Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card Review for 2022
This article is part of a larger series on Best Small Business Credit Cards.
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card is designed for business owners who fly with Delta Airlines frequently and want to access in-flight savings and a free checked bag. This low-annual-fee small business credit card also offers rewards in other categories, including advertising, shipping, and dining.
If you wish to compare one card over another, choose a maximum of three cards on this page and click Add to compare to view the details in a side-by-side comparison.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card
BEST FOR:
Delta Air Lines flyers and earning rewards outside of Delta purchases
- Welcome Offer: Earn 50,000 Bonus Miles after spending $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months of Card Membership.
- Check or stow your bag with ease: First Checked Bag Free on Delta Flights + Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding.
- Earn 2 Miles on every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta, on every dollar spent on eligible U.S. purchases for advertising in select media, on every dollar spent on eligible U.S. shipping purchases, on every eligible dollar spent at restaurants. Earn 1 Mile on every eligible dollar spent on other purchases.
- Additionally, receive a $100 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel after you spend $10,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
- Pay no foreign transaction fees when you travel overseas.
- $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99.
- Terms and limitations apply.
Pros
- Low annual fee
- No foreign transaction fees
- Earn a $100 Delta flight credit
Cons
- Balance transfers aren’t allowed
- No free or discounted Delta Sky Club access
- No 0% introductory APR
- Free checked bag: Check one bag for free for you and up to eight companions
- Savings on inflight purchases: Receive a 20% discount on inflight purchases you make with your American Express Gold Delta SkyMiles® Business Credit Card
- Baggage insurance: If your luggage is lost, damaged, or stolen, you’re eligible for coverage of up to $1,250 for carry-on baggage and $500 for checked bags
- Car rental insurance: Coverage is primary, which means it replaces any coverage your personal insurance might offer when renting for business purposes; it provides reimbursement up to the actual cash value of the vehicle for theft and collision damage for most cars in the US and abroad
- Welcome Offer: Earn 50,000 Bonus Miles after spending $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months of Card Membership.
- Check or stow your bag with ease: First Checked Bag Free on Delta Flights + Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding.
- Earn 2 Miles on every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta, on every dollar spent on eligible U.S. purchases for advertising in select media, on every dollar spent on eligible U.S. shipping purchases, on every eligible dollar spent at restaurants. Earn 1 Mile on every eligible dollar spent on other purchases.
- Additionally, receive a $100 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel after you spend $10,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
- Pay no foreign transaction fees when you travel overseas.
- $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99.
- Terms and limitations apply.
Pros
- Low annual fee
- No foreign transaction fees
- Earn a $100 Delta flight credit
Cons
- Balance transfers aren’t allowed
- No free or discounted Delta Sky Club access
- No 0% introductory APR
- Free checked bag: Check one bag for free for you and up to eight companions
- Savings on inflight purchases: Receive a 20% discount on inflight purchases you make with your American Express Gold Delta SkyMiles® Business Credit Card
- Baggage insurance: If your luggage is lost, damaged, or stolen, you’re eligible for coverage of up to $1,250 for carry-on baggage and $500 for checked bags
- Car rental insurance: Coverage is primary, which means it replaces any coverage your personal insurance might offer when renting for business purposes; it provides reimbursement up to the actual cash value of the vehicle for theft and collision damage for most cars in the US and abroad
How We Evaluate Travel Rewards Business Credit Cards
When grading a travel rewards business credit card like the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card, we first consider the ongoing rewards, introductory rewards, and additional card benefits. We also take into consideration the card’s annual fee and introductory and ongoing annual percentage rates (APRs).
Grading Criteria | ||
---|---|---|
Ongoing Rewards | ||
Introductory Rewards | ||
Additional Features | ||
Annual Fee | ||
Introductory APR | ||
Ongoing APR | ||
Total Score |
If you prefer another credit card from American Express, check out our review of the best American Express credit cards. You may also want to take a look at our list of the best small business credit cards to find other options.
