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Ranked by effective value per dollar at Delta Air Lines — including welcome offer math, redemption value, and annual fee.
Rankings are generated by our algorithm based on earn rates, point valuations, fees, and benefits — not paid placement. We don't accept compensation to rank cards higher. How we rank
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card earns the top spot for Delta Air Lines purchases at 3.6¢ per dollar — a $650 annual fee, factoring in welcome offers and ongoing rewards. We ranked every card in our database against Delta Air Lines purchases using the same scoring engine that powers our search. The list below orders cards by net value to you, not by what pays the biggest affiliate commission. Cards 4–10 are still solid picks; they just trade off some of the headline value for fewer fees, broader networks, or simpler redemptions.
Amex
Ranked by effective value per dollar at Delta Air Lines — including welcome offer math, redemption value, and annual fee.
Rankings are generated by our algorithm based on earn rates, point valuations, fees, and benefits — not paid placement. We don't accept compensation to rank cards higher. How we rank
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card earns the top spot for Delta Air Lines purchases at 3.6¢ per dollar — a $650 annual fee, factoring in welcome offers and ongoing rewards. We ranked every card in our database against Delta Air Lines purchases using the same scoring engine that powers our search. The list below orders cards by net value to you, not by what pays the biggest affiliate commission. Cards 4–10 are still solid picks; they just trade off some of the headline value for fewer fees, broader networks, or simpler redemptions.
Amex
Ranked by effective value per dollar at Delta Air Lines — including welcome offer math, redemption value, and annual fee.
Rankings are generated by our algorithm based on earn rates, point valuations, fees, and benefits — not paid placement. We don't accept compensation to rank cards higher. How we rank
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card earns the top spot for Delta Air Lines purchases at 3.6¢ per dollar — a $650 annual fee, factoring in welcome offers and ongoing rewards. We ranked every card in our database against Delta Air Lines purchases using the same scoring engine that powers our search. The list below orders cards by net value to you, not by what pays the biggest affiliate commission. Cards 4–10 are still solid picks; they just trade off some of the headline value for fewer fees, broader networks, or simpler redemptions.
Amex
Amex
Capital One
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card earns 3.6¢ per dollar at Delta Air Lines, the highest in our database. The $650 annual fee pays for itself once you're spending at least the equivalent each year. It's the right pick if you want maximum value on this category and don't mind paying for a premium card.
All 10 cards ranked by effective value per dollar.
| Card | Flights Rate | Effective Value | Annual Fee | Fee Offset | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express CardAmex | 3x Delta Skymiles | 3.6¢/$ | $650 | — | amex |
| Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express CardAmex | 2x Delta Skymiles | 2.4¢/$ | $150 | — | amex |
| Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit CardCapital One | 5x Venture Miles | 9.3¢/$ | $395 | — | visa |
| The Platinum Card from American ExpressAmex | 5x Membership Rewards | 9.0¢/$ | $895 | $697.50 | amex |
| Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express CardAmex | 3x Delta Skymiles | 3.6¢/$ | $350 | $60 | amex |
| Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express CardAmex | 2x Delta Skymiles | 2.4¢/$ | $0 | — | amex |
| Chase Sapphire ReserveChase | 4x Ultimate Rewards | 7.2¢/$ | $795 | $518 | visa |
| Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Visa Credit CardWells Fargo | 4x Wells Fargo Rewards | 6.0¢/$ | $95 | — | visa |
| Quicksilver Secured RewardsCapital One | 5% cash back | 5.0¢/$ | $0 | — | mastercard |
| Chase Freedom FlexChase | 5x Ultimate Rewards | 5.4¢/$ | $0 | $30 | mastercard |
Other brands in Airlines where the top picks above also earn well.
Want to filter by spend amount, network, or fee preference?
Open in full search with filters →Amex
Capital One
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card earns 3.6¢ per dollar at Delta Air Lines, the highest in our database. The $650 annual fee pays for itself once you're spending at least the equivalent each year. It's the right pick if you want maximum value on this category and don't mind paying for a premium card.
All 10 cards ranked by effective value per dollar.
| Card | Flights Rate | Effective Value | Annual Fee | Fee Offset | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express CardAmex | 3x Delta Skymiles | 3.6¢/$ | $650 | — | amex |
| Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express CardAmex | 2x Delta Skymiles | 2.4¢/$ | $150 | — | amex |
| Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit CardCapital One | 5x Venture Miles | 9.3¢/$ | $395 | — | visa |
| The Platinum Card from American ExpressAmex | 5x Membership Rewards | 9.0¢/$ | $895 | $697.50 | amex |
| Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express CardAmex | 3x Delta Skymiles | 3.6¢/$ | $350 | $60 | amex |
| Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express CardAmex | 2x Delta Skymiles | 2.4¢/$ | $0 | — | amex |
| Chase Sapphire ReserveChase | 4x Ultimate Rewards | 7.2¢/$ | $795 | $518 | visa |
| Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Visa Credit CardWells Fargo | 4x Wells Fargo Rewards | 6.0¢/$ | $95 | — | visa |
| Quicksilver Secured RewardsCapital One | 5% cash back | 5.0¢/$ | $0 | — | mastercard |
| Chase Freedom FlexChase | 5x Ultimate Rewards | 5.4¢/$ | $0 | $30 | mastercard |
Other brands in Airlines where the top picks above also earn well.
Want to filter by spend amount, network, or fee preference?
Open in full search with filters →Amex
Capital One
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card earns 3.6¢ per dollar at Delta Air Lines, the highest in our database. The $650 annual fee pays for itself once you're spending at least the equivalent each year. It's the right pick if you want maximum value on this category and don't mind paying for a premium card.
All 10 cards ranked by effective value per dollar.
| Card | Flights Rate | Effective Value | Annual Fee | Fee Offset | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express CardAmex | 3x Delta Skymiles | 3.6¢/$ | $650 | — | amex |
| Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express CardAmex | 2x Delta Skymiles | 2.4¢/$ | $150 | — | amex |
| Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit CardCapital One | 5x Venture Miles | 9.3¢/$ | $395 | — | visa |
| The Platinum Card from American ExpressAmex | 5x Membership Rewards | 9.0¢/$ | $895 | $697.50 | amex |
| Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express CardAmex | 3x Delta Skymiles | 3.6¢/$ | $350 | $60 | amex |
| Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express CardAmex | 2x Delta Skymiles | 2.4¢/$ | $0 | — | amex |
| Chase Sapphire ReserveChase | 4x Ultimate Rewards | 7.2¢/$ | $795 | $518 | visa |
| Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Visa Credit CardWells Fargo | 4x Wells Fargo Rewards | 6.0¢/$ | $95 | — | visa |
| Quicksilver Secured RewardsCapital One | 5% cash back | 5.0¢/$ | $0 | — | mastercard |
| Chase Freedom FlexChase | 5x Ultimate Rewards | 5.4¢/$ | $0 | $30 | mastercard |
Other brands in Airlines where the top picks above also earn well.
Want to filter by spend amount, network, or fee preference?
Open in full search with filters →