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It’s an excellent day to be a Delta Skymiles American Express credit card holder. Last year, AmEx and Delta renewed their partnership through 2029, and have since enacted a complete upgrade of every credit card in their co-branded portfolio, with each of the four Delta credit cards receiving a host of new perks that apply both to existing and new cardholders—and some substantial welcome bonus offers.

Last year’s upgrades included perks like discounts on Global Entry and TSA Precheck, bonus miles for grocery store purchases, and access to American Express Centurion Lounges. “We asked them what they expect out of best-in-class cards for those who travel,” said Sandeep Dube, Delta’s Senior Vice President of Engagement and Loyalty, in 2020. “Of course, not all travelers are made the same way, so our new cards are built to cater to specific kinds of travelers,” he said.

Here at Traveler, we’re particularly excited about the addition of bonus miles for spending on restaurants not just at home but abroad, as well as the elimination of foreign transaction fees on every card. And don’t worry: Two of Delta and AmEx’s best existing benefits—priority boarding and free checked bags—aren’t going anywhere.

We’ve broken down each Delta credit card’s upgraded features, here, with new limited time welcome offers that last through July 28, 2021:

Blue Delta SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express

“A lot of the time, credit card enhancements are limited to the top half of a portfolio, but the changes that Delta and AmEx are making here in the bottom half are notable,” says airline analyst Henry Harteveldt. While the entry-level Blue card may not be Delta’s most premium offering, it’s still been shown some love with the changes. The card will now have no foreign transaction fees (a change from 2.7 percent previously—see rates and fees), and holders will earn double the miles when using their card at restaurants worldwide. New cardholders will also receive 15,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 in their first three months of membership.

Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express

The Gold card is geared towards the young leisure traveler, as well as the family that looks forward to that one big trip each year. Its annual fee is low at $99 (the first year’s fee is waived—see rates and fees), but includes double miles for restaurant and U.S. supermarket purchases, and you’ll also receive $100 towards a Delta flight once you’ve hit your first $10,000 on the card, as long as it’s within a single year. The latest news is that the card also comes with a limited-time offer of 70,000 bonus miles after new cardholders spend $2,000 in the first three months, and 10,000 miles on the anniversary of their membership.

Platinum Delta SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express

This is where the upgrades really get going. On top of including the aforementioned added perks of the Gold and Blue cards, Platinum cardholders will now get triple miles on hotels and Delta purchases (again, that’s everything from flights to the tax on those flights, change fees, and seat selection purchases). A $100 credit for Global Entry or $85 credit for TSA Precheck is also included, and the card will also be metal for the first time. Plus, new cardholders will receive 90,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in the first three months, and a $200 statement credit if you make a Delta purchase within the first three months. It’s worth noting that the annual fee for this card is $250. (See rates and fees)

Delta Reserve Credit Card from American Express

The big daddy, and according to Harteveldt, far and away the most exciting of all the new cards is the Reserve. As with the Platinum, the fee for this card is going up, in this case from $450 a year to $550 (see rates and fees), but it’s clear that the card’s benefits are rising, too. Reserve cardholders will now receive, for the first time, access to the American Express Centurion Lounges all over the world and two Delta Sky Club Lounge one-time guest passes each year. They’ll also receive complimentary upgrades whenever available, even without holding Medallion status. (That means you can hit Gold status on credit card spending alone.) The card is also metal, and Reserve cardholders will get triple miles for every Delta purchase and either a $100 credit for Global Entry or $85 credit for TSA PreCheck. New cardholders will receive 80,000 bonus miles and 20,000 Medallion Qualifying Miles after spending $5,000 in three months, and a $200 statement credit if you make a Delta purchase within the first three months. 

Condé Nast Traveler has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Condé Nast Traveler and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.

See rates and fees for American Express cards listed: Delta SkyMiles Reserve; Delta SkyMiles Platinum; Delta SkyMiles Blue; Delta SkyMiles Gold

This article has been updated with new information since its original publish date.

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