Best Rewards Card for Delta Air Lines
Delta loyalists should pair an Amex Delta card with a Membership Rewards card for maximum flexibility. Earn flexible points you can transfer to airline and hotel partners for premium redemptions.
Top rewards picks for Delta Air Lines
Citi Strata Premier Card
10x on Hotels via Citi TravelCiti · $95 annual fee
Citi's refreshed premier travel card competes head-to-head with the Chase Sapphire Preferred. The 10x on hotels/car rentals booked through Citi Travel is eye-catching, and 3x on airlines, restaurants, supermarkets, and gas covers most spending. ThankYou Points transfer to 17+ partners.
Capital One Venture X Rewards
5x on Flights (Capital One)Capital One · $395 annual fee
The rare premium card that nearly pays for itself: a 300-dollar annual travel credit, 10,000 anniversary bonus miles (100-dollar value), and Priority Pass lounge access for unlimited guests. Earn 10x miles on hotels and car rentals via Capital One Travel. Combined perks regularly exceed the 395-dollar annual fee for anyone who travels a few times per year.
Chase Sapphire Preferred
5x on Travel (Chase)Chase · $95 annual fee
The gold standard for beginner and intermediate travel rewards. Earn 3x on dining and 2x on travel, with best-in-class trip delay reimbursement, primary car rental coverage, and no foreign transaction fees. Points transfer to 14 airline and hotel partners or redeem at 1.25 cents each through Chase Travel.
Chase Sapphire Reserve
5x on Flights (Chase)Chase · $550 annual fee
Chase flagship premium card: the $300 annual travel credit offsets most of the fee, Priority Pass lounge access for you and guests, 3x on dining and travel globally, and a 50% point-value boost through Chase Travel (1.5 cents each). Best-in-class travel insurance — trip delay, cancellation, and primary car rental — makes this a favorite for frequent travelers.
Chase Freedom Flex
5% on Travel (Chase)Chase · No annual fee
One of the best no-annual-fee cards available, combining 5% rotating bonus categories with a permanent 3% on dining and drugstores. When paired with a Chase Sapphire card, cash back converts to transferable Ultimate Rewards points worth 1.25–1.5 cents each — dramatically increasing value. Cell phone protection is a bonus you won't find on most free cards.
Chase Freedom Unlimited
5% on Travel (Chase)Chase · No annual fee
Earn 5% on Chase Travel, 3% on dining and drugstores, and an unlimited 1.5% on all other purchases with no annual fee. When paired with a Sapphire card, points become fully transferable to 14 airline and hotel partners — making this one of the best zero-fee companion cards in the market.
American Express Platinum
5x on Flights (direct)American Express · $695 annual fee
The most comprehensive lounge access card available: Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass Select, Delta Sky Clubs when flying Delta, and more. Over 1,500 dollars in annual credits including airline fee, hotel, digital entertainment, and CLEAR Plus credits. Built for high-frequency flyers who maximize every perk.
American Express Business Platinum
5x on Flights (Amex Travel)American Express · $695 annual fee
The ultimate business travel card for executives who fly frequently and can use premium credits. Over $1,000 in annual credits can offset the $695 fee. The 150,000-point welcome bonus is among the largest available and worth $1,500+ toward travel with the right transfer partners.
Annual value math — Citi Strata Premier Card at Delta Air Lines
Typical spend
$4,000
per year at Delta Air Lines
Earn rate
10x
on Hotels via Citi Travel
Annual value
$600
rewards earned per year
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best rewards points credit card for Delta Air Lines?⌄
Our top pick is the Citi Strata Premier Card — it's a rewards points card that earns 10x on Hotels via Citi Travel, which applies to Delta Air Lines purchases. With typical spending of $4,000/year at Delta Air Lines, that's about $600/year in rewards.
Do Delta Air Lines purchases count as Travel?⌄
Delta Air Lines purchases typically code as Travel or Air Travel or Flights or Flights (direct) or Flights (Amex Travel) depending on the issuer. Card networks determine merchant category codes (MCC), so coding can vary between Visa and Mastercard for the same retailer.
Is a rewards points card worth it just for Delta Air Lines?⌄
A rewards points card is only worth it if its broader utility matches your spending. The Delta Air Lines fit is a bonus — not the primary reason to open one.
How much can I earn per year on Delta Air Lines with a rewards points card?⌄
At the typical Delta Air Lines spend of $4,000/year and the 10x earn rate on our top pick, you'd earn about $600/year — more than enough to justify the card.