Here’s Why I’ll Never Get Rid Of My Delta SkyMiles Gold Card – Forbes Advisor

I keep the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card mainly because of its Delta-specific benefits. To start, I love getting a free checked bag on any Delta flight. I typically travel with my cat, Isabelle, who counts as my carry-on. As such, my only option for packing is a checked bag, which can cost a pretty penny if it’s not included in the fare. I’ve never had to worry about this on Delta as I’ve been a cardholder since I was 18. Even in college, flying basic economy, I could bring my suitcase with me for free.

The Zone 5 priority boarding benefit doesn’t influence my decision to be a cardholder, but it is a nice perk when flying economy. The same goes for 20% off in-flight purchases—while it’s a good benefit, I don’t typically purchase any food or beverages when flying.

But the real reason the SkyMiles Gold card won’t ever leave my wallet is the TakeOff 15 feature. This benefit allows cardholders to receive a 15% discount on award redemptions operated by Delta. By utilizing this perk, you can essentially stretch your SkyMiles 15% further, and that’s just too valuable to let go. The no annual fee Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card (Terms apply, see rates & fees) doesn’t offer this benefit (or a checked bag), so I’d never downgrade, either.

The $200 Delta flight credit after spending $10,000 in purchases in a calendar year is relatively easy for the average cardholder to obtain, but I typically don’t spend enough on this card to earn it. The earning potential isn’t great, so I pull out other cards when making everyday purchases and typically only use my SkyMiles Gold card on Delta bookings.

To help offset the annual fee, you can also take advantage of the yearly up to $100 Delta Stays statement credit. Unfortunately, I seem to forget that Delta Stays exists when I book a hotel or vacation rental, but I do hope to utilize this cardholder benefit on an upcoming trip.