Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card vs United Club Card
Annual fees: Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card $150/yr, United Club Card $695/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card on dining, United Club Card on hotels.
Card data as of October 12, 2026.
Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express CardAmerican Express · $150/yr
United Club CardChase · $695/yr
Overview
- Annual fee
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card$150LowestWaived first yearUnited Club Card$695
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express CardAs high as 80,000 miles — offers varyUnited Club CardUp to 100,000 miles
- Rewards
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express CardDelta SkyMilesUnited Club CardUnited MileagePlus
- Foreign transaction fee
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express CardNoneUnited Club CardNone
- Network
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express CardAmerican ExpressUnited Club CardVisa Infinite
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Dining
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card2xUnited Club Card2x
- Grocery Stores
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card2xHighestUnited Club Card1x
- Hotels
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card1xUnited Club Card2xHighest
- Ridesharing
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card1xUnited Club Card2xHighest
- Transit
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card1xUnited Club Card2xHighest
- Travel
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card1xUnited Club Card2xHighest
- Everything else
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card1xUnited Club Card1x
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
United Club Card- $200 Renowned Hotels
- $100 Avis/Budget travel
- $200/yr JSX flights
- $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck
- 25% United inflight purchases · $25 per transaction
- Rideshare & transit
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card
- $10/mo rideshare · $10 monthly
United Club Card- $150/yr rideshare · $13 monthly
- Dining & delivery
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card—United Club Card
- $20/mo Instacart+ · $20 monthly
Perks & access— means none on record
- Lounges
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card—United Club Card
- United Club membership with guest access
- Hotel status & programs
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card—United Club Card
- IHG One Rewards Platinum 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
United Club Card- Earn up to 20,000-miles in award flight discounts each year
- Premier Access priority boarding and security lanes
- Free first and second checked bags for you plus companion
- Premier upgrades on award tickets
- Car rental
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card—United Club Card
- Avis President's Club®
- 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
United Club Card- 10% or more off United awards
- MileagePlus miles don't expire
- United Card Events from Chase and United MileagePlus Events
- Earn up to 28,000 Premier® qualifying points (PQP)
- No foreign transaction fees
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
- Trip insurance
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card—United Club Card
- Trip cancellation coverage up to $10,000 per traveler
- Trip delay coverage up to $500 after 12 hours
- Baggage
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card
- Baggage insurance up to $1,250 for carry-on items
United Club Card- Baggage delay coverage $100/day up to 3 days
- Lost baggage coverage up to $3,000 per traveler
- Rental car
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card
- Secondary car rental insurance coverage
United Club Card- Primary car rental insurance up to $60,000
- Purchase & returns
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card
- Purchase protection for new items
United Club Card- Return Protection · up to $500
- Purchase protection up to $10,000 per item for 120 days
- Extended warranty
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card
- Extended warranty adds 1 year to manufacturer warranty
United Club Card- Extended warranty adds 1 year to manufacturer warranty
- Other protections
- Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card
- Zero liability protection on fraudulent charges
United Club Card—
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
United Club Card- Full United Club membership included ($750/year value) with 1 adult guest
- Highest PQP earning: 1 PQP per $15 spent, 28,000 annual cap, plus 1,500 bonus PQPs
- Two free checked bags for cardholder plus companion
- 5x miles on United purchases (highest among United cards)
- Save 10% or more when booking flights with miles
- 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
United Club Card- $695 annual fee is the highest among United cards
- United Club access only useful at airports with United presence
- Guest policy limited to 1 adult (plus children under 18)
- Renowned Hotels credit requires booking through specific portal
- No direct TravelBank credit like Quest card offers
Category-by-Category Winner
The United Club Card wins in 4 of 5 categories. The Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card leads in 1.
Grocery Stores
Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card earns 2X vs 1X
Hotels
United Club Card earns 5X vs 1X
5X via issuer travel portal
Travel
United Club Card earns 2X vs 1X
Ridesharing
United Club Card earns 2X vs 1X
Transit
United Club Card earns 2X 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.
Ongoing value favors the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card; year-one value favors the United Club Card.
| Scenario | Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card | United Club 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: $180 Credits (our usable estimate): $440 − Annual fee ($695) Ongoing: -$75 Year one: $1,005 | Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card | United Club Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $749 Credits (our usable estimate): $182 − Annual fee ($150) Ongoing: $781 Year one: $931 | Rewards: $720 Credits (our usable estimate): $440 − Annual fee ($695) Ongoing: $465 Year one: $1,545 | Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card | United Club Card |
Is the Fee Difference Worth It?
The United Club Card costs $695/yr — that's $545 more than the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card ($150/yr). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $545 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.
The United Club Card includes travel credits, lounge access, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, free checked bags. Those perks are not included in the earn-rate scenario table above — compare their dollar value to the $545 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $545 fee gap means the United Club Card needs roughly $545 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on hotels and travel and everyday spend.
What You Give Up
Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.
Choosing Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card means losing:
- -Airport lounge access
- -Global Entry credit
Which Card Is Right for You?
Get the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card if you:
- +Do most of your spending at grocery stores
Get the United Club Card if you:
- +Fly frequently and value airport lounge access
The Bottom Line
Ongoing value favors the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card; year-one value favors the United Club Card.
Published annual fees: Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card $150/yr, United Club Card $695/yr — a $545 difference before welcome offers and credits.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the United Club Card worth the higher annual fee?
- The United Club Card costs $695/yr vs $150/yr for the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $545 gap must be offset by higher earn rates, welcome offers, or credits you will use (the United Club Card also lists lounge access, travel credits).
- Which card earns more rewards, the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card or United Club 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 Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card have that the United Club Card doesn't?
- The Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card offers travel credits. The United Club Card offers lounge access, travel credits.
- Should I get the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card or the United Club Card?
- Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card has a lower $150/yr fee; the United Club Card must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $695/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.