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| Card Details and Application Link |
|---|
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card 60k miles ⓘ Affiliate 60K after $4K spend in first 6 months. Terms and limitations apply. (Rates & Fees)$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 Click Here to Apply This is an affiliate offer. Frequent Miler may earn a commission if you are approved for this offer FM Mini Review: Priority boarding and first checked bag free make this a reasonably good option for Delta flyers who do not have elite status. However, those who can make use of an annual companion certificate would do better with the Delta Platinum card. Earning rate: 2X Delta ✦ 2X U.S. purchases for advertising in select media and U.S. shipping purchases (capped at $50k per year) ✦ 2x restaurants worldwide and US takeout & delivery Card Info: Amex Credit Card issued by Amex. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Big spend bonus: $200 Delta flight credit after $10K in purchases in a calendar year Noteworthy perks: 15% off when using miles to book an award flight (Delta metal only) ✦ Get up to $150 back per year as a statement credit for prepaid hotels or vacation rentals booked through Delta Stays on delta.com/stays ✦ Priority boarding, and first checked bag free on Delta flights. Terms and limitations apply. (Rates & Fees) |
Here’s everything you need to know about the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express Card…
Overview
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card is a nice option for occasional Delta fliers. With this card, you’ll get a free checked bag, priority boarding, a 15% award flight discount, up to $150 off prepaid hotels, and more. Those who fly Delta frequently, though, may do better with a Delta Platinum card or Delta Reserve card.
Application Tips
Should you apply?
Many cards are worth getting for the welcome bonus alone. That’s often the case with this card. Welcome bonuses of 60,000 miles or more are common. If the welcome bonus is lower than that, I recommend waiting. This card is also worth considering if you plan to fly Delta and check bags more than once or twice a year. If so, the card’s free checked bag feature may quickly pay for itself. Here is the current Delta Gold Business offer:
| Card Details and Application Link |
|---|
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card 60k miles ⓘ Affiliate 60K after $4K spend in first 6 months. Terms and limitations apply. (Rates & Fees)$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 Click Here to Apply This is an affiliate offer. Frequent Miler may earn a commission if you are approved for this offer FM Mini Review: Priority boarding and first checked bag free make this a reasonably good option for Delta flyers who do not have elite status. However, those who can make use of an annual companion certificate would do better with the Delta Platinum card. Earning rate: 2X Delta ✦ 2X U.S. purchases for advertising in select media and U.S. shipping purchases (capped at $50k per year) ✦ 2x restaurants worldwide and US takeout & delivery Card Info: Amex Credit Card issued by Amex. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Big spend bonus: $200 Delta flight credit after $10K in purchases in a calendar year Noteworthy perks: 15% off when using miles to book an award flight (Delta metal only) ✦ Get up to $150 back per year as a statement credit for prepaid hotels or vacation rentals booked through Delta Stays on delta.com/stays ✦ Priority boarding, and first checked bag free on Delta flights. Terms and limitations apply. (Rates & Fees) |
You may instead (or also) be interested in the Delta Gold consumer card:
| Card Offer |
|---|
50K miles ⓘ Affiliate 50K miles after $2K spend in first 6 months. Terms apply. (Rates & Fees)$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 |
If you’re a regular Delta flyer you may do even better with a Delta Platinum card. The Delta Platinum card has a higher annual fee, but it includes an annual main-cabin companion ticket that can be valuable, plus additional rebates.
| Card Offer |
|---|
70K miles ⓘ Affiliate 70K after $6K spend in first 6 months. Terms and limitations apply. (Rates & Fees)$350 Annual Fee |
If you’re also interested in SkyClub access and other high-end perks, an ultra-premium Delta Reserve card might be the best fit for you.
| Card Offer |
|---|
80K miles ⓘ Affiliate 80k after $10K spend in first 6 months. Terms apply. (Rates & Fees)$650 Annual Fee |
![](http://cdn.nextinsure.com/imaging/opt/47dd49f9-d80b-4251-aa8e-2fbf313e6402.jpg?w=300" alt="Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card" />)
Are you eligible?
