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With so many Delta co-branded credit cards available, one of the most common questions we field on the blog and in our Facebook community Award Travel 101 is, “Can I hold multiple Delta Amex cards?” In the past, the answer was a resounding “yes!” However, that answer has changed to a muddy “maybe.”
But first, why would you want to apply for more than one American Express Delta credit card? The biggest reason is that multiple cards mean earning multiple welcome offers. More SkyMiles means more free flights.
Amex specifies that new card members can receive the welcome offer on Amex cards once per card over their lifetime. However, that rule doesn’t stop you from applying for different credit cards within the same family of cards and earning the welcome bonus on each card.
Current Delta American Express Card Offers
Amex offers four consumer Delta co-branded American Express cards. Here are the current offers for each:
- Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card: Earn 10,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card: Earn 50,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card: Earn 60,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card: Earn 70,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $5,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 50,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Enjoy a $0 introductory Annual Fee for the first year, then $150.
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- $200 Delta Flight Credit: After you spend $10,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel.
- Earn 2X Miles on Delta purchases, at U.S. Supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- You can check your first bag free on Delta flights, saving up to $70 on a round-trip Delta flight per person. For a family of four that's a potential savings of up to $280 per round-trip flight.
- Receive Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
- $100 Delta Stays Credit: Get up to $100 back per year as a statement credit after using your Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
- Take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
- Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit on eligible Delta in-flight purchases after using your Card.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- With Send & Split®, you can send money and split your Card purchases with any other Venmo or PayPal user, directly from the Amex App. Enroll today.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- Rates & Fees
- 2X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 2X miles per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets
- 2X miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- 1X miles on all other eligible purchases
Plus three Delta SkyMiles co-branded cards oriented for business spending:
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card: Earn 60,000 Bonus Miles after spending $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card: Earn 70,000 Bonus Miles after spending $6,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card: Earn 80,000 Bonus Miles after spending $10,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Welcome Offer: Earn 70,000 Bonus Miles after spending $6,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate each year after renewal of your Delta Platinum Business Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply.
- Earn 1.5X miles* on eligible transit and U.S. shipping purchases, plus single eligible purchases of $5,000 or more. Terms and miles cap apply. *If your purchase qualifies for a category that has a higher mileage accelerator, only the higher accelerator will apply.
- Get closer to elevated Status next Medallion® Year with MQD Headstart and MQD Boost: receive $2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $20 of purchases with your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card.
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card Members save 15% when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With the $120 Resy Credit, earn up to $10 per month in statement credits on eligible Resy purchases using your enrolled Card.
- Earn up to $10 back each month after using your enrolled Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers.
- Not a Medallion Member? Card Members with an eligible ticket will be added to the Complimentary Upgrade list, after Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members and Reserve Card Members.
- Receive Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
- Elevate your travel experience with an annual statement credit of up to $200 after using your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
- Terms and limitations apply.
- Rates & Fees
- 3X miles per dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta
- 3X miles per dollar spent on eligible purchases with hotels
- 1.5x miles on eligible purchases over $5,000 (up to 50,000 bonus miles annually)
- 1.5X miles on eligible transit and U.S. shipping purchases*
- 1X miles per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
Related: 7 of the Best Ways To Redeem Delta SkyMiles for Great Value
Rules on Earning More Than One Delta Welcome Offer
In 2023, American Express changed some rules regarding who's eligible to apply for which Delta cards — and who can earn each card's welcome bonuses. Previously, you could earn the welcome bonus on each Delta family card, amounting to seven separate bonuses!
Now, each card has different language about who’s eligible. Here are the rules for Delta's personal cards:
- Blue Delta Amex: You may not be eligible for a welcome offer if you have or have had this card, the Delta SkyMiles® Options Credit Card, the Delta Gold Card, the Platinum Delta Amex, the Delta Reserve, or previous versions of these Cards.
