The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® Credit Card and the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card are both airline travel rewards credit cards that offer a variety of benefits to frequent flyers. Let's compare them side by side:
General Comparison
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Alaska Airlines Visa Signature | Delta SkyMiles Gold | |
Annual Fee | $95 | $150, $0 intro first year. (See Rates and Fees.) |
Rewards | unlimited 3 miles for every $1 spent on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases, 2X on eligible gas, EV charging station, cable, streaming services and local transit (including ride share) purchases and unlimited 1 mile for every $1 spent on all other purchases | 2X miles on delta purchases, at restaurants worldwide (including take-out and delivery in the U.S) and at U.S. supermarkets, and 1x miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Welcome bonus | 70,000 Bonus Miles plus Alaska's Famous Companion Fare™ ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) after you make $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of your account opening. | 40,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months
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0% Intro APR | N/A | N/A |
Foreign Transaction Fee | $0 | $0. See Rates and Fees. |
Purchase APR | 19.74% – 27.74% variable | 20.99%-29.99% Variable |
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Rewards Battle: A Side-by-Side Analysis
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Spend Per Category | Alaska Airlines Visa Signature | Delta SkyMiles Gold |
$15,000 – U.S Supermarkets | 15,000 miles | 30,000 miles |
$5,000 – Restaurants
| 5,000 miles | 10,000 miles |
$5,000 – Airline | 15,000 miles | 10,000 miles |
$5,000 – Hotels | 5,000 miles | 5,000 miles |
$4,000 – Gas | 8,000 miles | 4,000 miles |
Total Miles | 48,000 miles | 59,000 miles |
Estimated Redemption Value | 1 mile ~ 1.3 cents | 1 mile = ~1.3 cents
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Estimated Annual Value | $624 | $767 |
Delta Gold Card holders can redeem miles for Delta flights, seat upgrades, and merchandise. Additionally, explore partner airlines, hotel stays, car rentals, and more. Access exclusive benefits, making the most of your Delta Gold Card rewards.
Which Card Provides Better Travel Perks & Insurance?
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature
- $99 Alaska's Companion Fare: Receive a $99 Companion Fare (plus taxes and fees) annually after spending $6,000 or more within the prior year, applicable to all Alaska Airlines flights booked on alaskaair.com.
- Free First Checked Bag: Cardholders, along with up to 6 additional guests on the same reservation, can check their first bag for free when purchasing airfare with the card.
- Priority Boarding: Enjoy priority boarding for quicker access to your seat when you use your card to pay for your flight.
- 10% Rewards Bonus: Receive a 10% rewards bonus on all miles earned from card purchases with an eligible Bank of America® account.
- 20% Back On Inflight Purchases: Get 20% back on all Alaska Airlines inflight purchases
- $100 Lounge Membership Discount: get a discount on an annual Alaska Lounge+ Membership when paying with the card.
Delta SkyMiles Gold
- TakeOff 15: Save 15% on Award Travel when booking Delta flights (excluding partner-operated flights and taxes/fees).
$100 Delta Stays Credit: Get up to $100 back each year on eligible prepaid Delta Stays bookings at delta.com with the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card.
$200 Delta Flight Credit: When you spend $10,000 on purchases in a year, you'll get a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use for your next travel.
- First Checked Bag Free: Receive complimentary first checked bag on Delta flights.
- Pay with Miles Discount: You can receive up to $50 off the cost of your Delta flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem.
- 20% Back on In–flight Purchases: Receive a 20% statement credit on eligible Delta in-flight purchases of food and beverages.
- ShopRunner: Enjoy free 2-day shipping at 100+ online stores when you enroll in complimentary ShopRunner membership with your Delta Platinum card.
- Purchase Protection: Your card can protect eligible purchases from theft or accidental damage for up to 90 days.
- Extended Warranty: Extend the manufacturer's warranty on eligible purchases by up to one extra year when you use your card.
- Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance: When you use your card to reserve and pay for a rental vehicle and decline the collision damage waiver (CDW), you can be covered for damage or theft of the rental vehicle in a covered territory.
- Baggage Insurance Plan: Travel with peace of mind knowing your baggage is covered for loss, damage, or theft when you purchase a common carrier ticket with your card.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers.
When You Might Prefer The Delta SkyMiles Gold Card?
Here are the main reasons why you may prefer the Delta SkyMiles Gold Card:
Dedicated Delta Flyer: If you are a frequent flyer with Delta Airlines and prefer the perks and familiarity of a specific airline, the Delta SkyMiles Gold is tailored to Delta's ecosystem, offering exclusive benefits within their network.
Better Travel Insurance: For superior travel insurance, the Delta SkyMiles Gold outshines the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature card, making it a preferable option if robust coverage is your priority.
You Have High Spend On Groceries and Dining: The Delta SkyMiles Gold card offers higher rewards ratio when it comes to groceries and dining purchases. So, if you use your card mainly on these categories, it may be a better fit.
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When You Might Prefer The Alaska Visa Signature Card?
Here are the main reasons why you may prefer the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Card:
You Frequently Fly Alaska Airlines: If you fly Alaska Airlines regularly, you'll earn a higher points rewards ratio on flights as well as other perks targeted to Alaska flyers.
Diverse Airline Choices: If you prefer the flexibility to choose from various airlines for your travels, the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature is more suitable, as it allows you to earn and redeem miles not only on Alaska Airlines but also on its partner airlines.
You Have High Spend On Gas And Airline: The Alaska card offers higher rewards ratio when it comes to gas and airline purchases. So, if you use your card mainly on these categories, it may be a better fit.
Compare The Alternatives
If you're looking for an airline credit card with travel rewards – there are some good alternatives you may want to consider:
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United℠ Explorer Card | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card | Citi®/AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® | |
Annual Fee | $95 ($0 first year) | $99 | $99 (waived for the first 12 months)
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Rewards |
1X – 2X
2x per $1 spent on United purchases, hotel accommodations, restaurants & eligible delivery services and 1x per $1 spent on all other purchases
| 1X – 3X
3X points on Southwest® purchases,2X on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car partners, local transit and commuting, including rideshare, internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming and 1X points on all other purchases.
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1X – 2X
Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants, 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases and 1 AAdvantage® mile for every $1 spent on other purchases. Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases.
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Welcome bonus |
50,000 miles
50,000 miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
| 50,000 Points
50,000 points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
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50,000 Miles
50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
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Foreign Transaction Fee | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Purchase APR | 21.99% – 28.99% variable | 21.49%–28.49% variable
| 21.24% – 29.99% (Variable) |
Compare Delta SkyMiles Gold Card
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