Delta and Amex refreshed the SkyMiles cards with no fee increase: a free second checked bag and a new $120 Gold rideshare credit remain active. The elevated welcome offers Delta ran through July 15, 2026 have ended.
Updated August 27, 2026: there is a new offer window, and on two cards it beats the one below. Amex put fresh limited-time offers on the Delta cards, running through November 4, 2026. Read from each card's own page today:
| Card | Fee | Offer now | Spend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delta SkyMiles Gold | $150 | 80,000 miles + $250 statement credit | $3,000 / 6mo |
| Delta SkyMiles Platinum | $350 | 90,000 miles + $300 statement credit | $4,000 / 6mo |
| Delta SkyMiles Reserve | $650 | 2 round-trip Comfort certificates + 50,000 miles | $10,000 / 6mo |
| Delta SkyMiles Gold Business | $150 | 90,000 miles | $6,000 / 6mo |
| Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business | $350 | 100,000 miles | $8,000 / 6mo |
| Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business | $650 | 200,000 miles | $20,000 / 6mo |
Two things to notice. Reserve Business went from 125,000 to 200,000, which is the largest Delta offer in this article by a wide margin. And the personal Gold and Platinum now pay a statement credit on top of miles, which the June window did not. The Reserve changed shape rather than size: flight certificates instead of a flat mile count, so whether it improved depends on whether you would use them.
The table further down is the June 2026 window. It was accurate then and is kept as the record of what that offer was.
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). New applicants could grab elevated welcome offers of up to 90k (Gold), 100k (Platinum), or 125k (Reserve) miles if approved by July 15, 2026. That offer window has closed, and as of August 2026 Amex's Delta card pages no longer advertise those numbers.
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. It's also worth pairing with how Delta's newest earning partnership works. See our breakdown of earning SkyMiles through Airbnb stays and experiences.
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 had to be approved by July 15, 2026 to get these numbers. That window has closed, and Amex's Delta card pages no longer show these elevated offers.
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. If you're not loyal to Delta specifically, a flexible travel card like the Amex Green earns rewards you can use with any airline instead of locking you into one program.
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 did the elevated welcome offers end? You needed to apply and be approved by July 15, 2026. That window has closed, and Amex's Delta card pages no longer advertise those numbers as of August 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.