Delta and American Express issue seven cobranded SkyMiles cards — four personal, three business — and the team at The Points Guy recently polled its own Delta-frequent staff on which ones they actually keep. Their conclusion: there's no single winner. The right card is the one whose one or two perks match your flying habits, whether that's dodging bag fees, scoring a companion ticket or getting into the Sky Club.
The entry-level SkyMiles Blue costs nothing annually and earns miles on everyday spending, plus 20% back on inflight food and drink. Casual flyers — one to three Delta trips a year — are usually pointed to the SkyMiles Gold ($150, waived the first year): free first and second checked bags for you and up to eight companions on your reservation, priority boarding, 15% off Delta award flights and up to $100 a year in Delta Stays credits. One TPG staffer says those perks alone offset the fee despite only flying Delta occasionally.
The Platinum ($350) adds an annual companion certificate for a domestic round trip (plus travel to Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America), a boost toward Medallion elite status, up to $150 in Delta Stays credits, $10 monthly at Resy restaurants and $10 monthly on ride-hailing. The Reserve ($650) is the premium play: Delta Sky Club access with an annual visit allotment, four guest passes, a companion certificate valid up to first class and a bigger MQD boost. TPG's Tarah Chieffi says the lounge access plus companion ticket combo justifies the fee for her every year.
Business owners get a parallel trio. The Gold Business ($150) adds a $200 Delta flight credit after $10,000 in annual spend on top of the bag and boarding perks. The Platinum Business ($350) deposits 2,500 MQDs yearly — handy for chasing status — plus a companion certificate. The Reserve Business ($650) layers on Sky Club access, guest passes and complimentary Hertz President's Circle status.
Welcome offers are running a limited window (ending Nov. 4), ranging from 10,000 miles on the Blue to as much as 200,000 miles for $20,000 of spend on the Reserve Business. Note the higher personal offers are 'apply and find out' — you may not qualify for the maximum.
Who should care? Anyone who flies Delta even once or twice a year. If you check a bag on a single round trip, the Gold's fee is likely covered, since Delta charges around $35-40 each way. If you travel with a partner a couple of times a year, the Platinum or Reserve companion certificate can be worth hundreds. True Delta loyalists who value airport comfort should do the math on the Reserve's lounge access. If you rarely fly Delta at all, a flexible travel rewards card is probably the better wallet slot.
