Delta SkyMiles® Blue
A no-annual-fee airline card from American Express.
Rates, fees, and full terms are set by American Express and can change. See current rates & fees on the issuer’s site, and always confirm the latest terms before applying.
Our review
I will just say it: the Delta SkyMiles Blue is not a card I would recommend. If you are going to get an airline card at all, you want one that earns its keep, and the whole point of a Delta card is the free checked bag, which this one does not give you. A no-fee airline card sounds nice until you realize it strips out the exact benefit that makes airline cards worth carrying.
On top of that, the welcome bonus is weak and the miles are locked to Delta, so you cannot move them anywhere else. If you fly Delta enough to want a co-branded card, you are far better off paying a small annual fee for one of the premium Delta cards that actually comes with a checked bag.
Think twice if: you fly Delta with any regularity, because the free checked bag on a fee-charging Delta card would save you far more than this card ever earns.
Our 5.6 out of 10 rating
Each score weighs the rewards rate, value after the annual fee, welcome offer, points flexibility, and perks, with every point valued at a flat 1 cent. This is our editorial assessment to help you compare cards, not a guarantee of approval or of the value you will get.
Earning rates at a glance
Rewards: how it earns
There is not much to it. You get 2x on Delta purchases and 2x at restaurants, 1x on everything else, and 20% back on in-flight purchases as a statement credit. That is the whole card. Those are not bad rates in isolation, but they are all in Delta miles, which are locked to Delta and cannot be moved to a universal, transferable currency. So you are earning a limited, single-airline mile at pretty ordinary rates, which just is not compelling.
| Category | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dining and restaurants | 2x | Bonus category |
| Groceries | 1x | Base rate |
| Gas | 1x | Base rate |
| Travel | 1x | Base rate |
| Streaming | 1x | Base rate |
| Everything else | 1x | Everything else |
Brand and bonus rates: beyond the everyday categories above, this card also earns:
- 2x miles on Delta purchases and at restaurants worldwide
- 20% savings on in-flight Delta purchases as a statement credit
Every point and mile above is valued at a flat 1 cent, the same honest standard we use for every card. Run your own spending through the calculator to see what this card would actually return for you.
Best ways to earn & redeem
Put your dining spending on this card to earn at its highest rates, and let a different card handle the categories it does not bonus. Its dining rate is on the modest side for that category, so compare before you commit.
When you cash in, redeem the miles or points inside the single loyalty program this card is tied to. We value every point at a flat 1 cent, so treat any transfer upside as a bonus rather than the baseline — see what your points are really worth.
Pros and cons
- No annual fee
- 2x miles on Delta purchases and at restaurants
- 20% back on in-flight Delta purchases as a statement credit
- No free checked bag, the main reason to hold an airline card
- Weak welcome bonus, 10,000 miles worth about $100
- Miles are locked to Delta, not a transferable currency
- Ordinary earn rates that do not justify using an application slot
- If you fly Delta, a premium Delta card with a fee is a far better value
The welcome bonus
The welcome bonus is weak: 10,000 miles after $1,000 in spend, which is worth about $100. That is a small bonus for using up an application slot, and again, it is in Delta miles, not a flexible, transferable currency. Plenty of cards hand out several hundred dollars of value for a similar spend, so this one just does not stack up.
First-year value vs ongoing value
| Welcome bonus | 10,000 Bonus Miles |
| To earn it | $1,000 in 6 months |
| Est. first-year value* | $422 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $322 |
The welcome bonus makes year one the high point: roughly $422 in value once you count the bonus, this card’s rewards, and its credits, minus the no fee. After that, the honest figure is about $322 a year, so judge whether it earns its keep on the ongoing number, not the first-year headline.
*First-year value counts the welcome bonus, estimated rewards, and annual credits, minus the annual fee; ongoing value is a typical year after. Every point at a flat 1 cent, on average spending.
Benefits and protections
Beyond the rewards, the perks and protections worth knowing about include:
- No foreign transaction fees
- Car rental loss and damage insurance
Statement credits
This card does not come with recurring statement credits. Its value is in the rewards rate and welcome offer.
Who should get it, and who should skip it
My honest take: skip this one. If you are loyal to Delta, get one of the higher-end Delta cards, the ones with an annual fee, because the free checked bag alone will save a frequent flyer far more than this card’s weak earning ever returns. This card gives you locked Delta miles, a small welcome bonus, and no bag, which is a pathetic combination for an airline card.
And remember, every card you apply for uses up a slot, whether that is your Chase 5/24 count or just your appetite for new accounts. Do not waste one on a card this thin. Either commit to Delta with a real card that earns its fee, or put that application toward something with a strong, flexible welcome bonus instead.
Alternatives to the Delta SkyMiles® Blue
Pairs well with
The Delta SkyMiles® Blue earns the most in its bonus categories, so pair it with a no-fee flat-rate card to cover everything it only earns a base rate on.
Frequently asked questions
Best-card guides featuring this card
Learn more
How does it rank for your spending?
Every card is ranked by what it actually returns on the way you spend. Run your numbers and see where the Delta SkyMiles® Blue lands.
Calculate My CardOffer details verified against issuer sources as of October 2026. Editorial opinions are our own. Cardocrat values all points at a flat 1 cent and never inflates redemptions.
