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

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

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.