Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card vs Hilton Honors American Express Card
Annual fees: Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card $150/yr, Hilton Honors American Express Card $0/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card on dining, Hilton Honors American Express Card on dining.
Card data as of November 13, 2026.
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card
American Express · $150/yr
Hilton Honors American Express CardAmerican Express · No annual fee
Overview
- Annual fee
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card$150Waived first yearHilton Honors American Express Card$0Lowest
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express CardAs high as 80,000 miles — offers varyHilton Honors American Express Card70,000 points
- Rewards
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express CardDelta SkyMilesHilton Honors American Express CardHilton Honors
- Foreign transaction fee
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express CardNoneHilton Honors American Express CardNone
- Network
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express CardAmerican ExpressHilton Honors American Express CardAmerican Express
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Dining
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card2xHilton Honors American Express Card5xHighest
- Gas Stations
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card1xHilton Honors American Express Card5xHighest
- Grocery Stores
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card2xHilton Honors American Express Card5xHighest
- Everything else
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card1xHilton Honors American Express Card3xHighest
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Travel
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card
- $200 Delta flight credit
- $100 Delta Stays
- 20% inflight purchases · $20 per transaction
Hilton Honors American Express Card— - Rideshare & transit
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card
- $10/mo rideshare · $10 monthly
Hilton Honors American Express Card—
Perks & access— means none on record
- Hotel status & programs
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card—Hilton Honors American Express Card
- Automatic Hilton Honors Silver Elite Status
- Airline perks
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card
- First checked bag free for cardholder plus 8 companions
- Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights
Hilton Honors American Express Card— - Other perks
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card
- Amex Offers
- Early access to concerts and events
- 24/7 global travel assistance
- TakeOff 15
- No foreign transaction fees
Hilton Honors 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
- Baggage
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card
- Baggage insurance up to $1,250 for carry-on items
Hilton Honors American Express Card— - Rental car
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card
- Secondary car rental insurance coverage
Hilton Honors American Express Card- Car rental insurance (secondary coverage)
- Purchase & returns
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card
- Purchase protection for new items
Hilton Honors American Express Card- Up to $1,000 per item against damage or theft
- Extended warranty
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card
- Extended warranty adds 1 year to manufacturer warranty
Hilton Honors American Express Card— - Other protections
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card
- Zero liability protection on fraudulent charges
Hilton Honors American Express Card- Zero liability protection on fraudulent charges
Pros & cons
- Pros
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card
- First checked bag free for you + 8 companions; second checked bag free on domestic Delta flights
- Priority boarding in Main Cabin 1
- $120 rideshare credit ($10/month after first renewal; enrollment required)
- 2X miles on Delta, restaurants, and supermarkets
- No foreign transaction fees
Hilton Honors American Express Card- No annual fee ever
- Automatic Hilton Silver status with 20% bonus points and late checkout
- Path to Gold status after $20,000 annual spend
- Solid 7X earning at Hilton properties, 5X at restaurants/supermarkets/gas
- No foreign transaction fees
- Cons
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card
- $150 annual fee after first year ($0 intro year)
- No companion certificate included
- No Delta Sky Club access
- Only 1X on most purchases
- SkyMiles have variable redemption value
Hilton Honors American Express Card- Only Silver status (lower than Surpass/Aspire Gold grants)
- Lower earn rates than premium Hilton cards (7X vs 12X at Hilton)
- No annual credits or free night rewards
- Points locked to Hilton with no transfer flexibility
- Amex network less accepted internationally than Visa/Mastercard
Expert Analysis
Both the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card and Hilton Honors American Express Card come from the same issuer, but they target different spending profiles. Understanding where each card excels helps you pick the one that matches your lifestyle — or decide if holding both makes sense.
The Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card's strongest category is Delta Purchases at 2X, while the Hilton Honors American Express Card leads with 7X on Hilton Properties. Overall, the Hilton Honors American Express Card wins in more bonus categories (7 vs 0) — so the better choice depends on where you spend the most.
At $0/yr vs $150/yr, the Hilton Honors American Express Card is the more accessible option. The Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card needs to deliver at least $150 in annual value through its premium benefits to justify the gap. It offers free checked bags, which can cover that gap for active users.
