Delta and Amex refreshed the SkyMiles cards with no fee increase: a free second checked bag, a new $120 Gold rideshare credit, and elevated welcome offers through July 15, 2026.
TL;DR: Delta and American Express refreshed the SkyMiles cards on June 4, 2026, with no annual-fee increase. The headline: fee-paying Gold, Platinum, and Reserve cards (personal and business) now get a free second checked bag on domestic Delta flights. Gold and Gold Business also add a $120/year rideshare credit ($10/month). And new applicants can grab elevated welcome offers — up to 90k (Gold), 100k (Platinum), or 125k (Reserve) miles — if they're approved by July 15, 2026.
If you carry a Delta Amex or you've been eyeing one, this is the most worthwhile update in a while, mostly because none of it costs you a higher annual fee.
These limited-time offers are higher than Delta's usual public bonuses. Annual fees and offers below are from our card database:
| Card | Annual fee | Limited-time welcome offer |
|---|---|---|
| Delta SkyMiles Gold | $150 | 90,000 miles (70k after $3k, plus 20k after another $2k) in 6 months |
| Delta SkyMiles Platinum | $350 | 100,000 miles (80k after $4k, plus 20k after another $2k) in 6 months |
| Delta SkyMiles Reserve | $650 | 125,000 miles (100k after $6k, plus 25k after another $3k) in 6 months |
| Delta SkyMiles Gold Business | $150 | 90,000 miles after $6k in 6 months |
| Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business | $350 | 100,000 miles after $8k in 6 months |
| Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business | $650 | 125,000 miles after $15k in 6 months |
You have to be approved by July 15, 2026 to get these numbers.
Run your own math. Delta domestic checked bags cost about $35 for the first and $45 for the second, each way. If you check a second bag on a round trip, the new benefit hands you roughly $90 back for the Card Member on that one trip. Take two trips a year where you'd check a second bag and the Gold's $150 fee is mostly covered by baggage alone, before you count miles or the rideshare credit. Check Delta's baggage policy for how it applies to others on your reservation.
A welcome bonus is only worth chasing if you'll hit the spend naturally and use the miles. Don't open a card just for one perk.
Which Delta cards get the free second checked bag? Gold, Platinum, and Reserve, in both personal and business versions. The no-fee Delta SkyMiles Blue card does not.
Is the rideshare credit on every Delta card? No. It's new on Gold and Gold Business: $120 a year, paid as up to $10 a month, with enrollment required. Platinum and Reserve already carried a rideshare credit.
When do the elevated welcome offers end? You need to apply and be approved by July 15, 2026.
Did the annual fees go up? No. Delta and American Express added these benefits with no increase to the annual fee.
Does the second bag benefit cover people on my reservation? The announcement describes the second free checked bag for Card Members on domestic Delta-operated flights. Check Delta's baggage terms for how it treats companions on the same reservation.
Sources verified June 8, 2026: Delta's official "more travel value to Delta SkyMiles Cards" announcement (Delta News Hub, June 4, 2026) and American Express Delta SkyMiles card benefit pages. Annual fees, welcome offers, and the rideshare credit are drawn from our verified card database.