In most cases with Amex, if you’ve had the same card before, you can’t get a welcome offer. Consider, though, that each variation of Delta card is considered a different product and so it’s possible to get welcome bonuses from each one. Pay attention, though, to Amex’s consumer card “family rules” which may hamper you from qualifying for a welcome bonus if you’ve previously had a more expensive Delta card in the past. For example, you shouldn’t have a problem getting the Delta Platinum card if you’ve had the Delta Gold card before, but the reverse could be a problem.
| Card Offer Mini |
|---|
Here are additional Amex application tips:
Amex Application Tips
Check application status here. |
How to meet minimum spend requirements
In order to meet minimum spend requirements, people often look for options to increase spend in ways that result in getting their money back. These techniques are referred to as "manufacturing spend". American Express has terms in their welcome offers that exclude some manufactured spend techniques from counting towards the minimum spend requirements for the welcome bonus offer. For example, most new cardmember bonuses have terms like this:
Eligible purchases to meet the Threshold Amount do NOT include fees or interest charges, purchases of travelers checks, purchases or reloading of prepaid cards, purchases of gift cards, person-to-person payments, or purchases of other cash equivalents.That said, many techniques for meeting minimum spend are perfectly fine. Here are some techniques that are safe for meeting Amex minimum spend requirements (click each link for more information):
Perks
Travel Perks
- First checked bag free: First checked bag free for the primary cardholder plus up to 8 additional passengers traveling on the same reservation
- 15% off award bookings: Cardholders get 15% off the mileage price of an award ticket when the entire itinerary is on Delta or Delta Connection.
- $200 Flight Credit: Spend $10,000 in purchases in a calendar year and receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit. Credit is valid for one year from the date issued. The credit is only valid for payment of tickets, including fare, surcharge and government-imposed taxes and fees imposed on the air transportation. It is not valid for other types of fees (including bag fees, change fees, upgrades or other ancillary purchases or fees with Delta)
- $150 Hotel Rebate: Get up to $150 back per year as a statement credit for prepaid hotels or vacation rentals booked through Delta Stays on delta.com/stays
- Priority boarding
- 20% Back on In-Flight Purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
Travel Protections
- Baggage Insurance: Up to $500 per person for checked luggage, and up to $1,250 per person for carry-ons. Must pay transportation in full with your card to be covered. Details here.
- Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance: Secondary car rental insurance. Must pay for rental in-full with card. Details here.
Purchase Protections
Earn Miles
There are few ways to earn Delta SkyMiles with this card:
Welcome Bonus
Obviously, if eligible, you can earn miles by successfully signing up for this card and meeting the minimum spend requirements:
| Card Details and Application Link |
|---|
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card 60k miles ⓘ Affiliate 60K after $4K spend in first 6 months. Terms and limitations apply. (Rates & Fees)$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 Click Here to Apply This is an affiliate offer. Frequent Miler may earn a commission if you are approved for this offer FM Mini Review: Priority boarding and first checked bag free make this a reasonably good option for Delta flyers who do not have elite status. However, those who can make use of an annual companion certificate would do better with the Delta Platinum card. Earning rate: 2X Delta ✦ 2X U.S. purchases for advertising in select media and U.S. shipping purchases (capped at $50k per year) ✦ 2x restaurants worldwide and US takeout & delivery Card Info: Amex Credit Card issued by Amex. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Big spend bonus: $200 Delta flight credit after $10K in purchases in a calendar year Noteworthy perks: 15% off when using miles to book an award flight (Delta metal only) ✦ Get up to $150 back per year as a statement credit for prepaid hotels or vacation rentals booked through Delta Stays on delta.com/stays ✦ Priority boarding, and first checked bag free on Delta flights. Terms and limitations apply. (Rates & Fees) |
You may instead (or also) be interested in the Delta Gold consumer card:
| Card Offer |
|---|
50K miles ⓘ Affiliate 50K miles after $2K spend in first 6 months. Terms apply. (Rates & Fees)$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 |
Refer Friends
The refer-a-friend offer shown above for the Delta Platinum card was in effect when this post was first written. Offers can and do change over time. Consider this only an example of the type of offer you may find.