Key Differences
- Hilton Honors American Express Card earns 3X on Delta Purchases vs 2X for the other
- Hilton Honors American Express Card earns 3X on Delta Airlines vs 2X for the other
- Hilton Honors American Express Card earns 5X on Dining vs 2X for the other
- The Hilton Honors American Express Card costs $0/yr vs $150/yr — a $150 annual gap
- Only the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card offers free checked bags
- Hilton Honors American Express Card has a higher base earn rate (3X vs 1X on non-bonus spending)
Spending Scenarios
Which card wins in real-world spending situations?
$200/month on delta purchases
Hilton Honors American Express CardHilton Honors American Express Card earns 3X vs 2X. Over a year, that's 7,200 vs 4,800 points — a 2,400-point advantage.
$200/month on delta airlines
Hilton Honors American Express CardHilton Honors American Express Card earns 3X vs 2X. Over a year, that's 7,200 vs 4,800 points — a 2,400-point advantage.
Mixed everyday spending, 2 trips/year
Hilton Honors American Express CardWithout heavy spending in the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card's premium categories, the $150 fee difference is hard to recover. The Hilton Honors American Express Card delivers better overall value for moderate spenders.
Who Should Get Which?
Get the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card if:
The Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card is ideal for cardholders who prioritize maximizing premium card benefits. At $150/yr, it delivers solid return on the annual fee investment for its target audience.
Get the Hilton Honors American Express Card if:
The Hilton Honors American Express Card is ideal for cardholders who prioritize spending heavily on delta purchases and delta airlines and keeping annual costs low and earning more on everyday purchases. At $0/yr, it delivers strong no-fee value for its target audience.
Upgrade & Downgrade Path
Since both cards are from the same issuer, you may be able to hold both or product-change between them. Check with your issuer for current policies.
Holding both cards can make sense if you want to maximize earn rates across different spending categories.
Category-by-Category Winner
The Hilton Honors American Express Card wins in 4 of 4 categories. The Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card leads in 0.
Dining
Hilton Honors American Express Card earns 5X vs 2X
Grocery Stores
Hilton Honors American Express Card earns 5X vs 2X
Gas Stations
Hilton Honors American Express Card earns 5X vs 1X
Everyday purchases
Hilton Honors American Express Card earns 3X on all other spending vs 1X
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.
Modeled value is close across spend levels — especially once statement credits are counted.
| Scenario | Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card | Hilton Honors American Express Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $187 Credits (our usable estimate): $182 − Annual fee ($150) Ongoing: $219 Year one: $369 | Rewards: $182 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $182 Year one: $462 | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use | Hilton Honors American Express Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $749 Credits (our usable estimate): $182 − Annual fee ($150) Ongoing: $781 Year one: $931 | Rewards: $730 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $730 Year one: $1,010 | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use |
Is the Fee Difference Worth It?
The Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card costs $150/yr — that's $150 more than the Hilton Honors American Express Card (no annual fee). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $150 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.
The Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card includes travel credits, free checked bags. Those perks are not included in the earn-rate scenario table above — compare their dollar value to the $150 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $150 fee gap means the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card needs roughly $150 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on dining and grocery stores and everyday spend.
What You Give Up
Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.
Choosing Hilton Honors American Express Card means losing:
- -Free checked bags
Which Card Is Right for You?
Get the Hilton Honors American Express Card if you:
- +Prefer a high flat rate across all spending
The Bottom Line
Modeled value is close across spend levels — especially once statement credits are counted.
Everyday (non-bonus) spend earns 3X on the Hilton Honors American Express Card vs 1X on the other card.
Published annual fees: Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card $150/yr, Hilton Honors American Express Card $0/yr — a $150 difference before welcome offers and credits.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card worth the higher annual fee?
- The Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card costs $150/yr vs $0/yr for the Hilton Honors American Express Card. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $150 gap must be offset by higher earn rates, welcome offers, or credits you will use (the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card also lists travel credits).
- Which card earns more rewards, the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card or Hilton Honors American Express Card?
- The Hilton Honors American Express Card has a higher base earn rate (3X vs 1X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.
- What benefits does the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card have that the Hilton Honors American Express Card doesn't?
- The Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card offers travel credits. The Hilton Honors American Express Card focuses more on earn rates than premium perks.
- Should I get the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card or the Hilton Honors American Express Card?
- Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Hilton Honors American Express Card has a lower $0/yr fee; the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $150/yr.
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Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; catalog last published November 13, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.