What Delta credit cards offer right now
Delta offers several co-branded American Express cards, each with different sign-up bonuses, annual fees, and ongoing rewards. The specific offers change throughout the year, so the bonus miles you see today may differ from what's available next month. The cards fall into three main tiers: the Blue Basic (no annual fee), the Blue Everyday (annual fee), and the Reserve (highest annual fee and benefits).
Each card earns miles on Delta purchases and everyday spending, but the earning rates and perks differ. Some cards waive the first-year annual fee, while others charge it when ready. The sign-up bonuses — typically stated in miles — are the main reason most people open these cards, but the long-term value depends on how much you actually fly Delta and how you use the card for non-airline purchases.
Key Takeaways
- Delta's three main American Express cards are the Blue Basic (no annual fee), Blue Everyday (annual fee), and Reserve (premium annual fee with more benefits).
- Sign-up bonuses change regularly and are usually the largest source of value in the first year, but you must meet a minimum spending requirement to earn them.
- Annual fees range from zero to several hundred dollars, and some cards waive the fee in year one but charge it in subsequent years.
- The card that makes sense for you depends on how often you fly Delta, whether you value lounge access and other perks, and how much you spend on the card outside of flights.
The Blue Basic card: no annual fee option
The Delta SkyMiles Blue Basic American Express card has no annual fee, making it the lowest-cost entry point to Delta's rewards program. You earn miles on every purchase, with a higher earning rate on Delta flights and Delta purchases. There is no sign-up bonus on this card, so the value comes entirely from ongoing rewards on spending you would do anyway.
This card works best if you fly Delta occasionally but not frequently enough to justify paying an annual fee. It also serves as a way to start earning miles without committing to a paid card. The downside is that you miss out on the large sign-up bonuses that the paid cards offer, and you do not receive perks like checked bag waivers or priority boarding.
The Blue Everyday card: mid-tier rewards and perks
The Delta SkyMiles Blue Everyday American Express card charges an annual fee (the amount varies by offer and timing) and typically waives it in the first year. This card earns more miles per dollar on Delta purchases than the Basic card and includes benefits like a checked bag waiver for you and one companion on Delta flights, priority boarding, and a statement credit toward Delta purchases each year.
The sign-up bonus on this card is usually substantial — often 50,000 to 70,000 miles or more — but you must spend a set amount within a few months to earn it. The annual fee is usually recouped through the checked bag waiver alone if you fly Delta at least once per year, making this card a reasonable choice for regular Delta travelers who want perks without the highest tier of benefits.
The Reserve card: premium benefits and highest cost
The Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express card carries the highest annual fee and includes the most extensive benefits. These typically include higher earning rates on all purchases, a checked bag waiver for you and companions, priority boarding, lounge access (including the Delta Sky Club), a statement credit toward Delta purchases, and other travel perks. The sign-up bonus is usually the largest of the three cards.
This card makes sense if you fly Delta frequently, value lounge access, and spend enough on the card to offset the annual fee through rewards and credits. The lounge access alone can be worth hundreds of dollars per year if you use it regularly. However, the high annual fee means you need to use the card's benefits consistently to come out ahead compared to the lower-tier cards.
How sign-up bonuses work and what they cost
All Delta cards except the Basic offer sign-up bonuses in the form of miles. These bonuses are usually the single largest source of value in the first year, but they come with a requirement: you must spend a minimum amount on the card within a set timeframe (typically three to six months) to earn the bonus. If you do not meet the spending requirement, you do not receive the miles.
The spending requirement is usually between $1,000 and $3,000, depending on the card and the current offer. This is not information programs — you are spending your own cash to earn the bonus. The bonus is valuable only if you were planning to spend that amount anyway, or if you can use the miles to offset the cost of a flight or upgrade you would have purchased otherwise.
Comparing annual fees to the benefits you actually use
The annual fee on the Everyday and Reserve cards is a real cost that you pay whether you use the card or not. However, these cards include benefits that have dollar value: checked bag waivers, statement credits, and lounge access. The question is whether those benefits are worth more than the annual fee in your specific situation.
If you fly Delta once per year, the checked bag waiver alone typically saves you $30 to $70 per trip. If you fly twice per year, that is $60 to $140 in value. The statement credit (usually $50 to $100 per year toward Delta purchases) adds more value. Lounge access, if you use it, can be worth hundreds of dollars annually. Add up the benefits you will actually use, subtract the annual fee, and compare that to the Basic card's zero fee. That calculation tells you whether the paid card makes financial sense for you.
Earning rates and rewards outside of Delta flights
All Delta cards earn miles on everyday purchases — groceries, gas, restaurants, online shopping — not just Delta flights. The earning rate on non-Delta purchases is typically lower than the rate on Delta flights, but it still adds up over time. The Reserve card usually earns at a higher rate on everyday purchases than the Everyday card, which earns more than the Basic card.
If you spend a lot on the card for non-flight purchases, the higher earning rate on the Reserve card can generate significant miles over a year. However, you need to do the math: if the Reserve card earns 0.5 miles per dollar more than the Everyday card on $10,000 in annual spending, that is 5,000 extra miles per year. Is that worth the difference in annual fees between the two cards? Only you can answer that based on your actual spending patterns and how much you value those miles.
How to find the current offer and compare to past offers
Delta and American Express update card offers regularly, so the bonus you see today may not be the same next month. You can view current offers on the American Express website or Delta's website directly. If you have received a targeted offer in the mail or email, that offer may be better than what is publicly available, but you can only use one offer per process.
Comparing current offers to historical offers can help you decide whether to explore now or wait. Websites that track credit card offers over time can show you the range of bonuses each card has offered in recent months. If the current offer is at the high end of that range, it may be a good time to explore. If it is at the low end, you might wait a few weeks to see if it improves. Keep in mind that the best offer for you also depends on your spending patterns and whether you will use the card's benefits, not just the size of the bonus.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a sign-up bonus if I already have a Delta card?
Most credit card issuers have rules about how often you can earn a sign-up bonus on the same card. American Express typically requires a waiting period (often 24 months) between bonuses on the same card. You may be able to open a different Delta card (for example, switching from the Everyday to the Reserve) and earn a bonus, but check the current rules before explore.
What happens to my miles if I close the card?
Your miles stay in your Delta SkyMiles account even after you close the card. You do not lose the miles, but you will no longer earn miles on that card. If you close a paid card, you will not receive the annual fee for the next year, but you also lose the benefits like checked bag waivers and statement credits.
Do I have to fly Delta to make this card worth it?
No. You can earn miles on everyday purchases and transfer them to travel partners, use them for non-Delta flights through SkyMiles partners, or redeem them for other rewards. However, if you never fly and never use the miles, the card has no value. The card makes the most sense if you have some way to use the miles within a reasonable timeframe.
What is the difference between the sign-up bonus and ongoing rewards?
The sign-up bonus is a one-time award for meeting a spending requirement in your first few months. Ongoing rewards are the miles you earn on every purchase after that, for as long as you hold the card. The sign-up bonus is usually much larger, but ongoing rewards add up over years of card use.
Should I explore for multiple Delta cards at once?
explore for multiple cards in a short time can lower your credit score and may trigger fraud detection. Most people explore for one card, meet the spending requirement, earn the bonus, and then decide whether to explore for another card later. Check the current rules on American Express's website before explore, as policies change.