American Express Shakes Up Delta SkyMiles Credit Card Lineup, Changing Perks and Fees American Express Shakes Up Delta SkyMiles Credit Card Lineup, Changing Perks and Fees

American Express Shakes Up Delta SkyMiles Credit Card Lineup, Changing Perks and Fees

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Throughout the past year, Delta Air Lines' infamous SkyMiles frequent flyer program has undergone a lot of change. SkyClub access, Medallion elite status qualification, MQDs — you name it. Almost everything has undergone some sort of overhaul. But now, there's more. Delta's American Express-issued credit card lineup is getting refreshed.

From new and enhanced benefits to higher annual fees, here's everything you need to know about what's changing with the Delta credit card lineup.

Here’s What Changing With the Delta Credit Card Lineup

New, higher annual fees

If you haven't caught on to the trend by now, “refresh” is synonymous with “higher annual fee.” All of Delta's cards with annual fees now carry higher annual fees. Here's a snapshot of what the new fees look like:

Annual fee increasing from $99 to $150 on:

Annual fee increasing from $250 to $350 on:

Annual fee increasing from $550 to $650 on:

For those who applied for a Delta credit card before February 1, the new annual fees will go into effect on May 1, 2024. Starting then, you'll be responsible for covering a higher fee if you elect to renew your card for another year. For new applicants, the higher annual fees take effect immediately.

the front entrance to access the Delta Sky Club in Tokyo's Haneda airport
Credit: Delta

New applicants for the Delta Gold Card and Delta Gold Business Amex can continue to enjoy an introductory annual fee of $0 during the first year. Once renewal rolls around, the new (higher) annual fee will kick in at $150.

If you're wondering, there are no changes related to the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card — which doesn't charge an annual fee (Rates & Fees).

Related: All Delta Credit Card Options, and How To Choose the Right Card for You

Enhanced Companion Certificate

Positive changes are coming to the annual Delta Companion Certificate perk on the Platinum Delta Amex, Delta Reserve, Delta Business Platinum Amex, and Business Delta Reserve. It's now easier to use and can take you and your companion further.

The certificate now includes round-trip flights to Hawaii, Alaska, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and the continental United States. You'll still need to pay government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments).

Related: The Ultimate Guide to Companion Fares, Companion Passes & Companion Tickets

Improved Delta flight credit

As a result of the changes, holders of the Delta Gold Card and Delta Gold Business Amex will see an improvement to the annual Delta flight credit. Instead of receiving a $100 credit after spending $10,000 in a calendar year, cardmembers will receive $200 after spending $10,000.

Line of Delta aircraft at the gates
Credit: Migue Angel Sanz/Unsplash

Expanded statement credits

In typical Amex fashion, statement credits now adorn Delta's credit card lineup. Here's a run-down of the statement credits you'll find on the personal cards:

And for the business cards:

Enrollment is required for the Resy and rideshare (which includes Uber, Lyft, and other select providers) credits but isn't needed for the Delta Stays benefit. A spokesperson for Amex confirmed to AwardWallet that all that's needed to redeem the Delta Stays credit is to make a prepaid reservation on delta.com.

Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.

Brand new earning categories for business cards

Unlike most typical business credit cards, Delta's trio of business cards never featured special bonus categories for spending on advertising, shipping, and the like. Instead, cardmembers were limited to increased earnings on Delta and 1X SkyMiles per dollar spent on pretty much anything else.

a person at a small business packs a box to prepare for shipping; your Chase credit card application strategy should consider small business cards if you're eligible
Credit: Bench Accounting/Unsplash

Thankfully, one of the major gripes about Delta's business card lineup has been reconciled. Bonus categories are here. Alongside the normal Delta and “other eligible purchases” earning rates, Delta's business cards will also earn the following:

Related: The Best Small-Business Credit Card Offers for This Month

Here’s What Isn't Changing With the Delta Credit Card Lineup

As mentioned at the outset, the Blue Delta Amex escaped the changes unscathed. The recognizable, no-annual-fee product will remain as-is (Rates & Fees).

The “TakeOff15” benefit available on all cards except the Blue Delta Amex is also sticking around. You can still save 15% on award tickets when redeeming miles on Delta-operated flights.

It's also worth noting that Delta's Medallion Qualification Dollar (MQD) headstart is here to stay. While Delta announced this as a one-time benefit late last year in response to other program-wide changes, it'll become a mainstay on Delta's Platinum- and Reserve-branded credit cards. As a refresher, you'll receive the following number of MQDs just by holding eligible cards:

  • $2,500 bonus MQDs for holding either the Platinum Delta Amex and Delta Business Platinum Amex
  • $2,500 bonus MQDs for holding either the Delta Reserve and Business Delta Reserve

Related: How To Earn Delta Medallion Status in 2024

Escalators inside the entry to the Delta Sky Club at LaGuardia airport
Delta Sky Club at LaGuardia airport in New York. Credit: Delta

Also not changing? The recently announced limits to SkyClub lounge access. Those with Platinum-level Delta cards can no longer buy their way into the lounge using their card (which previously cost $50 per visit). Also, those flying Basic Economy have now lost access to the SkyClub, regardless of what cards they have in their wallet or lounge memberships they hold.

And restrictions put in place for Reserve-level cardmembers also aren't changing with today's announcement. Lounge access will be reduced on February 1, 2025, requiring significant spending to maintain your ability to garner unlimited visits.

Final Thoughts

The Delta credit card lineup has undergone some changes. As a result, almost every product has been outfitted with a few new bells and whistles, statement credits, and more. But these changes come with a cost, found in the form of now-higher annual fees.

On balance, the changes aren't overwhelmingly bad. However, they're not overwhelmingly positive. At best, they're fair.

For some current cardholders, these changes might be enough of a reason to say goodbye and move on from the Delta credit card ecosystem. But for others, the addition of statement credits, business spending categories, and more perks could provide sufficient reason to renew or apply for a new card. If you can make the benefits work for you, the annual fees can be justified. For many, that will require a re-evaluation when the higher annual posts to your account.

For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card (Rates & Fees), Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card (Rates & Fees), Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card (Rates & Fees), Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card (Rates & Fees), Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (Rates & Fees), Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card (Rates & Fees), and Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card (Rates & Fees)

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