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If you have a Delta credit card, chances are you have a yearly Delta Stays credit as a card benefit. These credits were added in February 2024 as part of Amex's revamp of its Delta card portfolio — as part of its justification for increasing card annual fees. Utilizing this one card benefit can offset a significant portion of the card's annual fee.
I typically book my hotels directly through the hotel program to ensure I get elite benefits and earnings. But, this Delta Stays credit comes in handy when you might need a one-night stay in transit — which is why I've used my credit for stays in the Maldives the past two years.
So, here's an overview of this benefit and how I've utilized it.
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What Is the Delta Stays Benefit?
Almost all Delta credit cards offer a Delta Stays credit each calendar year, but the amount of the credit varies by card. Here's a list of the cards that offer a Delta Stays credit and the amount:
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card: Up to $100 in statement credits per calendar year
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card: Up to $150 in statement credits per calendar year
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card: Up to $150 in statement credits per calendar year
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card: Up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card: Up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card: Up to $250 in statement credits per calendar year
Related: Which Delta Credit Card Is Right for You? A Breakdown of Benefits & Perks for Each
With the Delta Stays benefit, you can earn the above statement credits when you use an eligible card to pay for one or more new Delta Stays prepaid hotel or vacation rental bookings on the Delta Stays platform. Pay attention to the prepaid requirement, as that means you'll need to pay when booking instead of at the hotel when you stay.
However, the eligible amount doesn't include charges by a property to you or interest charges, cancellation fees, property fees, resort fees, or other similar fees. For example, I needed to pay $12 in local taxes at the hotel in the Maldives, so this $12 wouldn't count toward the Delta Stays credit.
Related: How Can I Receive Welcome Offers From Multiple Delta Amex Cards?
How I Use My Delta Stays Credit
I usually book stays through the hotel loyalty programs I use, so I can enjoy elite benefits and point earnings. But sometimes a hotel outside my primary loyalty programs is the best option for a specific stay. And that's when I usually use my Delta Stays credit.
Interestingly, I've used the Delta Stays credit from my Delta Gold Business Amex in both 2024 and 2025 at the same hotel in the Maldives. My wife and I have found staying in Male for a night after landing in the Maldives works much better than quickly transferring to a resort (especially if the transfer requires a seaplane). So, I've used the up to $150 Delta Stays credit each of the last two years on one-night stays at Marukab Plaza.
Marukab Plaza costs about $162 per night on most dates through Delta Stays, so it's a perfect fit for my up to $150 Delta Stays credit. The hotel is just a block from the airport ferry dock, but most bookings include round-trip airport transfers and breakfast.
While it's not a fancy stay, we've found this is a perfect use of the credit to crash in Male for a night, sleep off jetlag, and then get an early start out to one of the incredible Maldives resorts.
Related: How to Book Maldives Overwater Villas With Free Night Certificates
Tips for Using the Delta Stays Credit
Note that you won't see any indication that your stay will count toward your Delta Stays credit during the booking process, nor will you see any reminder that you have a Delta Stays benefit.
But you will get an email titled “You’ve earned a Delta Stays statement credit!” after booking. In my case, I received this email about a day after booking an eligible prepaid Delta Stays reservation.
The email says the credit is usually “issued within a few days but could take 6-8 weeks,” but my Delta Stays credit appeared the same day as the charge.
Related: How To Track Progress Toward Rewards and Benefits on Your Co-Branded Amex Card
Bottom Line
If you have any of the Delta cards that offer a Delta Stays credit — namely the Delta Gold Card, Delta Gold Business Amex, Platinum Delta Amex, Delta Business Platinum Amex, Delta Reserve, or Business Delta Reserve — check whether you've used your credit for this calendar year.
If you haven't, be sure to book an eligible Delta Stays reservation before the end of the year. Regardless of your desired destination, you can almost certainly find a property bookable through Delta Stays that will work for you. And if you don't yet have a Delta credit card, here are the current welcome offers open to new cardmembers:
(Terms apply)
- 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
(Terms apply)
- 3X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 3X miles per dollar at hotels
- 2X miles per dollar at U.S. supermarkets
- 2X Miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- 1 mile on every eligible dollar spent on purchases.
- 3X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 1.5X miles per dollar on eligible transit, U.S. shipping, and U.S. office supply store purchases, plus all eligible purchases after spending $150K per calendar year
- 1 mile on every dollar spent 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), Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card (Rates & Fees), and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card (Rates & Fees)
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