Bilt Obsidian Card vs Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card
Annual fees: Bilt Obsidian Card $95/yr, Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card $0/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Bilt Obsidian Card on rent and dining, Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card on dining.
Card data as of October 12, 2026.
Bilt Obsidian CardCardless · $95/yr
Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express CardAmerican Express · No annual fee
Overview
- Annual fee
- Bilt Obsidian Card$95Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card$0Lowest
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- Bilt Obsidian Card$200 in rewardsDelta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card10,000 miles
- Rewards
- Bilt Obsidian CardBilt PointsDelta SkyMiles Blue American Express CardDelta SkyMiles
- Foreign transaction fee
- Bilt Obsidian CardNoneDelta SkyMiles Blue American Express CardNone
- Network
- Bilt Obsidian CardMastercard World EliteDelta SkyMiles Blue American Express CardAmerican Express
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Dining
- Bilt Obsidian Card3xHighestDelta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card2x
- Grocery Stores
- Bilt Obsidian Card3xHighestDelta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card1x
- Travel
- Bilt Obsidian Card2xHighestDelta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card1x
- Mortgage
- Bilt Obsidian Card1.25xHighestDelta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card1x
- Rent
- Bilt Obsidian Card1.25xHighestDelta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card1x
- Everything else
- Bilt Obsidian Card1xDelta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card1x
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Travel
- Bilt Obsidian Card
- $100 hotel credit
Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card- 20% inflight purchases
Perks & access— means none on record
- Other perks
- Bilt Obsidian Card
- 10% intro APR for 12 months
- 0% foreign transaction fees
Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card- Amex Offers
- Early access to concerts and events
- 24/7 global travel assistance
- No foreign transaction fees
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
- Trip insurance
- Bilt Obsidian Card
- Trip cancellation up to $2,000/trip
- Trip Delay
Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card— - Baggage
- Bilt Obsidian Card
- Luggage insurance up to $1,500
Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card— - Rental car
- Bilt Obsidian Card
- MasterRental Coverage
Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card- Secondary car rental insurance coverage
- Purchase & returns
- Bilt Obsidian Card
- Purchase Assurance
Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card- Up to $10,000 per item against damage or theft
- Extended warranty
- Bilt Obsidian Card
- Extended warranty up to $10,000/claim
Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card- Extended warranty adds up to 1 year
- Cell phone
- Bilt Obsidian Card
- Cellular Wireless Telephone Protection
Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card— - Other protections
- Bilt Obsidian Card—Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card
- Zero liability protection on fraudulent charges
Pros & cons
- Pros
- Bilt Obsidian Card
- 3x points on your choice of dining or grocery (up to $25K/year on grocery)
- 2x points on travel
- Earn up to 1.25X points on rent and mortgage with no transaction fees
- $200 Bilt Cash welcome bonus upon approval (no spending required)
- $100 annual Bilt Travel hotel credit ($50 semiannually)
Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card- No annual fee makes it easy to keep long-term
- 2x miles on Delta purchases and at U.S. restaurants
- 20% back on in-flight Delta purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
- Pay with Miles feature for partial flight redemptions
- Cons
- Bilt Obsidian Card
- $95 annual fee plus $50 per authorized user
- Complex earning structure for housing rewards (requires spending tiers or Bilt Cash redemption)
- Bilt Cash expires at year-end with only $100 rollover
- Grocery bonus category capped at $25K/year spending
- Hotel credit requires 2-night minimum via Bilt Travel portal
Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card- No free checked bag or priority boarding
- Weak 10,000 mile welcome bonus compared to premium Delta cards
- 1x on non-category spend limits earning potential
- Rewards locked in Delta SkyMiles (no transfer partners)
- No elite status boost or companion certificate
Category-by-Category Winner
The Bilt Obsidian Card wins in 3 of 3 categories. The Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card leads in 0. 2 more categories depend on booking channel or caps.
Rent
Bilt Obsidian Card earns 1.25X vs 1X
1.25X via tiered option or up to 1X via Bilt Cash option; no transaction fee; no annual cap on housing payments
Mortgage
Bilt Obsidian Card earns 1.25X vs 1X
1.25X via tiered option or up to 1X via Bilt Cash option; no transaction fee
Dining
Depends: 3X applies only while dining is the elected 3X category (dining or grocery). Dining is the default at account opening; grocery can be chosen within 30 days of opening or each January.
Bilt Obsidian Card earns 3X when conditions are met; Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card earns 2X (2X without restrictions)
Travel
Bilt Obsidian Card earns 2X vs 1X
Grocery Stores
Depends: up to $25,000/yr; 3X applies only if grocery replaces the default dining as the elected 3X category (switch within 30 days of opening or each January); grocery 3X is limited to $25,000 a year.
Bilt Obsidian Card earns 3X when conditions are met; Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Year One vs Ongoing Value
Modeled net value (bonus categories at unconditional rates, caps applied). Spend mix: dining 15%, groceries 15%, gas 10%, travel 10%, everything else 50%. Statement credits use the same recurring usable estimates as each card's detail page; first-year-only credits count in year one only. Welcome offers valued at each card's program rate shown on this page.
Both scenarios favor the Bilt Obsidian Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
| Scenario | Bilt Obsidian Card | Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $264 Credits (our usable estimate): $20 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $189 Year one: $389 | Rewards: $166 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $166 Year one: $286 | Bilt Obsidian Card | Bilt Obsidian Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $1,056 Credits (our usable estimate): $20 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $981 Year one: $1,181 | Rewards: $662 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $662 Year one: $782 | Bilt Obsidian Card | Bilt Obsidian Card |
Is the Fee Difference Worth It?
The Bilt Obsidian Card costs $95/yr — that's $95 more than the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card (no annual fee). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $95 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $95 fee gap means the Bilt Obsidian Card needs roughly $95 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on dining and grocery stores and everyday spend.
Which Card Is Right for You?
Get the Bilt Obsidian Card if you:
- +Do most of your spending at grocery stores
The Bottom Line
Both scenarios favor the Bilt Obsidian Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
Published annual fees: Bilt Obsidian Card $95/yr, Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card $0/yr — a $95 difference before welcome offers and credits.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the Bilt Obsidian Card worth the higher annual fee?
- The Bilt Obsidian Card costs $95/yr vs $0/yr for the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $95 gap must be offset by higher earn rates, welcome offers, or credits you will use.
- Which card earns more rewards, the Bilt Obsidian Card or Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card?
- Both cards earn 1X on everyday purchases. The difference is in bonus categories — check the earn rate comparison above for a full breakdown.
- What benefits does the Bilt Obsidian Card have that the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card doesn't?
- The Bilt Obsidian Card offers cell phone protection. The Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card offers travel credits.
- Should I get the Bilt Obsidian Card or the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card?
- Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card has a lower $0/yr fee; the Bilt Obsidian Card must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $95/yr.
Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; catalog last published October 12, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.