Compare the Features and Benefits of Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card and
IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card

While at first it may be tempting to want a Delta American Express card with no annual fee, there’s little reason to get this card over all of the other six Delta SkyMiles credit cards from American Express considering that it is the most basic Delta credit card.

While there is no annual fee, of the 7 cards linked above, this is the only one that does not have:

• Priority Boarding
• Free Checked Bag
• A waiver on the MQD requirement to earn Delta Medallion Elite status when you spend $25,000 in a calendar year.
• The TakeOff15 benefit, which offers a 15% discount on SkyMiles award travel on Delta marketed and operated flights

Those are some HUGE benefits to give up. You’ll get TakeOff15, priority boarding and a free checked bag with the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card. The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card allows you to earn MQDs for spend (and comes with an annual companion certificate that allows you to fly a friend or family member for the cost of government-imposed taxes (roughly under $80) for round trip domestic flights.

And while 2X miles on restaurants worldwide sounds good on the Delta Blue SkyMiles card, consider that there are two Amex cards that earn Membership Rewards that earn more on dining: The American Express® Gold Card (4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X) and the American Express® Green Card (3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent). And American Express Membership Rewards points can transfer to Delta – but they can also transfer to a huge range of other airlines and hotels. Isn’t flexibility better? Why be tied to one mileage program, Delta, when you mind find a better mileage deal elsewhere? Remember, you can fly Delta exclusively and collect lots of SkyMiles that way, but it doesn’t mean that should be all you earn on your credit cards….

In my opinion, the best reason for having a Delta Blue is when you have one of the annual fee Delta cards is your oldest credit card and want to downgrade to a no annual fee card to keep your credit score intact.

But other than that, 99% of people would come out ahead paying the annual fee on one of the other six Delta SkyMiles credit cards from American Express and taking advantage of the benefits that come with them.

Rates and Fees for the Blue Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express

The IHG Rewards Premier Business Credit Card is IHG’s small business credit card. And, for small business owners who even occasionally travel, it’s easily worth its annual fee. That’s because the free night certificate earned each account anniversary year should easily save you more than the $99 annual fee.

Other card perks just add to the card’s value: bonus points on wide-ranging purchases, Platinum Elite status, and the fourth night free on rewards stays.

Purchases made using the IHG Rewards Premier Business Credit Card earn 10 IHG points per dollar at hotels participating in the IHG Rewards program, 5x IHG points per dollar on travel, dining, social media and search engine advertising, office supply stores, and gas stations. All other purchases charged to the IHG Rewards Premier Business Credit Card earn 3 points per dollar.

IHG point earnings are further boosted by the IHG Platinum Elite status that comes as a perk of the IHG Rewards Premier Business Credit Card. Platinum Elite members earn 60% bonus points on top of the base earning rate of 10 points per dollar. That nets a total of 26 IHG points per dollar at IHG hotels.

Big spenders can rack up additional rewards on the IHG Rewards Premier Business Credit Card. Receive a $100 statement credit plus 10,000 bonus points after spending $20,000 in a calendar year. Then, upgrade to Diamond Elite status after spending $40,000 in purchase in a calendar year. Finally, earn another free night award by spending $60,000 in purchases (plus one additional purchase) in one calendar year using your IHG Rewards Premier Business Card.

Small business owners can also earn points on employee spending. There’s no additional annual fee to add employee cards.

IHG Rewards members can redeem points for a reward night at any hotels participating in the IHG portfolio. That spans everything from luxury InterContinental Hotels to practical Holiday Inn hotels.

Even better, when you redeem IHG Rewards points for a stay of at least four consecutive nights, you’ll get a free night through the IHG Rewards Premier Business Credit Card’s fourth reward night free benefit.

IHG Rewards Premier Business Card cardholders get a free night award each year. This certificate can be redeemed for an IHG hotel night stay costing up to 40,000 IHG Rewards points. Sure, that’s not going to get you an overwater villa in Bora Bora, but that free night will cover a stay at many IHG hotels.