- Delta Gold Card: You may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer if you have or have had this card, the Platinum Delta Amex, the Delta Reserve, or previous versions of these Cards.
- Platinum Delta Amex: You may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer if you have or have had this card, the Delta Reserve, or previous versions of these Cards.
- Delta Reserve: You may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer if you have or have had this Card or previous versions of this Card.
And for Delta's business cards:
- Delta Gold Business Amex: You may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer if you have or have had this card or previous versions of this Card.
- Delta Business Platinum Amex: You may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer if you have or have had this card or previous versions of this Card.
- Business Delta Reserve: You may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer if you have or have had this card or previous versions of this Card
These limitations coincide with Amex's other application rules and restrictions on the number of cards you can carry simultaneously.
Amex also notes it will consider other factors in your application, such as “the number of credit cards that you have opened and closed.” If you aren't eligible for a bonus, you will usually get a pop-up message before you apply for the card. That way, you can withdraw your application if you aren't interested in applying for a card without being eligible for the bonus offer.
To maximize the number of cards and welcome bonuses you get, here's the order to apply for the cards.
Delta Credit Card Optimal Application Strategy
The optimal strategy for earning every Delta credit card welcome bonus would be to get the Blue Delta Amex first, then the Delta Gold Card, then the Platinum Delta Amex, and finally the Delta Reserve.
That's because once you get the Delta Gold Card, the Platinum Delta Amex, OR the Delta Reserve, you're ineligible to earn a welcome bonus on the Blue Delta Amex. That means you'll want to apply for the Blue Delta Amex first if you ever want to get that card's welcome bonus.
Although the welcome offer isn't great on the Blue Delta Amex, you can start earning 2 miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide and on purchases made directly with Delta, plus 1 mile on all other purchases. Plus, the card charges $0 annual fee (Rates & Fees).
- Earn 10,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- No Annual Fee.
- Earn 2X Miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- Earn 2X Miles per dollar spent on Delta purchases, and 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay with Miles: take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
- Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit after you use your Card on eligible Delta in-flight purchases of food, beverages, and audio headsets.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- Rates & Fees
- 2X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 2X miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- 1 mile on every eligible dollar spent on purchases
Similarly, you can't get the welcome bonus on the Delta Gold Card if you've had the Platinum Delta Amex OR the Delta Reserve previously. So, make sure to get the Delta Gold Card before either more-premium card if you want to earn a welcome bonus on every Delta credit card.
- Earn 50,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Enjoy a $0 introductory Annual Fee for the first year, then $150.
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- $200 Delta Flight Credit: After you spend $10,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel.
- Earn 2X Miles on Delta purchases, at U.S. Supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- You can check your first bag free on Delta flights, saving up to $70 on a round-trip Delta flight per person. For a family of four that's a potential savings of up to $280 per round-trip flight.
- Receive Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
- $100 Delta Stays Credit: Get up to $100 back per year as a statement credit after using your Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
- Take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
- Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit on eligible Delta in-flight purchases after using your Card.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- With Send & Split®, you can send money and split your Card purchases with any other Venmo or PayPal user, directly from the Amex App. Enroll today.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- Rates & Fees
- 2X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 2X miles per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets
- 2X miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- 1X miles on all other eligible purchases
The business cards have fewer restrictions. As of publishing, you can Delta business cards in any order and at any time. So, apply when the welcome offers are favorable or when one of the options suits your travel needs.
Related: American Express Card Offer History: Best-Ever Offers and When You Should Apply
Stacking MQDs From Multiple Cards for Elite Status
Airline elite status is one of the keys to making your flying experience more comfortable. You'll have access to better services and extras and earn more miles on airline spending. But without enough butt-in-seat miles, achieving elite status can be a pipe dream. This is especially true given that Delta made it harder to earn elite status.
