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Compare the Features and Benefits of Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card and
United℠ Explorer Card

Detailed Comparison Overview

Key Facts
Annual Fee
Avg. Min. Credit Score
Ongoing APR
Balance transfers fees
Best Multiplier
Avg. Point Value
(Learn More)
Bonus Offer
Rating
Review
Key features
Unique Card Benefits
Free Checked Bags
Priority Boarding
Extended Warranty
Purchase Protection
Trip Protections
Travel and Emergency Assistance Services
No Foreign Transaction Fees
Secondary Car Rental CDW Waiver
No Fees for Authorized Users
Amex Offers
Airport Lounge Access
Global Entry / TSA PreCheck Reimbursement
Primary Car Rental CDW Waiver
Concierge Services
Free Access to Credit Score
Annual Fee
$0 Introductory Annual Fee for the first year, then $150 (Rates and fees)
Avg. Min. Credit Score
Good-Excellent
Ongoing APR
20.24%-29.24% (Variable)
Balance transfers fees
-
Best Multiplier
2x Airfare

Applies only to airfare booked directly with Delta Air Lines; otherwise earn 1X

2x Dining Out / Food Delivery
2x Groceries

At U.S. Supermarkets. * American Express defines a supermarket as offering a wide variety of food and household products such as meat, fresh produce, dairy, canned and packaged goods, household cleaners, pharmacy products and pet supplies. (Superstores, convenience stores and warehouse clubs are NOT considered supermarkets.)

1x All Other Eligible Purchases
Avg. Point Value
(Learn More)
$0.012
Bonus Offer
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. Terms apply.
Rating
YBCC Card Rate Stars Filled
YBCC Card Rate Stars Empty
(3.88) Our Review

Our ratings are determined by the authors and editors on our team. Each individual card feature is compared against all other cards we offer and the total score is an average of those 4 ratings.

Review

The Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card charges a $0 introductory annual fee (then $150) and presents many ways for Delta Air Lines flyers to save money — whether they’re booking their flight with SkyMiles or are already in the air.

miles-delta-skymiles-gold-american-express-card

You’ll earn credit card rewards accordingly: 2x Delta miles on restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets and on eligible Delta purchases, plus 1x miles on other eligible purchases. Finally, if you manage to spend $10,000 or more on the card in a calendar year, a $100 Delta flight credit will be awarded to your account every year.

When it comes time to redeem SkyMiles, Delta Gold cardholders can save 15% off the sticker price for award flights. This benefit is automatically applied when you’re logged into your SkyMiles account on the Delta website or Fly Delta app and the flight is wholly operated by Delta.

Delta offers an impressive route network whether you want to fly within the U.S. or abroad, so you should find plenty of ways to redeem SkyMiles. Some of our favorite deals include Delta’s flash sales, where you can find domestic one-way tickets for as low as 3,500 SkyMiles.

Once you’re at the airport, you can enjoy a free checked bag and Main Cabin 1 priority boarding when flying Delta. Then, in the air, you can save 20% on inflight purchases, applied as a statement credit to your account.

If you’re not a frequent Delta flyer and are looking for even more options with your credit card rewards, consider opening a card that earns transferable rewards instead like Amex Membership Rewards points that transfer instantly to Delta SkyMiles. Not to be confused with the Delta SkyMiles Gold Amex Card, the Amex Gold Card earns Membership Rewards points but does not include benefits like the free checked bag.

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

Read more
Unique Card Benefits
yes
Free Checked Bags
yes
Priority Boarding
yes
Extended Warranty
yes
Purchase Protection
yes
Trip Protections
yes
Travel and Emergency Assistance Services
yes
No Foreign Transaction Fees
yes
Secondary Car Rental CDW Waiver
yes
No Fees for Authorized Users
yes
Amex Offers
yes
Airport Lounge Access
no
Global Entry / TSA PreCheck Reimbursement
no
Primary Car Rental CDW Waiver
no
Concierge Services
no
Free Access to Credit Score
no
Annual Fee
$0 Introductory Annual Fee for the first year, then $95
Avg. Min. Credit Score
670-850
Ongoing APR
21.49%-28.49% (Variable)
Balance transfers fees
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Best Multiplier
2x Airfare

On United flights only; otherwise earn 1X

2x Dining Out / Food Delivery
2x Hotels
1x Everything Else
Avg. Point Value
(Learn More)
$0.012
Bonus Offer
Earn 60,000 United MileagePlus® Miles after spending $3,000 on qualifying purchases in the first three months of opening an account, plus the Annual Fee waived for the first year.
Rating
YBCC Card Rate Stars Filled
YBCC Card Rate Stars Empty
(4.05) Our Review

Our ratings are determined by the authors and editors on our team. Each individual card feature is compared against all other cards we offer and the total score is an average of those 4 ratings.

Review

The United Explorer is one of the best credit cards out there for occasional United flyers. That’s because you’ll get useful perks, such as free first checked bags, priority boarding privileges, a 25% food and beverage discount on board United operated flights, and even get a taste of airport lounge access with two anniversary United Club passes. Plus. the annual fee is waived the first year, then just $95 thereafter.

Consider this scenario: Even if you only fly United a couple of times per year, the Explorer Card is worth it for the free checked bag benefit alone. Keep in mind, this applies to the primary card holder and one companion on the same reservation, as long as you use the card to pay for your ticket. At $35 for one checked bag, and $140 for a round-trip flight for two people, it’s easy to get value that exceeds the card’s annual fee.

In addition to the sign-up bonus earned after account opening, the United Explorer card earns a decent 2X miles on United Airlines purchases, 2X miles on dining, including eligible delivery services, 2X miles on hotel stays when booked with the hotel and 1x miles on all other purchases. Also, the card helps to fast track your United elite status goals with 500 Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs) for every $12,000 you spend on purchases (up to 1,000 PQPs in a calendar year). These PQPs can be applied toward your Premier status qualification — up to the Premier 1K level.

And don’t forget the ability to earn PQPs towards elite status from spend. You’ll earn 25 Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs) for every $500 you spend on purchases – up to 1,000 PQPs per year.

If you’re in need of extra miles besides flying on United flights, keep in mind that Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be transferred to the United Mileage Plus program at a 1:1 ratio to help you top up your miles balance.

While the United Explorer card is a fantastic option for the occasional United flyer, those that travel more often with the airline might want to consider other options, including United’s other, more premium, credit cards.

In more simple terms, the Explorer card fits the “occasional United flyer” once or twice per year mold, while the $250-per-year United Quest fits the “semi-frequent United flyer.” Then, there’s the United Club Infinite Card for the “frequent United flyer.” If you’re looking for a United Club membership and need more than just two one-time passes, you’ll probably be better off with the United Club Infinite Card, which comes with a full United Club membership but also charges the highest annual fee of the United cards at $525.

Read more
Unique Card Benefits
yes
Free Checked Bags
yes
Priority Boarding
yes
Extended Warranty
yes
Purchase Protection
yes
Trip Protections
yes
Travel and Emergency Assistance Services
yes
No Foreign Transaction Fees
yes
Secondary Car Rental CDW Waiver
no
No Fees for Authorized Users
no
Amex Offers
no
Airport Lounge Access
yes
Global Entry / TSA PreCheck Reimbursement
yes
Primary Car Rental CDW Waiver
yes
Concierge Services
yes
Free Access to Credit Score
yes

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