The Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card offers cardholders a way to earn Delta miles without paying an annual fee (rates and fees).
This card isn't the best option for getting a free checked bag or priority boarding, or even for earning rewards on expenses. Instead, you'll get inflight discounts and access to Delta's Pay With Miles feature. Terms apply.
Delta SkyMiles Blue Card Overview
Amex issues seven business and consumer Delta credit cards. The only one without an annual fee is the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card — which is also the card's best selling point (rates and fees).
This entry-level card comes with a modest welcome bonus offer and fewer perks than other Delta cards, and is worth considering if you're completely opposed to paying an annual fee (rates and fees).
The Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card currently offers 10,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 in purchases on your new card in the first six months from account opening. That's worth around $110 in flights, based on Business Insider's valuations of what different points and miles "currencies" are worth. This offer isn't particularly generous, but it's decent for a card with no annual fee and can be enough to get you a one-way domestic flight during low season (rates and fees). Terms apply.
The card also earns 2 miles per dollar on eligible Delta purchases and on restaurants worldwide, as well as takeout and delivery in the U.S., then 1 mile per dollar on everything else. Terms apply.
Cardholders don't get benefits like a free checked bag and priority boarding on Delta flights. But the card does come with a handful of perks including 20% off eligible Delta inflight purchases on food, beverages, and audio headsets (in the form of a statement credit), car rental insurance, and purchase protection. Terms apply.
Having this card also qualifies you to use Delta's Pay With Miles feature, which allows you to take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem through Pay with Miles when you book directly with Delta. Terms apply.
$0
N/A
20.24% - 29.24% Variable
Earn 10,000 bonus miles
Good to Excellent
- No annual fee
- Earns bonus miles at U.S. restaurants
- Doesn't offer benefits like a free checked bag when you fly Delta
If you want a credit card that earns Delta miles for your everyday spending but absolutely don't want to pay an annual fee, this card is worth considering. While it doesn't offer travel perks like a free checked bag or priority boarding, cardholders do get 20% back as a statement credit on Delta inflight purchases and access to Delta's Pay With Miles feature. For most Delta flyers, however, a Delta card with an annual fee and more benefits will prove more valuable.
- Earn 10,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- No Annual Fee.
- Earn 2X Miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- Earn 2X Miles per dollar spent on Delta purchases, and 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay with Miles: take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
- Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit after you use your Card on eligible Delta in-flight purchases of food, beverages, and audio headsets.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
Delta SkyMiles Blue Card Rewards
Welcome Bonus
New cardholders can earn a welcome bonus on the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card: 10,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 in purchases on your new card in the first six months from account opening.
Earning Rewards
The Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card has a fairly straightforward earning structure, but it doesn't offer many bonus categories for accruing extra miles (terms apply).
Cardholders earn:
- 2 miles per dollar on eligible Delta purchases, including purchases made through delta.com, the Fly Delta app, phone reservations, or ticket counters; upgrades, miles, seat selection, Delta Sky Club membership, and inflight purchases of food, alcoholic beverages, and audio headsets on Delta-operated flights
- 2 miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide and on U.S. takeout and food delivery. Bars, nightclubs, cafeterias, and convenience stores don't count, nor do restaurants located inside other venues like hotels or casinos.
- 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases
Redeeming Rewards
You'll usually get the best value for your SkyMiles when you use them to book flights through Delta.
Redeeming SkyMiles for Travel
Delta SkyMiles are worth 1.1 cents apiece, based on Business Insider's points and miles valuations. If you can get that rate or more when you book an award flight, you can be confident you're getting a decent deal.
To find out how much your award flight is worth, simply divide the cash cost of a paid ticket by the number of points you'd pay if you booked with miles.
You can use Delta miles for award flights on Delta and its partners, both in and outside the SkyTeam alliance. These include Air France, KLM, Virgin Atlantic, and Korean Air.
Delta doesn't have a fixed award chart, so the number of points you'll need to book an award ticket varies depending on demand, paid ticket price, and season.
Pay with Miles
Having this card also qualifies you to use Delta's Pay With Miles feature. Terms apply.
