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American Express' entry-level Delta card, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is currently offering a welcome bonus of 50,000 miles. This is well below the the high-water mark of 80,000 bonus miles which we last saw at the beginning of 2025. To maximize your Delta SkyMiles, we'd recommend waiting for an increased offer, which typically appears two- or three times each year and lasts for around two months.
Although this isn't the best time to apply, the card's ongoing benefits make it a long-term keeper for Delta flyers.
- 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
Delta Gold Card Welcome Offer
New Delta Gold Card applicants can 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. The offers for this card range from 40,000 to 80,000 Delta SkyMiles with spending requirements from $1,000 to $3,000. For most of the year, this card features a solid, but not especially lucrative, welcome bonus for new cardmembers. Then, a few times each year, Delta offers the chance to earn a much higher bonus during a relatively short window of 40 to 60 days.
If you can take advantage of the card's money-saving perks—like free checked bags—on an upcoming Delta flight, there's nothing wrong with signing up at a time when the welcome offer isn't at record levels. But given that Delta has been quite consistent with promoting limited-time offers over the past few years, we recommend waiting patiently for a welcome bonus that delivers more SkyMiles.
Why Should You Get the Delta Gold Card?
The Delta Gold Card offers an impressive array of benefits that can make your travel smoother and more affordable — without the hefty annual fees of premium cards. Here's what you'll enjoy with the Delta Gold Card:
- Free checked bag for you and up to 8 companions, saving you potentially hundreds on baggage fees every time you fly
- Priority boarding (Zone 5) so you can board early and secure that all-important overhead bin space
- 20% off in-flight purchases for food, beverages, and headsets
- $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 (Rates & Fees)
- $200 Delta Flight Credit after you spend $10,000 in purchases on your card in a calendar year
- No foreign transaction fees, which makes it an excellent international travel card (Rates & Fees)
Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.
Why Maximizing Your Welcome Offer is a Big Deal
With its 50,000-mile bonus, the Delta Gold Card delivers great value. AwardWallet members typically redeem Delta Miles for around 1.34¢ each, meaning this bonus can get you roughly $670 in airfare. That's a significant boost for a card with such an affordable annual fee.
Whether you're a casual Delta flyer or looking to build your miles for future international travel, this card provides an affordable and effective entry to the SkyMiles ecosystem.
Unlike the higher-end Delta cards, the Delta Gold Card gives you some of the most valuable perks (like a free checked bag and priority boarding) without committing to an expensive annual fee.
Looking for the small business version?
If you own a small business, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card is offering a 60,000-mile bonus after spending $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. You'll enjoy many of the same perks, plus business-specific tools that help streamline your expenses while earning rewards.
- Welcome Offer: Earn 60,000 Bonus Miles after spending $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150
- Card Members save 15% when booking Award Travel with miles on Delta flights when using delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Additionally, you can receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel after you spend $10,000 in purchases in a year.
- Earn 2 miles per dollar spent on purchases at U.S. Shipping providers and at U.S. providers for Advertising in select media on up to $50,000 of purchases per category, per year.
- Earn 2 Miles on every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta and on every eligible dollar spent at restaurants.
- Earn 1 Mile on every eligible dollar spent on other purchases.
- Check and stow your bag with ease: First Checked Bag Free on Delta Flights + Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights.
- Elevate your travel experience with an annual statement credit of up to $150 after using your Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
- Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit on eligible Delta in-flight purchases after using your Card.
- Pay no foreign transaction fees when you travel overseas.
- Terms and limitations apply.
- Rates & Fees
- 2X miles per dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta
- 2X miles per dollar on eligible U.S. purchases for advertising in select media (annual cap of $50,000 in eligible purchases)
- 2X miles per dollar on eligible U.S. shipping purchases (annual cap of $50,000 in eligible purchases)
- 2X miles per dollar on eligible dining purchases
- 1X miles per dollar on all other eligible purchases
Delta Gold Card Application Restrictions
You can only earn the welcome bonus once per lifetime on each Amex card, so if you’ve received the bonus on the Delta Gold Card before, you won’t be eligible again. That’s why it’s best to apply when the bonus is at its highest.
Amex has also introduced a “family” rule, meaning you may be ineligible for a bonus on the Delta Gold Card if you’ve held the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card.
For many, the Delta Gold Card is a smart first choice. If you later prefer a higher-tier Delta card, you can apply for one and still be eligible for the welcome offer.
Related: How to get welcome offers on multiple Delta Amex cards
Our Take
Whether you're a casual Delta flyer or looking to build your miles for future international travel, this card provides an affordable and effective entry to the SkyMiles ecosystem. If you want to earn SkyMiles while enjoying valuable travel perks like a free checked bag and priority boarding, this card is an easy choice.
- 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
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card (Rates & Fees), and Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card (Rates & Fees)
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