Is the Delta Business Gold Amex worth it? This is how you decide

The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card Although they have some advantages, they are primarily aimed at frequent travelers and are still more of a niche subgroup. It’s a good card for those who want to save money on checked bag fees and who can meet the minimum spending required to receive the Delta flight credit each year.

Who is the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card worth?

There’s a Delta card for every type of traveler, but sometimes it’s hard to know which is the right card for you. This card in particular offers very niche benefits that are only valuable and useful to a very specific group of cardholders. Let’s see if it’s a good fit for you.

Flyers, especially those traveling with others who are checking their luggage

For passengers who don’t want to lug their luggage through busy airports and would rather check their luggage, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business Card offers the potential to save significant money. Each checked bag costs $30 each way on domestic economy class flights with Delta, meaning cardholders can save at least up to $60 on round-trip flights.

However, the free first checked bag benefit you get with this card extends to up to eight additional passengers on your reservation, meaning a family of four can save up to $240 if they go on vacation together and each one of them checks in a piece of luggage. That’s more than enough to offset the annual fee after the first year.

Companies with significant spending amounts in bonus categories

Business owners who spend significant amounts of money in this card’s bonus categories, such as: Customers, such as purchases directly from Delta, dining out, U.S. providers of advertising on select media, or U.S. shipping carriers, can benefit from increased Delta SkyMiles earnings when they use all of these categories to make purchases through their cards. Earn 2x miles per dollar spent on purchases from U.S. carriers and U.S. carriers on select media advertising for up to $50,000 in purchases per category per year, and that’s all you get 1x after you exceed this cap.

Travelers who can benefit from Delta stays and flight credits

A good way to use your credit cards, especially those with high annual fees, is to make sure you can take advantage of the most benefits they come with. The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business Card gives you a $200 Delta flight credit to use toward future travel, but only after you spend at least $10,000 on purchases each year.

Additionally, the card offers up to $150 in Delta Stays credit toward eligible prepaid Delta Stays hotels or vacation rentals when booked through Delta.com.

Cardholders who can fully utilize these two balances can receive up to $350 in benefits for a relatively low annual fee of $150, which is waived the first year you own the card.
To view Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card rates and fees, see this page

For whom is the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card not worthwhile?

As with any airline credit card, the earnings are rather inflexible. If you’re looking for rewards that give you endless redemption options, this card isn’t for you. However, if you’re busy running a business and aren’t concerned about whether you’ve remembered to meet a minimum spending threshold or used that particular card to book your hotel stays, using the credit may be more difficult.

Business owners who don’t know airlines

If you don’t make it a goal to fly with Delta Air Lines, either because you like flying with the airline that gets you to your destination the cheapest or because you don’t care about loyalty benefits, you won’t get much value from this card. While it may help you save some money on the occasional checked baggage fee when flying with Delta, the card offers virtually no value when flying on other airlines.

Flyers traveling light

For those who can’t take advantage of the free first checked bag benefit because they don’t have to bother waiting at the check-in counter to check in their bags, the card offers little value. Earnings on this card are relatively low, and the 20% discount on in-flight purchases isn’t great. All other benefits are really lackluster.

Travelers who cannot use the credit offered

For small businesses that cannot commit to spending the minimum required spend of $10,000 within a year to receive their $200 Delta flight credit, or for those who do not plan to use the Delta stay credit $150, or for those who can’t find the credit they want when booking accommodations on the Delta.com website, the card will seem less and less valuable to them, especially if they can’t take advantage of the other benefits .

Avid Delta Flyer with status

Outsiders who have status with the airline will see very little, if any, value in this card, as the card’s main benefit is the checked bag fee waiver and even to Delta Medallion members at the lowest tier , Silver Medallion, a free first checked bag is offered.

Companies that want to be rewarded for their spending

While the card allows you to earn SkyMiles on your purchases, the earning rates aren’t particularly generous compared to other cards on the market. For example, with Capital One Venture you can transfer the miles you collect to multiple programs, giving you the greatest possible flexibility in your redemptions.

How to maximize rewards with the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card

First-time cardholders who apply for this card will receive 80,000 bonus miles after spending $6,000 on purchases with your new card in the first 6 months of their card membership. Offer ends 3/27/24. This will surely increase your SkyMiles account balance to a healthy value.

The next item on the to-do list for those looking to maximize their rewards is to use the card for all purchases, especially those in the bonus categories. This way, every dollar you spend directly with Delta, on dining out, with shipping providers, and on advertising purchases in select media earns you twice as much as on all other purchases.

Taking that away

If you’re one of the many Delta fliers who don’t fly enough to earn status but can take advantage of this card’s first checked bag fee waiver and a few other perks, then this card will most likely provide you with value offer. However, if that description doesn’t sound like you, this card probably doesn’t deserve space in your wallet.

frequently asked Questions

Do I earn status by spending with the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card?

The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business Card does not automatically grant you status or allow you to earn status with Delta Air Lines, as it is an entry-level card with benefits for those who do not fly Delta often enough to earn status. If you’re interested in Delta cards that allow you to advance to the Medallion tier, try the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business Card or the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business Card.

Do I get lounge access with the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card?

The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business Card does not provide you with lounge access benefits on the Delta Sky Club, Centurion or Priority Pass networks. The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card is the only Delta co-branded credit card that includes lounge access as a benefit.
For “Card Name” rates and fees, seethis page

Can I transfer my Delta SkyMiles to other airlines?

Delta SkyMiles cannot be transferred to other airlines. However, you can use your SkyMiles to book flights with Delta’s more than a dozen SkyTeam partners and fly virtually anywhere in the world.

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Please note that map details are accurate as of the date of publication but are subject to change at any time at the publisher’s discretion. Please contact the card issuer to verify rates, fees and benefits before applying.

Eligibility and benefit levels vary depending on the card. Terms and conditions and restrictions apply. For more information, see the guide at americanexpress.com/benefits. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.