Who the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card Is Best For
- Business owners who frequently fly on Delta Airlines: Business owners who fly primarily with Delta Airlines can use this card to capitalize on Delta-related rewards and enjoy travel perks like a free checked bag, in-flight savings, and priority boarding.
- Business owners who spend on advertising, shipping, and dining expenses: Aside from Delta-related purchases, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card also offers unlimited rewards when you use your credit card to pay for advertising in select media, United States shipping purchases, and dining at restaurants.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card Fees
- Introductory APR: None
- Ongoing APR: 16.49% to 25.49% variable, which changes with the prime rate
- Cash advance APR: 25.99% variable
- Penalty APR: 29.99%
- Annual fee: $99—waived for the first year
- Balance transfer fee: Transfers aren’t allowed
- Foreign transaction fee: None
- Cash advance fee: $5 or 3%, whichever is higher
- Late payment fee: Up to $39
- Overlimit fee: None
- Returned payment fee: $39
Penalty APR will only be applied to cardholders who have done one of the following conditions:
- Made two or more late payments within the 12-month period
- Didn’t pay the minimum payment due by the closing date of the billing period
- Made a returned payment
The paying interest for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card is 25 days after the close of every billing period.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card Rewards
- Welcome offer: Earn 50,000 Bonus Miles after spending $2,000 worth of purchases within three months of Card Membership.
- 2x miles on every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta
- 2x miles per dollar spent on US purchases for advertising in select media
- 2x miles on eligible US shipping purchases and dining at restaurants
- 1x mile on all other eligible purchases
- $100 Delta flight credit to use toward future travel when you spend $10,000 in purchases within a calendar year
- 20% savings in the form of a statement credit on select in-flight purchases when you use your card on a Delta flight
You can redeem your miles through the Delta rewards portal and use them toward flights, seat upgrades, car rentals, merchandise, and gift cards. Redemption should be in increments of 5,000 miles with a minimum of 5,000 miles per redemption. The redemption value of your Delta miles may vary depending on what you’re purchasing.
How To Make Payments in the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card
- Online: Cardholders can make a payment through your American Express online account anytime by choosing your payment account and selecting your bank account and payment date. Note that credit cards and debit cards cannot be accepted as a form of payment.
- Via Amex Mobile App: Use the Amex Mobile App and enjoy the convenience of paying your bills on the go anytime.
- AutoPay: AutoPay can be made through your American Express online account. Note that your first AutoPay payment may not be applied to your current billing cycle and would need to make your usual payments until your AutoPay begins
- Via Direct Bank Payment: This lets you pay bills automatically, so you don’t have to worry about missing due dates. Make sure to provide your bank account details to American Express and let them know the amount you’d like to pay every month.
- Via Mail: Send your payment either by check or money order made payable to American Express. Lastly, ensure to include your account number at the front of your payment.
First Class Mail
American Express
PO Box 650448
Dallas, TX 75265-0448
Express Mail
American Express
Attn: Express Mail Remittance Processing
20500 Belshaw Ave.
Carson, CA 90746
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card Features
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card offers features and benefits that are best suited for business owners who frequently fly with Delta Airlines and whose spending revolves around advertising, shipping, and dining. The following are some of the benefits, which are divided into the following: travel, expense management, customer service, and insurance protection.
Travel Features
- Main Cabin 1 priority booking: The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card allows you to enjoy early boarding on Delta flights. You can board your flight when Main Cabin 1 priority boarding is called. Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding is also available for passengers traveling on the same reservation as the cardmember, up to a maximum of nine passengers per reservation. Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding is only available on Delta and Delta Connection carrier-operated flights. This benefit isn’t applicable for Delta Shuttle® flights.
