Delta offers several co-branded credit cards that provide different benefits, including the potential to earn a companion ticket each year. Choosing the right Delta credit card depends on your travel habits, how you want to earn the companion ticket, and the annual fee you’re willing to pay.
How Delta credit cards earn a companion ticket
Most Delta consumer credit cards offer a way to earn a companion ticket each year. Here’s a quick rundown of how it works with each card:
- Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card – Spend $25,000 on purchases in a calendar year, get a companion certificate valid for main cabin seating
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card – Spend $25,000 on purchases in a calendar year, get a companion certificate valid for main cabin, Comfort+ or first class seating
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card – Spend $25,000 on purchases in a calendar year, get a companion certificate valid for main cabin, Comfort+ or first class seating
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card – Upon account renewal, receive a companion certificate valid for main cabin, Comfort+ or first class seating
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card – Upon account renewal, receive a companion certificate valid for main cabin, Comfort+ or first class seating
The key differences are:
- With the Delta Blue, Gold and Platinum cards, you have to spend $25,000 on purchases each calendar year to earn the companion ticket
- With the Delta Reserve personal and business cards, you get the companion ticket automatically each year when your account renews
Companion ticket basics
Before deciding which Delta companion ticket is best, it helps to understand the basic rules surrounding these certificates:
- Companion certificates are valid for one roundtrip main cabin, Comfort+ or first class ticket within the 48 contiguous United States. Hawaii, Alaska and international flights are not eligible.
- The companion must be booked in the same cabin class as the main traveler. If you buy a first class ticket, the companion travels in first class too.
- You’ll still have to pay taxes and fees for the companion’s ticket, which run around $75 each way.
- The certificates are valid for one year from the date of issue. Unused certificates expire after that.
- Cardholders receive only one companion ticket per year, even if they have multiple Delta cards.
Delta Blue Companion Ticket
The basic Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card offers a lot for a no annual fee airline card. Each year you spend $25,000 on the card, you’ll earn a companion ticket valid for main cabin seating.
Main cabin is Delta’s standard economy class seating. So this companion certificate is ideal for budget-focused travelers who don’t mind sitting in the back of the plane.
Aside from the companion ticket, the Delta Blue also offers:
- 2x miles on Delta purchases
- 20% savings on in-flight food, beverage and audio headset purchases
- First bag checked free
- No foreign transaction fees
There’s no annual fee for this card. As an American Express card, it charges interest rates on the higher side – 15.24% to 24.24% variable APR.
When the Delta Blue makes sense
The Blue card is a good fit if you:
- Want an easy-to-earn Delta companion ticket without paying an annual fee
- Don’t mind flying in economy class
- Fly Delta occasionally but not enough to warrant a premium card with a high annual fee
Downsides of the Delta Blue
Downsides of the Blue card include:
- No free checked bag or priority boarding for companions (unless you have Medallion status)
- No airport lounge access
- Spending requirement to earn the companion ticket
- Certificate only valid for main cabin seats
Delta Gold Companion Ticket
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card provides more valuable companion tickets and travel perks for a $99 annual fee (waived the first year).
Each year you spend $25,000 on the card, you’ll earn a companion certificate valid for main cabin, Comfort+ or first class seating.
So unlike the Blue version, the Gold card gives you the flexibility to redeem your companion ticket for a premium seat.
Other Delta Gold card benefits include:
- 2x miles on Delta purchases
- First checked bag free for you and up to 8 companions on your reservation
- Main cabin 1 priority boarding for you and up to 8 companions
- 20% savings on in-flight purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
When the Delta Gold makes sense
The Gold card is a better option if you:
- Want a shot at redeeming your companion ticket for Comfort+ or first class
- Check bags regularly
- Travel with companions
- Want some additional travel perks like priority boarding
Downsides of the Delta Gold
Potential downsides of the Gold card:
- $99 annual fee
- No airport lounge access
- Must spend $25,000 each year to earn the companion ticket
Delta Platinum Companion Ticket
The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card also requires $25,000 in annual spending to unlock a companion ticket valid for main cabin, Comfort+ or first class seating.
This mid-tier card comes with a $250 annual fee (See Rates & Fees). You’ll enjoy the same checked bag, priority boarding and savings benefits as the Delta Gold Card.