As long as you have at least 5,000 SkyMiles in your account, Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Cardholders can use miles to pay down the cost of an eligible paid flight in 5,000-mile increments. Miles redeemed this way are worth 1 cent apiece: 5,000 SkyMiles will deduct $50 off the cost of your ticket.
Eligible flights will show the "Pay with Miles" feature when booking through Delta.
Redeeming SkyMiles for Non-Travel
You don't have to redeem SkyMiles for flights, although other options usually offer poor value in comparison. Terms apply.
You can use miles for:
- Seat selection and upgrades
- Delta Sky Club lounge memberships
- Premium drinks in Delta Sky Clubs
- Certain Delta fees like ticket changes and award ticket redeposit fees
- Gift cards
- Magazines
- Charity donations
- Delta Vacations packages
- Delta SkyMiles Experiences
Delta miles don't expire, so you don't have to redeem them until you have travel plans.
Delta SkyMiles Blue Card Benefits
The Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card doesn't offer a lot of benefits, which is typical for a no-annual-fee card (rates and fees). But it does have a few perks that could prove handy and save you some money.
20% off Delta Inflight Purchases
When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card to pay for eligible inflight purchases on Delta flights on food, beverages, and audio headsets, you'll receive 20% back as a statement credit within about 12 weeks of the transaction date. Terms apply.
Qualifying purchases include pre-purchased meals and inflight purchases of food, alcoholic beverages and audio headsets, but don't include inflight Wi-Fi or charitable contributions.
This benefit is only worth a few dollars if you usually travel alone. But it's better than nothing, and can save you some pocket change if you typically travel with other people.
Car Rental Insurance
When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card to pay for your car rental in a covered territory and decline the rental company's collision damage waiver (CDW), you'll receive secondary coverage for damage or theft of your rental vehicle. This does not include liability coverage. Terms apply.
There are a number of important exclusions and restrictions, and not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Coverage is not available for vehicles rented in Australia, Italy, and New Zealand.
Global Assist Hotline
Amex offers a Global Assist Hotline that cardholders can access when they're traveling at least 100 miles from home. Terms apply.
Call the hotline at 800-333-2639 to get help with arranging things like lost passport replacement, translation services, missing luggage assistance, and emergency legal and medical referrals. Any third-party costs are the cardholder's responsibility, and additional terms and conditions apply.
Purchase Protection
You may be able to claim the cost of repair or replacement when you use your Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card to pay for an eligible item that gets damaged or stolen within 90 days of purchase. Some items and situations are excluded, so read the fine print. Terms apply.
Extended Warranty
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card members also qualify for an extended warranty on eligible items when they use their card to pay: up to one additional year added to eligible U.S. manufacturer's warranties of five years or less. Terms apply.
Access to Amex Offers
American Express cards, including the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card, come with access to Amex Offers. These are targeted discounts or bonus miles at participating merchants that can help you save on purchases you might make anyway. Terms apply.
Delta SkyMiles Blue Card Fees
The Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card has a $0 annual fee, so it's free to keep for the long term (rates and fees).
Like other cards, it does charge interest (currently a 20.24% - 29.24% Variable APR) and fees for cash advances, late payments, and returned payments (rates and fees).
However, the card does not charge foreign transaction fees, making it a good choice to take with you on your adventures abroad. This benefit is generous on a card with no annual fee, and can help you save around 3% per purchase (rates and fees).
Delta SkyMiles Blue Card Alternatives
If you fly Delta regularly, you'll fare better with Delta credit cards that charge an annual fee because they offer additional perks that can offset their yearly cost — and then some.
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card vs. Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is just a step up from the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card, with an annual fee of $0 intro for the first year, then $150.
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card comes with airline benefits that include a free checked bag (usually $35) and priority boarding on Delta, and a $200 flight credit when you spend $10,000 or more in a calendar year.
Cardholders can earn 2 miles on Delta purchases and at U.S. Supermarkets and restaurants worldwide (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.) and 1 mile on all other eligible purchases.
This card offers a welcome bonus of 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership. This bonus is worth around $550 in flights, by Business Insider's calculations, and is significantly more valuable than the one offered on the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card.
Read more in our Delta SkyMiles Gold Amex card review.
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card vs. Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Card is the highest-tier Delta Air Lines credit card you can get, with an annual fee of $650 that comes with airport lounge access and other premium benefits. This card is night and day compared to the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card.
