Joe McConnell
Before you pull out your wallet to pay for a Delta Air Lines flight, you might want to stop and ask yourself which credit card to use. Should you use the one with “Delta” on the front or pay with something else?
In many credit card decisions, you may have to sacrifice perks to earn extra points and miles. Does this apply?
Let’s take a look at the credit cards you can use to pay for a Delta flight and the perks associated with your options.
Related: 16 Easy Ways to Earn More Delta SkyMiles
Delta Air Lines Flight Credit Card Comparison
In addition to using a Delta Air Lines co-branded credit card, you may also be able to pay with a travel rewards card that earns transferable points on travel purchases, like your next Delta flight booking. Here are some cards you may be able to pay with and what you may get when you use them:
| Card Name | Earnings Rate on Delta Air Lines Flights | Value of rewards earned* | Delta Card Benefits | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card AND Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card | 3 miles to the dollar | 3.45 cents | Unlimited access to Delta Sky Club lounges when traveling on a same-day, Delta-marketed or Delta-operated flight. Starting in February 2025, this will change to 15 complimentary visits annually.
Four one-time Sky Club guest passes Annual Accompanying Certificate 1 MQD for every $10 spent with no limit to the number of MQD that can be earned through credit card spending Increase of 2,500 MQD per year Priority boarding on Delta flights 20% off in-flight food, beverage and headset purchases as a credit |
$650 (see rates and fees for Delta Reserve; see rates and fees for Delta Reserve Business) |
| Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card AND Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card | 3 miles to the dollar | 3.45 cents | Annual Accompanying Certificate
1 MQD for every $20 spent with no limit to the number of MQD that can be earned through credit card spending Increase of 2,500 MQD per year Priority boarding on Delta flights 20% off in-flight food, beverage and headset purchases as a credit |
$350 (see Delta Platinum rates and fees; see Delta Platinum Business rates and fees) |
| Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card AND Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card | 2 miles to the dollar | 2.3 cents | First checked bag free for you and up to eight companions on the same booking
Priority boarding on Delta flights 20% off in-flight food, beverage and headset purchases as a credit $200 Delta flight credit after spending $10,000 or more on your card within a calendar year |
$0 introductory annual fee, then $150 (see rates and fees for Delta Gold; see rates and fees for Delta Gold Business) |
| Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card | 2 miles to the dollar | 2.3 cents | 20% discount on food and beverage purchases made on board | $0 (see rates and fees) |
| The Platinum Card® from American Express | 5 points per dollar (up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar) | 10 cents | Delta Sky Club Access (when traveling on same-day Delta flights; effective February 1, 2025: Eligible Platinum Cardholders will receive 10 visits per year for each eligible Platinum Card in the Delta Sky Club or Grab and Go when traveling on a same-day Delta flight.)
Choose Delta Air Lines as your preferred airline to get up to $200 per year in airline incidental credits for things like checked bags or preferred seat fees. |
$695 (see rates and fees) |
| Chase® Sapphire Reserve | 3 points per dollar (or 5 points per dollar if booked through Chase Travel℠) | 6.15 cents (or 10.25 cents) | None, but some purchases can be offset by the $300 annual travel credit offered on the card | $550 |
| Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card | 2 miles per dollar (or 5 miles per dollar if booked on the Capital One Travel portal) | 3.7 cents (or 9.25 cents) | None, but some purchases may be offset by the $300 annual credit available when booking with Capital One Travel | $395 (see rates and fees) |
*Bonus value is based on TPG valuations as of July 2024 and does not come from the card issuer.
Which card should you use for Delta Air Lines flights?
Unlike the dilemmas that arise when booking flights with United Airlines, with Delta there are no real trade-offs to make when it comes to enjoying benefits and earning as many points and miles as possible.
Related: Delta Baggage Fees and How to Avoid Paying Them
Benefits like free checked bags and priority boarding are tied to your Delta SkyMiles number, not the credit card you pay with. That means you could theoretically pay for your Delta flight with Amex Platinum Card to enjoy insurance benefits and unrivaled earnings on flight purchases.
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However, you will still be able to enjoy the benefits of checked baggage and early boarding that come with having the Amex Delta Reservefor example, even if you didn’t pay for the flight with that card.
Related: Best Credit Cards to Pay Fees and Fees on Reward Tickets
The only time you need to use your card is when you make an onboard purchase with Delta. To receive your 20% discount (in the form of a statement credit), make onboard food and beverage purchases with your eligible Delta card; if you pay with another card, you will not receive this benefit. You may also be asked to show your Delta Reserve or the Delta Reserve Business card when visiting the lounges before your flight.
Outside of flights, use your Delta card to enjoy benefits like MQD boosts for purchases made with your Delta Reserve and Delta Platinum cards. But that may not impact the card you use to pay for your Delta flight, assuming you’re hitting those spending thresholds through other purchases.
If you want to learn more about the benefits of credit cards that help you reach Delta Elite status, read How to Get Delta Medallion Elite Status Without Flying.
Related: Delta Revises Sky Club Access Policy, Makes Big Cuts to Reduce Overcrowding
Bottom line
Options abound; there are many different credit cards you could use when paying for a flight, whether it’s to buy a ticket with cash at a discounted rate or to pay the taxes and fees when you redeem your miles. If you’re booking with Delta Air Lines, there are many perks you could enjoy on your flight simply by having a Delta credit card in your wallet.
The good news is that you can enjoy many of these benefits regardless of the credit card you use to pay for your flight. This leaves you free to use whichever card you want to enjoy the insurance protections or bonus points offered on other cards in your wallet.
Related: Current Delta Amex Card Offers
To learn about the Amex Delta Reserve card rates and fees, click here.
To learn about the rates and fees for the Amex Delta Reserve Business card, click here.
To learn about Amex Delta Platinum card rates and fees, click here.
To learn about the rates and fees for the Amex Delta Platinum Business card, click here.
To learn about Amex Delta Gold card fees and charges, click here.
To learn about the rates and fees for the Amex Delta Gold Business card, click here.
To learn about Amex Delta Blue card fees and charges, click here.
To learn about Amex Platinum card fees and charges, click here.