By logging into your American Express account, you should be able to find an offer to earn miles when referring friends. It's often the case, but not always, that your friends can get bigger bonuses through your referral link than through a public offer.
Note that your friends can use your referral link to apply for any Delta card. They are not limited to the one that you have. For example, a friend can use your Delta Gold or Delta Platinum friend-link to apply for the Delta Reserve card. Similarly, a Delta Reserve referral link can be used to apply for the Delta Gold or Delta Platinum card. Regardless of which Delta card they apply for, you will earn a referral bonus if they are approved.
Bonus Spend
It’s always possible to earn additional miles by using the card within it’s bonus categories. Note that the consumer and business cards offer different bonuses. The consumer card offers 2X at U.S. Supermarkets and restaurants worldwide whereas the business card offers 2X for U.S. purchases for advertising in select media and U.S. shipping purchases (capped at $50k per year). Both offer 2X for Delta spend:
| Card Info Name and Earning Rate (no offer) |
|---|
Earning rate: 2X Delta ✦ 2X U.S. purchases for advertising in select media and U.S. shipping purchases (capped at $50k per year) ✦ 2x restaurants worldwide and US takeout & delivery |
Earning rate: 2X Delta ✦ 2x restaurants worldwide ✦ 2x US supermarkets |
Redeem Miles
You don’t need a Delta credit card to redeem Delta miles for award flights, but there are a couple of features that require having a Delta credit card: 15% discount and Pay with miles…
TakeOff 15 (15% Discount on Award Flights)
Delta offers a 15% award discount to members who have a Delta Gold, Delta Platinum, or Delta Reserve card. This discount is called “TakeOff 15.” Discounts do not apply to itineraries that include partner flights, but otherwise they are applied across the board.
We did some research to see whether Delta simply increased award prices for those without credit cards, but found instead that this is a true discount. Award prices relative to cash prices were pretty consistent before and after this feature was introduced and so we concluded that the 15% discount is real. See: No catch -- Delta’s 15% discount is real.
Pay with Miles
Delta's "Pay with Miles" feature is limited to primary cardholders of any Delta card (Blue, Gold, Platinum, or Reserve). This feature lets you pay for cash tickets in part or in full with Delta SkyMiles at a value of 1 cent per mile. You must pay in increments of 5,000 miles. Every 5,000 miles you apply decreases the ticket cost by $50. In other words, each mile is worth exactly 1 penny with this feature.
No miles earned: Only the portion paid in cash earns redeemable SkyMiles and MQDs (Medallion Qualifying Dollars). This reduces the value of the Pay with Miles feature.
Tip: Unless the full ticket amount is an exact multiple of $50, I recommend stopping short of paying the whole fare with miles since you'll get lower value from the last 5,000 miles. For example, if you want to use this feature and your ticket costs $228, I recommend paying 20,000 miles to decrease the cash cost to $28. Otherwise you would have to pay another 5,000 miles for that last $28 (which is a poor value).
Keep, cancel, or product change?
If you regularly make good use of the card’s free checked bags, the hotel rebate, and/or the 15% award discount, then the card can be well worth keeping. If that doesn’t apply to you, then when the second year annual fee comes due you’re probably better off cancelling or upgrading to a Delta Platinum or Reserve card (if you value the perks with those cards). Many other cards offer much better earnings on spend. See: Best cards for everyday spend.