- $100 Delta flight credit: You can get a discount of $100 after spending $10,000 worth of purchases within a calendar year, which can be used for your future travels
- Baggage insurance plan: The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card offers baggage insurance of between $250 and $1,250 for any luggage lost while in transit, carry-on baggage, checked baggage, or high-risk items. Cardholders are only eligible for this coverage if the entire trip fare was paid for using your American Express business credit card.
- Car rental loss and damage insurance: The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card offers car rental and damage insurance up to $50,000 per car rental agreement for rentals within the first 30 consecutive days. Incidents that aren’t covered include intentional damage, damage that occurred outside the car rental period, manufacturing defects, normal wear and tear, and damage to any property other than the rental car.
- Travel accident insurance: American Express offers travel accident insurance for up to $100,000 if you die or lose a limb, sight, speech, or hearing. Trips that are paid for entirely with your American Express credit card are eligible for this coverage. Certain instances are excluded, such as losses resulting from war or acts of war, self-inflicted injuries, certain ailments, and injuries caused by commuting.
Expense Management Features
- Connecting with QuickBooks: You can save time through auto-categorization that’s being offered by QuickBooks. Simply enroll your Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card and all of your transactions will be tagged automatically with the QuickBooks categories.
- Year-end summary: American Express offers a complete summary of all of your spending after the end of the year, which is categorized by the month and purchase type, which will help you track your business expenses down to the last detail.
Customer Service
- Global assist hotline: Cardholders have access to 24-hour dispatch when traveling more than 100 miles from home. This free global assistance hotline helps connect cardholders to travel, emergency, medical, and legal assistance. This is just a concierge service—cardholders are responsible for the fees charged by third-party providers.
- Relationship Care® service: American Express offers Relationship Care® service to all of their cardholders, where they can call the number found at the bank of the Card to speak to one of the Customer Care Professionals for any questions or concerns about using the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card.
Insurance Protection
- Purchase protection: The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card offers coverage up to $1,000 per damaged or stolen item purchased using the card, up to a maximum of $50,000 per calendar year. Only incidents within 90 days from the date of purchase are eligible for this protection. Certain items are excluded, such as animals, living plants, consumables, motorized vehicles, traveler’s checks, rental items, and items purchased for resale.
- Extended warranty protection: Extended warranties are available for purchases with original manufacturer’s warranties of five years or less. American Express will match warranties of less than two years and provide an additional two years for warranties that are between two and five years long. Items that aren’t included in this coverage are consumables, motorized vehicles, real estate, fixtures,
Pros & Cons of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card
PROS | CONS |
---|---|
Low annual fee: The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card only charges a $99 annual fee, which is waived for the first year. | Balance transfers aren’t allowed: The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card doesn’t allow balance transfers, which is a disadvantage if you need to transfer a balance from another card. |
No foreign transaction fees: You can use your card to make purchases outside of the US without having to pay foreign transaction fees. | No free or discounted Delta Sky Club access: Unlike the other Delta SkyMiles® American Express credit cards, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card doesn’t offer free or discounted access to the Delta Sky Club. |
Earn a $100 Delta flight credit: When you spend a total of $10,000 in purchases in a calendar year, you’ll earn a $100 Delta flight credit to use toward future travel. | No 0% introductory APR: This card doesn’t offer introductory interest-free financing—this is a drawback if you plan to use your card to make a large purchase. |
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card Alternatives
Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business
The Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business card is an excellent alternative if you want to earn unlimited 2x miles on all business-related purchases. This credit card charges a $95 annual fee, which is also waived for the first year. Additionally, you may want to consider this credit card if you need to access balance transfer services. It’s not surprising that this card is our top pick this year for the best business credit cards for travel and best business cards for miles, and one of our top choices for the best business cards with no foreign transaction fees.
Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business
BEST FOR:
Unlimited 2x miles with every swipe
- Introductory reward worth $500 in travel after you spend $4,500 within the first three months
- 2x miles per $1 spent
- Issue employee cards for free
Pros
- No foreign transaction fees
- TSA Pre✓® or Global Entry application fee credit
Cons
- You’ll pay an annual fee after the first year
- Doesn’t offer interest-free financing
- Airport security screening reimbursement: Either a $100 statement credit for Global Entry or an $85 statement credit for TSA Pre✓® once every four years.
