Credit Cards

Delta and Amex Roll Out New Welcome Offers for Co-Branded Credit Cards

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Editor’s note: Some of the offers mentioned below may no longer be available. Please click each card’s link to view the latest information.

On the heels of United and Chase rolling out increased welcome offers for their co-branded line-up, another airline and credit card issuer duo has done the same. Delta and American Express have just announced limited-time welcome bonuses for several of their SkyMiles cards. As a result, new cardholders can currently earn up to 90,000 SkyMiles while enjoying the other travel perks.

First up, the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card is now offering 70,000 bonus miles when you spend $2,000 in purchases on the card in your first three months. Additionally, while the card does carry a $99 annual fee, that is waived for the first year. In terms of rewards, Delta SkyMiles Gold cardholders can earn 2 miles per dollar spent on Delta purchases, 2x miles at restaurants, 2x miles at U.S. supermarkets, and 1x miles on everything else. Cardholders also get their first checked bag free when they fly Delta, enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding, and other travel perks. Plus, they can earn a $100 Delta Flight Credit when they spent $10,000 on the card in a calendar year.

Moving up the ladder, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card is now offering a whopping 90,000 bonus miles when you make $3,000 in purchases on the card in your first three months. On top of that, the card earns 3 miles per dollar on Delta purchases, 3x miles on hotel bookings made directly with the hotel, 2x miles at restaurants, 2x miles at U.S. grocery stores, and 1x miles on everything else. With the Delta SkyMiles Platinum, cardholders will also have the opportunity to earn Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) and accelerate their progress toward earning Delta Medallion Status. Additionally, cardholders will receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon the renewal of their card. However, applicants should be aware that the card does carry a $250 annual fee that is not waived.

Lastly, we come to the heavy hitter: the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card. With the current welcome offer, new cardholders can earn 80,000 Bonus Miles as well as 20,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) when they spend $5,000 in purchases on the card within their first three months. Cardholders will also have the opportunity to earn additional MQMs when they spend $30,000 on the card in a calendar year. While the Delta SkyMiles Reserve does earn 3 miles per dollar spent on Delta purchases and 1x miles on everything else, perhaps the biggest perk is that it includes complimentary Delta Sky Club access for cardholders along with two Delta Sky Club One-Time Guest Passes per year. Plus, each year upon renewal, Delta SkyMiles Reserve cardholders will receive a Domestic First Class, Delta Comfort+, or Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate. Of note, the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card has an annual fee of $550.

Currently, each of these offers is set to expire on April 28th, 2021. Therefore, if you’re a regular Delta flyer who’s looking to return to the sky in the next several months, it may be worth considering adding one of these Delta SkyMiles Amex cards to your wallet. Of course, if you’re not particularly loyal to Delta but still want a premium travel card, the American Express Platinum Card may prove to be a better option. Either way, before applying, just make sure to run the numbers and ensure that you’ll get positive expected value from these annual fee cards. If so, then make sure to take advantage of these enhanced welcome offers while they last.

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Also published on Medium.

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