Related Cards
Here’s a full list of Delta branded cards available in the United States:
| Card Name w Details & Review (no offer) |
|---|
FM Mini Review: Good choice for frequent Delta flyers who can make use of annual companion certificate $350 Annual Fee Earning rate: 3X Delta ✦ 3X purchases made directly with hotels ✦ 1.5X on transit, eligible U.S. shipping, and purchases of $5K or more (up to $100K per year) Card Info: Amex Credit Card issued by Amex. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Big spend bonus: Earn 1 Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) per $20 spent Noteworthy perks: 15% off when using miles to book an award flight (Delta metal only) ✦ Annual $2,500 MQD Headstart ✦ Domestic, Caribbean, or Central American economy companion certificate (subject to taxes & fees) each year upon card renewal ✦ Earn up to $200 as a statement credit each year after booking prepaid hotels or vacation rentals with your Card through Delta Stays on delta.com/stays ✦ Up to $10 per month in statement credits on eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants ✦ Up to $10 per month in statement credits for purchases with select rideshare service providers [enrollment required] ✦ Priority boarding ✦ First checked bag free on Delta flights ✦ Complimentary Upgrade list: get added to the complimentary upgrade list after Delta elite members and Reserve cardmembers✦ Terms and Limitations Apply. (Rates & Fees) |
FM Mini Review: Good choice for frequent Delta flyers who can make use of annual companion certificate $350 Annual Fee Earning rate: 3X Delta ✦ 3X purchases made directly with hotels ✦ 2X restaurants ✦ 2X US Supermarkets Card Info: Amex Credit Card issued by Amex. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Big spend bonus: Earn 1 Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) per $20 spent Noteworthy perks: 15% off when using miles to book an award flight (Delta metal only) ✦ Annual $2,500 MQD Headstart ✦ US, Caribbean, or Central American economy companion certificate (subject to taxes & fees) each year upon card renewal ✦ Earn up to $150 as a statement credit each year after booking prepaid hotels or vacation rentals with your Card through Delta Stays on delta.com/stays ✦ Up to $10 per month in statement credits for purchases with select rideshare service providers [enrollment required] ✦ Up to $10 per month in statement credits on eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants [enrollment required] ✦ Priority boarding ✦ First checked bag free on Delta flights ✦ Complimentary Upgrade list: get added to the complimentary upgrade list after Delta elite members and Reserve cardmembers ✦ Cell phone protection ✦ Terms and Limitations Apply. (Rates & Fees) |
FM Mini Review: Excellent choice for frequent Delta flyers who can make use of SkyClub access and companion certificate. Also a good choice for big spenders seeking Delta elite status. $650 Annual Fee Earning rate: 3X Delta ✦ 1.5X on eligible transit, U.S. shipping & office supply store purchases Card Info: Amex Credit Card issued by Amex. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Big spend bonus: Earn 1 Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) per $10 spent Noteworthy perks: 15% off when using miles to book an award flight (Delta metal only) ✦ Domestic, Caribbean, or Central American economy or first class companion certificate (subject to taxes & fees) after card renewal ✦ SkyClub access (starting 2/1/25, 15 visits per year (after 15 visits have been used, additional visits can be purchased for $50 each) or earn unlimited visits after spending $75K/calendar year on the card ✦ 4 Delta SkyClub one-time guest passes ✦ Centurion Lounge access when you book your Delta flight with your Reserve card ✦ Earn up to $250 as a statement credit each year after booking prepaid hotels or vacation rentals with your Card through Delta Stays on delta.com/stays ✦ Up to $20 per month in statement credits on eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants ✦ Up to $10 per month in statement credits for purchases with select rideshare service providers [enrollment required] ✦ Complimentary upgrades ✦ $120 Global Entry fee credit every 4 years (or 4.5 years for TSA Precheck) ✦ Priority boarding ✦ First checked bag free on Delta flights. ✦ Hertz President's Circle Status ✦ Terms and limitations apply. (Rates & Fees) See also: Delta Reserve complete guide |