- Purchase assurance: Most purchases made entirely with your card are covered if damaged or stolen within 90 days from the date of purchase. Coverage is limited to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per cardholder account per 12 month period.
- Extended warranty coverage: Doubles the original warranty time period and duplicates the coverage of the original manufacturer’s warranty up to a maximum of 12 months on most items you purchase.
- Travel medical emergency assistance: Provide referrals to medical services if you have a medical emergency while traveling. You’re covered if you’re 100 or more miles away from home and from the day you leave until midnight of the 60th day of your trip, or the day you return to your city of residence, whichever is sooner.
- Introductory reward worth $500 in travel after you spend $4,500 within the first three months
- 2x miles per $1 spent
- Issue employee cards for free
Pros
- No foreign transaction fees
- TSA Pre✓® or Global Entry application fee credit
Cons
- You’ll pay an annual fee after the first year
- Doesn’t offer interest-free financing
- Airport security screening reimbursement: Either a $100 statement credit for Global Entry or an $85 statement credit for TSA Pre✓® once every four years.
- Purchase assurance: Most purchases made entirely with your card are covered if damaged or stolen within 90 days from the date of purchase. Coverage is limited to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per cardholder account per 12 month period.
- Extended warranty coverage: Doubles the original warranty time period and duplicates the coverage of the original manufacturer’s warranty up to a maximum of 12 months on most items you purchase.
- Travel medical emergency assistance: Provide referrals to medical services if you have a medical emergency while traveling. You’re covered if you’re 100 or more miles away from home and from the day you leave until midnight of the 60th day of your trip, or the day you return to your city of residence, whichever is sooner.
Chase Ink Business Preferred®
The Chase Ink Business Preferred® card is a great option if you spend on expenses, such as travel, shipping purchases, advertising on search engines and social media sites, and expenses for internet, cable, and phone services. It charges a $95 annual fee, zero foreign transaction fee, and allows balance transfers. These features make it one of our top choices this year for the best business cards with no foreign transaction fees, best business credit cards for travel, and best business cards for miles
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
BEST FOR:
Maximizing travel rewards at a lower annual fee
- Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
- With Fraud Protection your card transactions will be monitored for possible signs of fraudulent activity using real-time fraud monitoring.
- With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
- Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, travel and more - your points don't expire as long as your account is open
- Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- Purchase Protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
Pros
- Opportunity to boost the value of reward points
- Offers cellphone protection and trip cancellation insurance
Cons
- Doesn’t offer an interest-free financing period
- Charges an annual fee
- Auto rental collision damage waiver: Coverage is primary—meaning it replaces any coverage your personal insurance might offer—when renting for business purposes. It provides reimbursement up to the actual cash value of the vehicle for theft and collision damage for most cars in the U.S. and abroad.
- Cellphone protection: You and the employees named on the phone bill you pay for with your card are covered for up to $600 in theft or damages per claim. You are limited to three claims per 12-month period, with a $100 deductible per claim.
- Trip cancellation and delay insurance: If your trip is canceled, you can be compensated up to $15,000 for prepaid expenses such as airfare or hotels. If your trip is delayed for 12 hours or more, you can be reimbursed up to $500 for your hotel room, meals, and transportation.
- Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
- With Fraud Protection your card transactions will be monitored for possible signs of fraudulent activity using real-time fraud monitoring.
- With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
- Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, travel and more - your points don't expire as long as your account is open
- Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- Purchase Protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
Pros
- Opportunity to boost the value of reward points
- Offers cellphone protection and trip cancellation insurance
Cons
- Doesn’t offer an interest-free financing period
- Charges an annual fee
- Auto rental collision damage waiver: Coverage is primary—meaning it replaces any coverage your personal insurance might offer—when renting for business purposes. It provides reimbursement up to the actual cash value of the vehicle for theft and collision damage for most cars in the U.S. and abroad.
