Compare the Features and Benefits of Chase Freedom Unlimited® and
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card

This is a staple card in the Chase Trifecta, which includes a Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve, a Chase Freedom Flex, and this card, the Chase Freedom Unlimited.

The primary benefit of this card, from a bonus category perspective, is the ability to earn 1.5% on all purchases that don’t have a bonus category. So while you earn 3% on dining and drugstore purchases with the Freedom Unlimited, you’ll earn 1.5% cash back on anything else, like insurance or utilities.

But since the Chase Freedom Unlimited is a pure cash back credit card unless you also have a Chase Sapphire Preferred®, Sapphire Reserve®, or Ink Business Preferred® with which to combine your Chase Ultimate Rewards points, it’s ideally used as a combo.

When you hold one of these premium Ultimate Rewards-earning credit cards, you can transfer points earned on the Freedom Unlimited to the premium card. Once you’ve moved the Ultimate Rewards over to the premium credit card, you can take advantage of points transfers to 12 Chase airline and hotel partners or book travel through Chase Travel℠ where Points Boost gives you the opportunity to redeem at up to 2 cents per point in value depending on the card, or 1 cent per point otherwise.

But our absolute favorite way to redeem is always via airline and hotel transfer partners. The easiest high-value redemption is usually Hyatt. We often get better than 2 cents per World of Hyatt point. Keep in mind that Hyatt doesn’t charge any resort fees when you stay on a free night award. So let’s say you are looking at a hotel with a cash price of $259 and a $25 a night resort fee and 8% tax. That would come to $307 a night. But if that same room costs 8,000 or 12,000 Hyatt points, you could be using your points (which transfer at an even 1:1 ratio to all airline and hotel partners) with a rate of return of 3 – 4 cents.

That said, even without a card combo, it’s still a solid card to earn 1.5% cash back (plus 3% on dining, including takeout and eligible delivery services, and drugstores) since it has no annual fee. Best of all, you can accrue cash back on this card and decide to add a Chase Sapphire Preferred®, Sapphire Reserve®, or Ink Business Preferred® later on – if you suddenly decide that you’d like to delve into the world of credit card rewards that transfer to frequent flyer and hotel programs to book free award flights and hotel nights.

It comes with a solid range of benefits for a card with no annual fee, too. You’ll get Purchase Protection and Extended Warranty on the shopping side and you’ll be taken care of on canceled or shortened pre-paid trips if a covered reason arises. with the included Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance.

Delta flyers who own a business have several options to choose from when looking for a new business credit card. To maximize your business expenses and earn SkyMiles at the same time, the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Card is an affordable option with an annual fee of $150.

Besides earning the splashy welcome bonus, there are many ways to rack up SkyMiles through each eligible dollar spent. You’ll earn 2x bonus miles on Delta purchases and at restaurants plus on U.S shipping and select U.S. media purchases, as well as 1x miles on other purchases. The shipping and select media categories have a limit of $50,000 per year each.

The TakeOff 15 benefit is reserved for Delta’s cardholders, allowing you to score a 15% discount on the cost of Delta award flights. This discount is applied automatically on your Delta account whenever you conduct online flight searches, as long as your Delta Business Amex card is linked. This perk can help you save more of your SkyMiles for future travel. Furthermore, if your business spends more than $10,000 per year on the card, you can easily earn a $200 Delta flight credit every card membership year.

If you travel often and have to check a bag, you can enjoy a checked bag waiver, saving you $30 per flight. This perk applies to up to eight additional travelers on your Delta flight, which can add up greatly throughout the year and compensate for the ongoing $150 annual fee. Other essential travel benefits include no foreign transaction fee, baggage insurance plan, and secondary car rental collision damage waiver insurance, which will surely be of use for many business travelers.

Plus, receive an annual statement credit of up to $150 after using your Delta Gold American Express Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com. Terms apply.

In short, the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Card offers a solid foundation of benefits when flying with the carrier. If you’re looking for greater perks, such as lounge access before departing or upon arrival, you may want to consider other Delta business cards that carry higher annual fees but come with additional benefits.

Otherwise, this entry-level business card is the right choice to earn bonus miles on select business categories and earn Delta benefits.

Rates and Fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card