Full Review

A great choice for Delta loyalists, especially the first year, Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card offers a great initial bonus, waives its hefty annual fee year one, and gives you at least one free checked bag every time you fly – just to name a few of its perks. But things aren’t as clear-cut for folks who don’t always fly Delta or for everyone from the second year on.

Here’s what you need to know:

Great initial bonus. Charging at least $2,000 to your Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card within three months of account opening earns you 50,000 miles, which are redeemable for $825 in Delta airfare, according to WalletHub calculations. But you also have to commit to Delta to get it. Many other rewards cards give you maximum value no matter which travel providers you choose.

Regular rewards. The Delta Gold Card gives you 2 miles per $1 spent directly with Delta, restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets. All other purchases get 1 point per $1. That’s the equivalent of 1.65% to 3.3% cash back, as each Delta point is worth an average of $0.0165 when redeemed for Delta airfare, according to WalletHub research.

First-year fee vacation. The Delta Gold Card is more than five times more expensive than the average credit card, thanks to its $99 annual fee. Thankfully, it’s waived for the first year, which presents an opportunity for potential Delta flyers who are looking for a quick rewards score.

Free checked bags. You and up to eight traveling companions get a free checked bag each time you fly Delta, provided you’re all on the same reservation, paid for with your Delta Gold Card. More specifically, it covers each passenger’s first checked bag on a round-trip.

Good credit or better required. You need at least good credit to get the Gold Delta Skymiles Credit Card from American Express. So you should check your credit score for free on WalletHub before applying. You may also want to browse the market’s best airline credit cards. Because if you can qualify for the Gold Delta SkyMiles Card, you should be able to get most of its top competitors, too.

High interest rate. The fact that you need good or excellent credit to get the Delta Gold Credit Card helps put its APR into perspective. After all, it could be even higher than the average among cards for people with fair credit. So using the Gold Delta Amex to carry a balance from month to month would be a mistake.