- Cellphone protection: You and the employees named on the phone bill you pay for with your card are covered for up to $600 in theft or damages per claim. You are limited to three claims per 12-month period, with a $100 deductible per claim.
- Trip cancellation and delay insurance: If your trip is canceled, you can be compensated up to $15,000 for prepaid expenses such as airfare or hotels. If your trip is delayed for 12 hours or more, you can be reimbursed up to $500 for your hotel room, meals, and transportation.
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card
If you want to enjoy discounted access to the Delta Sky Club, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card is an excellent alternative. This small business credit card allows you to receive a reduced fee of $39 per Delta Sky Club visit. You can also receive a companion certificate for a domestic main cabin round trip each year upon renewal of your card. All these were used as a basis to include this card as one of our top choices this year for both best business credit cards for travel and best business cards for miles
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card
BEST FOR:
Frequent Delta flyers who want to access premium business Delta features
- Welcome Offer: Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 5,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months.
- You can receive a domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Take a friend or family member when you fly Delta. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $75 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Earn more miles on big purchases with 1.5 miles per dollar on single eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (that’s an extra half mile per dollar), up to 50,000 additional miles per year. If your purchase qualifies for a category that has a higher mileage accelerator, only the higher accelerator will apply (ex. you would earn 3X miles on purchases made directly with Delta and Hotel Stays instead of 1.5X).
- Delta Sky Club® Access – enjoy an exclusive rate of $39 per person per visit to enter the Delta Sky Club for you and up to two guests when traveling on a Delta flight.
- With Status Boost®, earn 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $25,000 in purchases on your card in a calendar year, up to 2x per year getting you closer to Medallion Status.
- Terms and limitations apply.
Pros
- No foreign transaction fees
- In-flight savings
- Business management tools
Cons
- $250 annual fee
- No interest-free financing period
- Balance transfers aren’t allowed
- Delta benefits: Receive your first checked bag for free and access priority boarding.
- Travel accident insurance: Provides card owners with travel accident insurance up to $100,000.
- Purchase protection: Provides coverage for purchases that are damaged or stolen up to 120 days from the date of purchase. Coverage is limited to $1,000 for an item and up to $50,000 for all claims for one year.
- Welcome Offer: Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 5,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months.
- You can receive a domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Take a friend or family member when you fly Delta. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $75 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Earn more miles on big purchases with 1.5 miles per dollar on single eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (that’s an extra half mile per dollar), up to 50,000 additional miles per year. If your purchase qualifies for a category that has a higher mileage accelerator, only the higher accelerator will apply (ex. you would earn 3X miles on purchases made directly with Delta and Hotel Stays instead of 1.5X).
- Delta Sky Club® Access – enjoy an exclusive rate of $39 per person per visit to enter the Delta Sky Club for you and up to two guests when traveling on a Delta flight.
- With Status Boost®, earn 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $25,000 in purchases on your card in a calendar year, up to 2x per year getting you closer to Medallion Status.
- Terms and limitations apply.
Pros
- No foreign transaction fees
- In-flight savings
- Business management tools
Cons
- $250 annual fee
- No interest-free financing period
- Balance transfers aren’t allowed
- Delta benefits: Receive your first checked bag for free and access priority boarding.
- Travel accident insurance: Provides card owners with travel accident insurance up to $100,000.
- Purchase protection: Provides coverage for purchases that are damaged or stolen up to 120 days from the date of purchase. Coverage is limited to $1,000 for an item and up to $50,000 for all claims for one year.
Bottom Line
The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card is a great option for business owners who travel frequently with Delta Airlines and want to enjoy travel rewards and perks. It’s a great option if you don’t need to access the Delta Sky Club. Visit our Credit Card Marketplace to compare other top credit cards and find out which one best suits you.