’t want to break the bank. That’s because it offers some nice benefits for casual Delta flyers including free checked bags and a 20% discount on in-flight purchases. The Delta Gold Card also has a $95 annual fee (waived the first year) to counter its perks.

Amex’s suite of Delta cards went through some changes on January 30, 2020. These changes included both personal and business cards. And they ranged from improved earning structures to new benefits. Fortunately, the Delta Business Gold Card received mostly positive changes.

Earning

The Delta Business Gold Card earns 2x SkyMiles per dollar on Delta purchases, US Restaurants, Shipping, and Advertisement purchases. It also earns just one SkyMile for non-bonus spend. Unfortunately, there are better earning opportunities for business owners and entrepreneurs from no annual fee credit cards.

Furthermore, Amex and Delta are offering a sign-up bonus worth 30,000 SkyMiles for the Delta Business Gold Card. It can be earned after spending $1,000 within the first three months. This sign-up bonus is also lackluster given the Delta Business Gold Card’s status as a mid-tier co-branded credit card. Many competitors, co-branded or not, are offering much larger sign-up bonuses for the same annual fee as the Delta Business Gold Card.

Burning

The Delta Business Gold Card gives cardholders a few ways to redeem their SkyMiles:

The most obvious way to redeem Delta SkyMiles is for airfare. Miles can go a long way for airfare, but cardholders need to do some research to get maximum value. This is because Delta does not have a rewards chart posted online.

Miles + Cash is a great option for those who don’t have many miles. This option is also nice for those who are short a few miles for a certain redemption. Many co-branded cards have this option and its nice to see Delta have it too.

Delta also offers vacation packages that can be purchases with miles. This is nice for those who don’t want to do much research and planning for their next vacation. It’s also great for last-minute trips.

Plus, cardholders can also use SkyMiles to upgrade their seat or even get membership to the Delta SkyClub. Gift cards and donations to charity are two other options for redemption.

Benefits

The Delta Business Gold Card’s value lies in its perks. Most, if not all, of the card’s $95 annual fee could be justified here.

Free Checked Bags

Delta lets the primary cardholder and up to eight other people in the same reservation check their first bags for free on any round-trip flight. This perk can be worth around $50 per person for each compliant bag. It can be very useful for those who are traveling with a family or a large group of people.

Baggage Insurance

Cardholders will also receive Baggage Insurance if they use your Gold Delta SkyMiles Business Card to book a flight, train ride, bus ride, or trip on a ship. This insurance kicks in for cardholders who lose their luggage while traveling on a common carrier. Coverage can be provided for up to $500 for checked baggage and $1,250 for carry-on baggage.

This perk is part of American Express’ larger revamping of card benefits.

Flight Credits

Cardholders will receive a $100 flight credit every time they spend $10,000 on your Delta Business Gold Card. While this credit will justify the card’s annual fee, spending $10,000 on the Delta Business Gold Card is not worth it. Receiving this credit is like getting a subpar 1% return on that spend.

Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding

Cardholders may board your flight early with Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding. This is awesome because cardholders can avoid the traffic from the general public when boarding. Fewer people also makes it easier for cardholders to find their seat and receive first choice of overhead storage bin space.

20% Discount on In-Flight Purchases

Plus, cardholders receive 20% off in-flight purchases when using their Delta Gold Card. This is nice for in-flight meals, entertainment, or other incidentals.

QuickBooks

Most business owners know that programs like QuickBooks are very helpful for their business’ financial organization. As a Delta Business Gold cardholder, you can connect your card to your business’ QuickBooks account.

No Foreign Transaction Fees

Cardholders can save 2.7% on all your international purchases because there are no pesky foreign exchange fees.

Similar Cards

American Express Delta Reserve for Business Card

The Delta Reserve for Business Card offers much more than the Delta Business Gold Card does from earning opportunities to perks. But it has a higher annual fee at $550 that is NOT waived the first year.

The Delta Reserve for Business Card earns 3x SkyMiles on Delta purchases and 1.5x miles on purchases over $150,000. Furthermore, the Reserve for Business Card comes with a sign-up bonus worth 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) and 40,000 SkyMiles. This bonus can be earned by spending $3,000 within the first three months.

The Delta Reserve for Business Card offers the same perks as the Delta Business Gold Card and then some. The Reserve card offers one Annual Companion Certificate each year. The certificate lets another person fly for free in any domestic flight. Primary cardholders will receive another certificate each time they pay the Business Reserve Card’s annual fee. Plus, this card also comes with a TSA Pre-Check credit every four years, two SkyClub passes every year, and complimentary SkyClub and Amex Centurion Lounge access.

Casual Delta flyers are better off with the Delta Business Gold Card because of its lower annual fee. Conversely, Delta loyalists should go for the Delta Reserve for Business Card.

Barclays Jet Blue Business Card

The Barclays Jet Blue Business Card is an excellent co-branded airline credit card for businesses. It has a $99 annual fee (NOT waived the first year) and comes with a plethora of earning opportunities and perks.

The Jet Blue Business Card earns 6x points for Jet Blue flights; 2x points at Office Supply Stores and Restaurants; and one point for all non-bonus category spend. This is a better earning structure than the Delta Business Gold Card offers, especially for Jet Blue loyalists.

Plus, Barclays and Jet Blue are offering a sign-up bonus worth 60,000 True Blue points. This bonus can be earned the bonus after spending just $1,000 within the first three months. It is also a more valuable bonus than what Amex and Delta are offering with the Delta Business Gold Card.

Furthermore, the Barclays Jet Blue Business Card comes with some great perks. The best one is the chance to earn Mosaic Status, which is Jet Blue’s top status. Cardholders can earn Mosaic Status by spending $50,000 per year on their Jet Blue card. Other great perks include a 50% discount for in-flight purchases, a $100 annual statement credit, free checked bags, and primary car rental insurance. These perks really make the Jet Blue Business Card a formidable alternative to the Delta Gold Business Card.

Final Draw

The American Express Delta Gold SkyMiles Business Card is a nice credit card for businesses who sometimes fly Delta flyers and don’t want to break the bank. Its value lies in its free checked bags, priority boarding, and in-flight discounts.

However, the Delta Business Card also has a meager earning structure and offers a subpar sign-up bonus. Those who are looking for value and versatility should look elsewhere.

Apply Today: American Express Delta Gold SkyMiles Business Card