Plus, the Platinum card adds some premium travel perks like:
- Access to Delta Sky Club airport lounges when you’re flying Delta – up to $39 per person per visit
- Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee credit – up to $100 every 4-4.5 years
- Main cabin 1 priority boarding for you and up to 8 companions
- In-flightupgrade certificates – up to 4 annually (after spending $25,000)
When the Delta Platinum makes sense
The Platinum card is a solid option if you:
- Want airport lounge access
- Value perks like Global Entry and potential flight upgrades
- Don’t mind paying a higher annual fee
Downsides of the Delta Platinum
Potential negatives of the Platinum card:
- $250 annual fee
- Must spend $25,000 annually to earn the companion ticket
- Upgrades and lounge access are limited
Delta Reserve Companion Ticket
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card offers the best version of the companion certificate – with no spending required.
Each year when you renew this premium card, you’ll receive a companion ticket valid for main cabin, Comfort+ or first class travel.
This card has a hefty $550 annual fee (See Rates & Fees). But you’ll enjoy a long list of upscale benefits like:
- Access to Delta Sky Club lounges and American Express Centurion Lounges when you fly Delta
- Complimentary access to the Delta Sky Club for up to two guests when traveling with you
- First checked bag free for you and up to 8 companions
- Main cabin 1 priority boarding for you and up to 8 companions
- Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee credit – up to $100 every 4-4.5 years
- In-flight upgrade certificates – up to 4 annually (after spending $30,000)
- Earn 3x miles on Delta purchases
- 15,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) each calendar year (up to 4x)
When the Delta Reserve makes sense
This premium card is worth the annual fee if you:
- Want an unrestricted companion ticket each year without needing to meet spending requirements
- Travel frequently enough to use the Delta Sky Club and Centurion Lounge access
- Value luxury travel perks like upgrades and lounge guests
- Spend a lot on the card to earn extra MQMs
Downsides of the Delta Reserve
Potential negative factors include:
- $550 annual fee
- Many benefits require heavy spending on the card
- Perks like upgrades and lounge access are still limited
Should you get more than one Delta card?
Delta credit cards fall under American Express’ restrictions, including:
- You can only earn one welcome bonus per Delta card per lifetime
- You can only have up to 5 credit cards from American Express at one time
So while you’re allowed to have multiple Delta cards, doing so has limited utility. You’ll only earn one companion ticket per year across all your cards.
Many Delta cardholders opt to have one premium card like the Delta Platinum or Reserve. Then they supplement it with a no annual fee card like the Delta Blue to have an extra card for everyday purchases.
Tips for maximizing the Delta companion ticket
To get the most value from your Delta companion fare, consider these tips:
- Book early – Delta limits companion seats on each flight, so there may only be 1-2 available
- Be flexible on dates and airports – Flying on off-peak days or from alternate airports can open up more companion seats
- Consider Comfort+ for the upgrade – It’s typically much cheaper to redeem miles to upgrade your companion from economy to Comfort+ instead of to first class
- Don’t forget the taxes and fees – They run around $75 per person per direction
- Link your Delta and Lyft accounts to earn extra miles for rideshares to the airport
Which Delta card is best for a companion ticket?
All of Delta’s consumer credit cards can get you a companion ticket with varying amounts of spending required. Here’s a quick comparison:
Card | Annual Fee | Spending Requirement | Seating | Best For |
---|---|---|---|---|
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card | $0 | Spend $25,000 per year | Main cabin | Occasional Delta flyers who want an inexpensive companion ticket |
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card | $99 | Spend $25,000 per year | Main cabin, Comfort+, first class | Regular Delta flyers who check bags and want seating flexibility |
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card | $250 | Spend $25,000 per year | Main cabin, Comfort+, first class | Frequent Delta flyers who want lounge access and premium perks |
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card | $550 | None | Main cabin, Comfort+, first class | Very frequent Delta flyers and heavy spenders who value luxury travel |
The best Delta card for you depends on:
- How often you fly Delta
- How much you want to spend on the annual fee
- Whether you want bonus travel perks
- If you’ll spend enough to earn the companion ticket
For occasional Delta flyers, the no annual fee Blue card can make sense. Frequent Delta travelers can look at the Gold, Platinum or Reserve card to enjoy additional benefits.
The bottom line
Delta companion tickets provide an awesome way to take a friend or family member on a flight while only paying taxes and fees for their ticket.
The Delta SkyMiles® Blue, Gold, Platinum and Reserve cards all offer a companion certificate, either by meeting spending requirements or when your card renews each year.
Regular Delta customers typically get the best overall value from the Gold, Platinum and Reserve cards. But even casual Delta flyers can benefit from the no annual fee Blue card.
As long as you understand how Delta companion tickets work and pick the right card for your habits, you can enjoy discounted travel for years to come.