Bottom Line

The Delta SkyMiles Gold card has a $150 annual fee that’s waived the first year. This is the primary reason to choose it over Delta’s Platinum or Reserve cards, which generally offer higher overall value. If you plan to fly Delta only once in the next year, will be traveling alone, and want to avoid an annual fee, the Gold card can be a good option. However, if you fly Delta more than once a year or often travel with a companion, the companion certificate and other perks of the Platinum or Reserve cards typically make one of those choices more valuable.

Why You Might Want This Card

If you fly Delta only once a year, this card might be a decent option. However, if you travel with a companion or fly Delta more frequently, the Reserve or Platinum cards are likely to offer more value despite their higher annual fees.

• The Gold card offers a 50,000-mile sign-up bonus after spending $2,000 in the first six months, making it an easy way to earn Delta miles for free flights.
• American Express allows only one sign-up bonus per card per lifetime, and the bonus for this card can go as high as 80,000 miles. If you’re not in a rush to collect Delta miles, you might wait for a higher offer.
• The advertised $200 flight credit requires $10,000 in annual spending, which may not appeal to everyone.

You receive $100 in Delta Stay credits annually, which helps offset the $150 annual fee (starting in the second year). Other perks include:

• 15% discount on award travel
• 20% off in-flight purchases
• Zone 5 priority boarding
• One free checked bag
• $50 off flights (per 5,000 miles redeemed) when you use Pay with Miles

Exceptions To The Rule

This card may not be ideal if:

• You plan to fly Delta only this year and have no loyalty to the airline afterward. Once the first-year fee waiver ends, the card’s limited benefits may not justify the $150 annual fee.
• You regularly fly Delta and would gain more from the better perks offered by the Platinum or Reserve cards.
• You’d prefer to wait for an elevated sign-up bonus (it has gone up to 90,000 points in the past).

About Delta SkyMiles

• Delta SkyMiles are super easy to accumulate with American Express cards, whether they're specific for earning SkyMiles or American Express cards that have completely transferable and instant 1:1 ratio Amex points.

Redeeming SkyMiles isn’t difficult, but you might find that their value isn't as high as you'd think -- especially if you do a side-by-side comparison with our personal favorite, United. Delta’s redeeming quality, however, is the fact that they fly to over 325 locations. So sometimes when you want to go somewhere that United doesn't, you’ll find Delta’s got your back.

When Delta removed its online reward charts in 2015, no one was happy. Now, the more flexible you are, the more value you can squeeze out of your Miles -- especially when Delta runs one of its regular award sales that offer some deep discounts in economy and Delta One.

But the real ace up the sleeve here is booking international Business or First Class using alliances like China Eastern or one of their non-alliance partners like Virgin Atlantic. This can be done for fewer points than if you booked directly through the Delta website -- as long as the flight is operated by Delta, Delta Connections or Virgin Atlantic. Searching around for Delta’s flash sales based on region or utilizing one of their partners can get you a pretty impressive trip.

Where Delta SkyMiles Gold Fits In This Point Ecosystem

Delta SkyMiles Gold is the second-lowest tier card in the Delta lineup. While its annual fee is waived the first year, the lack of a companion certificate makes it less valuable than the Platinum or Reserve options. Although those cards have higher annual fees ($350 for Platinum and $650 for Reserve), they also include benefits that often justify those costs.

In our view, the Gold card is best if you know you’ll only fly Delta in the coming year and want an easy way to earn a healthy sign-up bonus with minimal spending. If you want to avoid annual fees entirely, you could consider the Delta SkyMiles Blue card, but it typically offers only a 10,000-mile bonus and few notable benefits.

Personal Experience