How do Delta credit cards compare?

One of the best SkyMiles credit card is the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card because it offers an initial bonus of 70,000 miles after spending $2,000 in the first 6 months. The Delta Gold Card also has a $0 intro annual fee the first year ($99 after that), plus benefits like free checked bags and extensive ongoing rewards: 2 miles per $1 on Delta purchases, 2 miles per $1 at restaurants worldwide (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.) and U.S. supermarkets, and 1 mile per $1 on all other purchases.

Best SkyMiles Credit Cards

• Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card : Best Overall… read full answer
• Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card : Best for No Annual Fee
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card : Best for Benefits
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card : Best for Big-Spenders

For big-spenders in particular, the Delta Reserve Credit Card card may wind up being the best SkyMiles credit card because of its benefits. The Delta Reserve Credit Card card comes with a welcome offer 90,000 miles after spending $6,000 in the first 6 months. Cardholders also get complimentary access to Delta Sky Club and Amex Centurion Lounge locations for free. This card comes with a $550 annual fee, however. So much like the Amex Delta Platinum, which charges a $250 annual fee, the Delta Reserve Credit Card is a better option for big spenders who can offset these costs.

How to Decide if a SkyMiles Card is Your Best Option

If you’re a Delta enthusiast who flies with the airline regularly, it makes good sense from a rewards perspective to keep a SkyMiles card in your wallet. If you’re not partial to Delta, SkyMiles cards are probably not your best option. Expanding your selection to include other airlines will open up travel reward card possibilities comparable to, and in some cases more attractive than, SkyMiles cards.

Ultimately, if you're a frequent traveler who doesn't want to be tied to a specific airline, feel free to also check out our editors' picks for the best travel credit cards on the market.

You need at least 6,500 Delta miles for a free one-way flight and 9,000 miles for a free round-trip flight on Delta. The exact miles you need for a free Delta flight depend on where you want to go and when. Those minimums apply to flights from Los Angeles to Las Vegas booked months in advance. Delta stopped disclosing its Award Miles Chart, so there are no published minimums and maximums for various routes.… read full answer

Examples of How Many Delta Miles Are Needed for Free Flights:

• One-way flight from Los Angeles to Las Vegas: 6,500+ award miles
• One-way flight from New York City to Chicago: 7,000+ award miles
• One-way flight from Los Angeles to New York City: 8,000+ award miles.
• One-way flight from New York City to Seattle: 8,500+ award miles
• One-way flight from Miami to Boston: 10,500+ award miles

To get a free flight for the fewest number of Delta miles, you’ll want to book the flight far in advance, and be open to different dates. In many cases, you could pay at least 10,000 miles less for a flight if you’re flexible on your departure date.

If you’re a loyal Delta flyer and looking to earn miles faster for more free flights, you should look into a Delta credit card. The Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express is an excellent option with a signup bonus of 30,000 miles after you spend $1,000 in the first three months. And if you make a Delta purchase within that same timeframe, you’ll earn an additional $50 statement credit. Altogether, that’s worth roughly 1-5 free Delta flights.