Access privileges vary between lounge networks. Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Card holders can visit Amex Centurion Lounges on days they're flying on a Delta flight purchased with an Amex card. Cardholders also get up to 15 visits a year to Delta Sky Clubs when flying with Delta. You can unlock unlimited Sky Club visits for the following year if you spend $75,000 or more in eligible purchases on this card in the current year. Delta Reserve cardholders also get four one-time Sky Club guest passes each year to share with friends and family, although they can only use up to two passes per visit.
If you have the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Card, you'll also get a free checked bag when flying Delta, plus annual credits of up to $200 on eligible Delta Stays purchases when paid with this card, and up to $240 in U.S. Resy restaurant credits (up to $20 a month) when you activate this benefit. All of these credits, including lounge access plus the same 20% statement credit on inflight purchases of food and drink, go a long way toward offsetting the card's annual fee.
New cardholders can earn a welcome bonus of 70,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 in eligible purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership. You can earn rewards on everyday spending: 3 miles on Delta purchases made directly with Delta and 1 mile on all other purchases.
Read more in our Delta Reserve review.
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited®
If you want to avoid an annual fee at all costs while earning valuable rewards, you'll do best with a generic rewards card for travel and everyday expenses. The Chase Freedom Unlimited is the perfect option for people who aren't loyal to a specific airline or who don't fly often enough to value airline-specific benefits.
The Chase Freedom Unlimited is our top recommendation for a no-annual-fee credit card because it earns cash back in the form of Chase Ultimate Rewards points: 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases. New cardholders earn an $250 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
This card doesn't come with Delta travel benefits, but it does offer a generous 0% intro APR for new cardholders: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months, followed by a 18.99% - 28.49% Variable APR.
Learn more in our Chase Freedom Unlimited review.
Delta SkyMiles Blue Card Cardholder Reviews
In addition to compiling our expert feedback on this card, we scoured online forums such as Reddit and Facebook to see what everyday cardholders have to say about this card.
Not Really Worth It Compared to the Delta SkyMiles Gold
Redditors don't think the Delta SkyMiles Blue is worth getting for most folks. People who fly Delta often enough to value an airline card will do better with the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, they say, since the higher-cost card comes with benefits like a free checked bag and priority boarding. Alternatively, people who just want to earn rewards on a no-annual-fee card will do best with a cash-back credit card that earns at least 1.5% to 2% cash back on most expenses.
Downgrade the Delta SkyMiles Gold for Credit Benefits
If you already have the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card but don't use it enough to justify the annual fee, Redditors suggest downgrading the card to the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card instead of canceling the card outright. Doing so protects your line of credit on the card as well as your credit history, allowing you to keep the card open without incurring an annual fee (rates and fees).
Delta SkyMiles Blue Card Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Blue Delta SkyMiles a good card?
Yes, the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card is a good card if you want to earn Delta SkyMiles without paying an annual fee (rates and fees). But you'll get better benefits if you're willing to pay an annual fee on any of the other Delta credit cards, or by getting an Amex card that earns Membership Rewards points that can transfer to Delta.
What credit score do you need for the Amex Delta Blue card?
As with other Amex cards, you'll need at least a good credit score to be considered for the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card. That means a FICO score of at least 670.
Does the Blue Delta SkyMiles card get free checked bags?
No, the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card is the only Delta card that does not offer a free checked bag (or priority boarding) on Delta flights. If you fly Delta even occasionally and check bags when you do, you'll get a better deal with another card such as the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card.
Is the Delta Blue Amex card worth it?
Yes, the Delta SkyMiles Blue card can be worth it if you absolutely do not want to pay an annual fee and want to earn miles on every dollar you spend (rates and fees). But no-annual-fee cards that earn Amex points, like the Amex EveryDay® Credit Card and The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express), can also be worth consideration since they earn rewards you can convert to Delta points.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, please click here.
Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards.
Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.
**Enrollment required.
Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Trip Delay Insurance, Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance, and Cell Phone Protection Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. Global Assist Hotline Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. If approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, Card Members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. Extended Warranty, Purchase Protection, and Baggage Insurance Plan Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