Fortunately, Delta offers Headstart. As the name implies, this gives you a head start toward status each year. Here's how Amex describes this benefit:
“Beginning February 2024, Delta SkyMiles® Platinum, Platinum Business, Reserve and Reserve Business American Express Card Members will receive an MQD Headstart of $2,500 MQDs per Card type for the current Medallion Qualification Year.”
The “per card type” language is noteworthy. If you have a Platinum- or Reserve-level card, you'll get $2,500 MQDs to start the year in February 2024 and each year after that. But if you have all four of these card types (including the business and personal versions of both Platinum and Reserve cards), you'll get a total of $10,000 MQDs. That's enough for Delta Gold status! You'll pay around $2,000 in annual fees, but you'll also get Delta Gold Medallion status without flying.
But there are other ways to earn elite status without flying that don't involve a couple of thousand dollars worth of annual fees. For example, you can stack the Headstart benefit with spending on Delta credit cards:
| Earn Medallion Status Using Delta SkyMiles Credit Cards | Credit Cards and Requirement |
|---|---|
| Earn Silver Medallion Status ($5,000 MDs) | One-Card Strategy • $2,500 Headstart MQDs , plus either $25K annual spend on Delta Reserve or $50K annual spend on the Platinum Delta Amex Two-Card Strategy • $5,000 Headstart MQDs - no card spending required if you have 2 Platinum-level or Reserve-level cards (but must be different cards, not 2 of the same) |
| Earn Gold Medallion Status ($10,000 MQDs) | One-Card Strategy • $2,500 Headstart MQDs plus $75K annual spend on Delta Reserve Multi-Card Strategy • $2,500 Headstart MQDs per card (four cards earns it outright, with $2,000 in annual fees) • $5,000 Headstart MQDs from a reasonable two-card strategy, plus $50K annual spend on Delta Reserve |
| Earn Platinum Medallion Status ($15,000 MQDs) | Multi-Card Strategy • $5,000 Headstart MQDs plus $100K annual spend on Delta Reserve (for a two-card strategy) • $10,000 Headstart MQDs plus $50K annual spend on Delta Reserve (four-card strategy) |
| Earn Diamond Medallion Status ($28,000 MQDs) | Four-Card Strategy • $10,000 Headstart MQDs plus $180K annual spend on the Delta Reserve |
In other words, you can easily boost your way to Delta Medallion status if you play your cards right.
Earn Additional Companion Certificates
The personal and business versions of the Platinum and Reserve Delta cards offer a Delta companion certificate each year upon account renewal. You can redeem companion certificates from multiple Delta cards in the same calendar year. This perk is another incentive to carry multiple SkyMiles cards.
- Platinum Delta Amex: Receive a Main Cabin companion certificate for a round-trip domestic, Caribbean, or Central America flight each year.
- Delta Business Platinum Amex: Receive a Main Cabin companion certificate for a round-trip domestic, Caribbean, or Central America flight each year.
- Delta Reserve: Receive a Domestic First Class, Delta Comfort+, or Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year.
- Business Delta Reserve: Receive a Domestic First Class, Delta Comfort+, or Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year.
When using the certificate, you’ll pay just the government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Just be aware of some restrictions on these companion certificates, such as booking through Delta.com in specific fare classes and using an eligible Amex card to pay for the tickets. Companion certificates even qualify for Medallion Complimentary Upgrades.
Final Thoughts
Can you apply for more than one Delta co-branded card and receive the welcome offer? The short answer is yes. But now that the rules are stricter, you'll need to plan your credit card application strategy carefully. This is especially true for Delta's personal cards.
With these credit cards, you can take advantage of perks like the free companion certificate from multiple cards each year. Bear in mind that premium Delta cards include significant annual fees that will set you back hundreds of dollars. And you’ll need to weigh the cost of maintaining these cards against opportunities to carry other, more well-rounded premium credit cards with superior benefits and point-earning structures.
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® Platinum Business American Express Card (Rates & Fees), and Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card (Rates & Fees)
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