FM Mini Review: Excellent choice for frequent Delta flyers who can make use of SkyClub access and companion certificate. Also a good choice for big spenders seeking Delta elite status. $650 Annual Fee Earning rate: 3X Delta Card Info: Amex Credit Card issued by Amex. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Big spend bonus: Earn 1 Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) per $10 spent Noteworthy perks: 15% off when using miles to book an award flight (Delta metal only) ✦ Annual $2,500 MQD Headstart ✦ US, Caribbean, Mexico or Central America roundtrip main cabin companion certificate (subject to taxes & fees) after card renewal ✦ SkyClub access (starting 2/1/25, 15 visits per year (after 15 visits have been used, additional visits can be purchased for $50 each) or to earn an unlimited number of visits each year starting on 2/1/25, spend $75K or more on eligible purchases between 1/1/24 and 12/31/24, and each calendar year thereafter. ✦ 4 Delta SkyClub one-time guest passes ✦ Centurion Lounge access when flying Delta ✦ Earn up to $200 as a statement credit each year after booking prepaid hotels or vacation rentals with your Card through Delta Stays on delta.com/stays ✦ Up to $20 per month in statement credits on eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants [enrollment required] ✦ Up to $10 per month in statement credits for purchases with select rideshare service providers [enrollment required] ✦ Complimentary upgrades ✦ One statement credit every 4 years for the $120 Global Entry application fee or one statement credit every 4.5 years for the $85 TSA Precheck application fee ✦ Priority boarding ✦ First checked bag free on Delta flights. ✦ Hertz President's Circle Status ✦ Terms and limitations apply. (Rates & Fees) See also: Delta Reserve complete guide |
FM Mini Review: Priority boarding and first checked bag free make this a reasonably good option for Delta flyers who do not have elite status. However, those who can make use of an annual companion certificate would do better with the Delta Platinum card. $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 Earning rate: 2X Delta ✦ 2X U.S. purchases for advertising in select media and U.S. shipping purchases (capped at $50k per year) ✦ 2x restaurants worldwide and US takeout & delivery Card Info: Amex Credit Card issued by Amex. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Big spend bonus: $200 Delta flight credit after $10K in purchases in a calendar year Noteworthy perks: 15% off when using miles to book an award flight (Delta metal only) ✦ Get up to $150 back per year as a statement credit for prepaid hotels or vacation rentals booked through Delta Stays on delta.com/stays ✦ Priority boarding, and first checked bag free on Delta flights. Terms and limitations apply. (Rates & Fees) |
FM Mini Review: Priority boarding, and free checked bag make this a reasonably good option for Delta flyers who do not have elite status. However, those who can make use of an annual companion certificate would do better with the Delta Platinum card. $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 Earning rate: 2X Delta ✦ 2x restaurants worldwide ✦ 2x US supermarkets Card Info: Amex Credit Card issued by Amex. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Big spend bonus: $200 Delta flight credit after $10K in purchases in a calendar year Noteworthy perks: 15% off when using miles to book an award flight (Delta metal only) ✦ Get up to $100 back per year as a statement credit for prepaid hotels or vacation rentals booked through Delta Stays on delta.com/stays ✦ Priority boarding and first checked bag free on Delta flights. Terms and limitations apply. (Rates & Fees) |
FM Mini Review: This card offers an OK welcome offer for a no annual fee card, but many/most other cards offer better return for spend. No Annual Fee Earning rate: 2X restaurants worldwide ✦ 2X Delta ✦ 1X on all other eligible purchases Card Info: Amex Credit Card issued by Amex. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Noteworthy perks: 20% statement credit on in-flight purchases of food, beverages, and headsets Terms and limitations apply. (Rates & Fees) |
You should check referral links. My referral actually says 75k + 5k, just slightly better
“If you already have an Amex card, they won’t usually issue a hard pull when approved for another one”
Does it mean that unfreezing credit is not required before applying?
Yes, that’s correct (I think)
Offer has changed. Now it requires $4k spend.
Fixed. Thank you!
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