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Compare the Features and Benefits of Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card and
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express 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
Secondary Car Rental CDW Waiver
Extended Warranty
Purchase Protection
Trip Protections
Travel and Emergency Assistance Services
No Fees for Authorized Users
Roadside Assistance
Free Access to Credit Score
Priority Boarding
No Foreign Transaction Fees
Amex Offers
Annual Fee
$69
Avg. Min. Credit Score
670-850
Ongoing APR
20.99%-27.99% (Variable)
Balance transfers fees
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Best Multiplier
3x Airfare

Applies only to tickets purchased directly from Southwest. Other airfare earns 1X.

2x Transit
2x Cable / Internet / VOIP Phone
2x Cellular Phone Service
2x Streaming Services
1x Everything Else
Avg. Point Value
(Learn More)
$0.014
Bonus Offer

Earn a $400 statement credit and 40,000 points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 4 months from account opening. (See Companion Pass Guide!)

Rating
YBCC Card Rate Stars Filled
YBCC Card Rate Stars Empty
(3.73) 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 Southwest Plus Card charges the lowest annual fee of any Southwest credit card, making it a tempting option for travelers that enjoy flying Southwest.

In exchange for the modest $69 annual fee, cardholders will be reimbursed for up to two EarlyBird Check-In purchases each year, get 25% back on inflight purchases on Southwest Airlines, plus get 3,000 bonus points each card anniversary.

Get 25% back on Southwest inflight purchases.

Cardholders earn 2 Southwest points per dollar spent in a range of spending categories, including Southwest purchases (including inflight purchases), Southwest Rapid Rewards hotel and car partners, local transit, commuting, rideshare, internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming services.

Points earned count toward earning the Southwest Companion Pass. However, Southwest Plus Credit cardholders won’t get Tier Qualifying Points toward earning A-List Status. If you want to earn Tier Qualifying Points, you’ll need to get the Southwest Priority or Premier Credit Card instead.

Southwest Plus cardholders can't earn Tier Qualifying Points on purchases

In addition, the Southwest Plus credit card charges foreign transaction fees on overseas purchases. While that might not be a problem for some travelers, international flyers may want to get the Priority or Premier Card instead.

Frequent Southwest flyers should consider the Southwest Priority Credit Card instead. Although it charges the highest annual fee of any Southwest credit card, the card offers a $75 Southwest annual travel credit, four Upgraded Boardings every cardmember anniversary, and a 7,500-point anniversary bonus. Plus, the card doesn’t charge a foreign transaction fee. Those perks more than offset the additional annual fee.

Lastly, this card is great for getting a large piece of the to a Southwest Companion Pass with the bonus offer, since the points earned from the signup bonus count. Read our guide on earning a Southwest Companion Pass for up to two years via new account bonuses.

Read more
Unique Card Benefits
yes
Free Checked Bags
yes
Secondary Car Rental CDW Waiver
yes
Extended Warranty
yes
Purchase Protection
yes
Trip Protections
yes
Travel and Emergency Assistance Services
yes
No Fees for Authorized Users
yes
Roadside Assistance
yes
Free Access to Credit Score
yes
Priority Boarding
no
No Foreign Transaction Fees
no
Amex Offers
no
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
Secondary Car Rental CDW Waiver
yes
Extended Warranty
yes
Purchase Protection
yes
Trip Protections
yes
Travel and Emergency Assistance Services
yes
No Fees for Authorized Users
yes
Roadside Assistance
no
Free Access to Credit Score
no
Priority Boarding
yes
No Foreign Transaction Fees
yes
Amex Offers
yes

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