The Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express and the United Gateway Credit Card are both no-annual-fee airline credit cards issued by Amex and Chase, respectively. Let's compare them side by side to see which is better fro your needs.
General Comparison
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United Gateway | Delta SkyMiles® Blue | |
Annual Fee | $0 | $0 . See Rates and Fees. |
Rewards | 2X per $1 spent on United® purchases, at gas stations and on local transit and commuting and 1X on all other purchases | 2X miles for every dollar spent at restaurants worldwide and Delta purchases and 1X miles for every dollar spent on other eligible purchases |
Welcome bonus | Earn 30,000 bonus miles after qualifying purchases. | 10,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months |
0% Intro APR | 12 months on purchases | N/A |
Foreign Transaction Fee | $0 | $0 |
Purchase APR | 21.49% – 28.49% | 20.24% – 29.24% Variable |
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Airline Miles Rewards Analysis: Which Card Is Better?
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|---|---|---|
Spend Per Category | United Gateway | Delta SkyMiles® Blue |
$10,000 – U.S Supermarkets | 10,000 miles | 10,000 miles |
$4,000 – Restaurants
| 4,000 miles | 8,000 miles |
$5,000 – Airline | 10,000 miles | 10,000 miles |
$4,000 – Hotels | 4,000 miles | 4,000 miles |
$4,000 – Gas | 8,000 miles | 4,000 miles |
Total Miles | 36,000 miles | 36,000 miles |
Redemption Value (Estimated) | 1 mile = ~1.2 cents
| 1 mile = ~1.3 cents
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Estimated Annual Value | $444 | $468 |
The Delta Blue Card offers versatile redemption options, allowing cardholders to use miles for Delta flights, seat upgrades, hotel stays, car rentals, and merchandise through the Delta SkyMiles program.
With the United Gateway credit card, you can redeem points for flights on United Airlines or its partners, hotel stays, car rentals, and merchandise.
Airline Benefits And Protections: Comparison
United Gateway
- 25% Back on In-Flight Purchases: You'll get a 25% statement credit on purchases of food, beverages, and Wi-Fi on United-operated flights when you pay with your Explorer Card, saving you money during your travels.
- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver: Decline the rental company's collision insurance and charge the entire rental cost to your card. This provides primary insurance coverage for theft and collision damage for most rental cars in the U.S. and abroad.
- Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance: You can be reimbursed for pre-paid, non-refundable passenger fares if your trip is canceled or cut short due to covered situations like sickness or severe weather.
- Trip Delay Reimbursement: If your common carrier travel is delayed over 12 hours or requires an overnight stay, you and your family are covered for unreimbursed expenses, such as meals and lodging.
- Visa Concierge: Enjoy complimentary access to Visa Signature® Concierge Service 24/7, helping you find tickets to events, make dinner reservations, and more.
- Purchase Protection: Provides coverage for new purchases against damage or theft for 120 days.
Delta SkyMiles Blue
20% Back on In-flight Purchases: Enjoy a 20% statement credit on eligible Delta in-flight purchases of food and beverages when using the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card.
Pay with Miles: Gain flexibility by redeeming miles with “Pay with Miles” on delta.com, allowing you to take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles redeemed.
- Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance: Receive coverage for damage or theft of a rental vehicle in a covered territory when you use the card to reserve and pay for the entire rental, and decline the collision damage waiver at the rental counter.
- Global Assist® Hotline: Access 24/7 emergency assistance and coordination services, including medical and legal referrals, emergency cash wires, and missing luggage assistance.
- ShopRunner: Enjoy complimentary ShopRunner membership, offering free 2-day shipping and free return shipping on eligible items at 100+ online stores.
- Purchase Protection: Receive protection for covered purchases from accidental damage or theft for up to 90 days from the purchase date when using the card.
- Extended Warranty: Extend the warranty on covered purchases by matching the original manufacturer's warranty for up to one additional year when using the card.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers.
When You Might Want The Delta SkyMiles Blue Card?
You might prefer the Delta SkyMiles Blue Card in these situations:
Frequent Delta Flyer: If you're a regular Delta Airlines traveler, the SkyMiles Blue card is a great choice. It offers more miles for Delta purchases, making it ideal for loyal Delta flyers
Delta Hub Proximity: If you’re based near a Delta Air Lines hub, the Delta SkyMiles Blue card could be a better fit, giving you access to Delta’s extensive network and perks specific to their hubs.
You Spend A Lot Of Money On Dining: The Delta SkyMiles Blue Card earns double miles on dining, while the United Gateway Card doesn’t offer this benefit.
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When You Might Want The United Gateway Card?
You might prefer the United Gateway Card in these situations:
You Want Broader Travel Insurances: The United Gateway Card offers trip delay reimbursement and trip cancellation, which the Delta SkyMiles Blue card doesn’t.
Proximity to United Hub: If you live near a United Airlines hub and travel frequently from there, the United Gateway card may be a better fit, with perks tailored to United’s network.
You Spend A Lot Of Money On Gas: The United Gateway Card earns double miles on gas station purchases, while the Delta SkyMiles Blue Card doesn’t offer this benefit.
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 | Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card | Citi®/AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® | |
Annual Fee | $95 ($0 first year) | $150, $0 intro first year. (See Rates and Fees.) | $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
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1X – 2X
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
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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.
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50,000 Miles
Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new card in your first 6 months of card membership.
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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. See Rates and Fees. | $0 |
Purchase APR | 21.49% – 28.49% variable APR | 20.24% – 29.24% Variable | 20.74% – 29.74% (Variable) |
Compare United Gateway Card
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