- Best Delta credit cards compared
- Methodology
- Sources
- About the author
- User questions & answers
Best Delta Credit Cards Compared
| Delta Card | Best For | Initial Bonus Offer |
| Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card | Winner | Up to 90,000 miles |
| Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card | Business | 100,000 miles |
| Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card | Sky Club Access | 125,000 miles |
| Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card | Companion Tickets | Up to 100,000 miles |
| Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card | Big-Spenders | Up to 125,000 miles |
| Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card | No Annual Fee | 10,000 miles |
It’s also important to note that all of the Delta credit cards on the market right now require good or excellent credit for approval. You can check your latest credit score for free on WalletHub to gauge your approval odds.
Methodology for Selecting the Best Delta Credit Cards
To identify the best Delta credit cards for different types of travelers, WalletHub’s editors monitor more than 1,500 credit card offers, including all available Delta cards, offers from Delta’s airline partners, and other cards with general travel rewards. We evaluate cards based on their credit score requirement, rewards, interest rates, annual fees and other WalletHub Rating components. Final selections are then made based on the two-year cost associated with each card.WalletHub's Key Rating Components
Two-Year Cost: 38% – We calculate the total cost associated with using each Delta card over a two-year period, weighing annual fees against the value of rewards on purchases and Delta-specific benefits.
Rewards: 29% – We evaluate each card’s SkyMiles earning structure, including miles earned on Delta purchases, everyday spending categories, and the overall redemption value when booking Delta flights.
Editor’s Rating: 12% – Our editors assess each card based on overall value for Delta flyers, loyalty benefits, and how it compares to other airline credit cards.
Fees: 11% – We review all associated costs, including annual fees, foreign transaction fees, and any additional charges that may affect frequent travelers.
User Reviews: 7% – We incorporate feedback from cardholders, focusing on satisfaction with miles earned, redemption experiences, customer service, and overall travel value.
Other Features: 3% – We also consider additional benefits such as companion certificates, Medallion Qualification Dollar (MQD) boosts, in-flight savings, travel protections, and lounge access where applicable.
How Two-Year Cost Is CalculatedTwo-year cost is used to approximate the monetary value of cards for better comparison and is calculated by combining annual and monthly membership fees over two years, adding any one-time fees or other fees (like balance transfer fees), adding any interest costs, and subtracting rewards. Negative amounts indicate savings. When fees or other terms are presented as a range, we use the midpoint for scoring purposes.
Rewards bonuses and credits have been taken into account for two-year cost calculations. However, bonuses applicable to only a very small portion of cardholders are not considered. For example, credits and bonuses awarded for spending or redeeming rewards through a company portal with non-co-branded cards have not been taken into account. Similarly, bonuses and credits related to spending with specific merchants using a non-co-branded card have not been taken into account (for example, if Card A offers credits with DoorDash, this feature would not be factored into calculations because it is hard to assess how many cardholders would use the benefit or exactly how much value they'd get from it).
Cardholder Spending Profiles
Given that people have differing goals and are likely to use their credit cards differently, we identified spending profiles that are representative of different people’s financial priorities and behaviors. For each cardholder type, we have assumed a specific amount of monthly spending by purchase type (e.g., groceries, gas, etc.), as well as an average balance, balance transfer amount, amount spent on large purchases and average monthly payment. Spending assumptions are based on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for consumers and PEX data for businesses.
Additional Analysis
WalletHub’s editors update their best Delta credit card selections on a regular basis, as offers change and new cards are introduced. If you don’t want to be tied to a particular airline brand, you can check out our latest picks for the best airline credit cards overall. Our best airlines report also has a detailed evaluation of major airlines based on metrics such as safety, inflight comfort, delay/cancellation policies, etc.
Sources
WalletHub actively maintains a database of 1,500+ credit card offers, from which we select the best Delta credit cards for different applicants as well as derive market-wide takeaways and trends. The underlying data is compiled from credit card company websites or provided directly by the credit card issuers. We also leverage data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to develop cardholder profiles, used to estimate cards’ potential savings.
