Delta SkyMiles^® Blue American Express Card Review

If you’re partial to Delta Air Lines and looking to dip your toe in the airline rewards game, the Delta SkyMiles^® Blue American Express Card is a great place to start. That’s because the card lets you earn accelerated rewards on Delta purchases and dining without charging an annual fee — so carrying it in your wallet won’t cost you anything extra.

The downside to this entry-level Delta credit card is that it has few benefits. The card does not offer a free first checked bag, a perk that comes standard on Delta’s other co-branded cards. If you want access to more travel benefits and a higher welcome offer — and you fly frequently enough to make up for the card’s annual fee, you may want to opt for the Delta SkyMiles^® Gold American Express Card or Delta SkyMiles^® Platinum American Express Card instead.

We’ll highlight the pros and cons of the Delta SkyMiles^® Blue American Express Card and show how it compares to the mid-level and premium Delta cards to help you determine which is the right fit for you.

• Double miles on Delta and restaurant purchases

  With this card, you’ll earn 2X Miles per dollar spent on Delta purchases and at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases. You can redeem your miles for upgrades, gift cards, merchandise and donations, miles can be used for travel on Delta Air Lines, Delta Connection carriers and more than 30 partner airlines.

  While this is a pretty standard earning rate for an entry-level airline rewards card, there are travel cards available that offer an elevated rewards rate on every purchase you make. For example, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card lets you 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day; 5 Miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. However, you’ll also be subject to a $95 annual fee. With the Discover it^® Miles, you’ll earn 1.5 Miles per dollar on all purchases.

  *To see rates & fees for Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, please click here.

• Easy-to-earn welcome offer

  The Delta SkyMiles^® Blue American Express Card lets you earn 10,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months. This spend requirement is low compared to most rewards cards that make you spend at least $3,000 in the first three months to earn the sign-up bonus.

  In fact, you can earn this welcome offer by spending just $333 each month for the first three months — making it obtainable even if you don’t spend heavily on the card.

• 20% back on in-flight purchases

  You’ll receive 20% back as a statement credit on eligible in-flight purchases of food and alcoholic beverages when you use your card to make the purchase on Delta-operated flights.

  Note, this savings does not apply to in-flight wireless internet access.

• $0 annual fee

  This is the only Delta SkyMiles card with a $0 annual fee. So if you’re loyal to Delta but don’t fly frequently enough to make one of the higher-end cards with a fee worth it, the Delta SkyMiles^® Blue American Express Card is perfect for you.

  *To see rates & fees for Delta SkyMiles^® Blue American Express Card, please click here.

• Foreign transaction fee: None

  Some cards charge fees of 3% to 5% of the amount of each transaction when you use the card to make purchases outside the United States, but the Delta SkyMiles^® Blue American Express Card charges none.

  Just be aware that American Express is not as widely accepted as Visa and Mastercard in some countries.

  *To see rates & fees for Delta SkyMiles^® Blue American Express Card, please click here.

• Limited travel benefits

  The Delta SkyMiles^® Blue American Express Card comes with limited flight benefits compared to some other airline rewards cards. For example, the card doesn’t offer priority boarding or free first checked bag.

  If you do want access to more travel perks, you’ll likely have to splurge on an annual fee (at least after the first year). For example, the Delta SkyMiles^® Gold American Express Card offers the first checked bag free, a flight credit, complimentary ShopRunner membership (enrollment required) and more — all for a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150.

• Welcome offer is low

  The Delta SkyMiles^® Blue American Express Card‘s welcome offer is nice in that it has a low spending requirement to earn it, but it also has a relatively low payout. By comparison, the Delta SkyMiles^® Gold American Express Card lets you earn 50,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. And the Delta SkyMiles^® Platinum American Express Card lets you earn 60,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

  But again — unlike the Delta SkyMiles^® Blue American Express Card — those cards also charge annual fees.

Delta SkyMiles^® Blue American Express Card vs. Delta SkyMiles^® Gold American Express Card

 

If you fly more frequently with Delta, the Delta SkyMiles^® Gold American Express Card may be a better choice, since it offers an additional earning category, a higher welcome offer and more travel benefits than the Delta SkyMiles^® Blue American Express Card. The card does charge a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150. But the rewards rate and benefits can help make up for the fee after the first year of card membership.

You’ll earn 2X Miles on Delta purchases, at U.S. Supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. Also earn 50,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

Along with offering the same benefits as the Delta SkyMiles^® Blue American Express Card, the Delta SkyMiles^® Gold American Express Card provides the following:

• Your first checked bag free
• $100 Delta flight credit after spending $10,000 in a calendar year
• 15% off when you book Award Travel with miles on Delta flights via delta.com or the Fly Delta app
• Up to $50 off the cost of your ticket for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book through delta.com

 

Delta SkyMiles^® Blue American Express Card vs. Delta SkyMiles^® Platinum American Express Card

 

If you want access to an even higher rewards rate and more premium travel benefits — and you fly enough on Delta Air Lines to justify the $350 annual fee — the Delta SkyMiles^® Platinum American Express Card may be your best bet.

Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels. Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. Also earn 60,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

In addition to the perks provided by the Delta SkyMiles^® Gold American Express Card, this card offers the following valuable benefits:

• 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after spending $25,000 up to two times in a calendar year
• Annual companion certificate
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
• Priority boarding on Delta flights
• Delta Sky Club® per-visit rate
• Trip delay insurance
• Baggage insurance plan

If you want to earn miles from your Delta and dining purchases to help offset the cost of future travel, the Delta SkyMiles^® Blue American Express Card’s rewards rate and $0 annual fee make it a solid choice.

But if you prefer a mid-range Delta card that offers a higher welcome offer and a few more travel benefits, the Delta SkyMiles^® Gold American Express Card is worth the annual fee you’ll have to pay after the first year of card membership. Or, if you want to take advantage of more premium travel perks and need a boost to get you closer to Medallion status, the Delta SkyMiles^® Platinum American Express Card is an excellent option.