For travelers looking to dip their toes into the world of airline loyalty programs without committing to an annual fee, the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card offers a compelling entry point. Issued by American Express, this card is designed for casual Delta flyers and everyday spenders who want to earn SkyMiles and enjoy a few airline-specific perks without the burden of a yearly charge. It’s an ideal choice for building a relationship with Delta and American Express while accumulating miles for future flights. This comprehensive guide will explore the essential features, benefits, potential drawbacks, and the straightforward process of applying for this no-annual-fee travel credit card.
Unlocking SkyMiles: Earning and Redemption
The Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card focuses on helping you accumulate Delta SkyMiles, the loyalty currency of Delta Air Lines. SkyMiles can be redeemed for flights, upgrades, and other travel-related benefits across Delta’s extensive network and its SkyTeam alliance partners.
Earning Miles:
The card offers a straightforward earning structure that rewards common spending categories:
- 2X Miles per dollar spent on Delta purchases: This includes flights booked directly with Delta, Delta Vacations, and Delta Sky Club memberships. If you fly Delta occasionally or plan to, this is your primary earning accelerator.
- 2X Miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.: This is a strong bonus category for everyday spending, covering everything from fine dining to your favorite food delivery apps. This makes the card valuable even when you’re not specifically planning Delta travel.
- 1X Mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases: For every other purchase that doesn’t fall into the boosted categories, you’ll still earn 1 mile per dollar, ensuring that all your spending contributes to your SkyMiles balance.
Sign-Up Bonus:
Like many American Express cards, the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card typically comes with a welcome offer for new cardmembers. This usually involves earning a bonus number of SkyMiles after meeting a specified spending requirement within the first few months of account opening. For example, a common offer might be 10,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months. These bonuses can vary, so it’s essential to check the latest offer on American Express’s official website when considering applying.
Redeeming Miles:
Delta SkyMiles offer flexibility, particularly for Delta-operated flights. When redeeming SkyMiles earned with your card, you can:
- Book Award Flights: The most common redemption option. You can use your SkyMiles to book flights on Delta Air Lines and its SkyTeam alliance partners (such as Air France, KLM, Korean Air, etc.). Delta uses a dynamic pricing model for award flights, meaning the number of miles required can vary based on demand, route, and time of booking. This can sometimes lead to excellent redemption opportunities, especially for domestic flights or when Delta runs flash sales on award tickets.
- Pay with Miles: This unique redemption option allows you to use your SkyMiles to reduce the cost of Delta-operated flights. You can take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles redeemed (e.g., 5,000 miles = $50 off, 10,000 miles = $100 off). This provides a fixed value of 1 cent per mile and offers flexibility if you don’t have enough miles for a full award ticket or prefer to pay partly with cash. You must book on delta.com to use this feature.
- Upgrade Flights: Use SkyMiles to upgrade your seat on Delta flights.
- Purchase Gift Cards: Redeem SkyMiles for gift cards from various merchants.
- Merchandise: Redeem SkyMiles for merchandise through the SkyMiles Marketplace.
- Vacation Packages: Use SkyMiles towards Delta Vacations packages.
Key Benefits and Features
Beyond its SkyMiles earning structure, the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card offers a suite of valuable benefits that enhance your travel experience and provide financial protection:
- No Annual Fee: This is a significant advantage, allowing you to earn valuable airline miles without an ongoing yearly cost. This makes it an excellent long-term card to keep, helping to boost your average age of accounts in your credit history.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees: This is an essential benefit for international travelers. You won’t incur additional fees when making purchases outside the United States, saving you 2-3% on every international transaction. This makes it a suitable card to use when traveling abroad.
- 20% Savings on Delta In-Flight Purchases: Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit after you use your Card on eligible Delta in-flight purchases of food, beverages, and audio headsets. This is a nice perk for those who enjoy a snack or drink while flying.
- Amex Offers: As an American Express cardmember, you gain access to Amex Offers. These are targeted discounts and statement credits at various merchants (e.g., “Spend $50 at XYZ store, get $10 back”). You must add these offers to your card before making a purchase. This can lead to significant savings on everyday spending or travel.
- Global Assist® Hotline: When you travel more than 100 miles from home, the Global Assist® Hotline is available for 24/7 emergency assistance and coordination services, including medical and legal referrals, emergency cash wires, and missing luggage assistance. (Terms apply.)
- Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance: When you use your card to reserve and pay for an eligible car rental, and decline the collision damage waiver offered by the rental company, you can be covered for damage to or theft of the rental vehicle. (Terms apply. This is secondary coverage.)
- Fraud Protection: American Express provides robust fraud protection measures, including $0 Fraud Liability for unauthorized charges.
- Access to American Express Experiences: Cardmembers often receive special access to ticket presales and exclusive events.
- Pay It Plan It®: This American Express feature allows you to choose to pay for smaller purchases (Pay It) or split larger purchases into monthly installments with a fixed fee (Plan It), giving you more control over your spending. (Terms apply.)
Potential Drawbacks
While the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card is a solid no-annual-fee option, it does have a few limitations:
- No Free Checked Bag: Unlike its higher-tier Delta SkyMiles counterparts (Gold, Platinum, Reserve), the Blue card does not offer a complimentary first checked bag benefit. This can be a significant cost if you frequently check luggage.
- No Priority Boarding: You will not receive priority boarding with the Blue card; you will board in the general boarding zones.
- No Lounge Access: This card does not include any airport lounge access, which is typically reserved for premium travel cards.
- Limited Premium Travel Benefits: The benefits are relatively basic compared to Delta’s annual-fee cards. If you’re a very frequent Delta flyer, you might find more value in a card like the Delta SkyMiles Gold, Platinum, or Reserve American Express Cards, which offer perks like free checked bags, Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) toward elite status, and companion certificates.
- Dynamic Award Pricing: While Pay with Miles offers a fixed value, booking award tickets on Delta’s dynamic pricing system can sometimes result in low redemption values for your SkyMiles, especially during peak travel times.
Is the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card Right for You?
The Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card is an excellent choice for individuals who:
- Are occasional Delta flyers: If you fly Delta a few times a year and want to earn miles on those flights without paying an annual fee.
- Frequently dine out or order food delivery: The 2X miles on restaurant spending is a strong perk for everyday use.
- Prefer a no-annual-fee credit card: It allows you to earn rewards without any recurring costs.
- Are looking for a simple way to earn airline miles: The earning structure is straightforward and easy to understand.
- Value no foreign transaction fees: Ideal for travelers making purchases abroad.
- Are looking to build a relationship with American Express and Delta.
How to Apply for the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card in English
Applying for the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card is a straightforward online process. Here’s a general step-by-step guide:
- Check Your Credit Score: American Express generally requires good to excellent credit for approval (typically FICO scores of 670 or higher). While a good score doesn’t guarantee approval, a strong credit profile significantly increases your chances. You can check your credit score for free through various services, including credit monitoring sites or your bank.
- Visit the Official American Express Website: The safest and most direct way to apply is to go to the official American Express website. Be cautious of unverified third-party sites that may claim to offer applications.
- Navigate to the “Credit Cards” section.
- Look for “Airline Rewards” or specifically search for “Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card.”
- Review the Current Offer: On the card’s product page, carefully read through the most current welcome offer (sign-up bonus), earning rates, benefits, and all other terms and conditions. Credit card offers can change, so always ensure you’re looking at the latest information directly from American Express.
- Click “Apply Now”: Once you’re ready and have understood the terms, click on the “Apply Now” or similar button. This will take you to the secure online application form.
- Complete the Online Application Form: You will be prompted to fill out a secure online application. Have the following information ready:
- Personal Information: Your full legal name, date of birth, Social Security Number (SSN), current mailing address, email address, and phone number.
- Financial Information: Your total annual income (this can be individual or household income), employment status (e.g., employed, self-employed, retired, student), and your monthly housing payment (rent or mortgage).
- Delta SkyMiles Number (Optional but Recommended): If you are already a member of the Delta SkyMiles program, you can provide your existing membership number to link your card to your account. If you don’t have one, American Express will typically create one for you upon approval.
- Security Questions: You may be asked security questions to verify your identity.
- Review and Submit: Before submitting, meticulously review all the information you have entered to ensure accuracy. Any errors could delay your application or potentially lead to a denial. Once you are confident everything is correct, confirm you have read and agree to the terms and conditions, then click the “Submit” button.
- Application Decision:
- Instant Approval: Many applicants receive an immediate approval decision on screen.
- Pending Review: If your application requires further assessment, you’ll see a message indicating that American Express needs more time. You might receive a decision via email within a few business days, or American Express might contact you by mail or phone for additional information.
- Denied: If your application is denied, American Express will send you a formal letter explaining the reasons for the denial. If you believe there was a mistake or you have additional information to provide, you can call American Express’s reconsideration line to discuss your application.
- Welcome Kit: If approved, your new Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card and a welcome kit containing important card details, benefits, and activation instructions will be mailed to you, typically arriving within 7-10 business days.
Important Considerations Before Applying:
- American Express Welcome Offer Eligibility: American Express has rules regarding welcome offer eligibility. Generally, you may not be eligible for the welcome offer if you have had this specific card (or sometimes any similar Delta SkyMiles card) in the past. Always read the fine print of the welcome offer terms.
- Credit History Depth: American Express generally prefers applicants with a few years of positive credit history.
- Income Stability: While there isn’t a strict income minimum, American Express will assess your income relative to your debt to ensure you can manage the credit line responsibly.
By understanding its no-annual-fee structure, focused earning on Delta and dining, and essential travel perks, you can confidently determine if the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card is the right fit for your travel and spending habits.
